Unveiling the Unmatched Brilliance of Immortals of Aveum

Highlights

Immortals of Aveum and Forspoken are both new IPs with spellcasting combat, but Immortals is resonating more with critics and fans.

Forspoken experienced delays and received poor reviews both critically and commercially, whereas Immortals excels in delivering a carefully crafted linear experience.

In Immortals, the protagonist's dialogue is exceptionally well executed, effortlessly blending heartfelt moments with lighthearted humor.

With titles like Immortals of Aveum, Forspoken, and Hogwarts Legacy, the gaming industry has recently seen a surge in spellcasting-based combat games, rather than traditional melee weapons or firearms. While Hogwarts Legacy benefits from its association with a popular and successful IP, both Forspoken and Immortals of Aveum stand out for being new IPs amidst a sea of releases from established franchises. Interestingly, Immortals has managed to resonate more strongly with both critics and fans compared to Forspoken.

Released in February 2023 to mixed reviews, Forspoken marked the debut title from Luminous Productions, an in-house studio of Square Enix known for their work on Final Fantasy 15. After successfully salvaging a troubled development process and delivering Final Fantasy 15, Luminous earned the opportunity to create their own original IP with Forspoken. However, the game faced multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which ultimately resulted in underwhelming critical reception and commercial performance. As a consequence, Luminous Productions was assimilated into Square Enix's CBU2 division. Though both Forspoken and Immortals of Aveum share similar core concepts, their execution of mechanics and gameplay elements sets them apart significantly.

Immortals of Aveum's Linearity is Its Strong Suit

Despite both games requiring 15 to 25 hours to complete, Immortals of Aveum and Forspoken differ greatly in their campaigns. Forspoken immerses players in a vast open world, while Immortals takes a more linear approach, with players progressing through chapters. Unlike Forspoken, Immortals does not have an open world, but instead offers various maps of different sizes that contain rewards for players who dare to explore beyond the main path. Immortals of Aveum stands out for its curated experience, avoiding the pitfalls of Forspoken's overwhelming open world.

The release of Forspoken sparked a renewed discussion on open-world games, as it served as a cautionary tale against relying solely on an open world as a selling point. While the world in Forspoken was expansive and focused on enjoyable traversal, it lacked meaningful activities for players to engage with throughout the map. On the other hand, Immortals of Aveum's pre-release information gave players a clear understanding of what to expect, setting realistic expectations and delivering on its promised focused first-person-shooter campaign.

Immortals of Aveum's Protagonist Sells the Dialogue in a Way that Forspoken's Did Not

Both Immortals of Aveum and Forspoken rely heavily on comic relief to alleviate tension in their respective stories. However, there is a notable difference between the two games in how they approach this aspect. In Forspoken, the protagonist Frey embraces humor and often delivers sarcastic remarks, which some players found irritating. On the other hand, Immortals of Aveum's protagonist Jak maintains a genuine and sincere demeanor throughout his interactions with the game's world and characters. This subtle shift in tone completely transforms the dialogue, imbuing it with a delightful sense of heartfelt silliness.

Both games boast exceptional writing talent. Amy Hennig, a renowned figure in the gaming industry known for her work on games like Legacy of Kain, Jak and Daxter, and Uncharted, contributes to Forspoken. Meanwhile, Michael Kirkbride, who played a significant role in crafting and consolidating the lore of the Elder Scrolls universe, lends his writing skills to Immortals of Aveum. Despite these impressive credentials, Immortals stands out as a refreshing and focused experience, offering a much-needed break from the barrage of blockbuster releases in 2023. In contrast, some may argue that Forspoken falls just short of being a truly captivating grimoire.

Immortals of Aveum is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.