14 DAY TRIAL // There's no doubt that Ubisoft's upcoming Immortals Fenyx Rising is heavily inspired by one of the best games of all-time, Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It's not just the visuals that reek of Zelda, but many gameplay elements have been “ported” into Ubisoft's action-adventure title as well.
I don't mind playing another game that strongly resembles Zelda: Breath of the Wild, so especially if it brings some new gameplay mechanics into the mix. Immortals Fenyx Rising is Ubisoft's take on Zelda and after spending four hours with the game, I can definitely say the French developer has done a great job.
Even though it tries to recreate the Zelda-like environments, Immortals Fenyx Rising doesn't take itself too seriously. Think of it as a lighthearted version of Zelda BotW, but with a twist. Previously known as Gods & Monsters, Immortals Fenyx Rising is set on the Golden Isle, which soon becomes a battleground where you'll be facing some of the fiercest creatures from Greek mythology.
Huge cyclops, voluptuous gorgons, ferocious minotaurs, and other such monsters roam the Golden Isle, and it's you who must put an end to their reign. But things are a bit more complicated since all the Greek gods have been imprisoned by Typhon, the most powerful Titan.
You play as a stranded Greek soldier looking to revenge his brother who has been turned to stone on the Golden Isle. Players can fully customize the protagonist and, later on, choose the skills and abilities that better fit their playstyles.
After a thorough introduction of the game's main mechanics, you're given your first mission, which involves climbing mountains, fighting monsters, and resource gathering. Each region on the Golden Isle is home to a Greek god and your job is to free each and every one of them.
Before I start playing the game, I'm warned that I should follow the main story missions until I reach a certain point. As soon as I finish the prologue I realize why such a warning was necessary. You see, it's very easy to get lost in the game's world. With so many side quests and other activities that are marked on the map, it's easy to forget that your main goal is to free the Greek gods so that they can help you defeat Typhon.
Another important aspect of Immortals Fenyx Rising is the puzzles that you must solve in order to gain access to special abilities. They've been cleverly implemented across all regions on the Golden Isle, and while they're not mandatory, they're very fun to solve and greatly help your character become more powerful.
The combat system is simple, yet very complex, with movesets for each weapon that you'll gain access to. There's also an interesting skill tree that allows you to unlock special abilities and a crafting system that lets you create various potions. Overall, I think combat is very satisfying, although I would have preferred controls to be slightly tighter and more responsive.
Conclusion
Immortals Fenyx Rising is an action-adventure game that rewards exploration but head to places where you shouldn't go until later on and you'll be entering a world of pain. Boss fights are quite brutal in Immortals Fenyx Rising, but I loved the fact that you can use different strategies depending on what abilities you chose to use most.
I can't wait to explore Golden Isle in its entirety and discover what befell the once-powerful Greek gods. Even though it's more of an indie project, Ubisoft's Immortals Fenyx Rising looks amazing and the presentation is almost flawless. I think they're onto something.
