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Rating 3
3
Good

Immortals Fenyx Rising - Review

Flying Too Close To The Sun?
Score: 3/5
Reviewed by Oliver VanDervoort on PS5 - January 24, 2021   

If you've ever wanted to play a cross between the classic NES game's Kid Icarus and the Nintendo Switch's Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, then you can get your wish with Immortals Fenyx Rising. The newest open-world odyssey from Ubisoft takes quite a bit of visual queues from Breath of the Wild. It also borrows some mechanical features.

In fact, this game's look and feel makes it sort of surprising that Nintendo didn't make this game for the Switch from the beginning. In reality, the game is available for the PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, and Stadia. One of the first arrivals specifically for the next generation consoles, Fenyx Rising delivers.

This isn't a groundbreaking title. However, there's plenty of fun to be had traversing the cartoonish landscape laid out in this version of ancient Greece. There's also a very good combination of combat and puzzle-solving that allows people who prefer either type of game over the other to stay entertained. There are also a few ways in which the game can fall a bit short. Far too often, it goes for humor and misses. However, even if the jokes told aren't that great, the narrators did grow on me.

Fenyx Rising Story Issues

The game's beginning is like any one of dozens of old Greek tales. When Zeus banished the evil titan Typhon to Tartaros, he thought that would be the end of it. But Typhon escaped, stripped the gods who imprisoned him of their powers, and wreaking havoc on their home, the Golden Isle.

Now it's up to Fenyx, a regular old Greek soldier, to save the gods. Why? Well, that's part of the main issue with the story. Obviously, the draw to make the protagonist nothing more than someone who got washed ashore the Golden Isle become the hero fits the bill of plenty of Greek adventures. 

Still, the actual storytelling in Fenyx Rising leaves something to be desired. This is odd, considering there is plenty of storytelling. The entire game takes place while Zeus and Prometheus tell the tale. 

Most of it is, in fact, Prometheus telling Zeus the story, though, on occasion, Zeus will alter an aspect, usually making the path ahead just a little more dangerous. It's an exciting plot device but falls short of being genuinely entertaining. An added feature like actually shaping the story based on decisions the player makes might make the game just a little better.

Fatigue Factors

Including extreme fatigue in games these days is an interestingly divisive feature. There are some players who love the fact that you have to find a way to balance getting somewhere with how much energy it will take. I tend to be right on the fence with whether or not it's a fun addition to a game in general. 

In Fenyx Rising, the speed with which the character lost stamina tended to be more annoying than anything else. Whether flying, climbing, or running, it seems as though the fatigue meter needs to be tweaked. On the flipside, fatigue doesn't ever really seem to be a factor in combat. That too needs a bit of tweaking. Swinging a massive sword should take more strength away than running on flat surfaces. 

On the flip side, the fatigue factor in this game does tend to help move the story along in a more "realistic" fashion. That is, if you can suspend your doubt over having to fight cyclops. Fenyx is just a regular Greek soldier. This isn't Kratos from God of War, or even Hercules. The character doesn't possess great speed or strength. At least until several weapons and items are found. As purely a balancing measure, it makes sense to build fatigue in. That doesn't make it any less frustrating.

Puzzle Solving Seems Excessive At Times

While the puzzles in Immortals Fenyx Rising can be fun at times, there are some that become more than a little repetitive. In fact, there comes a point when you'd like to just be able to run and jump and dodge, rather than have to place the same kind of box on the same kind of platform for the 10th time in a level. 

Other puzzles have a degree of difficulty, even when the hints are turned all the way on, that can make a player want to give up and just run away. The fact that there are some settings that allows for players who might not favor solving puzzles to make them a bit easier. Turning on the "hints" means the game will at least sort of tell you how you're supposed to solve something. It will also point you towards your next goal. All of this makes it a bit easier to solve the puzzle and move onto the next battle, if that's more your cup of tea.

There was still more than a few times where I ran into a brick wall for a while, knowing what I had to do and where I needed to go, and still finding the sledding rather difficult. Solving those puzzles certainly gave me a sense of accomplishment though. I'd have been fine with a few less puzzles over all. 

Overall Performance Is Good, Not Great

Immortals Fenyx Rising was long one of those games that certainly intrigued. However, there's just something missing when it comes to making this team great. It's possible the story telling mechanics tend to mean there isn't a whole lot at stake. Yes, Fenyx is trying to defeat Typhon but it's not clear why the player should care if the Titan is defeated. Never mind, the fact that it's a story being told means the villain was indeed defeated. 

It's also possible the art style, which is actually very appealing, takes away from some of the need to win. I could never quite put my finger on it. It's possible always having fun combat interrupted by long stretches of nothing, but puzzles took some of the joy out of the game. The game is a good time waster, it's just not one that stands out from the pack of new games that were released this fall.

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