Unavowed Preview
by Rob Pritchard, May 25th, 2018
If you have wanted to take part in an interactive episode of a supernatural fantasy drama such as Buffy, Charmed or Supernatural, you may be interested to play Unavowed, the latest project from Wadjet Eye Games, the creators of the award-winning Blackwell series of adventure games. While it sticks to the gameplay formula that has been the genres bread and butter, it blends in a lot of welcome changes which long time fans will certainly appreciate.
Unavowed takes place in modern-day New York, and has been confirmed to take place in the same universe as the Blackwell series by Wadjet Eye Games. After being possessed by a malevolent demon, the main character is rescued from their fate by a makeshift exorcism by Eli, a male fire mage and Mandana, a female Jinn who is proficient in the ways of the sword. After learning that a year has passed since being possessed, you are inducted in the Unavowed, a secret society that protects humanity from supernatural threats.
At the beginning of the game, you are given the choice of playing as a male or female protagonist, as well as your career before you became part of Wadjet’s Buffy style ensemble. Whether you trod the boards as an actor, listened to people’s troubles as a bartender or made the world a better place as a police officer, each occupation has a unique origin story that allows you to build your own Unavowed experience. Each occupation also unlocks additional dialogue options, similar to the conversation wheel variants seen in Bioware’s RPG projects. Whereas the Bartender can play the empathy card in times of turmoil, a Cop can be more direct with their questioning, and an Actor can find it easier to play the role of a victim or a villain where appropriate.
Unlike many 2D point and click adventure games that can be fully experienced in a single playthrough, Unavowed has opted to borrow features from modern entries in the genre to be placed alongside the conversation and puzzles that must be solved along the way. The choice and consequence mechanic has once again made an appearance, and it is played to great effect as you solve each supernatural mystery. Whether you are choosing whether or not to lend assistance to a hungry demon, or deciding how to help someone who has suffered because of an unwise decision, Unavowed’s well written dialogue makes each decision feel like a heart wrenching fork in the road, instead of a rudimentary decision made just to travel further into the narrative.
If you are familiar with the art style that has become the firm favourite of Wadjet Eye Games, then you will know what to expect when you first load Unavowed. The high-quality pixel art for both the characters and the backgrounds brings the game’s world to life, with a series of shading techniques and additional visual flares that can only made possible by the processing power that has become available since the earliest days of the genre. The soundtrack of Unavowed is full of the tense background tracks which aptly build the mood for each situation, and the voice acting for the cast feels very professional, with only minor issues present when certain voice files were missing in this early build of the game.
When I reached the end of the preview build that I was kindly provided by the developer, it would be fair to say that Unavowed has made a very strong first impression. The additional of origin stories and consequence-based choices to the point and click adventure genre works beautifully, alongside the traditional puzzles and conversation trees that we have come to expect. If all goes according to plan, Wadjet Eye Games hopes to release Unavowed before the end of this year. If the rest of the game proves to be as engaging as what they have let us experience, then we will be in for a super-natural experience that will not be soon forgotten.
Unavowed (PC) Preview
By Adam Riley26.05.2018
From the classic The Shivah, to the inimitable Blackwell series, and the likes of Technobabylon, Primordia, and the amazing Resonance, Wadjet Eye Games certainly has a sterling track record both on the development side and in terms of what projects to pick up for publishing. There is great anticipation, then, to see Dave Gilbert is back, now with his first brand new IP since The Blackwell Legacy blasted onto the PC scene. Cubed3 recently went hands-on with an early build version of his latest creation, Unavowed, to see how the latest point-and-click escapade crafted from the Adventure Game Studio is shaping up.
It all starts off with a scene playing out where shockingly the person thought to be the lead ends up committing murder…only then for it to be revealed that they have been suffering at the hands of demonic possession for the past six months. After leaving a trail of bloodshed and misery across New York City, Eli (a Fire Mage) and Mandana (a sword-wielding Djinn) exorcise the wicked being, leaving the protagonist collapsed in a heap, wondering what exactly just happened. After players choose what their profession pre-possession was, and the sex of the character (a female bartender for this preview play-through), you get enlisted into the Unavowed - a group with a special connection to the void that protects mundane beings (non-void-touched humans) from complete annihilation by evil forces. Yes, it gets pretty heavy, pretty quickly…
Spiritual matters have been increasing in nature as of late, and the Unavowed are low on recruits, so as the adventure goes on, more are brought into the ranks and, as the team expands, it means there is a choice to make, with only three members allowed to go on a mission at a time (from the previous two mentioned, and an extra duo - Logan, a Bestower that can send restless spirits on their way, and Vicki, a cop with a sharp eye for detail). The beauty of this is that puzzles faced actually change in nature dependant on who is in the party for a specific scene. There are also unique reactions from those left behind when a mission has been concluded, thus encouraging repeat plays to uncover every element contained within. Whether or not this means there will be different endings to achieve is something yet to be revealed, but currently it bodes well for such an idea to be implemented in the final build.
Visually and aurally, Unavowed is just as pleasing, if not stronger than previous Wadjet Eye releases, with impressive detail given to those that players are in control of, as well as non-playable ones, a highly atmospheric soundtrack, and some stellar voice work, especially the familiar voice behind Eli, the Fire Mage - with the same excellent actor that featured in Shardlight and Technobabylon returning.
No point-and-click adventure worth its salt would survive on story alone, though, and it is with great pleasure then to confirm that the puzzles faced so far in Unavowed are of a very high calibre, getting the old grey matter working overtime, but never unfairly, and some of them even making great use of the multiple character dynamic, reminiscent of the superb Resonance. Cannot get to the solution expected? Try bringing in another character that may have a skill-set more suited to the situation!
Talking regularly to those in your current party is also advised, because not only do they offer sometimes vital hints for progression, but there are hidden layers of story to uncover, delving deeper into the backgrounds of your new 'friends' in this fight against the impending darkness. The same happens post-mission, when everyone returns to their HQ to rest, regroup and prepare for what else is to come; getting to know the team is a joy because of the excellence in the writing stakes.
On top of that, there are even fun interactions whilst riding the subway to new locations. Instead of merely picking a place and heading straight there, sometimes it is worthwhile waiting and letting conversations between others play out naturally in the background, and the same goes for entering new scenes. Chatting will naturally begin, and thanks to the smooth interaction feature, whereby merely moving the mouse over various areas brings up text explanations or commentary, there is no interruption. Players can scour the area and listen to conversations play out at the same time, rather than the usual stop-start approach of every other game of this ilk. Key sections that need to be interacted with do obviously see a necessary change to the cursor in a context-sensitive manner, halting any talking when clicked triggered, but the approach taken for general 'extra' information works really well to maintain the flow.
Final Thoughts
From these early stages of the adventure, Unavowed does not disappoint in any way, taking the formula used in past Wadjet Eye releases, polishing it to perfection, and then expertly mixing in themes from other titles, along with fresh ideas to make for a highly engaging experience. There is no firm release date yet, but Cubed3 will bring you more updates when the time comes.
Unavowed hands-on preview
Written by Courtney Ehrenhofler — June 16, 2018
PC
I confess to being a fan of Wadjet Eye Games’ previous work, particularly the Blackwell series. So when I heard that their latest supernatural adventure Unavowed was finally nearing completion, I jumped at the chance to play the preview version available. The press demo is approximately one-third of the total game, and while not a completely polished and finished product, it offers a pretty good sense of what’s to come in the final release. I know it’s usually unwise to judge a game part-way in, but so far I am completely blown away.
Unavowed is the story of the titular organization and their fight against supernatural crime in New York City – specifically, their efforts to clean up the havoc that the formerly-demon-possessed protagonist wrought after inadvertently touching a cursed book a year earlier. Who exactly is it you play? Well, that’s actually up to you. You can decide if you want to play as a male or female character, and during the successful early exorcism that frees her (or him) of diabolical control, you get to choose from one of three playable backstories – actor, bartender or cop.
On my first playthrough, I chose to play as a female actress and for my second I was a male bartender. Initially it seems like the backstory has only a small effect on the present-day plot. No matter your former profession, it turns out you’ve acquired useful skills for your work in the Unavowed. More importantly, under demonic influence you’ve caused the same level of destruction. What became clear on my second playthrough, however, is that your chosen history has ramifications for your ties to the supporting characters, particularly the new members of the Unavowed whom you recruit throughout the game. Playing as a bartender who worked at the regular joint for a now-recovering alcoholic is a vastly different experience than playing as an actor who has no explicit experience with alcoholics. This choose-your-own-adventure way of shaping the story is a refreshing change from many adventure games that are more or less defined by their predetermined protagonists. Not that I don’t love Guybrush Threepwood or Nancy Drew, but choosing your character is a different flavor of game.
As is fitting for a game set in New York City, Unavowed’s character roster is incredibly diverse and wonderfully compelling. The three starting members of the Unavowed are Fire Mage Eli, half-djinn and half-human Mandana, and her father and leader of their branch of the organization, Kalash. Each character fits into a comfortable archetype at first: Eli is the hot-headed wizard, Mandana is the calm and even-tempered warrior, and Kalash the wise leader. But as the game goes on you discover the layers behind each of them, like Mandana’s issues with her mother, Eli’s family history, and Kalash’s uncertainty about New York.
In the demo I also met two (and a half?) other characters who joined the team: Bestower, aka psychic medium Logan and his glowing ball, tag-along spirit guide KayKay, and tough-talking Staten Island cop Vicki Santina. These two also come with their own strengths, weaknesses and personal baggage. Each point of investigation introduces additional side characters, like the homeless former cult leader Wendy, brainwashed bartender Vinny, and unhappy undergrad Dana. Each person feels real and believable, and as a real-life New Yorker, I can confirm that they represent a valid cross-section of the city. Much as the tourism brochures would have you believe, NYC is not just skyscrapers and Wall Street bankers.
The game’s art is gorgeous. I’ve always been fond of pixel art as a consequence of growing up as a child in the ‘90s, and have previously admired Wadjet Eye’s artistic style, but Unavowed blows all of their previous work completely out of the water. From semi-transparent ghosts to murderous forest spirits, the magical creatures in particular are fantastical with unique designs. Ghosts are still ghosts, but they’re better conceived visually than the traditional under-the-sheet type, with wispy half-skeletons and woeful spots where their faces should be. The forest spirit, who shall remain nameless to avoid spoilers, looks like she is crafted out of tree roots and the animation of her materializing shows her literally her growing out of the ground.
The backgrounds are equally well designed, though part of your adventure takes you to some of the more beaten-down areas of New York City, with abandoned and burned buildings that could hardly be called “beautiful.” Still, all of these settings are so evocative. The game takes you all over the five boroughs, from the Bronx and Brooklyn to Manhattan, Queens and yes, even Staten Island. While it’s not the picture-perfect tourist attractions and Central Park duck pond, the game manages to portray NYC as very authentic. My favorite location by far was the grove I visited near the end of the demo, which manages to be as lush, natural and alive as it is atmospherically bleak and somber.
Complementing all this, of course, is the rich jazz score and quality voice acting that we’ve come to expect from Wadjet Eye, once again providing an immersive aural backdrop to the action and helping bring the unique characters to life.
As good as it looks and sounds, Unavowed’s gameplay might just be my favorite thing about the demo. In addition to the protagonist’s background, the game demands additional decisions in both conversation and actions. Dialogue allows for one of three types of responses, which can range from sarcastic and snarky to sweetly helpful, serious or wisecracking. Thus far all of the dialogue options have led to the same outcomes and haven’t altered the story, though they may yield more information from other characters. Actions, on the other hand, do have more immediate effects. At the conclusion of every investigation, you are given a choice of what to do with the supernatural creature and/or human now at your mercy. The plot continues no matter what you decide, and sound moral arguments are made for each option. The choice isn’t based in a world of black and white morality; it’s more complex and realistic than that. The game also leaves open the possibility that these choices will impact you further on in the story.
Everything I played was pure point-and-click. Any of your current teammates are displayed as inventory items from the drop-down menu at the top, allowing you to use their talents and particular abilities in the world. To a certain extent the gameplay is non-linear. After your first mission out with Mandana and Eli, you can then choose which location you want to visit next. However, within each area there is a fairly set order for completing the puzzles. While all of the puzzles I saw were inventory-based and rely on critical thinking, there are a variety of ways to solve each of them depending on who you have in your party at the time.
Overall, I found the first six or so hours of Unavowed immensely intriguing. The traditional style of play combined with player choice inherently built into it marks a refreshing change in a genre that often either relies too heavily on the singular personality of a game’s protagonist or sacrifices gameplay for choice-driven narrative. Here there’s always plenty to do, while the characters and story are both engaging and deep, giving me the feeling that I’d only just scratched the surface of what’s to come. These are characters you want to follow to the end to find out what happens to them. Personally, I’ll be eagerly awaiting the full release of this game later this summer.
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Shardlight if you are asking for the name of the game. If you are asking about why,well the writing was really hamfisted and insulting,it really annoyed me throughout the playtrough. I did enjoy their old game but this one i doubt it will be for me.
