We played the first 3 hours of the magical new game from Electronic Arts Originals.

in the last The Game Awards there was an announcement that particularly caught our attention. Immortals of Aveum was introduced as a magic first person shooter where combat is the protagonist after a rather mysterious fantasy story. the world of is segmenting by magic, but the main character named Jak may be his only salvation. This is an original story from Ascendant Studios and Electronic Arts developed with Unreal Engine 5 which will arrive on July 20, 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Electronic Arts invited us to a special event at the offices in Redwood City, near San Francisco (California) to test an ambitious game that hooked from the first minute. The game session lasted 3 hours in a closed demo that gave us very good sensations. Except for specific problems – it crashed a couple of times – the performance during combat was exceptional with Agile movements and fast-paced action in certain phases of the game.

A linear world with lush settings

Aveum is a war torn kingdomwhere the Immortals battle Sandrak’s forces who seek to use magic to rule the world. Kirkan will be Jak’s mentor during his adventure to learn how to use the different types of magic They are represented in 3 colors: blue, red and green. Therefore, we are before a magician with skills, spells and different combinations to defeat enemies.

Immortals of Aveum is a single player game that develops in lush settings, limited and generally linear. Elements of nature are mixed with constructions futurists like altars where new powers are achieved. But there is only one way to make your way through this world and that is through magic. These mechanics are not only useful in combat, but are needed to solve puzzles and explore every corner of Aveum.

While we can’t tell much about the plot, we do know that Jak will join an elite group commanded by Kirkan. After a period of 5 years unknown to us, the initial objective is to stop the Sandrak’s armies They are destroying everything in their path. An adventure that combines classic shooter mechanics with a very promising fantastic setting.

Fluid, fast and colorful combat

The most striking thing about Immortals of Aveum is that magic has many uses. Here they can be differentiated in a bracelet called Sigil and other powers known as Totems. The first in the right hand they function as basic attacks and can be alternated between three different formats. Blue sigil spawns very precise impacts at long range, while red stealth does area damage. short range and the green one is a rapid fire at medium distance. At the same time we learn the use of a magic shield with the left hand that can be destroyed. All very organic Until now.

The interesting thing comes later with the use of totems, equipped on the right hand that is accessed from the crosshead. As the story progresses we meet powers of different nature, being the first one of the most useful in combat. It is a kind of whip to grab the enemies from a distance, which will allow you to change your combat strategy in a matter of seconds. The fluidity and speed are the hallmarks of the new game from Ascendant Studios and it has no complex in abuse it.

Jak learns additional spells that are activated by a button combination And its effects are devastating. They consume mana, so they can’t be spammed without any criteria. In that sense we have a spell to break shields, another to dodge blows or end waves of enemies with a stroke of the pen. the combinations can be very varied, although there are clues to know what is most recommended in each situation. For example, some minor enemies follow the same color code than Jak’s magics, revealing some vulnerability.

It also can stun enemies with a new Totem we found. The result is reflected in very colorful combats full of magical effects and with three predominant colors. It can be said that there is some symmetry between the controls of the left and right hand. On the contrary, we do not find all the mobility that we would like to take advantage of environments with that agility that combat calls for. Jak has a triple jump that he can float with, in addition to the aforementioned dodge. While some spells have the mana capTotems have a cooldown and basic attacks have a limited ability that recharges automatically in a matter of seconds.

Crafting system and skill tree

In any case, all these elements must be taken into account to have a combat strategy. We find enemies that shoot arrows, that throw projectiles that stun and others in melee with heavy maces. Jak also has a melee mechanic, though it’s not an option in most situations. All spells can be upgraded by a full skill tree divided again by the types of magic to spend ascension points. So you can get more range, reduce cooling timesget critical damage and many more possibilities to configure your own style of play.

We do not forget the system I craft in the forges which a priori does not seem too deep. They are focused on equipment like the sigils (bracelets) of the right arm, the rings and other objects that we can find. Sigils do have three attributes that determine the damage, speed and ability as if they were really firearms. There are already predetermined alternatives that can be selected by magic essences and money that you find along the way, but not individually. An aspect somewhat limitedat least in these first hours.

The secrets that Aveum hides

After several hours of play we realize that Immortals of Aveum has secrets, portals and puzzles that break those very linear phases. Although it follows a rhythm sometimes predictable combat, corridor, puzzles and bosses, yes there is time to discover new elements that are there to get our attention. A good example of this are some corrupted areas that can be restored to return to their original state, but not before fight a viperine enemy. Magic is not only used to fight, but it is the key to open doors and enter previously closed areas. Behind those doors there may be chests with most valuable treasuresresources, or consumable items to restore health or mana.

Puzzles are often made up of colored crystals that are activated with different magic intuitively. attached to a bit of platformwe have little additional challenges to give you a spin on the scenarios that seem to hide more than what is seen with the naked eye. The map serves as a guide and indicator to find points of interest, as well as locked portals and other elements that you’d better discover for yourself. There are also documents as a complement to a narrative that still seems a mystery after 3 hours of play and that has us intrigued.

On the other hand, green magic can be used to animate or slow down objects of the scenario and thus create alternative paths, sometimes for a limited time. this last may not be optional and be part of history. That is why magic is so important in all aspects of the game, we will even have help from a stone companion for other objectives. This is how we got to different varied final bosses they have nothing to do with each other.

fantastic epic

In this fantasy world, Jak faces stronger enemies to use all spells, both offensive and defensive. He first boss is a dragon with very defined patterns, but a lot of fire attack range and lethal thrusts. Then there’s a wizard sub-boss that shoots green exploding projectiles or a rather more complex golem at the end of the demo. In this case it has weak points magic and when you manage to totally stun him, you have to launch a ultimate attack with the two sticks (L3, R3) to do enough damage.

Although we quite liked the game personality and the agility of the combat, in some cases we miss a greater mobility of the character since the gameplay he cries out for it. For the rest, it seems to us a proposal very interesting shooter and an original story that still has a lot to say. We played the PC version of Immortals of Aveum with a controller and texts in Spanishwhere we also have to highlight some impressive realistic graphics that speaks of the powerful Unreal Engine 5 engine and well accompanied by a category dubbing. It is certainly a game that could sneak into the best PS5 FPS or Xbox Series, where it is also scheduled to launch.