Immortals of Aveum: A Forgettable First-Person Shooter with an Abundance of Jargon
Developed by EA and Ascendant Studios, Immortals of Aveum follows Jak, a street kid from Seren, a city hovering over a magical void called the Wound. Jak dreams of becoming a soldier in the Everwar, a conflict between two factions of magic-using soldiers called Magni. Our young hero plans to fight alongside his best friend Luna, but she gets drafted before Jak and becomes a pawn in the war.
The game starts strong with an interesting setting and emotional core that could have propelled Immortals of Aveum to greatness, but it quickly becomes more generic as Jak advances through missions that blur together. The game bombards players with numerous proper nouns and jargon, making the world-building overwhelming. The game’s attempt at humor also detracts from the serious tone, weakening the stakes of Jak’s story.
Immortals of Aveum’s biggest issue is the way it hinders combat. EA and Ascendant Studios use vibrant colors and a futuristic aesthetic that makes the game’s environments and enemies difficult to see. This is a problem when you’re fighting against bullet sponges, since it becomes difficult to aim at enemies or navigate murky environments.
The game’s magic spells are also uninspiring. Jak wields different items, like fireballs and ice shards, but they’re unoriginal and feel underdeveloped. This is also true of the enemies Jak faces, who are mostly uninspired and act as bullet sponges that require too many shots to kill. The result is repetitive and uninspiring combat that makes the game feel dull.
Immortals of Aveum does have additional abilities and items, like a shield and a grappling hook. Jak also gets additional weapons, like a bow and arrows, but they’re underutilized due to their limited effectiveness.
