Bottom Line: Ubisoft Quebec's Immortals Fenyx Rising delivers a polished, genuinely charming open-world adventure deeply steeped in Greek mythology, but its undeniable inspiration from genre titans ultimately keeps it from forging a truly distinct legacy.
Immortals Fenyx Rising finds its rhythm in a compelling, if familiar, gameplay loop: discover a new region, encounter a distressed god, cleanse the land of Typhon's corruption through a combination of combat encounters, environmental puzzles, and delving into the aforementioned Vaults of Tartaros. This structure, while effective, invites immediate comparisons. The elephant in the room—or perhaps the cyclops in the coliseum—is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. From stamina-based climbing to glide mechanics, from physics-driven environmental puzzles to weapon durability (mercifully, here weapons are simply less effective rather than shattering), Immortals wears its inspiration on its sleeve. This isn't necessarily a flaw, but it does mean the game constantly struggles to define its own unique identity beyond a mythological reskin.
Where Immortals carves out more of its own space is in its narrative tone and combat. The pervasive humor, delivered through the constant, often meta-commentary between Zeus and Prometheus, is a double-edged sword. At its best, it's genuinely witty, offering fresh perspectives on well-trodden myths. At its worst, it veers into the "overbearing" territory critics noted, disrupting moments that might otherwise build genuine gravitas. This lightheartedness permeates the character designs and the world itself, making for a charming, if occasionally saccharine, experience.
The combat system stands as one of the game's undeniable strengths. It’s fluid, responsive, and deceptively deep. Basic light and heavy attacks combine with a suite of unlockable God Powers—like Ares's Wrath, a powerful upward thrust, or Athena's Dash, a crowd-controlling charge—to create varied and impactful encounters. Managing stamina (for special abilities) and dodging/parrying are crucial, demanding player skill beyond simple button mashing. Boss fights, particularly against corrupted heroes and mythical beasts, leverage these mechanics effectively, providing satisfying challenges that require understanding enemy patterns and exploiting weaknesses. This system feels more robust and overtly action-oriented than its spiritual predecessor from Hyrule, offering a direct, engaging confrontation that many players will appreciate.
Puzzles, both in the open world and within the Vaults of Tartaros, range from clever to somewhat rote. The Vaults are generally the highlight, presenting contained, often elaborate challenges that blend platforming with environmental manipulation. These dungeons are where the game's physics engine truly shines, requiring players to redirect lasers, stack objects, and precisely time movements. However, the open-world puzzles, while numerous, can sometimes feel like busywork, repeating similar mechanics without significant evolution. This contributes to the sense of "repetitive gameplay" and an "empty" feeling in portions of the otherwise vibrant world, as the sheer quantity of objectives sometimes outweighs their individual quality or narrative significance. The constant need to clear map markers can become a grind, a common criticism of Ubisoft's open-world formula.
User Experience Flow
The onboarding experience is swift, dropping Fenyx into the midst of the Golden Isle with minimal friction. The UI is clean, presenting information clearly without cluttering the screen, a laudable achievement given the breadth of systems at play. Exploration flows naturally, with points of interest often visible from high vantage points, encouraging players to chart their own course. The progression system, tied to collecting various resources to upgrade health, stamina, weapons, and abilities, feels satisfying. Each upgrade provides a tangible benefit, directly impacting Fenyx’s efficacy in combat and ability to solve more complex puzzles, reinforcing the loop. The freedom to approach challenges in different orders, combined with generous fast travel options, ensures that players rarely feel truly stuck or lost, even in such a vast world.