Immortals Fenyx Rising, from Ubisoft’s Quebec studio, has finally arrived. After being announced at E3 in 2019, the game has seen delays and a name change. Now, just over nine months past the original release date, we are able to jump into the mythological story that is being told by the same team that created Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a game filled with humor that sets it apart from other titles that we have seen from Ubisoft. The narrators of the story, Prometheus and Zeus, often overlay whatever action you are doing in-game with their own commentary.
Zeus tends to have a more crass humor style, while Prometheus’ humor is directed more toward story-telling and small jabs at Zeus himself. The jokes fit in well with the story and add to the gameplay experience, rather than detract from it.
Immortals Fenyx Rising embraces their humor and puts it in every aspect of the game, unlike other Ubisoft titles, such as Assassin’s Creed or The Division, which have a much more serious tone and the humor normally tied to side quests.
Even the character creation system at the beginning of the game has humorous commentary coming from Zeus as he tries to imagine the protagonist. Whether your hair is “the color of Poseidon’s vomit” or “eyes the color of an empty room”, there are several comments made by Zeus as you scroll through your customization options.
The use of humor truly makes Immortals Fenyx Rising stand out from other Ubisoft franchises because it presents a considerable tonal shift from what we have seen from past titles. Immortals Fenyx Rising feels more lighthearted while still being exciting. This game shows that Ubisoft knows how to make something that is fun to play and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Unlike games like Assassin’s Creed, which are laden with hard choices, Immortals Fenyx Rising has a more relaxed feel.
This is not to say that the game is only about making jokes. The humorous aspect is counterbalanced by the seriousness of the goal to save the world from the threat of the titan Typhon. However, the characters of Zeus and Prometheus are easily some of the best parts of this game because they make jokes, even in situations where a joke may not seem appropriate.
The voice actors did a great job bringing their characters to life and embracing the comedic aspect of the game. The interactions that the gods have with each other is so enjoyable that you probably won’t even be mad when Zeus insults mortals or laughs at transforming them into insects and animals.
Immortals Fenyx Rising clearly shows that Ubisoft is not only able to but can excel at making new games that are not tied to any of their older franchises. With DLC for this game already confirmed, it may be safe to say that we will see even more comedic relief from this game.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is out now on Google Stadia, Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
