Immortals of Aveum: PS5 Review

Developed by Ascendant Studios
Published by EA Originals
Platform: PS5

A first person shooter that's wrapped up in the hokum of different coloured magic, Immortals of Aveum offers a refreshing change in the genre - it's simply a game that does what it says on the tin and has a good time letting you do it.

Ascendant Studios' mix of steampunk edging and shooting away against marauding invaders is wrapped up in a story that's pretty simple to follow.

It's the story of sorcerer Jak who joins an elite order of battlemages to save a planet on the verge of abyss after his family and friends are attacked by invaders. It's not exactly rocket science, but as it spins its tale of Jak, a Triarch who can muster all three different colours of magic, it never loses sight of some truly stunning imagery and some impressively simple gameplay.

Sure, there's plenty of shooting boxes to unlock magic bits, and using colours to solve puzzles, but Immortals of Aveum is actually a fairly disposable game that requires little from its players, but offers many vicarious pleasures when it comes to picking it up and getting into it.

Jak looks a little like Jamie Tartt from Ted Lasso and with some of his spiky impudent dialogue comes across a little spoiled, but Suits' Gina Torres adds haughtiness to balance proceedings and together they make for good companions throughout.

Immortals of Aveum does have plenty of skill trees to open up thanks to three different colours of magic to wield, and that does occasionally count against it in that at times it feels like an unnecessary grind that punishes the player rather than rewards.

But very occasionally a lack of ability to focus where you're firing frustrates, and Immortals of Aveum's imprecise combat can lead to things going south quicker than perhaps they should.

Graphically the game soars. In HD, it bursts with colours, with some blending together to make oil-slick soaked lens flares that light up the screen. Blue, red and green may not be the most original of colours to behold, but Ascendant Studios have made them soar - and the game's world feels vibrant on all levels.

Ultimately, Immortals of Aveum may be sadly lost in an end of year release cycle of madness, but it's worthy of your time and investment - it may seem a little shallow at times, and choose a middle path, but when it has such a good time doing it, it seems disingenuous to criticise the enjoyment that can be garnered from it.