You’ve been brought up to speed on our action-adventure game’s story, met its most notable characters, and perhaps even added the game to your Wishlist.
It’s time to dive deeper into the gameplay!
In our latest trailer drop, Unknown 9: Awakening’s Creative Director, Christophe Rossignol explores three different chapters of the game as he discusses combat, stealth, and Umbric approaches; introduces new abilities, upgrades, and more.
Watch the Gameplay Walkthrough below to glean insightful combat tips and keep reading for a review of the highlights.
Master Fold abilities in the Mauritanian desert
As you trudge along dusty desert paths in search of Vincent Lichter, your mentor is right by your side teaching you the ins and outs of manipulating the Fold to your advantage.
But when Haroona and Reika stumble upon an Ascendant encampment, our action-adventure game’s heroine is forced to put her newfound skills to the test.
Haroona Peeks into the Fold to plan her next move, and notices enemies lurking in the camp’s many nooks and crannies. To thin the herd and reduce the threat level of the ensuing battle, she sneaks up on, and attacks, a lone soldier.
Now it’s time to take out the rest of the crew.
Other Umbric abilities Haroona uses in this scenario include her signature Push moves as well as what Rossignol deems her most compelling power: Stepping, which allows her to briefly take over an Ascendant’s body and weapon.
Notice how she Steps into an enemy and smashes his baton to the ground. This move creates a corrupted Am shockwave (i.e., an Ascendant tech-generated Umbric energy jolt) that knocks his comrade down.
Face off against the Bruiser in Suknasari Forest
The further you advance in the video game, the stronger and more varied Haroona’s powers become. And the same goes for her enemies.
When Haroona follows the Ascendants’ trail into the heart of one of northern India’s dark and dangerous forests, she makes her first acquaintance with the Bruiser.
Don’t be fooled by this heavyset Ascendant’s sloth-like pace. He may seem slower than most other opponents Haroona’s quashed, but his size, strength, and resilience make him a formidable foe.
The best way to tackle him is to draw upon a lethal combination of Umbric skills. You’ll notice the first thing Haroona does is neutralize surrounding threats. By Pushing and Pulling enemies around, taking advantage of environmental hazards to cause damage, and performing a few Stepping attacks, she finishes off most of the group.
Now she can focus her offensive on the Bruiser. After blocking his punches and landing a few hits, she opens him up to a counterattack.
Stealthy Umbric talents to add to your wheelhouse.
Though Haroona’s most impressive power may be her Stepping ability, combining her signature skill with any of the following stealthier moves packs a powerful punch.
Remember, Am is what fuels these powers. To wield them strategically, you must make sure that your Am gauge is full. Engaging in melee combat and Stepping are sure ways to replenish your Am if you’re ever running low.
Ripples
This skill is best used as a distraction mechanism. In the Stealth encounter featured in the trailer, Haroona Peeks, then sends a Ripple out to attract the attention of nearby enemies in the hopes of clustering them together. She then Crushes a nearby explosive, sending them to their fiery deaths.
Shroud
Ascendants are known for their tech, and one piece of equipment you want to watch out for is the Quaestor detector. This surveillance pilon sounds an alarm any time an Umbric energy wielder, such as Haroona, gets too close to it.
The key to going unnoticed (and effectively shutting down these devices) is to Shroud. Not only does this skill ensure Haroona can freely navigate Ascendant terrain undetected, but it also allows her to reposition herself and gain the upper hand in combat.
Word to the wise: always check your Am gauge while in a Shrouded state. The moment you run out of Am, you instantly become visible.
Takedowns
If you’ve seen Haroona in action, you’ve likely noticed her knack for sneaking up on unsuspecting opponents and seemingly yanking their souls out. When performing Takedowns, she’s really ripping an enemy’s consciousness from their body, essentially leaving them for dead. What’s more, when well executed, Takedowns earn you Stepping tokens!
Skill upgrades and ability enhancements.
Always keep your eyes peeled for Anomalies. These breaches in the Fold look like partial distortions of reality and are visible to Quaestors who know where to look for them in the physical world (no need to Peek into the Fold to find them).
Within these Anomalies lies great power which, when absorbed, rewards Haroona with Gnosis Points. Players can invest these points into one of three Skill Tree branches (Stealth, Combat, and Umbric Abilities).
In the Walkthrough, Rossignol uses a newly acquired Gnosis Point to enhance Haroona’s Stepping ability. This upgrade, called a Stepping Dilation, extends the time Haroona can remain Stepped into an enemy. What does this look like in battle? Skip to the end to watch what happens when she takes advantage of this power boost.
How else one can leverage Haroona’s gifts to advance in the game? Stay tuned for more Umbric insights that are sure to come in handy once Awakening hits consoles and PCs this fall!