The next Odyssey

Sure, imitation will always be the most sincere form of flattery, but it only matters if the imitation is actually memorable. Immortals Fenyx Rising is exactly that. A game that came at me like a rocket-propelled missile and shot up my list of best of 2020 so fast I hardly had time to notice. The elevator pitch is what if the team that made Assassin’s Creed Odyssey created a Breath of the Wild clone and set it in Greek Mythology. Sure, that sounds straightforward, but the execution is perfect. I had more fun with this game than any other open world title in recent memory. If this isn’t my favorite game of 2020, I will be shocked.

Immortals tells the tale of Fenyx. Players can opt to craft Fenyx with a bevy of styles and even gender, which can also be changed throughout the game. I stuck with my Fenyx exclusively though as the voice acting portrayed was really well done. The idea is that Typhoon has emerged and turned the entire island’s inhabitants to stone. Fenyx is then tasked with restoring the Gods and bringing back hope to the land.

MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: XSX (reviewed), XB1, PS5, PS4, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $59.99

What sells this more than anything is that it is told through a narrative by Prometheus and Zeus as they wager a bet on whether Fenyx will succeed. This is the best part of the entire story. The banter between them is excellent. Injecting humor into the world mixed with the cartoon-inspired visuals really sets the tone. I enjoyed nearly every character and every storyline. The game just does an outstanding job of immersing the player into its narrative and never letting go. I cannot wait to see the DLC, and I want to live in this world more.

The world is a series of areas that will feel akin to anyone who played Breath of the Wild. Each area is themed and hosts a set of challenges, collectibles, and miniature dungeons to conquer. Every single item picked up is used for something. The main hub is where Fenyx can upgrade a host of abilities. While there are various sets of armor, there is an overall meter to upgrade all of them. The difference comes in their aesthetic, as well as a minor perk for each set. This goes for weapons and even your bird companion. Most things are cosmetic with minor perks on the side.

Fenyx can also upgrade their health and stamina. Climbing and using special moves are achieved using the stamina bar. It is much more forgiving than Link’s adventure, and soon after the start Fenyx even gets access to a set of wings that allow them to glide across the world. As mentioned, everything I did was towards increasing Fenyx’s strength. There is a minor skill tree attached to abilities that can be upgraded. Much like Zelda most of Fenyx’s main powers are obtained very early on, making the entire world accessible with persistence.

There are four main dungeons, one for each God that Fenyx returns to power, with a smattering of smaller dungeons akin to BotW’s shrines scattered throughout. The puzzles in these areas are a host of different ideas. Some are simple combat arenas while others take some brain power in moving blocks, shooting arrows through targets, or performing some platforming action. Everything feels great, and I spent so much time exploring and upgrading, that by the end of the game I was able to scale most of the world with minimal effort.

Combat is equally fun, with a simple light and heavy attack piece. There are a host of moves that Fenyx can obtain as the game progresses that make dealing with each enemy simpler. The bosses are epic as expected and the tools to conquer are available right from the outset. The game did a wonderful job of making me feel like I progressed from nothing into a true powerhouse. The combat is also enjoyable in its simplicity. I loved the upgrades I earned such as pulling myself to enemies, or eventually them to me. Down to the final boss battle the game was just a blast to play.

Visually the cartoon style lends itself well to the world and characters. On Xbox Series X there is a performance mode that gets the game to run at 60fps, while still looking absolutely stunning in HDR. The colors just pop off the screen, and seeing a game that mimics Nintendo’s aforementioned title at 60fps makes me dream of the day that game runs this smooth. I did run into a few visual hitches here and there and the game crashed on me once, but during my 25 hour journey I rarely had issues with the open world. This is a very polished and gorgeous title.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is by far one of the best surprises of 2020. It shot directly up to the top of my best games of the year. I cannot express how much fun I had with this game. I kept coming back to it with tons of other titles calling for my attention. It is the best game Ubisoft has dropped this year and the promise of more DLC has me dreaming of returning to the world. With back to back excellent outings the AC Odyssey team continues to impress me. I cannot wait to see what they do after they wrap up the DLC for this game. Do not sleep on this title, it is one of the best of the year by a longshot.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Wonderfully entertaining story
  • World is just gorgeous
  • Everything you do is working towards something
  • Combat is fun and enjoyable
Bad
  • Some shrines repeat ideas
9.5
Excellent
Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.