Immortals of Aveum hands-on – new gameplay details

Arriving July 20 on PS5, Immortals of Aveum takes the fast-paced FPS action of military shooters and blends it with fantastical, spell-flinging elements.

This new IP from Ascendant Studios focuses on a lore-rich, single-player campaign where you play as Jak, an orphan turned Magnus battle mage, who strives to save his home Lucium from the tyrannical forces of Rasharn, a superpower that seeks to control all magic across Aveum.

The colors of spell-casting

Early on you’ll be exposed to three colors of magic that power your primary Strikes: Blue Magic, Red Magic, and Green Magic.

Blue Magic powers the Shrikebolt attack – effective at long range and good at causing critical hits to enemy weak spots. This was one of my favorite attacks, as leveling enemies from afar felt a lot like deploying the precision of a sniper-rifle.

Red Magic powers the Breachfire attack – wide bursts of sorcery that do high damage at close range. Think shotgun blasts of energy that prove optimal against bunched up foes.

Green Magic powers the Stormshards attack –  a spell that launches homing projectiles and is best used at medium range against fast-moving targets. This spell worked well for peppering opposition while on the move.

Striking isn’t the only category of spells these colors power, there’s also Control, Augment, Fury, and Dominion spells that provide a wide arsenal of ways to manipulate and defeat your opponent.

Magic in the details

From gradient oranges that fill the sun-soaked skylines of Yltheum to the worn and weathered design of Jak’s Sigil – a device equipped to shape your magic spells, much like a wizard’s wand – the world is thoughtfully crafted allowing for true immersion into the extensive lore. 

You can get lost exploring the expanses of Aveum to find hidden areas that contain puzzles, currency, and even some of the best gear to aid you in your journey, or get swept into the furious grasp of a massive Howler, a flying war beast whose dragon-like skin and aura is on full display when it snatches you up in its wrath.

UI encourages frenetic gameplay

Immortals of Aveum’s UI design contributes to the overall immersion of the game. Navigating the menu is straightforward, as the most relevant information is easily accessible without overloading the player with excessive screen clutter. 

While there’s more than 25 Spells and 80 Talents to unlock or upgrade in the game, the tasks of upgrading gear and acquiring Talents felt intuitive. 

Ascendant Studios made the choice to skip the traditional FPS weapons wheel, instead creating the Fury Spell tray signified by a compact symbol in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.

“We really wanted to focus on the frenetic gameplay… a lot of times when you implement a wheel you have to think about slowing things down, it creates a tactical moment which is cool but it also very obviously sets a pacing and pulls you out of the game. We made a conscious decision not to do that” said Jim Ingraham, Lead UI Artist at Ascendant Studios.

Immortals of Aveum is coming together as an original and compelling entry into the pantheon of first-person shooters. Keep your spell books close for launch on July 20 for PlayStation 5.