‘Unknown 9: Awakening’ Arrives To 200 Steam Players, Poor Reviews

John Elden Ring

The Thread Maker
Content Creator
5 Jul 2022
6,457
7,942
United States
Bandai Namco has just released a brand new game, but if you had no idea, I wouldn’t blame you. That would be Unknown 9: Awakening, shown off through an Xbox Partner Preview seven months ago, and out today. While Bandai Namco is enjoying the success of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero, the Japanese publisher also has a big flop on its hands. With only 285 simultaneous players on Steam, Unknown 9: Awakening will go on the list of 2024 failures.




steam-charts-unknown-9-awakening.jpg


There has been much industry talk about the death of AA games, which you could classify Unknown 9 as, but it is certainly not exactly making a strong case for a change in perception.
 

DarkLordOtaku

Veteran
18 Oct 2024
616
325
30
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Yeah, not too much to say about this one. The trailers did not generate significant hype, and reviews pre and post launch were not glowing.

I wouldn't say this is an example of a game harkening the "death of AA games." It's just another game, like the thousands of others which launch each year, which didn't find success.
 

Shadow2027

Well-known member
15 Dec 2023
415
524
Its not a good game and very unappealing character and aesthetic. Not the death of games. Bandai throw away money publishing this instead of giving players what they want like code vein 2. Dragon ball just sold 3 million by giving people what they want
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bo_Hazem and arvfab

ToTTenTranz

Veteran
Icon Extra
4 Aug 2023
1,585
1,647
This thing was written by Sweet Baby Inc's CEO.


If people want to see what full SBI is, so they can measure whether or not they bring value to a game, this is what they should be looking at.
 
  • they're_right_you_know
Reactions: Bo_Hazem

DarkLordOtaku

Veteran
18 Oct 2024
616
325
30
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
This thing was written by Sweet Baby Inc's CEO.


If people want to see what full SBI is, so they can measure whether or not they bring value to a game, this is what they should be looking at.
I don't really want to go down the SBI rabbit hole here.

Just to clarify though, writers who were credited on this game were Alexandre Amancio (world) and Cory Herndon (dialogue), with Christophe Rossignol as the creative director.
 

quest4441

Veteran
27 Feb 2024
2,155
2,544
The game is just plain bad and I am not talking about the writing or SBI shit. The game fails at basic building blocks of a good game even after having AA budget and a big publisher. The animations are pure trash and the stealth is janky & plain bad. There is no redeeming quality about this game even Forpsoken had some cool particle shit on screen.

Overall just a plain bad game and if I were a game reviewer I would not rate this above a 3 or 4.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bo_Hazem

ToTTenTranz

Veteran
Icon Extra
4 Aug 2023
1,585
1,647
I don't really want to go down the SBI rabbit hole here.

Just to clarify though, writers who were credited on this game were Alexandre Amancio (world) and Cory Herndon (dialogue), with Christophe Rossignol as the creative director.

SBI's CEO is credited as "Story Architect".
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bo_Hazem

DarkLordOtaku

Veteran
18 Oct 2024
616
325
30
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
SBI's CEO is credited as "Story Architect".
If it's of any interest to you, here is the credit roll for Unknown 9: Awakening


In the event the video does not start immediately on the credits section, you can navigate to them at the 8:34:00 time stamp. If you further navigate to 8:35:25, you'll find the Story Architect credited on this project is Christopher Masson.
 
20 Jun 2022
1,022
1,472
38
Salalah, Oman
If it's of any interest to you, here is the credit roll for Unknown 9: Awakening


In the event the video does not start immediately on the credits section, you can navigate to them at the 8:34:00 time stamp. If you further navigate to 8:35:25, you'll find the Story Architect credited on this project is Christopher Masson.
giphy.gif
 

DarkLordOtaku

Veteran
18 Oct 2024
616
325
30
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
I think they missed the mark on a lot of things with this game. There's a lot of generic gameplay elements which feel a bit tiredly slapped together.

The facial animations are also very unsettling, in the context that they are basically non-existent, so there's a constant uncanny valley effect at play with the characters. The combat also struggles to maintain any sort of depth, with the skill tree having little influence on the playstyle.

I think the reviews and sales for this game are definitely appropriate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bo_Hazem

klomzi

Well-known member
8 Mar 2024
298
266
More like replaying back. They hate gamers and have no interest in adding anything of value but to destroy morals and the gaming industry as we know it. Anyone empathizes with them is also a garbage person, or lesser.

Well then I can just call you an asshole then. Some people made a game, game wasn't good and seemingly haven't done financially well, that's all.