Unknown 9: Awakening

Unknown 9: Awakening is a third-person action-adventure video game.{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=2020-08-27 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening - Opening Night Live's Mystery Game Announcement Explained |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/unknown-9-awakening-3rd-person-action-adventure-explained |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813212120/https://www.ign.com/articles/unknown-9-awakening-3rd-person-action-adventure-explained |archive-date=2024-08-13 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=IGN |language=en}} The player is allowed to partake in combat or to avoid enemies using stealth.{{Cite web |title=Bandai Namco Reveals First Look At Unknown 9: Awakening Gameplay |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bandai-namco-reveals-first-look-at-unknown-9-awakening-gameplay/1100-6521656/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}} A key feature of the game is the ability to body-swap by tapping into the main characters supernatural powers which allows for alternative means of traversing a level.{{Cite web |last=Northup |first=Travis |date=2024-03-07 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening Aims to Fuse Body-Snatching Gameplay With a Strong Narrative |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/unknown-9-awakening-aims-to-fuse-body-snatching-gameplay-with-a-strong-narrative |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=IGN |language=en}} She has a variety of psychic powers as well, referred to as Umbric Ability, which include invisibility, or possession. Through clairvoyance, she can see enemies through obstacles and see where they are on the map.

The game's backstory explains that human civilizations have risen and been destroyed in a series of endless and inevitable Cycles. Nine members of one ancient and advanced civilization, the Sahin, obtained immortality in order to survive the end of their Cycle in the hopes of finding a way to put a stop to the Cycles. These surviving Sahin influence humanity from the shadows as the Unknown 9.

Set in Northern India during the early 20th century, the game follows Haroona, a Quaestor, a person with mystical abilities able to perceive and manipulate an alternate dimension known as the Fold. The plot begins in 1908, with Haroona and her Quaestor mentor Reika traveling to the desert to confront Vincent, a former Quaestor pupil of Reika's. Vincent and his followers are the Ascendants, a radical splinter group of a secret society of Quaestors and explorers called the Leap Year Society. Vincent defeats Reika using technology that disables her powers, forcing Haroona to flee.

Four years later, in 1912, Haroona is seeking revenge on Vincent for killing Reika. While hunting Vincent, she meets up with an old cowboy, Luther, and an African engineer, Buchra, who are part of a group of surviving members of the Leap Year Society. Haroona and her allies steal Vincent's airship, the Morning Star, making it their new home base. Haroona also learns from Luther that Reika is alive and that Vincent's plan is to release a dangerous and powerful Fold entity, Seshin, in hopes of using its power to prevent the upcoming end of the current Cycle. While attempting to find and rescue Reika, Haroona learns that Reika is one of the Unknown 9 and has been convinced to ally with Vincent due to her immortality expiring and not wanting to die before fulfilling the Nine's mission of breaking the Cycles.

Haroona, Luther, and Buchra travel to the gateway to Seshin's prison, where Luther is fatally wounded by Mila, Luther's former pupil and Vincent's second-in-command. Haroona confronts Vincent in the Deep Fold and severs his connection to his physical body, condemning him to wander the Fold for eternity. However, Seshin is freed and manifests in Haroona's body, allowing her to destroy the remaining army of Ascendants. Reika absorbs Seshin into herself to atone for her actions, telling Haroona and Buchra to seal her inside one of the Ascendants' containment devices. She instructs Haroona to travel to a remote jungle location, where Haroona uses Sahin technology to become Reika's replacement as one of the Unknown 9.{{Cite magazine |last=なんでもゆうこ |date=October 16, 2025 |title=『Unknown 9: Awakening』先行レビュー。憑依、隠れ身、念視などの超能力が使えるステルスアクションアドベンチャーは、自分だけの攻略方法を見つけるのが楽しい |url=https://www.famitsu.com/article/202410/20994 |access-date=2025-01-24 |magazine=Famitsu}}

Reflector Entertainment was founded by Alexandre Amancio and Canadian businessman and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté in 2017.{{Cite web |last=Lodderhose |first=Diana |date=2017-05-25 |title='Cirque Du Soleil' Creator Guy Laliberté & Alexandre Amancio Form Reflector Entertainment – Cannes |url=https://deadline.com/2017/05/cirque-du-soleil-creator-guy-laliberte-assassins-greed-alexandre-amancio-reflector-entertainment-1202102235/ |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608085627/https://deadline.com/2017/05/cirque-du-soleil-creator-guy-laliberte-assassins-greed-alexandre-amancio-reflector-entertainment-1202102235/ |url-status=live }} The company would be a division of Lune Rouge, which was owned by Laliberté and owns a majority share of the company, with Amancio owning a minority share.{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=May 21, 2019 |title=For Guy Laliberté, the PY1 pyramid is his new Cirque du Soleil |url=https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article403253.html |work=Montreal Gazette}} Amancio was a video game developer who had previously worked as creative director for Assassin's Creed Unity.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=2024-11-20 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening developers report layoffs |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/unknown-9-awakening-developers-report-layoffs |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Eurogamer.net |language=en |archive-date=2025-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121203702/https://www.eurogamer.net/unknown-9-awakening-developers-report-layoffs |url-status=live }} Preliminary plans for the Unknown 9 series including the earliest announcement of a video game were first revealed in October 2018 at the New York Comic Con.{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=2018-10-07 |title='Unknown 9,' Transmedia Occult Thriller, Debuts at New York Comic Con |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/nycc-unknown-9-transmedia-occult-thriller-debuts-1150043/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027061829/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/nycc-unknown-9-transmedia-occult-thriller-debuts-1150043/ |url-status=live }} It was later submitted as a nomination for the Best Use of Storytelling in Social Media award at the 11th Shorty Awards in 2019, but was not chosen as a finalist.{{Cite web |title=From the 11th Annual Shorty Awards - Unknown 9 - Entered in Storytelling |url=https://shortyawards.com/11th/unknown-9 |access-date=2025-01-28 |publisher=The Shorty Awards |language=en |archive-date=2025-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124185447/https://shortyawards.com/11th/unknown-9 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=From the 11th Annual Shorty Awards - Best Use of Storytelling |url=https://shortyawards.com/category/11th/storytelling |access-date=2025-01-28 |publisher=The Shorty Awards |language=en |archive-date=2024-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210074043/https://shortyawards.com/category/11th/storytelling |url-status=live }} Additionally, Reflector Entertainment opened their studio based in Maison Alcan in 2020, a building that Laliberté purchased for 50 million dollars.{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=July 15, 2020 |title=Guy Laliberté's Reflector Entertainment launches multimedia studio |url=https://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment-life/article381758.html |work=Montreal Gazette}} In a 2020 profile for the Montreal Gazette, Amancio said: “Reflector is Guy essentially betting on a local creative guy from Montreal and saying, ‘You know what? I’d like to support the next generation of creative companies’, because he wished someone would’ve helped him when he was trying to (found) the Cirque.”

The series was described at that time as utilizing a transmedia form of storytelling which uses a multimedia approach to tell its overall story, spanning video games, a scripted podcast, comic books, and other forms of entertainment.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=2024-03-07 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening is an ambitious new transmedia bid |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/unknown-9-awakening-is-an-ambitious-new-transmedia-bid |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121203755/https://www.eurogamer.net/unknown-9-awakening-is-an-ambitious-new-transmedia-bid |archive-date=2025-01-21 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Eurogamer.net |language=en}} In 2020, the company had 100 employees.

The first planned console game, Unknown 9: Awakening, was formally announced at the 2020 Gamescom trade fair.{{Cite news |author1=Wes Fenlon |date=2020-08-27 |title=Unknown9: Awakening is a new game about a 'mysterious hidden dimension known as The Fold' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/unknown9-awakening-is-a-new-game-about-a-mysterious-hidden-dimension-known-as-the-fold/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}} Developers say they were inspired by other media, such as Indiana Jones, The X-Files, and The Matrix. The following month, Bandai Namco announced it had purchased Reflector Entertainment.{{Cite web |last=Oloman |first=Jordan |date=2020-09-18 |title=Bandai Namco Buys Unknown 9: Awakening Developer, Reflector |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/bandai-namco-buys-unknown-9-awakening-developer-reflector |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212234735/https://www.ign.com/articles/bandai-namco-buys-unknown-9-awakening-developer-reflector |archive-date=2024-12-12 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=IGN |language=en}} Bandai-Namco's plan at the time was to have half of their content produced outside of Japan.{{Cite web |last=Rahman |first=Abid |date=2020-09-18 |title=Bandai Namco Acquires Montreal Game Developer Reflector |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/bandai-namco-acquires-montreal-game-developer-reflector-4062754/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202210545/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/bandai-namco-acquires-montreal-game-developer-reflector-4062754/ |url-status=live }} The video game consultation firm Sweet Baby also worked on the game.{{Cite web |last=Redactor |first=Análise por Jorge Salgado |date=2024-10-17 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening review - universo entusiasmante com gráficos medianos |url=https://www.eurogamer.pt/unknown-9-awakening-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125233621/https://www.eurogamer.pt/unknown-9-awakening-review |archive-date=2024-11-25 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Eurogamer.pt |language=pt}}

The game was delayed in part because of COVID-19 and "talent war in Montreal" according to the developers.{{Cite web |last=Batchelor |first=James |date=2024-03-07 |title=Why Bandai Namco is betting big on Unknown 9's transmedia universe |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/why-bandai-namco-is-betting-big-on-unknown-9s-transmedia-universe |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en |archive-date=2024-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226015410/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/why-bandai-namco-is-betting-big-on-unknown-9s-transmedia-universe |url-status=live }}

British actress Anya Chalotra plays the main character Haroona including doing motion capture for the character.{{Cite web |title="Jouer un personnage de jeu vidéo rend plus libre": l'actrice de "The Witcher" prête ses traits à l'héroïne de "Unknown 9" |url=https://www.bfmtv.com/tech/gaming/jouer-un-personnage-de-jeu-video-rend-plus-libre-l-actrice-de-the-witcher-prete-ses-traits-a-l-heroine-de-unknown-9_AV-202410170642.html |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=BFMTV |date=October 17, 2024 |language=fr}} Charlotra says the motion-capture work for the game was similar to previous work after some adjustments. "We had a director who was directing us like any other scene. And we do take after take after take to try and get the best one. So it wasn't as different as I thought it might be."{{Cite web |title=Unknown 9: The Witcher star Anya Chalotra on her gaming debut |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y9v510dy9o |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204093247/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y9v510dy9o |archive-date=2024-12-04 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=BBC|date=16 October 2024 }}

Reflector and Bandai had planned for sequels, with an additional five games planned out with the combined storyline over the franchise taking a century.

{{video game reviews

| MC = (PC) 54/100
(PS5) 59/100
(XSX) 64/100

| IGN = 5/10

| GRadar = {{Rating|2.5|5}}

| Edge = 4/10

| EuroG = 3 /5

}}

Unknown 9: Awakening received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/unknown-9-awakening/|title=Unknown 9: Awakening reviews|work=Metacritic|accessdate=January 24, 2025|archive-date=January 21, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121174113/https://www.metacritic.com/game/unknown-9-awakening/|url-status=live}}

IGN said "a few good ideas and can’t save this bland and janky adventure".{{Cite web |last=Northup |first=Travis |date=2024-10-17 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/unknown-9-awakening-review |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115182428/https://www.ign.com/articles/unknown-9-awakening-review |url-status=live }} Eurogamer Portugal reviewed the game, and noted that the game seemed to be ignored on release while lamenting that the setting had potential. IGN Deutschland said the game was middling adventure, neither good nor bad.{{Cite web |last=Oktober 2024 16:01 |first=von Kai Schmidt Gesendet 17 |date=2024-10-17 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening im Test - Sleeperhit oder Midbudget-Flop? |url=https://de.ign.com/unknown-9-awakening/144189/review/unknown-9-awakening-im-test-sleeperhit-oder-midbudget-flop |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202195501/https://de.ign.com/unknown-9-awakening/144189/review/unknown-9-awakening-im-test-sleeperhit-oder-midbudget-flop |archive-date=2024-12-02 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=IGN Deutschland |language=de}} Several reviewers made reference to the low budget nature of the game. Eurogamer Poland said the game's low budget was obvious from the lack of polish in the final game and that it was too much for the developers to handle.{{Cite web |last=Skowron |first=Recenzja-Mateusz |date=2024-10-17 |title=Recenzja Unknown 9: Awakening. Anya Chalotra i intrygujący świat nie wystarczyły |url=https://www.eurogamer.pl/recenzja-unknown-9-awakening-anya-chalotra-i-intrygujacy-swiat-nie-wystarczyy |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Eurogamer.pl |language=pl |archive-date=2024-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205132719/https://www.eurogamer.pl/recenzja-unknown-9-awakening-anya-chalotra-i-intrygujacy-swiat-nie-wystarczyy |url-status=live }} IGN Benelux compared it to a bargain bin game from back in the day.{{Cite web |last=november 2024 15:00 |first=Door Perry Rodenrijs Geplaatst op 1 |date=2024-11-01 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening Review |url=https://nl.ign.com/unknown-9-awakening/153965/review/unknown-9-awakening-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241107124359/https://nl.ign.com/unknown-9-awakening/153965/review/unknown-9-awakening-review |archive-date=2024-11-07 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=IGN Benelux |language=nl}}

Some reviews were more positive. IGN Italia praised the game's story driven narrative and adventure elements, saying that the problems stemmed from technical issues.{{Cite web |last=Borgonovo |first=Alessandra "Aelinar" |date=2024-10-17 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening - La recensione |url=https://it.ign.com/unknown-9-awakening/213967/review/unknown-9-awakening-la-recensione |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=IGN Italia |language=it}} GamesRadar+ praised the story but said that gameplay was lacking.{{Cite web |author1=Oscar Taylor-Kent |date=2024-10-17 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening review: The Anya Chalotra-led story charms, but combat lacks serious polish |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/unknown-9-awakening-review/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=GamesRadar |language=en}} Hobby Consolas gave the game a more positive review.{{Cite web |last=Quesada |first=Daniel |date=2024-10-17 |title=Análisis de Unknown 9 Awakening, una aventura con mucho potencial, lastrada por un apartado técnico caduco |url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/analisis-unknown-9-awakening-aventura-muchisimo-potencial-lastrada-apartado-tecnico-caduco-1411665 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Hobby Consolas |language=es |archive-date=2024-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226141443/https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/analisis-unknown-9-awakening-aventura-muchisimo-potencial-lastrada-apartado-tecnico-caduco-1411665 |url-status=live }}

Edge gave it a poor review, saying "You could also call it derivative and crudely executed, and no transmedia offering can compensate for that."{{Cite news |last=Edge staff writers |date=Christmas 2024 |title=Play - Unknown 9: Awakening |work=Edge |pages=112–113 |issue=404}}

Unknown 9: Awakening was released for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 18, 2024.{{cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=August 20, 2024 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening launches October 18 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2024/08/unknown-9-awakening-launches-october-18 |accessdate=January 24, 2025 |work=Gematsu |archive-date=September 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924111132/https://www.gematsu.com/2024/08/unknown-9-awakening-launches-october-18 |url-status=live }} On Steam, the game reached a peak player count of 285 players by a month of the game's release.{{Cite news |author1=Andy Chalk |date=2024-11-21 |title=Unknown 9: Awakening studio makes major layoffs just a month after the game's release |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/unknown-9-awakening-studio-makes-major-layoffs-just-a-month-after-the-games-release/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=PC Gamer |language=en |archive-date=2025-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121213729/https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/unknown-9-awakening-studio-makes-major-layoffs-just-a-month-after-the-games-release/ |url-status=live }} Additionally, fewer than 100 people had left a review for the game on the platform. A month after the release of the game, 18% of the workforce at Reflector Entertainment was laid off, though sales and reception of the game were denied to be a reason.

In January 2025, Bandai-Namco Europe CCO Herve Hoerdt released a statement on the reception of the game saying that there will be no sequels for the game.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=2025-01-21 |title=Unknown 9 franchise cancelled as developer admits game "didn't come near" expectations, series "didn't warrant any further exploration" |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/unknown-9-franchise-cancelled-as-developer-admits-game-didnt-come-near-expectations-series-didnt-warrant-any-further-exploration |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Eurogamer.net |language=en |archive-date=2025-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123170631/https://www.eurogamer.net/unknown-9-franchise-cancelled-as-developer-admits-game-didnt-come-near-expectations-series-didnt-warrant-any-further-exploration |url-status=live }} The statement said in part "This decision correlates directly with the failure of the studio's ambitious and courageous first project, a new IP with a rich transmedia universe," and "The performance of the release didn't come near the company expectations, after numerous timeline adjustments and investments, both financially and other, and didn't warrant any further exploration in this universe."{{Cite web |title=Unknown 9 Deemed A "Failure" As Developer Cancels Future Project And Confirms Layoffs |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/unknown-9-deemed-a-failure-as-developer-cancels-future-project-and-confirms-layoffs/1100-6528909/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122153424/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/unknown-9-deemed-a-failure-as-developer-cancels-future-project-and-confirms-layoffs/1100-6528909/ |url-status=live }} Follow-up series and additional staff that worked on the game were laid off.{{Cite news |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=2025-01-21 |title=Action adventure game Unknown 9: Awakening was a 'failure,' says developer, which has cancelled a follow-up project and laid off staff |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/action-adventure-game-unknown-9-awakening-was-a-failure-says-developer-which-has-cancelled-a-follow-up-project-and-laid-off-staff/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}

• The Nine Unknown
• The Morning of the Magicians

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/unknown9/}}
• [https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/unknown9/en/products/video-games/awakening/ Bandai-Namco product page]

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