GREEK CHIC

A puny mortal embarks on a quest to save the gods in IMMORTALS FENYX RISING, and finds yet another massive Ubisoft open world game.

- Andy Kelly

When Zeus banished the evil titan Typhon to Tartaros, an infinite abyss of torture and suffering, he thought that would be the end of it. But Typhon has escaped, stripping the gods who imprisoned him of their powers and wreaking havoc on their home, the Golden Isle. And so it falls to Fenyx, a lowly Greek soldier, to save them. Why? Because it’s a good story. Fenyx is a normal person suddenly thrust into an outrageous world of gods and monsters. This grounds things nicely and makes for an enjoyable, and extreme, fish out of water story.

Immortals tells a big story with big stakes, but it’s no Greek tragedy. It’s a comedy, taking well-worn elements of Greek mythology and giving them a light-hearted, self-aware spin. The dialogue pokes fun at the legends, repaints familiar characters in amusing ways, and throws in anachronistic pop culture references. It’s charming and often funny, if occasionally a little grating. Prometheus narrates as you play, with a goofy Zeus rudely butting in to mock his storytelling ability or demand he make things more exciting. This frequently results in things changing around Fenyx, like a cyclops suddenly doubling in size.

The mythical Golden Isle is a vivid, beautifully realized setting, with each region reflecting the god who lives there. Love goddess Aphrodite’s corner of the island, the Valley of Eternal Spring, is an idyllic paradise of sparkling rivers, gleaming temples, frolicking animals, and colorful flora. The Forgelands, home to metalworking god Hephaestus, is a mountainous, autumnal landscape littered with crumbling ruins, workshops, and rusted automata. And at the heart of the island are the Gates of Tartaros, a lava-spewing volcanic fissure where, once you’ve rescued all four gods, you’ll confront Typhon for a final showdown.