Being a fan of Wadjet Eye Studios, I had high expectations for this game, and I am happy to say they were all (with one exception) met. Wadjet Eye Studios as exemplified by Dave Gilbert believes in the power of the adventure game, with its emphasis on exploration and character development above fancy mechanics. And this certainly shines in Unavowed. The exploration is amazing- though as a person who has lived in, and loved living in, many of the NYC locales in the game, it's hard to say how much someone would love the exploration outside that context. But I thought it was amazing. The characters and the ways they are developed are uniformly excellent, to the extent that the game is eminently replayable just to hear the different combinations of party members in their different missions, which is a rare replayability factor in an adventure game. Atmosphere- incredible. Music, dialogue, moral choices, art direction- all of it adds up to a particular experience of which I loved every second. FYI, I am a big fan of the darker varieties of urban fantasy. Gabriel Knight, the early Hellblazer comics, Charles de Lint - that's my bag. If you like this type of influence you will likely love Unavowed. The only flaw is the simplicity of puzzles. But there are many reasons to play an adventure game. Quest for Glory didn't have terribly complicated puzzles, IMHO - it was the depth of atmosphere and the character development which lured me to that realm. Gabriel Knight, too. I am sure there are more sophisticated games in terms of puzzles, challenges etc. but if you are seeking a purely immersive story, download this.
This is a great adventure game - drawing on some of the greats (a LOT of Gabriel Knight 1, especially in the standout track "Brooklyn Blue") with hints of some non-traditional sources of inspiration like Planescape: Torment. The songs have a great mix of eerie synthesizer, melancholic and comforting jazz, and dramatic classical themes. Definitely recommend a listen especially if nostalgia for the greats pulled at your heart strings while playing this game.
