Upcoming first-person shooter game Immortals of Aveum from developer Ascendant Studios has provided a sneak peek into its world in a behind-the-scenes look. The game sees players take on the role of Jak, a battlemage involved in a war between two factions vying for control of Aveum’s magic, who discovers he has a unique ability to wield all forces of magic. The game offers 25 magic spells to master, each falling into one of three categories: Force, Chaos and Life. The game has over a dozen different biomes and features flora and fauna inspired by real-world and even endangered species in North America. The game is set to launch for the Xbox.
The Magic System of Immortals of Aveum
In Immortals of Aveum, players control Jak, a battlemage with the ability to control magic. The game offers 25 magic spells, each with its own strengths and limitations, which fall into three categories: Force, Chaos and Life. Force magic appears as a bright blue and is associated with speed, Chaos crackles with fiery red, and Life oozes with a sticky-looking green. The magic system greatly influenced the game’s art direction, with the setting utilising the bright colours the most while avoiding more subdued hues, which are typically common in most shooters set on Earth or Earth-like environments. The magic each mage uses is also conveyed with a visual element, which adds to the immersive experience of the game.
The World of Aveum
The world of Aveum has over a dozen different biomes to explore, each with its own unique voice. The game designers attempted to make each level distinct and different but still grounded. They still grounded it in terms of having the flora, fauna, and even rock types. The team also looked to real-world endangered species in North America to inform the design of Immortals of Aveum’s flora and fauna, which adds to the game’s environmentalism theme. The magical elements of the game are reflected in the design of the flora and fauna, with glowing blue flowers and interesting mycelium-based roots appearing in fantastical ways.
The Story of Immortals of Aveum
The game’s story follows Jak’s involvement in a seemingly endless war between two factions, with stakes high and the world on the brink of the abyss. There are some dark fantasy elements, but the game also has moments of banter and modern conversations between the characters. There are still vestiges and small environmental storytelling [moments] where players are seeing the connections between different countries and certain things like trading between certain regions versus other areas that are very much isolated. The art direction of the game reflects the mood of the moment, where you can jump to another level that is very bright and sunny and kind of bombastic and pushing the colors.
Environmentalism Theme
One of the unique angles of the game is its environmentalism theme. The game designers wanted to create a game that was grounded in reality while still having fantastical elements. They used the design of real-world endangered species in North America to inform the design of the game’s flora and fauna. The environmentalism theme is a nice way to pay homage to the lesser-known issue of endangered species while also reflecting some of the passions of the developers. This combination adds depth to the game and could give it an edge in the crowded first-person shooter market.
