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The Souls-like genre, popularized by the brutal yet rewarding gameplay of Dark Souls, has spawned numerous imitators. From Bloodborne and Nioh to Lords of the Fallen and The Surge, developers have tried to capture the magic of challenging combat and intricate level design. Toadman Interactive’s Immortal Unchained attempts to carve its own niche within this crowded space by shifting the focus from melee combat to ranged weaponry. Does this sci-fi shooter successfully adapt the Souls-like formula, or does it fall short of its inspirations?

Alt Text: A character in Immortal Unchained firing a futuristic rifle at an enemy.

A Familiar Formula with Ranged Tweaks

Immortal Unchained borrows heavily from the Dark Souls playbook. The game’s world is designed to be unforgiving, and players will die frequently. Just like its predecessors, the game encourages exploration and careful observation to overcome its challenges. The key difference lies in the combat: instead of swords and shields, players wield an arsenal of futuristic firearms, ranging from rifles and submachine guns to pistols and shotguns. Each weapon type offers variations with unique attributes like elemental damage or special effects. These weapons are discovered in hidden caches throughout the game world, encouraging exploration and rewarding thoroughness. The familiar upgrade system, similar to other Souls-like games, allows players to enhance their weapons and character stats using points earned by defeating enemies.

Shallow Combat and Unbalanced Weaponry

Despite the variety of weapons, the combat in Immortal Unchained feels surprisingly shallow. Enemies often have an easily exploitable weak point on their back, reducing most encounters to a simple exercise of flanking and firing. The plentiful ammunition and conveniently placed Obelisks (which function like Dark Souls’ bonfires) further minimize the challenge. While the game boasts a wide selection of guns, the balance between them feels off. Long-range weapons often lack the stopping power to justify their use, while rapid-firing rifles and SMGs prove overly effective in almost every situation. Melee weapons fare even worse, feeling clunky and unreliable. The combination of sluggish melee combat and inconsistent hit detection makes close-quarters encounters frustrating and unintuitive.

Alt Text: A player character in Immortal Unchained aims down the sights of a futuristic weapon.

Uninspired Enemies and Boss Battles

The enemy AI in Immortal Unchained is disappointingly simplistic. Many enemies exhibit predictable behavior, often standing still during firefights or slowly advancing towards the player. This lack of tactical depth makes encounters repetitive and tedious. Boss battles, which should be highlights of the Souls-like experience, also fall flat. Instead of demanding skill and strategy, most bosses rely on easily telegraphed attacks and, predictably, share the same weak point vulnerability found in regular enemies.

Alt Text: The player character in Immortal Unchained faces off against a large, monstrous enemy in a dark environment.

A World Lacking Depth

Immortal Unchained attempts to emulate the intricate level design of Dark Souls, incorporating traps, hidden paths, and strategically placed enemies. However, it fails to capture the same sense of interconnectedness and discovery. The environments, while visually varied, feel linear and lack the subtle storytelling and environmental clues that make exploring Dark Souls‘ world so compelling. The game frequently funnels players into repetitive combat arenas, further diminishing the sense of exploration.

Alt Text: A character in Immortal Unchained explores a dark, industrial environment.

Inconsistent Visuals

While Immortal Unchained boasts smooth animations, the overall visual presentation is inconsistent. Textures vary in quality, resulting in a jarring mix of detailed and underwhelming environments. Enemy models lack detail and are frequently reused, further contributing to the game’s repetitive feel. Special effects, such as explosions and weather phenomena, are similarly underwhelming.

Conclusion

Immortal Unchained attempts to bring a fresh perspective to the Souls-like genre with its focus on ranged combat. However, its shallow combat, unbalanced weaponry, uninspired enemy AI, and lackluster level design ultimately prevent it from reaching its full potential. While it borrows many elements from its inspirations, it fails to capture the nuanced gameplay and intricate world-building that define the best Souls-like experiences.