Ascendant Studios' Immortals of Aveum is now available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. It has some high-level Hollywood talent involved and boasts sharp visuals courtesy of Unreal Engine 5.1. However, this magic-based first-person shooter hasn't made much of an impact (and it's not because of Gamescom).

When you look past the shiny veneer, the tale of Jak and the Order of the Immortals as they battle the overwhelming forces falls somewhat flat. Some of this is due to the dialogue, but the awkward combat and lackluster control options also hurt it.

With five years of development, triple-A pricing and significant hype, you have to wonder: What happened? Why is Immortals of Aveum average at best and comfortably mediocre at worst? Let's take a closer look.