There’s nothing quite like a roleplaying game to sink your teeth into, whether it’s more action-oriented, character-driven, or everything in between. The worlds and scenarios you can visit can be endless, and in Hawkswell Studios‘ Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna, you have a chance to visit a Celtic-inspired medieval fantasy world.
That is certainly something new to me, and being a big fan of myths and legends, it sets things up perfectly to spend some time in as Finn, an orphan child gifted with otherworldly powers who will decide the fate of the kingdom of Tara along with her chosen band of legendary Fianna.
There is a clear emphasis on roleplaying, ranging from the way you set up Finn as either a foil to the other characters or as the leading force to making decisions that can have far-reaching consequences. The world is taking heed of what you say and do, which always makes for a fun journey with plenty of twists and turns.
Your companions are also in on this system, and while you could be thinking romance, they might actually be considering leaving your party because of mismatched values. It remains to be seen just how deep this approach goes, but at the very least, I am excited by the prospect.
With the archetypal roles of the Bard, the Druid, and the Warrior present Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna, there is plenty of room for experimentation with skills and abilities. How you make them work in synergy is up to you, with the game not locking characters into classes and giving the players the keys instead.
Having that flexibility is always positive, but at this stage, the game is not exactly clear on how everything can work in tandem, and this is painfully obvious when there is a need for conflict. Battles take place on a tactical grid, and positioning is key to emerging victorious. Whether you are aware of that or not is a whole other matter, with the interface not being intuitive enough at this stage.
There are other factors to consider in fights as well, such as a character’s current disposition, which can either bolster or hamper their willingness to fight hard for the cause. The lack of a clear turn order is also a big issue, making it next to impossible to set things up nicely for a big finish. In an earlier sharing with the developers, the idea of a non-lethal playthrough surfaced, and that will be something to look forward to, especially if it avoids the clunky combat experience presently.
At least on the visuals front, Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna looks pretty good already. The lush environments and distinct character designs are already easy on the eyes, and although the game is built on Unreal Engine 5 in 3D, I do find myself admiring the 2D art a lot more. In a sense, the game is already in a good place from the presentation side of things, save for the UI, but that would be an easier fix.
As the debut effort, Hawkswell Studios is on the right track with this CRPG, but there are still bumps on the road that need to be navigated. The lack of a release date is a good thing, as it will allow the team to continue refining the experience, and that is the potential for Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna to turn into something greater. We are certainly rooting for it.
