It's not often that a game released from a major developer could be considered a surprise, but Immortals Fenyx Rising is absolutely one that falls into that category. This is one of those games people knew was coming but didn't really know when, and then it was promptly buried in the middle of one of the most high-profile game release windows ever seen for reasons that still don't really make any sense.
When Ubisoft officially revealed the game as Gods & Monsters, there was a lot of enthusiasm for it right away. But as time went on and the game received a humorously bad name change to Immortals Fenyx Rising, that interest from players began to wane. With the perception this would just be another formulaic Ubisoft open world game, regurgitating a lot of what was seen in Assassin's Creed Odyssey just two years earlier, it was hard for people to build any sort of excitement for the game. And the launch of Immortals Fenyx Rising wasn't even Ubisoft's top priority, with Assassin's Creed Valhalla releasing less than one month earlier as a next-gen launch title.
In spite of everything working against it, Immortals Fenyx Rising has managed to be one of 2020's most pleasant surprises. The game has a nice aesthetic, the world is beautiful, the combat is fun, the puzzles are great, the focus on exploration is fantastic, and it's very well-polished. It might just be a shameless clone of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but it's a really good one. The game also does a really nice job of teaching players about Greek mythology, in spite of its occasionally grating commentary from Zeus. It might not be taking home any Game of the Year awards, but it's a great all-around game.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a Hidden Gem
It's no surprise that an early December release didn't do any favors for Immortals Fenyx Rising. With the release of next-gen consoles and all of the major games which launched in the following weeks, it was just too busy of a month for a fresh IP not built to challenge the titans of the holiday season. Immortals Fenyx Rising would have been better served with an early 2021 release, giving it a real chance to take the spotlight. Even still, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a really enjoyable game that slipped through the cracks to become one of 2020's true hidden gems.
By no means is Immortals Fenyx Rising an industry-defining game. Pretty much everything players will see and experience in this game is something they've seen before. But it's a really well-made game that doesn't take itself too seriously, instead focusing on the quality of the player's experience. Immortals Fenyx Rising is just a genuinely fun game to play, and given its upcoming DLCs taking place in Olympus and Ancient China, the game's insane value will eventually make it a must-buy as the price drops and it's featured in sales.