PC (Microsoft Windows)PlayStation 52024

The Axis Unseen

The Axis Unseen is a heavy metal horror game created by one of the developers of Skyrim, Starfield and Fallout. Hunt nightmarish monsters from ancient folklore in a mysterious open world, collecting their enhanced sense powers and discovering elemental arrows.

Critics

Storyline

Find out what happened to the hunters who came before you and what secrets they uncovered by inspecting their journals and drawings. Where did this world come from? How do you stop the creatures from escaping into your world?

Trailers

Screenshots

Mostly Positive

14 Steam reviews

Review History

Reviews

14 total

≥h

Steam User 1038STEAMNot recommended

I just can't get on with this game, which is a shame because I quite like the bow-based combat.
There's too many different aspects to take into account, too many abilities, and too many controls to memorise. There's not enough direction - at no point did I feel confident I was going the right way or progressing meaningfully.
Plus I couldn't even enjoy the story, as since this is open world-go-where-you-want, I missed some journal entries and couldn't understand what was happening :(

Feb 12, 2026·2h·1·Verified

Steam User 1964STEAMRecommended

It's very good. It's environmental design is the standout. I enjoyed exploring and getting familiar with the world and mechanics. It lacks a little polish in many other areas, like play feel and general controls. But I was happy with the time I spent with it. I hope the developer keeps his toes in the game world.

Feb 8, 2026·6h·Verified

Steam User 2464STEAMRecommended

I love weird and trippy games. I'm generally not really in to horror, heavy metal, hunting games, or even using bows in games, but I've enjoyed the implementation of all the above in this.

Have been having a good time exploring and learning about the gameplay & world.

My main issue was that it was almost unplayable before adjusting settings to "potato" mode (only slightly offended, considering my PC was built for VR. though to be fair- that was a few years back now...). The other kind of annoying thing is that gameplay tips are spammy, but I'm guessing those can be toggled off when I'm ready to. And honestly too many reminders is better than none for me.

Overall very impressive for one developer. Have also been enjoying his wacky car game and am looking forward to seeing what his next projects are.

If this looks intriguing to you then this current sale is a steal (65% off!).

Feb 7, 2026·4h·1·Verified

Steam User 5504STEAMRecommended

I love it. Such a breath of fresh air. As a long lover of the elder scrolls I had to give a dev some love and glad I did.

Things I love
-the minimalistic hud and nature of the gameplay. Adding 18 crafting and cooking systems does not a good game make
-the music is awesome and adds to the atmosphere
-Spirit arrows (amazing mechanic in scouting ahead since you don't have a map)
-very little hand holding compared to most games which made it fun to figure the world out myself

The meh:
-I would love surround sound settings because several times I would sit listening for where a beast was and their location didn't really match up to the speaker positionally to me which broke the immersion a bit. Could just be a me problem.

I'm so glad I picked this game up. It may be outside your comfort zone but I think everyone should put some hours into this game.

Feb 6, 2026·19h·Verified

Steam User 4250STEAMRecommended

I'm still early into my playthrough of the game, but for what I have seen this is a very interesting game. he's got a story to tell, and you can tell this was the guy who secretly made stealth archer the best class in Skyrim. I'm not going to say this is a masterpiece. Other people have made clear the issues with this game, but believe it or not, its a kinda cool experience. I think the tutorial does a good job at the start but falls off and fails to explain the leveling system to the player, and that shows when a fourth of your audience seems to leave before even making it out of the intro corridor. Which is a shame because any of the issues someone might have from that slice of the game are resolved by the leveling system. As a tip, level up Air to begin with. It will give you more freedom to move around and choose your targets instead of fighting for your life at every moment.
I am enjoying this as a way to witness the intent of archery combat in Skyrim and am looking forward to where it ends up.

Feb 3, 2026·14h·3·Verified

Steam User 3362STEAMNot recommended

Quando joguei a demo fiquei muito empolgada com o lançamento, o conceito e ideia são incríveis, a narrativa prende e a atmosfera é muito boa. Porém o desempenho é muito ruim e isso tira totalmente a imersão e diversão da gameplay.

Não tenho um pc super potente, mas ele aguenta muito jogo pesado sem sofrer tanto (AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, RTX 3050). Nesse jogo enfrentei quedas de FPS que nem outros lançamento recentes me causaram (para terem ideia nem BF6, PoE etc. me deram esse tipo de problema). Nos gráficos médios esse jogo rodou apenas a 40 FPS e toda vez que abro uma nota no diário ou executo alguma ação específica cai para 18 fps... E mesmo configurando direto na placa não ajudou. Otimização realmente muito péssima!

No geral, comprei na promoção e ainda sim ficou aquela sensação de que não valeu o preço e acabou sendo frustrante pela alta expectativa que tinha colocado na demo (que estava rodando lisinha). Enfim, se não tiver um pc super potente, a queda de fps pode ser um problema e quebrar totalmente sua imersão.

Tinha tudo para ser um jogo bom, mas o desempenho e otimização estragam isso.

Jan 31, 2026·1h·Verified

Steam User 8730STEAMNot recommended

La'Quisha's government assisted, rent controlled, two bedroom apartment on the corner of MLK and Quaker Street has less bugs in it than this game.

Jan 27, 2026·4·Verified

Steam User 9136STEAMRecommended

Words Warning: I wind up writing an enormous ramble about this game. It has inserted itself into my personal pantheon of greats, so when I clicked the "reccommend" button, I broke my mouse I hit the button so hard.

It's a bit rough in places and it's not the prettiest to look at. It's also a very slooooooow-paced game, because it's really centered around stealth in big, open spaces with relatively little cover. Performance in a few places isn't ideal, and the game does not really hold your hand either. You're really, really on your own, with literally not even a map to guide you. Are you up for a challenge?

Ramble begins!

You're in a strange, desperately otherworldly place. It's alien and weird, the lighting is really bizarre, it provokes a sense of wonder when I look around. What's with all these giant bones? Weird landscapes? Statues to a deer god or whatever? Seriously, what is up with this place?

The game has answers, but doesn't give them to you. You have to go find them. But as you do, you can experience the extremely moody atmosphere. It's often quiet, just the sound of your own footfalls, the wind, some wildlife, which means when you hear something else's footfalls it's time to pay attention. That thing is likely quite interested in having you for a late lunch.

The game does a lot with audio. When a monster has caught scent of you, you can hear it snuffling as it tracks. You can hear them shuffling across loose rocks, or making cries, and it encourages you to be quiet, to listen closely, get whatever audio cues you can to make the most of it.

It's not just you being hunted. You're also a hunter. You've got a knife, a shortbow, a very small number of arrows. You can defend yourself, most of the time. You just can't afford to miss.

That's easier said than done. Arrows are much slower than bullets. There's visible gravity. Hitting even a walking target is a challenge, let alone hitting it well. Hitting some werewolf in the face at 200m? That's trivial in most games, and a legendary shot in this one.

Did I write werewolf? Yeah. The monsters in this game, they're all supernatural. This is, apparently, the dimension from which all supernatural creatures come. Some, as you can imagine, are much gnarlier to fight than others, and won't go down with one or two arrows. Which does mean you'll get something really nasty and ill-tempered, now bleeding and furious, barrelling down on you and looking to have words with you about your manners. When the electric guitar soundtrack kicks in, you know you're in trouble.

Well, it's not all bad. If you explore, you'll find little shrines to give you more arrows, and you can spend accumulated XP to improve your skills, and you'll find equipment upgrades and powers as you go along. They still have the advantage, but the odds tip a bit more in your favour. And stealth is still the biggest weapon in your arsenal.

Way more effort was put into this than your usual game. Monsters can see you, of course, so careful use of cover, keeping a low profile, avoiding walking where they're looking are helpful. Or illuminating yourself with mundane light.

Monsters can hear you, so walking in softer earth, not sprinting, or barging into things or otherwise making noise.
Monsters can smell you, so you need to be mindful of which way the wind is blowing. Is that upwind or downwind? Either way, try to avoid getting the wind to waft your stank to the monsters.
They can also track you. You leave footprints as you go, especially in soft earth. Walk across scree or hard surfaces, and you'll be harder to track. But you'll be noisier.

So there's variables you need to be mindful of as you go. And, over time, you start to develop your own senses. It lets you smell and "feel" what the monsters are up to as well, though for obvious reasons this is difficult to render in a video game. So you can see the stank particles coming off monsters, depending on wind direction. You get a tattoo that glows when a monster is trompling about nearby enough, instead of just feeling their heavy footfalls through your feet.

Now, most of these powers only work if you stay calm and composed, keep your character's heartrate down. And how do you do that? Skulking, of course! It reinforces your need for stealth. Flailing about makes you half-blind and all the boys in the yard get very interested in your milkshake. I mean things going loud isn't just you fighting the one thing, but also everything else within earshot. The monsters really don't like you!

This is really about the immersion. There's no HUD. Tattoos on your hand suggest things that are senses: direction, how hurt you are, vibrations in the ground. Runes on your bow suggest other things. Most of them are not super-urgent, like how noisy you are (useful if you, the player, are hearing-impaired) or how much souljuice you've picked up along the way. I can't really intuitively grasp their numerical runic system so, right, not that useful. Also it sometimes gets blown out with bloom when it's really misty out, but other than knowing what spell you have active (and they all have colours) it's no big deal.

Let me try to reign this in and give you some summary here: This is a stealth game about hunting supernatural monsters. Your weaponry is difficult to use well and really limited, so sneaking up close makes the shots easier to make. And this can be vital as some critters have limited areas to hurt. Monsters will also hunt you, so picking and choosing your battles is critical. Being aware of your surroundings, being willing to explore, and being willing to take your time and just pay attention are all key to success.

The setting is otherworldly, a weird place full of mysteries that are answered only with exploration.

I find it extremely tense, because I love a horror game that lets me fight the horrors, even at great odds. This game is exactly that. It gets me hyper-focussed and even a minor win, like landing a headshot at 150 meters, feels like an accomplishment.

I'm still streaming this as I go along, and in a zesty first, I've also been uploading them to your tubes. My schedule is posted in my profile, and if you found yourself down here and still reading, I'd actually love it if you showed up some time. I'm a non-screaming, responsible adult, and you are my kind of person. http://www.twitch.tv/fdejeuner

And if you want a creepy-ass horror game that doesn't make you a completely helpless victim, this is kind of how I imagine it might go. Just you, a bow, and really long odds. But you have two things they don't: wits and guile.

Jan 25, 2026·40h·6·Verified

Steam User 1798STEAMRecommended

The Axis Unseen is a bold and distinctive open-world action game that leans heavily into atmosphere, immersion, and player intuition rather than conventional hand-holding or familiar genre structures. Developed and published by Just Purkey Games, the project is the work of a solo developer with deep industry experience, and that pedigree shows in both its ambition and its willingness to take risks. Rather than presenting a traditional power fantasy, the game casts you as a lone hunter in a hostile, myth-infused wilderness where survival depends on awareness, patience, and a deep understanding of the creatures you pursue.

The setting is a fractured world where ancient beings drawn from global folklore have crossed into reality, leaving destruction in their wake. Your home and fellow hunters have been wiped out, and what remains is a vast, untamed landscape filled with ruins, forgotten lore, and roaming monstrosities. The story is delivered subtly through environmental details, written fragments, and visual cues rather than direct exposition. This restrained narrative approach reinforces the feeling of isolation and discovery, encouraging players to piece together the history of the world at their own pace rather than being led by scripted events.

Exploration is central to the experience, and The Axis Unseen places heavy emphasis on immersion by stripping away many modern interface conventions. There is no traditional minimap or intrusive HUD. Instead, information is conveyed through diegetic elements such as markings on your body, visual effects tied to abilities, and environmental feedback. Navigation relies on landmarks, memory, and occasional supernatural guidance rather than clear objective markers. This design choice deepens immersion and makes the world feel dangerous and unknown, though it can also be disorienting for players accustomed to clearer guidance.

Combat is deliberate and often unforgiving, blending stealth, hunting mechanics, and bursts of intense action. Your primary tools include a bow, elemental arrows, and supernatural abilities that enhance your senses or manipulate the environment. Enemies are not simple targets; many creatures track you using sight, sound, scent, or even mystical perception. This forces careful planning before engagements, as reckless movement or noise can quickly lead to deadly consequences. Early encounters can feel brutal, but as you learn enemy behaviors and master positioning, combat becomes more strategic and rewarding.

Progression in The Axis Unseen is tied closely to exploration and experimentation rather than traditional leveling systems. As you explore deeper into the world and defeat powerful foes, you unlock new abilities and enhancements that expand how you interact with the environment. These upgrades often feel like natural extensions of survival instincts rather than arbitrary stat boosts, reinforcing the theme of becoming a more capable hunter through experience. However, the learning curve is steep, and the game expects players to experiment and fail before systems fully click into place.

Visually, the game favors mood over spectacle. Its environments are expansive and often stark, with lighting, weather, and terrain combining to create a sense of constant unease. Creature designs are one of its strongest elements, drawing from diverse mythological sources to create enemies that feel unfamiliar and unsettling. The art direction emphasizes scale and menace, making encounters feel significant even when they occur far from any narrative milestone.

Sound design plays a crucial role in shaping the experience. The dynamic soundtrack blends heavy metal with ambient and tribal elements, shifting in intensity depending on exploration or combat. Rather than acting as background noise, the music actively reinforces tension and momentum, making battles feel primal and dangerous while exploration carries a haunting, meditative quality. Environmental sounds further heighten awareness, as distant roars, rustling foliage, or sudden silence often signal unseen threats nearby.

Despite its strengths, The Axis Unseen is not without rough edges. Technical issues such as performance drops, occasional bugs, and inconsistent physics interactions can disrupt immersion. The minimalist interface and lack of clear direction, while intentional, may frustrate players who prefer structured progression or clearer objectives. Reading lore fragments during exploration can also feel risky in a world where danger is always present, occasionally breaking pacing or flow.

Overall, The Axis Unseen is a demanding but deeply atmospheric experience that rewards patience, curiosity, and a willingness to engage with its systems on their own terms. It is not designed to appeal to everyone, nor does it try to smooth over its complexity or roughness. For players drawn to slow-burn exploration, hunting mechanics, mythological horror, and immersive world design, it offers something rare and memorable. Its ambition and distinctive identity make it stand out in the open-world genre, delivering an experience that feels raw, intense, and uniquely personal despite its imperfections.

Rating: 7/10

Jan 12, 2026·10h·10·Verified

Steam User 5531STEAMNot recommended

[b]TLDR; This game will never be what you wished for it to be. The reason is simple. It was made by a single dev, in 10 months (publicly stated, excluding future patches), with a huge map. 10 dollars max. [/b]

There is potential, but it needed more time in the oven and A LOT more resources and playtesting to reach the vision that seems to be there. For me it's closer to an open beta with polished visuals (UE5 jank aside, it looks cool, the aesthetics are on point) rather than an actual release.

However, the gameplay, balancing and pacing suffer. The map is 5x the size of Skyrim and the dev likes to advertise that, but don't be fooled, content density and variety is too sparse for that size.

Also I don't really care for the bow-based combat, it's a pain in the ass and I end up stealthing the more difficult areas. I like the direction of the magic powers but it's not enough IMO. The most fun I've had was buttstomping enemies. In a bow game. Let that sink in.

Also there is jank due to it being a rushjob. When mobs do weird spastic movements, regurgitate the same animations between species (e.g. bipedals stomping) or when a giant creature runs away initially after the 1st shot, the tension is gone. A pretty game with fake denizens is ALWAYS worse than a simpler looking one that feels alive.

Dec 31, 2025·10h·17·Verified

Steam User 9409STEAMNot recommended

its hard to aim on 15FPS

Dec 29, 2025·1h·4·Verified

Steam User 3796STEAMNot recommended

the game looks like it was going to be a blast. awesome atmosphere cool game ideas good music. its all there. and yet two hours in and i bounced right off of it. the reason? Frame rate. Its really bad. Its deck verified so it should work and it kinda does but its a stretch to say it is playable on the system. Do you like 30 fps with many dips on low settings? this game is for you then. So i had a lapse in reason and when it was released on ps5 I thought heck yea i finally can play this game and the system will be able to run it. Boy I was wrong. barely scrapes by at 30 fps with many dips and shadows that look like squares reminds me of the 360 version of far cry 3. I made a comment like this on the discussion board and the dev called me a liar and banned me. So this here is a guy who appreciates your business. If you dont glaze him he will ban you. Check the forums I thought i was in the twilight zone because almost nobody is commenting on the framerate and yea Im going to guess its because they were banned. as a game it is probably awesome if your running a 4080 in a 4,000 dollar rig. Make your own judgement if this stuff bothers you then i would pass on this game.

Dec 29, 2025·1h·5·Verified

Steam User 9924STEAMRecommended

Solid bow shooting, a weird, macabre surreal world, lots of lore. All of your statuses are diagetic, which adds to the immersion. All of the varied monsters require different tactics to take down and each zone is full of unique visuals and challenges. an overall fun experience.

Dec 28, 2025·25h·4·Verified

Steam User 7641STEAMNot recommended

Maybe my hopes were too high, but even on a 60% discount this game was not worth it.

A long time ago, I saw this game promoted with the fact that it has a mode to photograph instead of hunt. I loved this idea. I eventually came around to getting the game (maybe a year or two later) on sale. There are many other reviews that go into much more detail than I ever could, especially considering I could only bare playing this for under an hour.

It was a huge letdown, the animations and movements are extremely janky, the performance is awful despite the graphics not being anything ground breaking. The models had a good concept but just, weren't executed very good.
I didn't play for long due to wanting to refund it at first sight, but from what I saw:
The creatures have no interaction with their environment, or you, other than maybe walking in a straight line when you get near or running straight at you without warning when you're detected. The combat was not rewarding or fun whatsoever, in more ways than just not recieving anything for killing creatures, they just drop dead suddenly and their ragdolls glitch out.
They feel so extremely disconnected from their environment.
This game has an amazing idea in theory, but I wouldnt consider buying it if it was free, maybe if there were major changes.

Dec 22, 2025·1h·18·Verified

LANGUAGE	AUDIO	SUBTITLES	INTERFACE
English	Y	Y	Y
Arabic	Y	—	Y
Chinese (Simplified)	Y	Y	Y
Chinese (Traditional)	Y	Y	Y
Danish	—	—	Y
Dutch	Y	Y	Y
Finnish	Y	—	Y
French	Y	Y	Y
German	Y	Y	Y
Italian	Y	Y	Y
Japanese	Y	Y	Y
Korean	Y	Y	Y
Norwegian	Y	Y	Y
Polish	Y	Y	Y
Portuguese (Brazil)	Y	Y	Y
Portuguese (Portugal)	Y	—	Y
Russian	Y	Y	Y
Spanish (Spain)	Y	Y	Y
Swedish	Y	Y	Y
Turkish	Y	Y	Y