Invincible was an unexpected delight when it first aired back in 2021. Based off the graphic novel series from Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, Invincible is an animated series for adults centered around the teenage son of the world’s strongest superhero, Omni-Man. From complex characters, to vulgar humor, absurdist situations, and over-the-top gore, Invincible is a show that certainly doesn’t pull any punches. Now Skybound Games and Terrible Posture Games have released Invincible Presents: Atom Eve, the first video game set within the Invincible universe. The question now is whether or not it’s able to rise to level of its source material, or does it fall flat on its face?

As to be expected, Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is a visual novel that centers around fan-favorite, Atom Eve. The story takes place before the events of the first season of Invincible, and follows Atom Eve as she navigates being a high school student, as well as a superhero. Throughout the journey, we explore her relationships with Rex Splode, her parents, and Invincible himself.  An interesting premise on paper, but unfortunately, Invincible Presents: Atom Eve doesn’t manage to deliver a compelling experience.

For starters, Invincible Presents: Atom Eve boasts that the player will be able to make all sorts of decisions that impact the story. From the way they make it sound, it seems like your choices will greatly affect each playthrough. In actuality, the majority of the decisions you make will be nothing more than slight variations in dialogue options. Yes, you might be able to get different reactions from characters when speaking to them, but regardless of what you choose, the events of the game all unfold in the same way.

This takes away any sort of tension or strategy, since basically no matter what you choose, the end result will always be the same. For example, during my playthroughs, the only decision that seemed to have any sort noticeable difference was the relationship between Atom Eve and her parents. However, the game ends almost immediately after this choice, so we’re not even able to see the affects of that decision.

Invincible Presents: Atom Eve tries to spice up the visual novel formula by integrating some turn-based combat mechanics within it. Again, this is a good idea in theory, but like nearly everything else in this game, it feels half-baked. From the start, Atom Eve has three different skill paths she can upgrade: Empath, Creator, and Firebrand. Empath is defensive in combat and can open up dialogue options to help characters understand one another. Creator is more science-focused and invents creative solutions to problems. Firebrand relies on strength and opens up more hot-headed responses. Regardless of which avenue you choose, there’s still no major differences in the overall story or gameplay experience. The foes are ridiculously easy to defeat, no matter how you tackle them.

That said, Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is still, at its core, a visual novel. Thankfully, most of the artwork looks pretty faithful to the comics. Although, the one notable exception is Atom Eve, who looks like a Bratz figurine of her character. It’s a bit jarring at first, seeing her with overly large lips and eyes for some bizarre reason, even though none of the other characters were given that same treatment.

However, giving credit where credit is due, the scene setups look like something plucked straight from the comics, complete with different panels for every action and story beat. The combat animations are pretty repetitive, but the cutscenes look like flipping through pages of a graphic novel.

Considering Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is a visual novel, the sound design is simple, yet pretty decent. Unfortunately, there’s no voice acting, but that’s somewhat expected for this type of game. The sound effects are serviceable, without being too distracting. What stands out most, though, is the music.

Invincible Presents: Atom Eve features an original soundtrack from the Canadian electric pop duo, Milk & Bone. Aside from the song that plays during battles, which is a bit too chill and relaxed for supposedly tense encounters, the soundtrack absolutely nails the tone of the game. It sounds like something you’d expect the teenage protagonist to listen to in her spare time.

Invincible Presents: Atom Eve could have been a great concept for a video game, but the end result feels more like a hollow cash grab. While parts of it are technically a new adventure, certain major story beats have already been covered in the comics and show, making this journey feel unnecessary. Your choices don’t really matter and the combat is as shallow as a puddle. If you’re looking for the thrill of the Invincible universe, I’d recommend just rewatching the show or reading the comics. Invincible Presents: Atom Eve lacks the punch and ferocity that makes Invincible so enthralling.

 

Graphics: 7.0 The artwork looks like the graphic novel, except for Atom Eve who looks like a Bratz figurine of her character. The animations are pretty sparse and repetitive.	Gameplay: 5.0 A visual novel that make it seem like your choices matter, when they really don’t. The battle system is shallow and tedious.
Sound: 8.0 An original soundtrack by Milk& Bone, which fits the tone and feel of Invincible Presents: Atom Eve very well, aside from the battle music.	Fun Factor: 5.0 An interesting concept that unfortunately feels half-baked. It’s nice to gain some insight into the personal struggles of a superhero, but the experience is monotonous and lacking the punch of the Invincible comics.
Final Verdict: 6.0

Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is available now on PC.

Reviewed on PC.

A copy of Invincible Presents: Atom Eve was provided by the publisher.