Ava Hunt and Thieves of the Lost is a story-driven third-person action-adventure game blending survival elements with exploration and tactical combat. Set in a world of ancient ruins and hidden conspiracies, this PC title puts you in control of Ava as she uncovers relics from a forgotten civilization. Released in early access, it emphasizes meaningful choices that alter the environment and attract escalating threats.
Gameplay
The core loop revolves around exploration of hostile ruins, tactical encounters with enemies, and collecting resonant relics that enhance abilities. Movement feels momentum-driven, requiring careful positioning and timing to navigate crumbling structures and vertical spaces. Stealth plays a key role, as enemies respond to sound, movement, and proximity, making detection lead to intense escalations.
Relics are central to progression through the Resonant Relics System, where each discovery unlocks memories, powers, and historical fragments in the Codex of Constellations. This creates a non-linear web of upgrades, allowing players to shape Ava's Resonance Mastery with new abilities and passive effects. The world reacts dynamically, with ruins shifting and threats intensifying based on your actions.
Combat remains a deliberate choice rather than a constant, integrated with traversal challenges like climbing unstable terrain and solving environmental puzzles. A mysterious voice provides atmospheric guidance, heightening tension as the Signal strengthens and draws darker forces closer.
Game Modes
This single-player experience focuses on a narrative campaign divided into chapters, starting with early access content like The Eternals: Echoes Before Time, including Prologue: The Awakening and Chapter I: Gate of Ten Thousand Years. Players progress through a story of discovery and survival without multiplayer options.
Future updates plan to add chapters such as Hunt Manor: The Lost File and Summit of Shadows, expanding the adventure across global locations. The mode emphasizes solo exploration and decision-making that permanently impacts the world.
Factions and Threats
Several groups vie for control of the relics and the Ethernal Flame. The Thieves of the Lost operate from the shadows, deploying Enigma as their military arm to seize artifacts and eliminate rivals. These human factions bring tactical, resource-backed opposition.
Meanwhile, the Gloom represents a more primal danger, awakening as twisted remnants that sense energy and react to player and enemy movements. Key figures like Lord Obsidian, Zarek, and Nyx emerge as awakened predators, adding layers of dynamic threats to the hunt.
Is It Worth Playing?
For those drawn to atmospheric survival adventures with deep lore and reactive worlds, this game offers a compelling start in early access. Its focus on exploration and choice-driven progression suits players who enjoy thoughtful pacing over constant action.
With a demo available to test the core mechanics and ongoing updates planned based on feedback, it appeals to fans of narrative-heavy titles. If you prefer fast-paced shooters or multiplayer, it might not fit, but the evolving story and relic system make it a strong pick for solo adventurers seeking mystery and consequence in their gameplay.
