The open-level structure allows Ashen to standout from Souls-likes by creating a map that you slowly progress through. I was able to slowly progress through an area sweeping each hill, field, and building one by one.įor the most part, I didn’t feel swarmed by enemies too often and found the cycle of killing everyone in an area and moving on to be rewarding thanks to the loot scattered throughout the dilapidated structures and desolate fields and the weighty combat. Thanks to the smart and strategic enemy placement I found combat as enjoyable as the best in this genre. Instead of tight compact areas, Ashen is mostly composed of larger, open sections split up by smaller, tighter intersections. Related Content – Best PS4 Indie Games – Excellent Games Everyone Should Playīut, this isn’t a bad thing as those systems work well with the more open and varied environments in the game. The controls are almost identical as well. You have access to one-handed weapons, two-handed weapons, a shield, throwable spears, and a whole host of consumables that provide buffs and bonuses. Throughout playing, I felt like I was sinking deeper into the mythology and world of Ashen and becoming more and more engrossed as my playtime increased.Īshen’s combat and gameplay borrow heavily from the aforementioned Dark Souls with tough enemies and a punishing, yet fair, stamina meter. The characters you meet in Vagrant’s Rest have touching questlines and are exceptionally written and voiced.Īshen also features some great atmospheric music and sterling sound effects that help add to the hauntingly mystical atmosphere of the game. They can all feel like a genuine friend (or foe) as you follow their journey throughout the game. Each character is excellently written and voiced, with their tone and timbre fitting the mysterious world A44 have created and each individual’s personality and background. This leads to a gratifying sense of slowly learning organically through your own decisions in-game and is bolstered by the fantastic voice acting. In Ashen you are dropped into a world and given agency over your discoveries, picking up information through the environment and subtle dialogue cues.
Ashen’s opening is a striking setpiece filled with gorgeous visual effects showcasing The Ashen in all its glory.īy leaving a lot of the concepts and ideas in Ashen intentionally vague, A44 masterfully emulates what made the Dark Souls games so special in the first place. When the game progresses, small nuggets of information are dolled out every now and again, but the narrative of the game isn’t exactly spelt out in black and white. Much like Bloodborne and Dark Souls, you are thrust into its arms and expected to accept that not everything will be explained to you.
Ashen is a game that doesn’t explain much about its world to you initially.
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