Is Ashen any good?

GymWolf

GymWolf

Member
i always watched gameplay of this game on yt but it never wowed me, it looks pretty boring but it is 6 euros on epic store with the coupon and maybe i can give him a chance, obviously is not a matter of money, but i don't want to buy another game that can bore me after a couple of hours just because it's cheap, i'm trying to don't do that anymore.

some questions for who played this one:

there is a generous amount of weapon, armor and cool shit to find?

some spin to the souls formula?

is the combat physical and heavy or more floaty and cartonish?

how good is enemy variety and bosses?

do you know if it is still played online on pc?

thanks in advance?
 
Am I the only weird one that always thinks of this when he hears someone mention Ashen?

Ashen_N-Gage_cover_art.jpg
 
It's a great game, personally I think it's the best soulslike out there outside of something made by Fromsoft.
Played and finished on gamepass on oneX and I really enjoyed it, the end boss was a bit of a drag but everything in between was fantastic.
You do yourself a disfavor by skipping it
 
pr0cs said:
It's a great game, personally I think it's the best soulslike out there outside of something made by Fromsoft.
Played and finished on gamepass on oneX and I really enjoyed it, the end boss was a bit of a drag but everything in between was fantastic.
You do yourself a disfavor by skipping it
Click to expand...
have you tried surge 2, it is probably on gamepass too, don't do this disfavor to youself :nougat_rofl:

i'm probably gonna buy the game, i just want to hear some impressions.
 
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I haven't played it but yeah it also looked boring for me as well. Something about its art style and color palette puts me off. I have watched streams of the first 2 hours and its all very samey.

I'm curious for those who have played it does the game have any variety in terms of color palette and environments later on?
 
sublimit said:
I'm curious for those who have played it does the game have any variety in terms of color palette and environments later on?
Click to expand...
Not really, the whole premise of the game is that the world was robbed of its light.
If you are worried about the graphics in the game I can assure you that the graphics are stellar. The environments are varied and interesting.
If you really want to read negativity
  • The pacing is a bit off, some parts are very easy and some are really hard, much of those pacing issues will depend on how good you are at that game type
  • Their notion of anyone loading into your instance to help is a mixed bag, in much of the game the AI is fine, but there are a number of places where having a real player help would be easier but the community isn't strong so you're stuck with the AI
  • The world isn't as interconnected as the Souls games, but then there are very few titles that have such great interconnected maps
These issues are far from being reasons why you should not play it.
At 4k the game is really beautiful, the art style shines with regards to the story and its design.
 
pr0cs said:
Not really, the whole premise of the game is that the world was robbed of its light.
If you are worried about the graphics in the game I can assure you that the graphics are stellar. The environments are varied and interesting.
If you really want to read negativity
  • The pacing is a bit off, some parts are very easy and some are really hard, much of those pacing issues will depend on how good you are at that game type
  • Their notion of anyone loading into your instance to help is a mixed bag, in much of the game the AI is fine, but there are a number of places where having a real player help would be easier but the community isn't strong so you're stuck with the AI
  • The world isn't as interconnected as the Souls games, but then there are very few titles that have such great interconnected maps
These issues are far from being reasons why you should not play it.
At 4k the game is really beautiful, the art style shines with regards to the story and its design.
Click to expand...
Thanks. So is the game geared more towards solo play or more for co-op play (AI or not)? Is the difficulty fair and balanced for a solo player as is (usually) the case with From's games or not?
 
Nope. I'd say avoid it. Here are some key reasons:

- Loot is pointless/bad/boring: all you'll ever loot is some mats and occasionally a weapon that has just different stats but not better, the starting weapon basically is a strong as all the other weapons, and they're all equally boring.
- Leveling up is not traditional: you only raise your simplistic base stats such as health and damage by completing boring side quests.
- Metroidvania aspect which makes souls games great is almost non-existant: the world is poorly made and that might be just budget since it's an indie, but there are no shortcuts in the very few dungeons as an example; you just play and if you do find a possible way it's either an invisible wall or you die instantly - this issue is extremely apparent in the DLC where if you die you'll have to restart A LOT of backtracking. Same thing applies to main game since it's open, you'll just have to walk a lot from the checkpoint if you die.
- Playing coop is a chore and if you plan on using the AI it will screw you more than it will help you. It's buggy, it dies a lot, it rarely shows up,etc.. Solo is probably the way to go however the game also becomes a chore alone. Its design was centered around playing with someone unlike all the other souls-like games.
-The story is..eh..I'd rather not get into it.

Basically what makes a souls games great is not present in the game. World looks pretty and mysterious, and the actual combat is fine and I liked the idea that your settlement develops as you progress BUT everything else was tedious and boring.
 
sublimit said:
Thanks. So is the game geared more towards solo play or more for co-op play (AI or not)? Is the difficulty fair and balanced for a solo player as is (usually) the case with From's games or not?
Click to expand...
They tried to shoehorn in coop but the community is so small that it was really rare to connect with real people.
When it did happen it was a lot of fun but real player interaction was a rarity to be honest.
I don't agree with the statement that dungeons being uncommon. There are quite a few and imo the best part of the game. The sense of dread and wonder (what makes Souls games so exciting is also in Ashen in spades)
 
It's a fun, relaxing souls type of game. Weapons are okay if you don't mind sticking to the same weapon type throughout the entire game. Tip: craft items, they're very useful.

I thought the boss battles gave you quite a lot of accomplishment. The final encounter was pretty good. There's a good variety of boss battles. Most (if not, all major areas) have a big boss battle, which are quite entertaining. Some bosses might surprise you with how well they were designed.

There isn't much in terms of loot, but there is a large emphasis on your camp or base. Be sure to always talk to everyone.

Again, there's a sense of accomplishment with beating a boss with an AI helper. You get the feeling of venturing to new places and discovering the world. That's what Ashen does real well at. It feels like a Souls-type adventure that isn't always a walk in the park. You'll strategize bosses and scout areas.

You just have to get use to the idea of venturing with an AI partner and using the environment. You'll get shortcuts to areas, so coming and going is easier. It's worth it if you absolutely want a good fix before a major title like Elden Ring waits for its release. I thought it was good when I played through it on XBO.
 
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Necro bump

I picked this up on the eshop sale plus the DLC cheaper than half price for the full eshop price. Can't wait to try it.
 
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Its about an 8/10 for me. Some interesting areas and design choices, and a few tough spots to deal with. Last boss was a bit unfair but I enjoyed beating it and the game, a decent challenge.
 
I did not enjoy it much. There are places where there are too many enemies at once (I play solo).

I really liked the art direction though.
 
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If youre strung out post-Elden Ring and cant find a game to satisfy you, give it a shot. There are always issues with difficulty in soulslikes and some people bounce off because of that and say they dont like it. Its pretty tough in places, if you play solo.
 
I remember it taking a while for me and my bro to figure out how to coop but we both and a really good coop experience playing through it.
 
It's one of those games I've tried to pisk up like 3-4 times but never could stick to it, absolutely love the art design but the souls-like gameplay puts me to sleep.
 
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