Ashen (2018 video game)

Ashen is an action role-playing game developed by New Zealand studio A44 and published by Annapurna Interactive. It is set in a low fantasy environment.

Ashen
Developer(s)A44
Publisher(s)Annapurna Interactive
EngineUnreal Engine[1]
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
PlayStation 4
Release
  • Windows, Xbox One
  • December 7, 2018
  • Nintendo Switch
  • December 9, 2019
  • PlayStation 4
  • December 12, 2019
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The game is set in a sunless world and tells the story of a character seeking a home. Gameplay is described as including open-world exploration, co-operation or competition with other players, and combat with in-world monsters.[2] The game is presented in a third-person view, with a muted cel-shaded graphics presentation.[3]

The game follows the Dark Souls-style mechanics and combat. Both combat and exploration in an open world were key design elements of the game. Multiplayer elements include interactions with other players, which are incorporated into the game as providing traditional RPG elements such as crafting.[4] Combat includes ranged and melee weapons.[5]

Character growth is primarily dominated by equipment, rather than player 'stats';[6] "Talismans", either found or crafted, are used to upgrade character abilities or provide other in-game perks.[7]

Development

Initial publicity material for the game was released mid-2014.[8] During Microsoft's E3 2015 press conference, Ashen was revealed as an Xbox console launch exclusive being developed by Aurora44 (now A44) under the ID@Xbox independent developer program.[9] Initially released 2014 design elements of the game included survivalist elements and elemental effects, such as the wind as a help or hindrance. The world's geography and ecosystems were intended to be realistically modeled, to play into intelligent play styles within survival mechanisms; additionally, natural geography was intended to be based on an underlying geology. One in-world game element is an enemy known as the "Gnaw", which has the ability to erode the environment "like a searing acid". Much of the background, setting, and feel of the world was influenced by Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road.[10] Combat was described as similar to the Souls series, being high risk, with stamina being a major factor in combat.[10]

Multiplayer elements were described as 'passive', meaning that playing with a partner(s) is not mandated, and entirely optional, though certain situations require cooperative play; AI (computer controlled) allies were also to be implemented. The 'passive' multiplayer element included the conversion of a human player companion into an AI controlled non-player character (NPC)s if they could be escorted to the home town of the main adventurer; however such AI controlled NPCs were not guaranteed to be entirely benign.[10] Art style influences were cited as initially including Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, Shadow of the Colossus, and The Legend of Zelda series.[11] Developers also stated they had been influenced by the emergent multiplayer storytelling found in the video game DayZ.[12]

Release

While initially listed on Steam, Ashen was later announced as an Epic Games Store timed exclusive but was also later listed as a Microsoft Store and an Xbox One title as a timed exclusive as well.[13]

Reception

Ashen was rated 9/10 by GameSpot,[17] and 4/5 by GamesRadar+.[18] Eurogamer also praised the game, awarding it the "Eurogamer Recommended" mark.[19] The game was noted through multiple reviews to hold similarities to the Souls series, specifically Dark Souls.

Awards
YearAwardCategoryResultRef
2017 Game Critics Awards Best Independent Game Nominated [20]
2019 National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards Game, Original Role Playing Nominated [21]
Original Light Mix Score, New IP Nominated
SXSW Gaming Awards Most Promising New Intellectual Property Nominated [22]
Golden Joystick Awards Xbox Game of the Year Nominated [23]

References
  1. North, Dale (19 June 2015), "The best Unreal Engine games of E3, selected by GamesBeat", VentureBeat
  2. Blake, Boston (June 2015), "E3 2015: 'Ashen' Revealed for Xbox One With Debut Trailer", Gamerant
  3. Ogilvie, Tristan (15 June 2014), "E3 2015: Ashen Announced for Xbox One", IGN
  4. "Ashen on Xbox Daily", YouTube (video interview), 26 June 2015
  5. Corden 2016, Q.Jez: In the trailer, we can see players wielding melee weapons, is Ashen a strict melee combat affair? Can players control their gameplay style in any way?.
  6. Billcliffe 2015.
  7. Corden 2016, Q. Jez: How does Ashen handle character progression?.
  8. Smith, Graham (8 July 2014), "Ashen Looks Beautiful: An Open World RPG About Friends", Rock Paper Shotgun
  9. McWhertor, Michael (15 June 2015), "Ashen is a new open-world role-playing game for Xbox One", Polygon
  10. Priestman 2014
  11. Tic Podcast 2015, 14min04sec - 15min15sec.
  12. Shoptaw 2015.
  13. Corden, Jez (7 December 2018). "'Ashen' will still hit Xbox Play Anywhere for PC and 'other platforms' in the future". Windows Central. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  14. "Ashen for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  15. "Ashen for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  16. "Ashen for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  17. Ramée, Jordan (6 December 2018). "Ashen Review - Relationship Souls". GameSpot. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  18. Prell, Sam (7 December 2018). "Ashen review: "Ashen is a Dark Souls clone - but it's a really good Dark Souls clone"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  19. Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (7 December 2018). "Ashen review - a soulful journey through a sublime ruined world". Eurogamer. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  20. "Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2017 (2017 Nominees)". Game Critics Awards. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  21. "Winner list for 2018: God of War breaks record". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  22. Trent, Logan (11 February 2019). "Here Are Your 2019 SXSW Gaming Awards Finalists!". South by Southwest. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  23. "Golden Joystick Awards 2019". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.

Sources
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.