The Ascent Review (Xbox Series S)

by Jim Smale · January 11, 2022

Welcome to our The Ascent Review, where we are introduced to The Ascent Group arcology, a corporate-run metropolis stretching high into the sky and filled with creatures from all over the galaxy. We play as a worker, enslaved by the company that owns you and everyone else in your district. One day, you are suddenly caught in a vortex of catastrophic events: The Ascent Group shuts down for unknown reasons and the survival of your district is threatened. You must take up arms and embark on a new mission to find out what started it all.

The Ascent Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
18.6GB download size.
1000 Gamerscore.
Graphic settings – motion blur and film grain.
Colorblind support, subtitles color, font size, and background opacity.
3 Difficulties – Easy, normal, and hard.
Tutorial pop-ups – on/off.
Aim assist strength – none/low/medium/high.
The photo mode can be turned on/off.
Three ways to play – single player, online Co-op, and couch Co-op.
Action RPG gameplay.
Cyberpunk world setting.
Loot list with drops from enemies, Breakable objects, looting wrecks, and trunks.
Earn EXP and level up to increase stats using the points and the stats are – Tactical sense, critical hit, weapon handling, aiming, balance, Evasion, vital signs, and body battery.
Full drag and drop inventory system, anything with stats will show a red or green color to indicate of its good or bad.
Can customize with clothing you find.
Twin-stick shooter combat.
Isometric view.
Big boss encounters.
Impressive FMV cutscenes.
You do have a last saved timer before you quit.
Such a fantastic world is full of shortcuts, hidden areas, buildings you can explore.
Vending machines for health, items.
Main story missions along with many optional side missions and activities.
A decent cover system allows you to shoot from behind the cover.
Good story.
A terrific cast of characters.

The Ascent Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
No HDR options.
Slight pop in at times.
Hard to see what can be broken.
The text even on full size can be too small.
Any large pickups of medkits or credits require a button press to pick up.
The mini-map is just a blipping radar showing icons, which makes it hard to navigate.
Difficult.
Never sure if it saves/autosaves.
Checkpoints or respawn points are far apart.
Slow to start.
The health and stamina bars are small.
You have to pick up health instead of having it as a consumable.
The menu systems are cluttered and not that easy to read.
It’s a hard game to come back to after any kind of break.
Not good at reminding you to spend skill points.

The Ascent:

Official website.

Developer: Neon Giant

Publisher: Curve Games

Store Links –

Xbox

8/10
Graphics - 8/10
8/10
Sound - 8/10
7/10
Accessibility - 7/10
8/10
Length - 8/10
9/10
Fun Factor - 9/10

8/10

Summary

The Ascent is definitely a game that is ambitious, it’s easy to say that it’s a Cyberpunk Diablo game with its action RPG and loot list elements shining through. I love the world they have created, it feels alive with the impressive number of civilians and enemies that roam the land to the music, buildings, and general atmosphere. The combat is a robust twin-stick shooting affair, the world lends itself well to this with open areas to jump around and the way you can do the proper cover shooting, it’s all a neat little package. But it is not perfect, I had a lot of problems coming back to it after a break, the menus are not clean and straightforward enough with the mission markers and maps not being as precise or even as helpful as they should be with dense cities and areas that The Ascent boasts. Loot is there but it takes a long time until it becomes lustful, it’s all very bland and far apart. The story is broken up and whilst this is normal for the genre, the side missions make a more immediate impact and take the forefront meaning you can accidentally miss story beats and get a bit lost with it all. I cannot fault the game too much as I love the ambition, the world, and all the effort. It’s a first in what I hope will be a series meaning they have started well but with more games, it will no doubt perfect it all and with that, I say check out The Ascent if you are craving a new ARPG.