Ashen Reviews
Ashen is one of the best indie games of the year, drawing heavily from past RPGs like Dark Souls and Legend of Zelda.
Its gameplay is familiar and fun, but its world is like nothing you’ve ever seen. You have to work to see it all, and you’ll want to.
Ashen is a very good action-adventure game sporting interesting lore, good character development, and solid gameplay features like combat and exploration. Unfortunately, the game does almost nothing to separate its gameplay loop from the one seen in the Dark Souls series and therefore ultimately feels like a lite version of the series developed by From Software. The well-made overall experience does make it easy to look past this issue, but if you're looking for something innovative, you won't find it here.
Another Souls-like game which will help you pass the time before the release of a new From Software project.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Ashen is a game created in the same vein as some of the predecessors of its genre, like Dark Souls or Bloodborne. It imitates a great deal of the mechanics from those games but also brings a unique and beautiful art style as well a sense of organic progression that enhances the feel of the game. For those lovers of games like Dark Souls, it's hard to guarantee that you'll find the same experience, but there's still a heck of a lot to like about what sets Ashen apart.
Ashen is a good Dark Souls like but it's open world feature is it's weakness.
Review in French | Read full review
Ashen is a game that saddly ends being halfway between what promised and what it actually delivers.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Through an embrace of more traditional game design, Ashen's take on the Souls formula ends up feeling welcome, even after countless imitators. A solid quest structure and top-notch world design make this beautiful low-fi title a worthy homage to a quickly aging series.
Ashen feels like it's trying to be too many things at once, and perhaps because of that, it ends up tasting like a bland pot of soup without any punchy flavors to really catch your attention.
Short, crunchy soul-like that keeps you entertained for 20 hours. Learning curve and replay value are low.
Review in German | Read full review
Ashen is unique in that it borrows liberally from the Souls-like genre, but doesn't feel beholden to it. It's clear that A44 was influenced just as much by The Legend of Zelda, and even more niche adventure titles like Shadow of the Colossus, as it was by From Software's seminal Souls trilogy. Adventure game fans and Dark Souls fans alike definitely won't want to miss out on what Ashen offers.
Ashen uses the Souls-like formula to tell a very different, optimistic story about community. Whether you're playing alone, with an AI companion, or with another person, combat with the game's varied enemies and bosses is challenging and satisfying. Ashen's world feels real and lived-in, and getting to carve out your own settlement and watch it prosper is truly satisfying.
Ashen is a quality Soulslike with a nice art style and some great ideas about seamless and anonymous online co-op. The dungeons are memorable, the evolving town is awesome, and the increased focus that quests provide is a nice touch.
Dark Souls serves Ashen's premise but does not define its conclusion. By instilling senses of community and devotion inside its narrative, Ashen proves Souls' discourse expands beyond punishment and brutality. Once separated from its inspiration, Ashen has plenty to show off inside of its common space.
Infinitely accessible, but challenging enough for any seasoned player, Ashen exudes an air of peace and hope in an unforgiving landscape. It's not perfect, but it resonates with the soul and gravitas befitting a Shakespearean classic.
Ashen tries too hard and not hard enough to be both a Dark Souls clone and something different, and loses a lot in the process.
Ashen wears its influences unabashedly, but immaculate execution helps it rise above unoriginality.
From many perspectives, Ashen reminds me of Dark Souls series, such as the combat systems, game settings and the story design. It does have some unique thoughts, like the AI teammate, but overall it doesn't make its own characteristics.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
The game's AI companions are actually very good, but because of the above it's definitely more highly recommended you try and coax a friend in to return to the light with you.
A good direction for souls like, difficult but not unfair, with a great attention to the the art design.
Review in Italian | Read full review