Ashen

 Xbox One
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 184 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 121 out of 184
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 184
  3. Negative: 42 out of 184

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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Dec 11, 2018
    9
    For me both the visuals and sound design give the game a lot of character and whilst it’s minimalist in areas it still doesn’t stop the game from shining. The combat feels awesome and it remains fluid at all times which means it’s not only a nice challenge when in combat but it’s also fun as well. There’s a decent variety of enemies and bosses you come across during your time with the gameFor me both the visuals and sound design give the game a lot of character and whilst it’s minimalist in areas it still doesn’t stop the game from shining. The combat feels awesome and it remains fluid at all times which means it’s not only a nice challenge when in combat but it’s also fun as well. There’s a decent variety of enemies and bosses you come across during your time with the game and this does keep things fresh and interesting for longer. I really enjoyed traversing through the fantastic world because it feels alive in all areas and it never seems to get dull or boring either. Each weapon feels important when in combat and they all pack a punch as well which means defeating an enemy is very satisfying. The game suffers with a few issues here and there and whilst these bugs aren’t game-breaking they can still be off-putting from time to time. Your A.I companions can be a real nuisance at times and they do tend to do what they want to do instead of what you’d like them to do. Ashen is a game that I’ve read a lot about but it seems like it has been in development forever. As you can imagine then I was very surprised to learn of a release coming out of the blue, but I’m glad it did come out of the blue because Ashen is awesome. Without a doubt you’ll notice similarities with the Dark Souls series in this game and whilst some may call it a clone at least you can say it’s a fantastic clone instead of being something poorly done. Combat is obviously the main aspect in this game and I’m pleased to say that they’ve got this aspect spot on because everything remains fluid and brutal at all times. The weapons also shine in the combat elements as well and trying out each weapon is very fun because they all pack a punch and have tons of variety. Speaking about variety the enemies you have to face also have tons of variety as well and defeating each different enemy and boss always remained satisfying because of this. At the end of the day then Ashen was definitely worth the wait because it has a world that’s worth exploring and it never seems to get dull or boring and if it didn’t suffer with a few bugs and AI problems then it may have got a perfect score because the game is that good and it without a doubt deserves everybody’s attention. Massive two thumbs up!… Expand
  2. Hyperactivebuff
    Dec 21, 2018
    9
    Ashen is a beautiful game.

    The phrase "souls-like" gets thrown around a lot. People use it for Dead Cells, Ori, Hollowknight, Cuphead, pretty much any game that is hard. It makes the phrase utterly useless. But for this game, it is an adequate genre-description. Ashen is a third person perspective action-adventure game with some RPG elements, and it is very much in the same genre as    Ashen is a beautiful game.

    The phrase "souls-like" gets thrown around a lot. People use it for Dead Cells, Ori, Hollowknight, Cuphead, pretty much any game that is hard. It makes the phrase utterly useless. But for this game, it is an adequate genre-description.

    Ashen is a third person perspective action-adventure game with some RPG elements, and it is very much in the same genre as Dark Souls. Mechanically, it is quite similar, with the main innovations coming from the social interactions allowing for permanent (or at least near-permanent) play with your friends. Albeit in a clunky and purposefully difficult way.

    Graphically, the game retains a very distinctive art style. It has been compared to Absolver, and that is not an unfair comparison. The interpretive style of the art is perfectly in character with the light/dark themes of the levels, and it is in this level design that Ashen masters most cleanly. The use use of light and dark in the design, from art aesthetic to level and creature design, all the way to the aural sensations of the soundtrack and sound effects, are immersive and evocative. They remind me of the same themes in Destiny.

    The game is relatively approachable, and despite the difficulty it never feels truly punishing. It's very narrowly easier than From Software's offerings,though a lot of that ease is the fact that ashen gets the controls right (which took Dark Souls until its 3rd title to do anywhere close to as well). The pacing is more like dark souls and less like Nioh or Bloodborne.

    The whole game takes just around 25 hours for an adequately skilled 'Souls' player. And it is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end.

    A note for Xbox players. For Xbox One X, Ashen delivers one of the most beautiful games released on the system to date. For Xbox One S, the game is just as beautiful but minor slowdown can occasionally mar the experience. For those utilizing the original Xbox One hardware, you may find yourself dying in frustration due to input lag/dropped frames at key moments. While this occasionally crops up against bosses, it's more common when facing scores of weaker opponents in the already suicidal melees. If you want to avoid these mishaps (and the associated frustration), you'll want to focus more on ranged, and cautious styles of play.

    Mechanically, this game is nearly flawless. Artistically, it is a work of beauty. The multiplayer design is purposeful but bad. Why 'souls' games so utterly hate the idea of making it easy for you to play with your friends is beyond me, but it is what it is. Insofar as difficulty, it is a bit easier than Dark Souls, but on the other hand the controls are handled far better. I found the overall experience better, and I vastly preferred the world Ashen shows to us to that of Dark Souls.

    This is the best 'Souls' available on the market. It's better than Dark souls 1, 2, 3, Demon Souls 1, 2, Bloodborne, Nioh, and The Surge. It is my favorite game in the genre.

    I can't quite call this game perfect, but it is damn close. There are plenty of people who won't like Ashen. And there are also plenty of people who may like it mechanically but won't necessarily appreciate the aesthetic, which is boiled into everything about the game. But if you like the aesthetic, and you if this is your favorite genre, then Ashen is IMO the best game on the market for you.    … Expand
  3. JoeTurner
    May 12, 2019
    5
    Initially, I was impressed by the graphic style. This is a very good looking game, but the problem becomes clear after a few fights. The gameplay is just nowhere near as good as the Souls games. All the weapons have the same feel and the combat just gets old very fast. Since they decided to have the enemies respawn every time you rest, just getting from point A to point B becomes aInitially, I was impressed by the graphic style. This is a very good looking game, but the problem becomes clear after a few fights. The gameplay is just nowhere near as good as the Souls games. All the weapons have the same feel and the combat just gets old very fast. Since they decided to have the enemies respawn every time you rest, just getting from point A to point B becomes a chore. There is no leveling except your equipment, which would be fine if the combat were fun, but as it is this fails both as an action game and as an RPG. While I like the idea of having randos drop in as co-op partners, it's not well implemented.

    All this is too bad because this game had potential, but ultimately, after getting a few hours in, it just made me want to play Dark Souls. So that's what I did.    … Expand
  4. SenhorVL
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    Definitivamente é um soulslike que honra o título. Ashen não só usa elementos já conhecidos da famosa série da Fromsoftware como traz sua própria personalidade, o game fornece ao jogador um multiplayer imersivo e divertido, com ótimo desempenho, principalmente visto que falamos aqui de um indie! Outro ponto que lhe faz ser único é sua dinâmica em locais escuro, sempre dependendo de umDefinitivamente é um soulslike que honra o título. Ashen não só usa elementos já conhecidos da famosa série da Fromsoftware como traz sua própria personalidade, o game fornece ao jogador um multiplayer imersivo e divertido, com ótimo desempenho, principalmente visto que falamos aqui de um indie! Outro ponto que lhe faz ser único é sua dinâmica em locais escuro, sempre dependendo de um lampião. O combate beira a perfeição, buscando manter o melhor do gênero, sua arte ainda que simples, faz com que o player pare algumas vezes só pra admirar. Tendo visto isso, Ashen é um jogo extremamente desafiador, divertido e marcante. Seus defeitos ficam pela falta de verba claramente notada na ausência de trilhas sonoras mais bem trabalhadas e nos chefes com baixa riqueza de detalhes. Resumindo, Ashen, se algum dia pudesse ser um AA, seria sem dúvidas um exemplo de rpg para a indústria, que busca inovar e emocionar com a simplicidade que só os gênios do ramo têm.… Expand
  5. mcchurgler
    Dec 11, 2018
    9
    Cross between Dark Souls and Necropolis. If you like the Souls style game, this is definitely worth your time. It's not quite as challenging, probably more akin to the difficulty of Lords of the Fallen, but it's a great indie game in it's own right. The one issue I've had so far is just getting whoever takes over my Jokell to actually do the mission I need to do with me. You can justCross between Dark Souls and Necropolis. If you like the Souls style game, this is definitely worth your time. It's not quite as challenging, probably more akin to the difficulty of Lords of the Fallen, but it's a great indie game in it's own right. The one issue I've had so far is just getting whoever takes over my Jokell to actually do the mission I need to do with me. You can just disable multiplayer and use the AI (who is actually useful) so that isn't a big deal. Otherwise awesome game.… Expand
  6. USarmygamer
    Dec 7, 2018
    9
    Absolutely charming game. I've been playing it since last night and there are Souls-like things to Ashen but how is that a bad thing? Combat is fluid and playing with another gamer is so much fun. Whether you're on PC or X1 PLAY THIS GAME.
  7. Veiled
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    Olvidad los votos haters, es el mejor Souls alike de la generación y no solo eso, elimina elementos molestos de los souls para apostar por un mundo mas orgánico, la ambientación es increible y artísticamente bebe de SOTC y Journy de manera evidente. Juegazo por mucho que pese a los sonyers que han venido a dar negativos.
  8. Caeuas
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    Jogo maravilhoso! Combate dinâmico e divertido, visuais muito bonitos, direção de arte cuidadosa. Jogão!
  9. Donnyskillz
    Dec 8, 2018
    9
    for a game that has simplistic graphics...its beautiful, the combat is definitely souls-like and that's a good thing, it keeps you thinking especially when you find yourself moving a little too quickly it has a way of slowing you down. its charming , well crafted, and a joy to play....don't believe me ...try it for yourself, you'll be delighted.
  10. aCeManning
    Dec 7, 2018
    10
    Enchanting graphics and style with fluid combat, a must play for any PC or Xbox One owner.
  11. iwannatwirrl
    Dec 20, 2018
    3
    Conscious graphical style of bland and faded. Greys and browns. Interesting at first, but falls apart quickly.

    But really it all comes down to the combat, which is slow, clunky, unforgiving, and very, very unfun.
  12. SamuelBadman
    Dec 7, 2018
    9
    Nunca fui um grande fã de RPGs, poucos realmente me conquistaram e posso vir aqui falar abertamente que Ashen me conquistou, seus gráficos são lindos, mesmo cartunizados, encantam o tempo inteira , o som, seja do cenário ou dos inimigos é único, o gameplay possui uma dificuldade boa, desafiadora , mas não exageradamente. O jogo possui uma boa variedade de lugares e coisas a se fazer,Nunca fui um grande fã de RPGs, poucos realmente me conquistaram e posso vir aqui falar abertamente que Ashen me conquistou, seus gráficos são lindos, mesmo cartunizados, encantam o tempo inteira , o som, seja do cenário ou dos inimigos é único, o gameplay possui uma dificuldade boa, desafiadora , mas não exageradamente. O jogo possui uma boa variedade de lugares e coisas a se fazer, tornando ele menos repetitivo e muito mais intuitivo, é um jogo que, mesmo tendo o ár de complicação de RPG, é ao mesmo tempo fácil de se jogar. Não vi nenhum glitche que tenha realmente me atrapalhado ou incomodado e os loadings do jogo são oks. Ashen vem com uma grande promessa de entreter quaisquer usuários de Xbox One neste fim de ano, altamente recomendo o jogo.… Expand
  13. shenjianb
    Dec 8, 2018
    9
    The game system is concise, the atmosphere is excellent, the battle is simple but the test technology. In particular, the first boss War performance is very stunning!
  14. Oluasc
    Dec 10, 2018
    7
    Jogo indie muito bom. Bons desafios, boas mecânicas, bons gráficos. Recomendo!
  15. Timtoxic
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    great and original graphics, same gameplay of Dark souls with enhancements in controls but not as deep in the possible builds (but still good tho)
    great music and atmosphere, really worth it
  16. Achtlos
    Dec 10, 2018
    9
    Ok so this is a neat old school Action RPG, I don't love the Art style, but it's certainly "new" (to me at least). Very slick, very entertaining.
  17. Leandro_MRE
    Jan 4, 2019
    6
    I am a great fan of Dark Souls and Dark Souls-like games. Tried this one for about 7,5 hours, but i am beginning to feel disappointed. The graphics are ok, but the multiplayer, the variety of weapons, the enemies and the lack of solid character build (no magic?) are starting to make me want to quit. Too sad, as i was expecting Microsoft to prove it had a great title in its library.
  18. hiruu
    Dec 7, 2018
    9
    Looks and feels great! I played about 7 hours since it dropped yesterday and if you like Dark Souls, you'll like this.
  19. Ugoboss
    Dec 13, 2018
    3
    Bad copy of Dark Souls with many bugs.
    No personality, bad gameplay, booooring
  20. lucamaral
    Dec 7, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not bad at all. It is what an indie should be, but I think it could have a little more personality… Expand
  21. TrustedMuffinz
    Dec 7, 2018
    10
    I've only played about six hours of this game but I'm in love. If you have ever played a souls-like game this is a great grab for you at 40.
  22. Wickedman25
    Dec 8, 2018
    10
    Ashen is one of the best xbox console exclusive This Year A44 Games - Ashen made one of the best Games for xbox i give this game a 10 out of 10
  23. Wellbrasil
    Feb 16, 2019
    10
    O jogo é bom mas tem um grau dificuldade meio alto. Vc precisa ter paciência porque vai morrer várias vezes, principalmente nos chefes. Pra chegar nos chefes já é difícil quando chega fica pior.
  24. Broyax
    Dec 17, 2018
    0
    L'indé du jour est un bricolage inspiré des Dark qui soûlent, les infamies sado-masos complètement pétées (de saké) bien connues... sauf qu'ici, "fraîcheur" indé oblige, c'est en 4 couleurs dont du gris et du marron... et les personnages (?) n'ont pas de visage ! c'est un "nouveau" concept. Un con-cept. Avec bien entendu la pettie musique d'ascenseur qui va pas bien.

    Les personnes    L'indé du jour est un bricolage inspiré des Dark qui soûlent, les infamies sado-masos complètement pétées (de saké) bien connues... sauf qu'ici, "fraîcheur" indé oblige, c'est en 4 couleurs dont du gris et du marron... et les personnages (?) n'ont pas de visage ! c'est un "nouveau" concept. Un con-cept. Avec bien entendu la pettie musique d'ascenseur qui va pas bien.

    Les personnes sensibles et naïves trouveront certanement de la poésie dans ce petit monde de lumière blafarde face aux méchantes ténèbres (quelle originalité, dites-moi !) et la même non-jouabilité des combats avec barre d'endurance vidée en 3 coups, roulades qui vident la barre d'dndurance en 3 fois et coups des ennemis qui vident la barre de vie en 3 coups de cuiller à pot.

    On a -attention- un coéquipier pour nous aider que l'on doit ressusciter parce qu'il est trop con et qui reste aussi bloqué régulièrement à tel ou tel endroit parce qu'il est encore trop con... pour nous suivre. J'ai aussi vu l'un des ennemis à capuche qui restait invulnérable avec à peine un dixième de ses points de vie... voilà qui promet ! Et voilà donc surtout un étron de plus à rajouter à la longue liste (interminable) des étrons indés qui sentent très fort.    … Expand
  25. shiftyman
    May 19, 2019
    0
    Trashen is one of the most vile games I’ve been unfortunate to play, at first it’s just another wannabe souls game, with numerous bugs, and forever freezing, which none have even been attempted to be patched, horrible clunky, one dimensional combat, with no flow, it’s just horrible, this your typical 2 bit game form more crappy indie devs, who actually think people should pay to play thisTrashen is one of the most vile games I’ve been unfortunate to play, at first it’s just another wannabe souls game, with numerous bugs, and forever freezing, which none have even been attempted to be patched, horrible clunky, one dimensional combat, with no flow, it’s just horrible, this your typical 2 bit game form more crappy indie devs, who actually think people should pay to play this horrid crap.… Expand
  26. albrody
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    juegazo, una de las grandes sorpresas del año y en el game pass desde el dia 1.
  27. Letarg
    May 20, 2019
    8
    Muy buen juego con temática souls, fácil de adaptarse al sistema y los controles, la historia es floga pero sirve para adentrar al mundo del juego, la opción de multijugador esta bien hecha, recomendado.
  28. captainkane
    Jan 2, 2020
    5
    Ashen wants to be Dark Souls Lite, but it's missing too much. I tried to enjoy Ashen. It lacks polish in so many key areas that I set it aside for a year before coming back.

    Ashen’s art design is nifty. The faceless characters let players flex their imaginations. The limited color palette is superbly used to great effect. The developers stuck with a less-is-more approach. Environments    Ashen wants to be Dark Souls Lite, but it's missing too much. I tried to enjoy Ashen. It lacks polish in so many key areas that I set it aside for a year before coming back.

    Ashen’s art design is nifty. The faceless characters let players flex their imaginations. The limited color palette is superbly used to great effect. The developers stuck with a less-is-more approach. Environments are varied and interesting. Despite the simplistic visuals, performance isn’t even passable. Enemy draw distances are short, so short my hero was occasionally attacked by enemies who still hadn’t rendered! Frame rates are at times as low as Horizon Zero Dawn, which is obviously far more demanding. Frames will dip into the low teens when more than 2 or 3 enemies pop up. In a combat focused game, low fps sucks. In a game that looks like a Wii port, low fps is downright unacceptable.

    The hero is accompanied by companions, and their AI performance is equally bad. Companions commitment suicide by falling off ledges. Yes, they will just run off ledges. Companions often stand idly as enemies attack you, or them, or both. Companions often swing at enemies and miss. They will swing and miss 3,4,5 times in a row. They often get stuck, so players must move to the next area before their companions suddenly appear ready to run off the next ledge. Companions can be handy, but their primary utility is distraction. Brave heroes can leave their companions behind and venture out solo. Since companions can’t hold excess inventory, what good are they anyway?

    The online component is lame. Don’t expect souls-like summoning. Players are randomly matched. A player becomes a companion in someone else’s world. But neither player is aware of the pairing until they see their companion acting the fool. Few people are playing Ashen at this point, so random co-op ain’t happening much anyway. However, players can team up with friends which definitely makes things more fun.

    Unlike Ashen’s performance, the soundtrack is fantastic. Dark Souls games lack music during exploration. Their absence doesn’t negatively affect the games though. Ashen’s soundtrack is simplistic and haunting. The melodies aren’t catchy, but it’s hard to imagine playing Ashen without them.

    Combat is boring. Although there’s dozens of weapons, move sets among weapons in each class are identical. So one axe handles like every other axe. Many weapons have slow animations. Novice players should avoid those. Nearly all enemies move quickly and attack in packs. Slow, hard-hitting weapons are the worst choices in most encounters because players will be taking multiple, rapid hits from gangs of baddies. Players are limited in weapon loadouts as well. They must always carry a lantern and a shield in one hand, and a light and heavy weapon and/or a spear in the other. This means player can’t mix things up much, such as carrying two shields and two light weapons. Replayability takes a hit as a consequence. The lack of combat variety means players won’t be playing a stealth build and then try again as a heavy. Weapons are easy to master. Too bad only a few are worth using.

    There’s no leveling in the traditional since. Players earn souls—called scoria—to upgrade weapons and a few equipment items. Health and stamina are only enhanced upon completing quests, and players can’t choose which stat gets a boost, the game automatically upgrades those stats for them. Armor and shields aren’t upgradeable, which stinks. This is a problem because unique weapon stats would help players fight thru the absurdly difficult phases. The lack of a meaningful progression system further hinders replayability.

    And there’s no NG+. That is the death blow to replay value.

    Pacing is the biggest problem. Ashen starts easy, and then hits players with a Mack truck at the second dungeon. That dungeon is encountered only a few hours into the game, and it’s insanely difficult given the scant resources and upgrades players have available to them. The sudden difficulty spike has frustrated countless players because it comes out of nowhere, and that dungeon throws everything including the kitchen sink at players. The companion AI really struggles with this dungeon too, more so here than any other area. At this stage, many players still rely on the AI to distract foes. After the second dungeon, Ashen’s difficulty drops and stays relatively the same for the rest of the game. After the second dungeon, players are buried with scoria and upgrade components to the point they become meaningless. The second dungeon is where Ashen sours for many players.

    Ashen is not worth $40. Sluggish performance, buggy companion AI, uninspired progression, and uneven pacing detract from its pleasing aesthetics. Although it’s about 10+ hours in length, the lack of ng+ and boring combat toast replayability. Even true souls fans will find it hard to appreciate what's there    … Expand
  29. Fireantus
    Dec 28, 2018
    9
    It surprised me, because I expected it to be a bland, boring copy of Dark Souls. But it wasn't. It is enchanting. It has great style. The fight is much heavier and methodical, more gimmick-driven and careful. The bosses are surprisingly fun and the story and vibe is much more lively and positive! It's a delight to even travel back to the main hub town as it slowly but steadily beingIt surprised me, because I expected it to be a bland, boring copy of Dark Souls. But it wasn't. It is enchanting. It has great style. The fight is much heavier and methodical, more gimmick-driven and careful. The bosses are surprisingly fun and the story and vibe is much more lively and positive! It's a delight to even travel back to the main hub town as it slowly but steadily being rebuilt and repopulated, making for a fun return. It's a great game so far with mechanically smart combat, lots of character and gripping story.… Expand
  30. rubensmiranda
    Dec 12, 2018
    9
    Ashen is an incredible game, especially for those who like Darksouls but with characteristics that differentiate them.
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Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best Xbox One Game of 2018
20
#20 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2018
24
#24 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 35
  3. Negative: 1 out of 35
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Feb 27, 2019
    70
    A decent tribute to From Software's masterpiece, elevated by its co-op mechanics.
  2. GameCritics
    Feb 4, 2019
    45
    Ashen now holds the dubious honor of being the first game I couldn’t bring myself to finish before posting a review. Well done, Ashen — you broke me. It’s just a shame you didn’t do it in a more interesting or cleverly-designed manner.
    Read full review
  3. AusGamers
    Jan 22, 2019
    89
    There’s challenge here in both combat and your patience with the game’s economy system (and in its slow movement), but mastering both and even jumping in with a buddy means you’re in for a gorgeous treat. Our eyes are firmly locked on what A44 does next, especially if they stick to this wonderful new IP and build on it as a franchise-in-waiting. Well worth your time and Dollerydoos in our humble, Aussie opinion.
    Read full review
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