The Ascent – Spotlight

I went into The Ascent expecting a decent Diablo-esque game with twin stick shooter elements in a Cyberpunk setting. What I got was a mind blowing visual extravaganza, with excellent shooting, and a really interesting story to boot. The Ascent takes place in a dystopian future where corporations own everything, including housing. You are one of many indentured to The Ascent Corporation, which one day suddenly goes bankrupt, bringing life around you to a screeching halt.

You set out figuring out the hows and whys of what’s going on. But the fun is in the sheer visual variety of locations on display, dripping with atmosphere and packed with detail. The combat is tight, and some of the environmental destruction adds a lot to the overall chaos. The game does have a ton of bugs, but unlike another Cyberpunk game that comes to mind, The Ascent doesn’t lack content, variety or features – it has bugs which can be fixed, but despite the issues I think there’s GOTY potential in this game.

Pros:
Looks stunning
Great shooting
The best Cyberpunk setting in a game ever
Interesting story

Cons:
Bugs – so many bugs

Score – 9/10

About:

The Ascent is a solo and co-op Action-shooter RPG, set on Veles, a packed cyberpunk world.

Welcome to The Ascent Group arcology, a corporate-run metropolis stretching high into the sky and filled with creatures from all over the galaxy. You 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.