The Ascent – Cyber Heist – Review

You can read my review of The Ascent to see why I liked it so much; it provides solid, honest, and murderous action. And so, naturally, I was looking forward to trying out its new expansion, Cyber Heist. Still, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions after reading it. That’s because it doesn’t add much to the experience, and instead just extends the fun gameplay loop from the original game, which is perfect for those who enjoyed the original and want more of the same.

It’s a bit pricey for what it is, especially considering that you can only use it for a maximum of three hours if you explore every nook and cranny. For ten euros, that’s not a lot, especially considering there’s nothing there you haven’t seen before.

Even if some of the new place’s more isolated sections are quite lovely, overall it seems more like a jumble of underutilised resources than a distinct, capable locale. This is evidenced by the fact that some quests require you to return to the beginning of the game’s map. Cyber Heist’s city is a hodgepodge of random cool stuff, in contrast to The Ascent’s well-planned, organic metropolis. Without the former allure, it fails to impress.

The new enemy types are basically just recolored versions of existing ones; the only noticeable change is the armour they wear. Not enough, yet again. Sure, it’s still exciting and rewarding to vanquish them, but I’d like to see a little something fresh from an update like that if I’m going to feel compelled to come back.

Melee weapons, such as a large hammer or katana, were ostensibly meant to be part of this expansion but were instead left out of the original release. Even so, I must confess that I revelled in the opportunity to wield said hammer and yeet all manner of adversaries with it. I loved it so much that I kept using it throughout the entire expansion (not that that was particularly challenging, given how long it was). How boringly simplistic is that! Like a young Bobby B, running amok and slapping anyone who gets in his way.

Perhaps the story was improved upon. Nothing has changed; the same problems persist, including random events and your character’s unthinking obedience to authority. I found that the optional quests, which involved things like attempting to transfer an artificial intelligence into a robotic body, were the ones that I most enjoyed. Not that it was anything particularly remarkable, but it was a welcome change from my usual dealings with drug addicts.

That’s all there is to it, then. Since fans aren’t missing out on anything crucial by skipping Cyber Heist, I can’t recommend it. Even though I had a great time swinging my hammer, I am still rather dissatisfied with the final product of this extension. If it comes in a cheap package, it might be worth it, but otherwise, you shouldn’t spend your money on it.