In the mood for an atmospheric action RPG where you can cooperatively embark on adventures with a friend in a dark fantasy world? Welcome to Ashen.
Ashen is not an MMORPG. However, it is possible to play cooperatively as a duo. In doing so, you traverse the land with a buddy and defeat numerous monsters.
What is Ashen about? You are a wanderer seeking a new home. To do this, you must face the many dangers of the world. This world is threatened by a dark power that seeks to extinguish the light. You cannot allow that to happen!
You even build your own town, which serves as your base from which you venture out to explore the remote corners of the open world. Along the way, you fight monsters much like in Dark Souls and help NPCs who settle in your town, thereby expanding it.
- The battles are similar to Dark Souls. You need to identify and exploit your opponents’ weaknesses.
- Exploring the game world is important as it allows you to find new NPCs for your town.
- You must act as a team, especially during boss fights.
How do you play Ashen cooperatively? Your adventure begins alone, and it is also possible to play Ashen entirely as a single-player RPG, where you will be accompanied by an NPC. However, you have the option to experience adventures in a passive multiplayer mode with a friend. This multiplayer mode operates somewhat differently from what you know from MMOs.
- The game world is not populated by hundreds or thousands of players.
- Once you have completed the introduction and established your town, you can connect with other players in the wilderness.
- Depending on how far you have progressed in the story, other players are “presented” to you who have roughly the same progress as you.
- If you connect with one of these players, they take on the role of the NPC companion you are usually traveling with.
- Consequently, in the other player’s game, you assume the role of their NPC companion.
- In your town, you cannot connect with other players.
- You explore dungeons together, complete quests, and fight boss enemies.
So you play just with friends: If you want to always play with the same person, you need to activate a filter in the game menu. Here you enter the player code of the other person and will thus always be connected with them.
This is how you play Ashen: If you are interested in the action RPG, you can purchase it through the Epic Store or through the Xbox Store for each one. The title will be released on Steam at a later date. If you want to play cooperatively, it is important that you start the PC version through the Epic Launcher, as the multiplayer mode uses Epic Games’ server structure.
Crossplay between PC and Xbox One is not supported.
This is how Ashen is received: The ratings for Ashen are very positive. Gamespot even gave it 90 percent. IGN rated the action RPG at 85 percent and Games Radar gave it 80 percent. What is particularly praised are the tactical and challenging battles, as well as the fact that you get a sense of progress through the developing town.
Players generally receive Ashen well. The atmosphere created by the unusual graphic style and the engaging gameplay are praised by players. The combat system, with its Dark Souls influences, is also something that players enjoy.
However, the gameplay time is quite short at an average of 15 hours. After that, the story is completed. There are also some complaints as Ashen is not yet available on Steam. Nevertheless, many are having fun with the action RPG.
