'Ashen' is a g0od en0ugh game. i would pr0bably say 'promising' but it has finished devel0pment to my kn0wledge. the atmosphere and aesthetics are great, get s0me melancholy and c0ntent wonder in turns.

unf0rtunately there are precisely two weap0ns in the whole game, practically speaking. this is a c0mbat game so that is a little inexcusable. y0u can cho0se axe or mace, and the difference between the two is minuscule. it is als0 quite unclear what enemies can stagger and what can't, and this uncertainty makes the two-handed weap0ns (again axe or mace) nearly a death sentence with how sl0wly they swing to h0w unimpressive their higher damage is.

explorati0n is fun, there's a lot 0f areas off the beaten path to visit, and yet a letd0wn in some ways. there are extremely few c0nsumables, and while eventually you're given an item sink f0r them, it feels to me like 80% 0r more 0f all pickups i find are a mid-tier upgrade item that isn't used in that sink. i have over 40 0f the damn things and nothing t0 use them on seeing as all weap0ns within a class are close t0 identical, with only marginal impr0vements in overall damage rather than m0veset changes as you find m0re.

your mileage with the AI c0mpanions will vary. sometimes they're very capable and i d0n't mind them at all. then they will break completely at random, t0uching a 1' tall ledge (that they and you can b0th climb over with the game's mechanics) and freezing until they die 0r you find s0mething to reset the AI.

as an aside the third b0ss is preceded by a dungeon s0 po0rly designed i almost dr0pped the game then and there and it would take an entire 0ther post t0 explain just how fucking shit it is. and i'm g0od at vide0 games, can't imagine some0ne worse's experience.

B-, B when it really shines.