Ash of Gods Review

The world is a bright and shiny place. Bad things happen that only a hero can solve. Hero saves the world and everyone is safe and the world is once again a bright and shiny place. None of this happens in Ash of Gods: Redemption. Prepare for a ride into the dark places with a chance at redemption. Here is our Ash of Gods: Redemption review.

Ash of Gods: Redemption is said to be a turn-based RPG that combines tactical combat, CCG elements and a constantly evolving story in which no one is safe from death, including the main characters. That combination of genres all got thrown into a blender to create the delicious RPG smoothie that is this game.

Combat is an interesting affair this game. There are no random dice rolls, you clearly see the how much damage a skill does and what it costs to use it. The cost can vary from energy, to a cooldown, to taking some of that character’s health or a combination of all three. Some skills have a certain range they can be used from or a warmup before they can used. AoE attacks not only effect the enemy but can also hurt your allies as well. There are passive skills as well that can range from gaining health on killing an enemy to gaining an attack boost when an ally dies. Add to that the “magic” of the cards to the game and you get another level added to already thoughtful tactical combat. You can also make a smaller group since turn isn’t based on any speed numbers but simply one turn after another, so smaller teams get more turns. Characters can die in combat and receive a wound which lowers their stats unless it is healed. Receive four of those and that character is gone even if it is a “main” character. The combat really shines and can make for some interesting choices.

The story in Ash of Gods is a dark one not for the faint of heart. While the world it paints in the beginning isn’t a bleak one, it starts to go bad fast when the Reapers appear. The story for Ash of Gods is written by award winning fantasy author Sergey Malitsky and you can tell that time and heart were poured into the game’s story. The dialogue for the various characters is interesting and at times stark. There are choices to make throughout that often are hard moral ones. Do you help the poor farmers trying to survive costing you valuable time and resources that will possibly hurt your own party down the road or do you simply ignore them while focusing on surviving? Some of these seem like small choices, but over time add up and can lead to detrimental effects for your party. Your people can die, the story will continue. There are “main” characters in the story, but they too can die from combat or due to s story choice, but the game continues. There are multiple endings in the game depending on your choices.

Music can help to make or break an RPG. The music in Ash of Gods is breathtaking and just seems to match the story and world perfectly. The original soundtrack is a collaboration of Adam Skorupa, Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz, and Michal Cielecki, whose previous work includes The Witcher, Bulletstorm, Painkiller, EVE Online, Call of Juarez, and Shadow Warrior. Every track was recorded live by professional musicians, often using traditional instruments rarely encountered in contemporary recordings. Like any good game soundtrack, it’s available for purchase as well.

Adding to the unique game that is Ash of Gods, the art style helps to set it apart from others. Inspired by the works of Ralph Bakshi, Ash of Gods features intricately hand drawn illustration and animation, using rotoscoping for its animation movement. It mixes well with the other parts of the game to help create its vivid story and interesting combat.

There is a multiplayer arena mode available as well. It has parts missing and isn’t as fleshes out as it could be at the moment. It seems like an interesting addition to the game that might give it more longevity. Time will tell how well that part of the game does.

Overall Ash of Gods: Redemption feels new and fresh and is a welcome addition to the world of RPGs. If you don’t mind your worlds dark with harsh moral choices, but a great story, music and art than this game is for you.

SCORE: 9.5/10

Pros

• Unique art/animation style
• A great story that doesn’t care about “main” characters
• Superbly crafted music that fits the game
• Interesting combat mechanics
• Characters you care about and feel real

Cons

• Multiplayer that is only partially there at launch
• Sometimes a very dark, bleak story that may disturb some people