Day four. We are looking for something unusual — something we want to install and try.
A tactical game set in mountain climbing — mind-blowing ) It plays and looks good, even very good.
By its mechanics and visuals it feels like the developers love Darkest Dungeon (many of us love DD).
Gameplay: we play as a group of different characters who conquer the vertical. The characters have special passive and active skills (the first use of the rope is free, full stamina recovery, and so on). We move each character — choosing where to relocate. Interaction between characters — one character can pull another up toward themselves (which greatly diversifies the tactical side of the game). Characters can also collect loot, rescue those who have fallen, and break obstacles (ledges).
A run (it would be more narrative to say — an ascent) consists of a group of levels plus events. In the events you can find loot or other characters (which is cool).
Between levels the characters rest at the camp. They need to recover from fatigue and be fed. Characters can have injuries — they can be treated.
You can also build useful objects at the camp, for example a mushroom farm, a healing tent, a crafting station, and so on.
From resources (loot) you can craft various other resources, for example anchor hooks (they come in handy during the ascent).
There are many other mechanics. The game is very big, there is really a lot that can happen here and plenty to do. The main question is — will players actually do all this? Will it be fun? — The first session was fun enough: three ascents plus activity between ascents. But after that it became less fun. Maybe it’s because you want the combat that’s familiar to the genre (it’s tactics, after all), maybe something else.
The production quality is high, you can feel the “master’s hand”.
A wishlist — definitely, we’ll take another look at the game after release.
Game link — https://store.steampowered.com/app/4267860/Ascenders_Beyond_the_Peak/
Similar games: Darkest Dungeon.