Different weapons have different stamina demands, and shrewd use of light and heavy attacks is essential for survival. In any fight, understanding the lay of the land is crucial, and whereas conflicts out in the field can be judged in advance, battles indoors often unfold in tight, dimly-lit areas. It's in these moments that Ashen's stamina-based combat comes into its own. Minutes after that debacle, Jokell became my torch-bearing wingman as we plumbed the depths of a Tomb of the Giants-style dungeon, brimming with traps, interminable winding corridors and, obviously, shadow monsters. It can at times feel a wee bit on-rails, but the epochal, chop-and-change character of its quests help ease the world's occasional linearity. Fortunately, Jokell dispatched his aggressors in time to batter the beardies and revive my sorry ass, but the whole ordeal was a lesson in how unforgiving Ashen's world can be-and how quickly you can find yourself in hot water. We cleaned house on this occasion, but, after dying down the line and re-trying this same battle plan against this same cluster of enemies, I took a different route to the summit of the peak and was ambushed by a group of angry shield-bearing bearded men. Moreover, Ashen leaves little room for learning curves during its relatively modest 20-ish hours runtime. This reflects the polarising nature of this style of game, but, by setting out its stall with precision and conviction, Ashen never does so shamelessly. So similar to the Soulsborne series is Ashen, in fact, that these comparisons will inevitably attract or avert players from the outset. Ashen's enemies are tough, its bosses are blockbuster, and its gorgeous handcrafted world is littered with ambiguous lore and odd but charming NPCs. Likewise, resting at Ritual Stones replenishes vitality, à la Dark Souls bonfires, at the expense of reinstating fallen foes within the world. As is law in Miyazaki's nightmare-scapes, accumulated Scoria is lost upon death, and can only be regained in your immediate next life.

In the absence of Souls, Ashen trades in Scoria-a currency farmed from fallen enemies that helps facilitate progression. In place of Estus Flasks, for example, Ashen gives players sap-filled Crimson Gourds that deliver health boosts in limited supply.

Ashen metacritic download