Highlights
- Ashfall, a new post-apocalyptic multiplayer game, draws inspiration from Fallout and offers a unique spin on the genre.
- Set in a world inspired by Eastern culture, Ashfall features mutant creatures, robotic enemies, and a variety of immersive landscapes.
- Though still in beta testing, Ashfall already showcases an engaging gameplay experience with exploration, combat, crafting, and a skill tree system. Graphics and class systems are areas that could be improved upon.
Post-apocalyptic-themed gaming has always been popular, and new additions bolster the genre’s ranks with each gaming season. Ashfall is one promising newcomer developed by Legendary Star that drew inspiration from games like Fallout while adding its unique spin on events. From its subterranean vaults to its mutant-ravaged lands, the Fallout influence on Ashfall isn’t hard to see, and like Fallout 76, Ashfall is an online multiplayer game. Its exploratory theme is similar to the Fallout experience, and with Fallout 5 still a long way from reaching players screens as Bethesda turns its focus from Starfield to The Elder Scrolls 6, Ashfall could provide the perfect fix for fans of the post-apocalypse.
Ashfall takes place in a world inspired by Eastern culture, a geographical change of pace from the American-focused Fallout 76. Their stories are similar, as Ashfall‘s humans were driven to occupy underground vaults for shelter after the nuclear Armageddon. Unlike Fallout‘s human-on-human crime, artificial intelligence is the villain in Ashfall‘s tale, starting a war against the human race. In the dystopian future, it is finally safe for humans to return to the surface to rebuild their lost civilization, but there are all kinds of novel dangers; mutated insects, robotic creatures, and even a dinosaur await any who dare to venture across the wastelands.
Ashfall’s Beta Shows the Early Signs of Promise for Fallout 76 Fans
Ashfall‘s journey begins once players leave a vault searching for the Core of Creation and a mysterious person called Yuki, who might have some information on how to find the Core. Transportation across what remains of the world is by foot, on a mount called the Sandrat — a giant capybara-like animal — or by fast travel after acquiring a map. The scenery is quite varied, as Ashfall sports fields of purple grass and cratered mountains, and its habitations range from Steampunk-themed cities with East Asian decorations to desolate deserts inhabited by bandits akin to Raiders.
Moreover, a cinematic score composed by renowned names like Steve Mazzaro, Hans Zimmer, and Inon Zur serenades players as they travel through the budding human civilizations. From haunting woody instruments to the resonance of melodies, the music guides players through a world as beautiful as it is terrifying. Ashfall‘s gameplay presents a unique blend of elements with a MOBA-like feel when traversing the world on foot, offering a top-down view, giving off a mobile gaming vibe even when played on a PC. Currently, the game’s world structure differs from the traditional MMORPG format, featuring instanced missions and limiting player encounters in the open world, which left some fans slightly disappointed.
However, it’s essential to note that Ashfall is still in its beta testing phase, with about a year to go until its official release. When exploring towns, the perspective shifts to a third-person view, allowing players to engage in activities like selling loot, gear customization, and crafting. With the developer choosing to brand Ashfall as a looter-shooter like Borderlands, shooting is front and center of the title’s appeal, and its combat involves strategic positioning, using cover, and maneuvering for optimal shots. When enemies are killed, gamers earn skill points they can invest in a skill tree reminiscent of Fallout 4, enhancing their characters and customizing its playstyle to their liking. Aside from exploration and combat, crafting and base building is essential to Ashfall‘s elements, with players having to scavenge for materials in missions for unique items and weapons.
The game has received some criticism for its graphics, which a few testers considered below expectations, resembling a PS3-era quality instead of the next-gen detail seen in recent AAA releases. Additionally, Ashfall‘s early player base has asked for class systems. The title could be truly up and running with a few tweaks. With its captivating setting and PvP activities for teams of four to twelve players, Ashfall holds potential for Fallout 76 fans.
Ashfall releases in late 2024 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
