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The Ascent is an action RPG to be released for Xbox One and Xbox Series X. We’ll let the trailer do the talking:
Jack Gosling, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Curve Digital wrote about the game on Xbox Wire as well:
Welcome to The Ascent Group, a self-contained metropolis stretching high into the sky and filled to the brim with weird and wonderful creatures from across the galaxy. When the survival of your district is threatened, it’s up to you to stop rival corporations and crime syndicates from seizing control – by any means necessary.
The Ascent is an action RPG that’s a real love letter to the sci-fi and cyberpunk worlds many of us grew up with. Players can explore a range of districts, from the deep slums to the higher luxury spheres, loot enemies for upgraded gear, and customize their bodies with a host of slick cyberware. The entire adventure can be played solo or with up to four players in local or online co-op.
We’ve known we have something special on our hands with The Ascent for a long time, so it’s a huge relief to finally share it with the world. When Xbox asked us to be part of their Inside Xbox event today, we couldn’t say yes fast enough.
Planet Veles is one of many planets across the galaxy run by mega corporations – far larger than anything we have today – and travelling between planets costs a huge amount of resource. The biggest of all these mega corps is The Ascent Group. They own everything and everyone – including you.
But as the game begins, The Ascent Group shuts down for mysterious reasons, causing the city’s automated security systems to go haywire and put your entire world at risk. With riots, rival factions and conspiracy theories spreading like wildfire, it’s time to uncover what’s really happening before it’s too late.
Developer Neon Giant may be an indie studio in terms of size (with just 11 people in total) but they’re definitely AAA at heart. From brutal FPSs like Wolfenstein to first-party classics like Gears of War, the team has a huge amount of experience squeezing every drop they can from the Unreal Engine.
The same goes for The Ascent’s destructive environments. Imagine the lobby scene in “The Matrix” and you’ll get an understanding of Neon Giant’s plans. Every gunfight will leave its mark on the environment, from scarred pillars to crumbling buildings.
The result is a game that’s easily the most visually impressive I’ve worked on during my time at Curve. From classic sci-fi books to modern day action games, The Ascent builds a gorgeous world packed with beloved homages and slick skylines to boot.
One of the things that sets The Ascent apart from the crowd is the way it blends its cyberpunk elements with more traditional sci-fi tropes. Near-future humans mix with outlandish aliens in densely packed cities where anything is possible. Much like classics Mass Effect and Halo, it’s a balance that celebrates its fantasy feel whilst keeping the gameplay grounded and satisfying.
The Ascent is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X later this year. The support we’ve seen from Xbox has been fantastic, and we can’t wait to share more with you. Be sure to check out our announcement trailer and stay tuned for more details very soon!
