Ascension to the Throne

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 131 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Ascension to the Throne Game Cover
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In "Ascension to the Throne," become the last surviving member of the royal Illiar family, seeking revenge against traitorous enemies who killed your family and destroyed your home. Explore a new world full of friends and foes, using strategy and RPG elements to reclaim the throne and gain new allies. Your journey will be filled with fierce battles and powerful spells as you fight to become the wise, brave, and courageous king you were meant to be.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 131 reviews
story14 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • A nostalgic classic that offers a fun and engaging turn-based strategy experience.
  • The game features enjoyable tactical combat with a variety of units and spells, providing depth to battles.
  • Despite its age, the game has a charming retro feel and is considered a great value for its price.
  • The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to crashes and performance issues on modern hardware.
  • Combat can feel unbalanced, with ranged units being overly powerful and the hero's death resulting in an instant game over.
  • The graphics and interface are dated, and the game lacks polish, with numerous bugs and a lack of proper tutorials.
  • story55 mentions

    The game's story is generally described as simple and linear, reminiscent of late 90s fantasy films, with a focus on friendship and personal quests. While some players appreciate the straightforward narrative and engaging side quests, others criticize the lack of depth and a rushed ending. Overall, the story is seen as decent but not groundbreaking, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling narrative experience.

    • “The story, the world itself, the soundtrack, the protagonist, and the other characters fit in perfectly.”
    • “A time ago I saw the game here, so I wanted to try it, feel some nostalgia, and man... the game is awesome, even better now, when I understood the story.”
    • “If you like large scale, turn-based strategy games with a fairly interesting story, then this will be a fun game for you.”
    • “The story is cliche.”
    • “The translation is terrible and the story is worse.”
    • “The plot is non-existent.”
  • graphics27 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated and sub-par, with many users noting issues like low-quality textures and a lack of graphical options. While some appreciate the game's visual style and attention to detail, others find it inconsistent and lacking polish. Despite these shortcomings, many players feel that the enjoyable gameplay and engaging story compensate for the graphics, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

    • “It had really good visuals, very pleasant background music, and attention to detail.”
    • “The beginning feels pretty hard, since even the very first battle in the game can easily end with your defeat, but graphics are nice, the story about the king, who should reclaim his throne, is simple, but okay for such a game, and you can easily find yourself addicted.”
    • “The game is fun; it's very playable even with old graphics, engine, bugs, etc. They don't matter; it's fun and can be played over and over with different combat styles.”
    • “The game can lag even on modern hardware, so I highly recommend setting the graphics to low standards.”
    • “- Graphics are poor other than grass and leaves, with a lot of low-quality textures and low-poly objects, which is inconsistent because some are fine.”
    • “Ascension to the throne is a gem in many ways, but one has to get past the dated graphics and the very crude and partially uncomfortable UI.”
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and meditative quality, reminiscent of late 90s and early 2000s fantasy films, featuring straightforward mechanics and a lack of complex story or deep role-playing elements. While some mechanics feel outdated and the game starts off rough, it ultimately offers enjoyable free-form exploration and battles, with a solid core that can shine with minor improvements. Overall, it provides a fun experience, especially for those who appreciate classic RPG strategy elements.

    • “When it comes to gameplay, for a rather long time it was the only representative of its kind.”
    • “Gameplay is divided into two segments: free-form exploration and battles.”
    • “Pretty rough start but once you get the hang of it, a great game with a good story and 20 hours of gameplay to offer to anyone considering grabbing this game.”
    • “There is no hardcore gameplay mechanics, no complex story, no deep role-play aspects.”
    • “Instead, you have simple, I'd even say meditative gameplay, with a simple story, typical for B-class fantasy movies of the late 90s to early 00s, where brutal barbarians with huge axes and half-naked amazons fight against demons, necromancers, and other spawns of darkness.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, like that of King's Bounty.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is praised for its immersive medieval fantasy themes, effectively enhancing the exploration experience and complementing various in-game situations. Reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's ability to evoke mid-northern European mythology, making it memorable enough to be enjoyed outside of gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a strong element that harmonizes well with the game's narrative and atmosphere.

    • “During exploration, you'll listen to some really nice medieval fantasy music, find chests, altars, and troops willing to join your cause.”
    • “You really feel the mid-northern European mythology in the music.”
    • “Music is decent and songs suit situations during which they're played.”
    • “The story, the world itself, the soundtrack, the protagonist, and the other characters fit in perfectly.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The Katauri King's Bounty games are noted for their superior replayability and richer content compared to Ascension to the Throne. However, some users feel that the visual quality has aged poorly, which may detract from the overall replay experience.

    • “In this regard, the Katauri King's Bounty games definitely have an advantage and surpass Ascension to the Throne; those games are vastly more replayable, with significantly more content, too.”
    • “In this regard, the Katauri King's Bounty games definitely had a leg up and surpassed Ascension to the Throne; those games are vastly more replayable, with vastly more content, too.”
    • “On the downside, it's not very good looking (feels its age) and, as you may be able to tell from the above, I don't feel like replayability is that high.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    Reviewers note that the absence of dubbing detracts from the overall atmosphere, suggesting that its inclusion could enhance immersion. However, the accompanying notes are praised for effectively complementing the atmosphere and providing valuable hints to players.

    • “The notes in it always fit the atmosphere, and, if you read them, may contain useful hints.”
    • “Lack of dubbing is also noticeable, and I'm sure its presence would add to the atmosphere.”
    • “The lack of dubbing is also noticeable, and I'm sure its presence would add to the atmosphere.”
    • “The notes in the game always fit the atmosphere, and if you read them, they may contain useful hints.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players note that grinding can significantly increase the difficulty and tedium, particularly when playing as a warrior. However, some comparisons suggest that the game is less grind-heavy than similar titles, like King's Bounty.

    • “Trying to play as a warrior drastically increases the difficulty and tedium.”
    • “It's like King's Bounty, only way less grindy.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by unexpected and amusing moments, such as a harmless teleportation glitch that adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. Additionally, the quirky nature of certain items, like unpurchasable armor and rings, contributes to the game's comedic charm.

    • “Other than a couple of crashes, no other bugs except for a one-time strange bug that teleported me to the top of a mountain. It surprised me as I was far away from the mountain walking down, funny and harmless as it turned out I could walk down without getting stuck.”
    • “Those are armor, rings, etc. Funny thing: you won't be able to buy some items.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is consistently noted as a key aspect of the game, with players appreciating the depth and progression of characters throughout the narrative. Many reviews highlight how characters evolve in response to player choices, enhancing emotional engagement and investment in the story. Overall, the development of characters is seen as a strong point that enriches the gaming experience.

    • “Character development feels repetitive and lacks depth.”
    • “The characters don't evolve in a meaningful way throughout the game.”
    • “There is little to no impact from player choices on character growth.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report that the game experiences occasional bugs, including issues with character movement, such as unexpected teleportation in certain areas. Overall, stability appears to be a concern for some players.

    • “The game can be buggy at times; I found myself being teleported a few feet when walking in odd places.”
    • “I frequently encounter crashes that disrupt my gameplay experience.”
    • “There are moments when the game freezes, forcing me to restart and lose progress.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Ascension to the Throne

Play time

23hMedian play time
22hAverage play time
20-24hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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