Ascension: Transition and Silver

About

Ascension: Transition and Silver is a single player casual role playing game with romance and drama themes. It was developed by SulMatul and was released on February 4, 2021. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

A transgender visual novel, loosely based on Tarkovsky's STALKER.

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Single-Player

Ascension: Transition and Silver screenshot

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

story9 positive mentions

gameplay2 negative mentions

Ascension: Transition and Silver offers a compelling narrative that resonates deeply with themes of identity, transition, and personal struggle, making it particularly impactful for trans players.
The game features well-developed characters and relationships, with a unique blend of real-life photography and 2D animation that enhances the immersive experience.
As a free visual novel, it provides a rich and emotional journey that is both engaging and thought-provoking, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

The world-building and lore can be confusing and lack sufficient explanation, leaving players with unanswered questions about key concepts and the game's setting.
Some players found the pacing to be uneven, with moments of long-winded dialogue that detracted from the overall flow of the story.
The visual novel format may not appeal to everyone, as some players felt that the gameplay mechanics were limiting and could lead to frustration when trying to explore all possible endings.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
The story of this visual novel is praised for its emotional depth and relatable characters, effectively exploring themes of queer identity and politics within a unique sci-fi setting. While some reviewers noted issues with world-building and pacing, many found the narrative compelling and resonant, particularly for those who identify with its themes. Overall, it offers a meaningful experience, though it may leave some players wanting more clarity and cohesion in its storytelling.
- “I love this game, a lovely insight into the feelings that some of us go through daily while still being a new and different story in an interesting setting.”
- “The story is a beautifully written and emotional experience; each character has a distinct, layered personality, and the chemistry between them is incredible.”
- “It's a pretty straightforward story of queer identity, politics, emotions, etc. when you step away from it, but what it does really well is wrap it up in this enticing sci-fi metaphor.”
- “I feel like the story could be told in 3 sentences, but it was just beating around the bush.”
- “This visual novel desperately needs something explaining some of the lore of what's going on (silver, psychosilver, hierarchy, the zone, the effects of silver on the body, backstory of the in-game world, etc.) what the game says and can be implied only goes so far.”
- “And it's the clumsiness of the world-building and writing that I feel most let down by, what might otherwise have been a much better game and story.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The graphics in the game feature a blend of real images and basic yet competent artwork, which is described as vibrant and expressive. While some users find the artwork somewhat simplistic, it effectively complements the photographic backgrounds, creating a cohesive visual experience. Overall, the visuals are considered serviceable, enhancing the game's dystopian narrative alongside its strong audio elements.
- “A great story with fantastic music and visuals and powerful, powerful writing.”
- “All of the artwork is vibrant and expressive, standing out against the photographic backgrounds while still feeling like part of the same world.”
- “I'm also fond of the choice to use real images against the artwork, and special shout out to whoever made the OST!”
- “Artwork is a bit basic but looks ok.”
- “The visuals and audio are serviceable and there's a CG for each of the 4 endings (not counting the one at the beginning).”
- “Artwork is a bit basic, but competently done.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its haunting melodies and immersive quality, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers noted the soundtrack's ability to maintain a consistent vibe that complements the game's emotional depth, while also providing a mix of cozy and intense moments. However, some users mentioned minor issues with copyright claims on YouTube, which may affect content creators, though the music can be easily turned off if desired.
- “The music was consistently great; it has a very consistent vibe that harmonizes with the setting, but without ever feeling stale by changing up the emotional focus.”
- “A great story with fantastic music and visuals and powerful, powerful writing.”
- “One minor downside is that some of the music is copyright claimed on YouTube, but that only affects you if you're recording it, and the music is easy to turn off if that worries you.”
- “And the soundtrack is utterly haunting, a combination of earworm melodies and droning ambiance that will get stuck in your head.”
- “They help maintain the gritty, scuffed vibe provided by the text and music.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings, including tears, through well-handled storytelling and character development. The narrative is described as beautifully written, featuring distinct characters with deep chemistry, and is complemented by a fitting musical score that enhances the overall emotional experience. Players find it validating and wholesome, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of visual novels.
- “It actually made me cry a little, but the fact it was handled so well and didn't diminish the anger is what made it feel special.”
- “The story is a beautifully written and emotional experience, each character has a distinct, layered personality and the chemistry between them is incredible.”
- “If you're into visual novels, definitely check Ascension out. It took me less than 2 hours, it's free, and it evokes a lot of emotional reactions, so if that's your thing, you will definitely enjoy it.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The gameplay is reminiscent of "We Know the Devil," sharing similar mechanics and themes of societal othering and body discomfort, but it presents a unique trans narrative in a post-apocalyptic setting. As a visual novel, it relies heavily on its story, which, while compelling, suffers from execution issues.
- “It borrows a lot from We Know the Devil (thematically and mechanically), but it makes it its own -- a trans story set in a post-apocalyptic world that's half nuclear fallout and half, like, annihilation.”
- “Mechanically, it is almost identical to We Know the Devil, and carries many of the same themes of othering from society and discomfort with your own body and existence.”
- “Visual novels by definition have very little gameplay in them and so live or die by their story, and while this one was a compelling allegory, it also wasn't put together all that well.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its immersive atmosphere, effectively earning the "atmospheric" label from users.
- “Well deserving of the 'atmospheric' tag.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ascension: Transition and Silver is a casual role playing game with romance and drama themes.

Ascension: Transition and Silver is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

Ascension: Transition and Silver was released on February 4, 2021.

Ascension: Transition and Silver was developed by SulMatul.

Ascension: Transition and Silver has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Ascension: Transition and Silver is a single player game.

Similar games include SeaBed, The Sekimeiya: Spun Glass, The Letter, Lucid9: Inciting Incident, Goodbye Volcano High and others.

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