Ash of War

47%
Game Brain Score Based on 25 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Ash of War Game Cover
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The story about an uneasy journey of one man. You will experience certain situations, those, that could have happened with our parents, children or even a neighbours on just any other war. Through the eyes of our hero you will see his struggle in a modern war, struggle with oneself.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

47%
Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews
story15 positive mentions
gameplay5 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling and emotional story that resonates with players, exploring themes of war and personal sacrifice.
  • Graphics are decent for an indie title, with well-designed environments and character models that enhance the overall experience.
  • The soundtrack and atmospheric music contribute positively to the game's immersive experience.
  • Voice acting is subpar, with numerous translation errors and thick accents that detract from the narrative immersion.
  • Gameplay can be tedious and frustrating, with poorly executed controls and lengthy mini-games that feel more like a chore than fun.
  • The story is often disjointed and clichéd, with confusing plot elements and a lack of interactivity that limits player engagement.
  • story45 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it immersive and emotionally engaging, while others criticize it for being disjointed, clichéd, and poorly executed, particularly in terms of grammar and voice acting. Despite attempts to convey deeper themes related to war and personal struggles, many feel that the narrative falls flat due to its execution and tedious gameplay segments. Overall, while there are interesting concepts and emotional moments, the storytelling quality detracts significantly from the experience.

    • “The game is more story and narrative based than interactive gameplay.”
    • “Ash of War narrates the story of Joe, an American boy deciding to follow the footsteps of his father, joining the army, to find out the reasons behind his attachment to military life and a purpose in life.”
    • “This game features a story with dark tones, speaking of loss, traumas, and the madness of war.”
    • “The story is terrible in every aspect - direction, plot, voice acting, constant grammar mistakes, and weird unnatural sentences.”
    • “When you start the game it says it's based on a true story and I don't know if I believe that; however, I will still criticize the story because it's really poorly told.”
    • “The story is pretty stereotypical and cliché, and while they try to go for an immersive sad story, the poorly formulated sentences, grammar, and the voice actor (for Joe only) is quite terrible at speaking English.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and poorly executed, particularly criticizing the mini-games and broken aiming mechanics. While some appreciate the narrative focus and emotional depth, others feel that the core gameplay elements, such as shooting and quick-time events, detract from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a weak point, overshadowed by the storytelling and emotional engagement.

    • “Uncomplicated and unobtrusive gameplay guides you through Joe's story.”
    • “The gameplay in Ash of War is divided into exploration, combat, and puzzles.”
    • “Combat is featured in some sections, sometimes as an on-rail shooter with reload, cover, and headshot mechanics, featuring different types of enemies armed with heavy weapons, rocket launchers, or rifles.”
    • “The gameplay consists of a bunch of tedious, boring mini-games that go on for way too long, like the convoy shootout. Also, why does the main character have the hangover shakes and tremors?”
    • “The gameplay is more of a chore than it is fun.”
    • “Whereas the suspect storytelling was probably the best aspect of this game, the gameplay is certainly the worst.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered decent for an indie title, with some reviewers noting that while they are not exceptional, they are well-designed given the game's budget. However, there are mentions of graphical glitches and translation errors that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as average, with some appreciating the effort put into the design despite the limitations.

    • “Very decent graphics for the indie project.”
    • “Graphics are decent.”
    • “Graphics are nothing to write home about, but the major drawback is the numerous and severe translation errors.”
    • “Some graphical glitches are present like clipping or objects being seen through walls.”
    • “The graphics aren't anything special, but for an indie game, it's actually really well designed.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players noting that it effectively immerses them in the game's narrative and environment. Despite some criticisms of other aspects, the soundtrack stands out as a strong point, contributing significantly to the emotional depth of the gameplay.

    • “In my opinion, it has great music and a plot that draws you deeper into the story and mini-games.”
    • “I really can’t avoid the soundtrack, and I have to say that it fits amazingly into the game.”
    • “Everything is horrendous except for the music.”
    • “I bought the supporter pack DLC but I couldn't find the OST and the added operation. Where can I find it?”
    • “The music and the environment create the impression that you are in the shoes of a soldier fighting for what you consider right.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    Reviewers highlight a tense yet intriguing atmosphere, often drawing comparisons to other games like Firewatch. The atmospheric music and well-crafted recreation of wartime events contribute to a compelling experience, with certain sections exceeding expectations in their atmospheric depth. Overall, the game's atmosphere is noted as a significant strength, enhancing the storytelling and emotional engagement.

    • “The ash of war has its own atmosphere and true story - that's great!”
    • “There was a tense atmosphere in the air, although the city seemed safe to me.”
    • “I remember the Firewatch game with its own unique atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere of some sections is recreated well and even positively surprised me a few times.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly lengthy, particularly criticizing the mini-games and lack of checkpoints that force them to restart missions. Despite the developers' evident effort and interesting concepts, the gameplay suffers from repetitive and frustrating segments that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The gameplay consists of a bunch of tedious, boring mini-games that go on for way too long.”
    • “Levels lack checkpoints, so if you lose, most of the time you have to restart the entire mission, which is tedious as hell.”
    • “You can tell the devs put some hard work into this game and it has some interesting concepts, but it all falls flat due to poor English and tediously lengthy gameplay segments in some parts of the game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    While the game features an attractive and emotionally engaging story, the reuse of character models and repetitive enemy encounters can hinder players' ability to form emotional attachments, as they often find themselves fighting the same foes and rescuing the same characters repeatedly.

    • “Attractive and very emotional story.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally acceptable, with users reporting some noticeable glitches and graphical issues, such as clipping and objects appearing through walls; however, none of these problems are deemed game-breaking.

    • “There are some evident glitches and problems, but none are game-breaking.”
    • “Some graphical glitches are present, such as clipping or objects being seen through walls.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is consistently noted as being effective and enjoyable, contributing positively to the overall experience.

  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its performance and stability, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and crashes. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a work in progress, with room for improvement to enhance the user experience.

    • “The optimization in this game is outstanding, providing a seamless experience with minimal lag.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers focused on performance and stability, making the gameplay smooth even on lower-end systems.”
    • “The game's optimization allows for impressive graphics without sacrificing frame rates, enhancing the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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