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Ashen Empires

75%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, optimization
75% User Score Based on 618 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy NowGet on Steam

About

Ashen Empires is a classic MMORPG set in the fantasy world of Dransik. Dransik has been besieged by the sinister forces of Talazar, preying on mortals. Play with your friends, battle your foes, complete quests, defeat powerful bosses, pursue tradeskills in a player-driven market. Play YOUR way!

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
Ashen Empires screenshot
+17

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 618 reviews
story16 positive mentions
grinding64 negative mentions
  • The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of early MMORPGs, with a dedicated community and plenty of content to explore.
  • Players appreciate the diverse character classes and skills, allowing for unique playstyles and extensive character progression.
  • The game has a charming retro aesthetic and engaging social interactions, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate classic gaming.
  • The game suffers from outdated graphics and a clunky user interface, which can be off-putting for new players.
  • There are significant issues with game balance, including pay-to-win mechanics and favoritism from the developers towards certain players.
  • Many players report technical problems, including bugs and performance issues, which detract from the overall experience.
  • story
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Ashen Empires" is often described as lacking a central narrative, with players starting on an island and having the freedom to explore and engage in various quests. While the game features rich lore and a plethora of side quests, many players find the quest chains unengaging and poorly presented, leading to a mixed experience. Overall, the game offers extensive gameplay opportunities but falls short in delivering a compelling storyline, resulting in a score of 2.5/10 for its narrative depth.

    • “Rich lore and immersive storyline.”
    • “Beginner island sets the mood, and tells you a story of a larger land, that when you're ready, you will go to.”
    • “Be prepared to be amazed at the size of the game, the amount of storytelling/quests, the gigantic amount of gear for your character, just to list a few.”
    • “There is no main storyline.”
    • “You do get to hear about stories through quests, but it doesn't really progress your own character story.”
    • “The NPCs often refer you to seek other NPCs in very unengaging quest chains that are poorly presented.”
  • gameplay
    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Ashen Empires" offers a nostalgic, old-school experience with immersive mechanics and a variety of playstyles, though it suffers from slow-paced combat and technical issues. While the game features a rich progression system and engaging community, its reliance on pay-to-win elements and outdated mechanics can frustrate players, particularly those seeking modern graphics and faster gameplay. Overall, it appeals to fans of classic MMORPGs but may deter those looking for a polished, contemporary experience.

    • “Fun, addictive gameplay and a good community.”
    • “If you enjoy a solid gameplay experience with a friendly, generous community and tons of options, this game may just be for you.”
    • “Very relaxing gameplay with tradeskills that actually function to help you in the game outside of just making some equipment.”
    • “The game's heavy reliance on pay-to-win mechanics further exacerbates the problem, putting casual or non-paying players at a significant disadvantage.”
    • “Dev and GM team don't follow their own rules, and they allow players on the PvP server to also be GMs/Devs, which has resulted in gameplay interference.”
    • “Also, the stamina and combat mechanics were a tedious irritation; it wasn't fun, and after level 25+, it's boring what you have to do to get your stamina back. What's the bigger picture point of it?”
  • graphics
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and lacking compared to modern standards, with many users noting a nostalgic, old-school isometric style that may not appeal to new players. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic and find it charming, others criticize the visuals as a significant drawback, impacting their overall experience. Overall, the game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with a consensus that they could benefit from an update to enhance player engagement.

    • “Oldschool isometric graphics, very classic MMORPG feel with a small tight community, extensive crafting system, PvP and PvE servers.”
    • “Open world top down isometric MMORPG with WASD movement scheme, dynamic random quests + static quests, clean retro graphics, excellent music, engaging tradeskills and oldschool classless leveling system.”
    • “Visuals are dated, but nostalgic.”
    • “The game's visuals and user interface may feel dated compared to modern standards, which can be a deterrent for new players looking for more polished aesthetics.”
    • “Graphically, the game is very dated, for sure, but in terms of classic MMO content, this game is better than it's ever been.”
    • “This game doesn't have the best graphics by today's standards, but the gameplay and progression loop is still just as good as I remember.”
  • grinding
    64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of "Ashen Empires" is a defining feature, with many players noting its intensity and time commitment, often requiring hundreds of hours to reach max level or complete various tasks. While some find the grind rewarding and enjoy the community support, others criticize it for being tedious and overly demanding, particularly in terms of stamina management and quest completion. Overall, the game appeals to fans of grind-heavy MMORPGs, offering a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic titles.

    • “If you follow a tedious online guide, I hear you can hit max level after about 3 weeks of 40-hour weeks.”
    • “Also, the stamina and combat mechanics were a tedious irritation; it wasn't fun, and after level 25+, it's boring what you have to do to get your stamina back. What's the bigger picture point of it?”
    • “The only way to get rid of the minutes was to stay logged in, or drag heavy rocks in the prison to a grinder to break them apart. Each rock reduced your sentence by 1 minute and was very tedious to do.”
  • music
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its nostalgic charm and engaging ambiance, while others criticize its repetitiveness and low-quality MIDI sound. Many find the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, despite its limited variety and tendency to loop frequently. Overall, it contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, though some players opt to turn it off due to its intrusive nature.

    • “The music in this game is something I always go back to, even at times while I wasn't actively playing.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is the best; it is very captivating and I love the music.”
    • “Personally, I love the ambient music (I'd give it a 10/10) because my brother and I joke around over the years with it.”
    • “You are also bombarded by about the most awful midi-quality music.”
    • “There is barely any sound, except the music which everyone turns off because it plays regardless of the game being the active window or not, and is very repetitive.”
    • “That 'music.'”
  • emotional
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with players expressing concerns about the unstable and explosive behavior of the staff, which leads to inconsistent management and a lack of trust within the community. This emotional volatility results in unfair treatment and unethical interactions, detracting from the overall gaming experience. Conversely, some players find moments of vulnerability and excitement in the game's mechanics, suggesting a complex emotional engagement that can be both frustrating and rewarding.

    • “That made me feel weak and vulnerable, but it also made me excited because the farming goblin became a clear and understandable measure of my strength and a sense of scaling many games just lack.”
    • “All of a sudden, a change after being emotional.”
    • “Two weeks later, you see players walking around with names like deeznuts and don't receive any penalty because that week, the emotional cycle had ended.”
  • optimization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report that while the game's optimization allows it to run on lower-end computers, there are frequent technical glitches and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. The need for further optimization and bug fixes is evident, particularly in relation to the game's pay-to-win system and unreliable server performance, which can lead to lost in-game investments.

    • “Optimization is good and I'm sure that even low-end computers can handle it.”
    • “The need for optimization and bug fixes is noticeable.”
    • “Technical issues and performance optimizations are needed.”
    • “The issue is that they have a pay-to-win system with servers that are not trusted for performance, which causes losses in in-game trades and investments due to server resets, shutdowns, etc.”
  • stability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with players reporting numerous technical glitches and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some users note that it runs well on certain systems, the presence of persistent bugs and a poorly designed inventory system suggests a lack of polish, leading to comparisons with an unfinished alpha version. Overall, many feel the game is mismanaged and question its availability on platforms like Steam given its instability.

    • “Runs great on my laptop!”
    • “However, if you want to play something that feels like a buggy alpha of a dead game, with an actual price tag (expansions) of 20+ USD, look no further.”
    • “And furthermore, why does Steam allow such a buggy and mismanaged game to be on Steam anyway?”
    • “[b]🔧 Technical issues and performance[/b] Occasionally, players may encounter technical glitches or performance issues that affect their gameplay experience.”
  • monetization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for being completely free with no intrusive monetization elements such as ads, loot boxes, or subscriptions, which enhances its nostalgic appeal. However, it suffers from poor planning and a lack of marketing, leading some to view it as a "cash grab" on Steam. Overall, while the absence of monetization tactics is a positive aspect, the game's delivery and user experience are criticized.

    • “On the positive side, the game has nostalgic elements, is completely free, and I saw no ads, no loot boxes, no season pass, no NFTs, and not even an offer to subscribe.”
    • “Steam cash grab.”
    • “It was poorly planned and delivered; they didn't do a whole lot of advertising or build any hype towards the launch. The first view in the game is a mess of UI elements spread across the screen with no guidance on where to place them or what to do with them.”
    • “Needs advertisement and investment.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Ashen Empires is widely praised for its immersive quality and captivating music, making it a standout feature compared to other games in the genre. However, some reviewers note that it lacks in graphical quality and engaging storytelling. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect.

    • “The atmosphere in this game is the best; it is very captivating and I love the music.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game significantly more appealing and replayable compared to Dransik, citing improved controls, a more engaging world, and enhanced MMORPG features as key factors that enhance the overall experience.

  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the inclusion of "clown awards," which users find particularly amusing, indicating a playful and lighthearted tone throughout.

    • “Clown awards, that's hilarious.”

Buy Ashen Empires

68h Median play time
241h Average play time
10-573h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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