Ashes of Creation

About

Ashes of Creation is a multiplayer open world role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Intrepid Studios, Inc and was released on December 11, 2025. It received neutral reviews from players.

Ashes of Creation is an evolving MMORPG set in the dynamic world of Verra, featuring collaborative development with its player community. The game offers expansive systems such as combat, settlement building, crafting, caravans, and large-scale sieges, all in active Alpha with frequent updates and ongoing refinements. Players experience a living world shaped by their choices and feedback.

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53%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,185 reviews

gameplay238 positive mentions

story104 negative mentions

The game features a huge world with rich detail and immersive environments, creating a vibrant fantasy atmosphere.
The crafting, gathering, and social mechanics are appreciated for their depth, providing players with engaging gameplay.
Despite its flaws, the game has a strong sense of community and offers memorable interactions among players.

The game suffers from significant performance issues, including constant crashes, lag, and poor optimization, making it frustrating to play.
Many players criticize the repetitive and grind-heavy nature of the gameplay, with a lack of meaningful content and quests.
The monetization practices have been labeled as exploitative, leading to disappointment and a lack of trust in the developers.

story
1,045 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
83%
10%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players noting a lack of depth and coherence in the narrative. While some appreciate the potential for lore and world-building, the current quest system is criticized for being sparse, repetitive, and often bugged, leading to a grind-heavy experience with little guidance or meaningful engagement. Overall, players express a desire for more structured quests and a clearer storyline to enhance immersion and gameplay enjoyment.
- “The world is huge—the kind of huge where you start a journey, forget why you left town, and end up discovering three biomes, a world event, and a suspiciously well-dressed NPC with a backstory deeper than your quest log.”
- “There’s an enormous world here, and I want questing and storytelling to do a better job of introducing players to these massive regions in a natural, engaging way.”
- “The lore of World of Warcraft was built over many years of storytelling, and the same goes for Final Fantasy XIV, but the story had to start somewhere.”
- “There are very few quests that feel meaningful, and what quests do exist often send you back into the same grind loops with nothing interesting to break it up.”
- “The quests are buggy, limited in number, and extremely repetitive.”
- “The quest lines end quickly, the game throws the player into the world with little to no tutorial help and expects them to know what to do.”
gameplay
978 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The gameplay of "Ashes of Creation" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its potential but highlighting significant issues. While some appreciate the depth of crafting, gathering, and social mechanics, others criticize the repetitive and grind-heavy nature of the gameplay, alongside performance problems and a lack of clear guidance on mechanics. The PvP elements, particularly the corruption system, have also drawn criticism for promoting griefing and detracting from the overall experience, leading to a consensus that while the game has a solid foundation, it requires substantial refinement and content before it can fully engage players.
- “The gameplay is engaging and feels well thought out.”
- “The core gameplay is solid, and there’s real fun to be had.”
- “The game has a lot of potential with great mechanics from the years of videos I've watched, but ultimately it comes down to the playstyle and immersion for me - this game falls way short.”
- “Constant crashing, complete lack of gameplay, bad graphics, horrible optimization/performance, and then shut the entire studio down just after 30 days post-release on Steam.”
- “Despite years of development, core gameplay loops are thin.”
- “The gameplay is a directionless mess.”
grinding
754 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The grinding aspect of "Ashes of Creation" has received mixed feedback, with many players noting it as excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some enjoy the nostalgic grind reminiscent of classic MMOs, others find the lack of meaningful content and quests after early levels frustrating, leading to a repetitive cycle of mob grinding. Additionally, the presence of bots and the game's economic issues further exacerbate the grind, making it feel unrewarding for many players. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate a grind-heavy experience but may deter casual players seeking a more balanced gameplay loop.
- “If you’re not grinding mobs in a group, progression is basically dead.”
- “If I'm not grinding XP, I'm getting a new mount, farming resources for a crafting recipe, or exploring the insanely huge map.”
- “This game is where EverQuest, WoW, ESO, and all other MMOs had a mixed baby. It's fast, it's fun, it's grindy (but not too grindy), and it has adventure. So yeah, they need to fix bugs and things, but the way and direction they are going, I believe in this game!”
- “The game is relatively pretty, the world seems interesting enough, the gameplay is passable but not engaging (when you're not looking over your shoulder constantly because some player wants to kill you for the things you've spent hours grinding for, just because they can).”
- “The economy is trash, they allow bots farming high value loot to tank the economy.”
- “The game is currently very grindy and it needs more than just mob farming to level.”
graphics
634 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
60%
13%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and unoptimized, often resembling visuals from older titles rather than a modern release. While some appreciate the art style and find certain aspects visually appealing, others criticize the frequent graphical glitches, blurriness, and overall lack of polish, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there is potential for improvement, the current state of the graphics does not meet the expectations set by its Unreal Engine 5 foundation.
- “The graphics are stunning—lush landscapes, dynamic lighting, and intricate architecture make exploration a joy in itself.”
- “The game looks gorgeous graphics-wise but definitely nowhere near completion.”
- “The visuals are beautiful, the mounts look awesome, and systems like crafting and trading are genuinely enjoyable.”
- “The graphics look like they were rendered on a toaster, yet they’re charging like it’s some cutting-edge masterpiece.”
- “This game for what it promises isn't even rate-able on that scale, I've genuinely seen better graphics in Roblox games, and I'm not kidding when I say that!”
- “The graphics are outdated; I have this impression of constant blurriness, my floating spell book acts weird and has no textures, the shadows are awful even at max graphic settings.”
optimization
389 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
64%
28%
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, including constant crashes, lag, and stuttering, even on high-end systems. Many users describe the game as poorly optimized, with graphics that do not justify the performance demands, leading to an overall frustrating experience. While some acknowledge that it is still in alpha and improvements are expected, the current state is deemed unacceptable for a game that has been in development for nearly a decade.
- “The optimization passes that the team did prior to the steam release has helped with in-game lag and the screen freezes that I saw in the pre-steam builds is absent.”
- “Performance has been better than expected for an alpha, and regular updates and communication from the dev team are reassuring.”
- “First and foremost, the performance improvements since the previous phase are phenomenal.”
- “The game is so poorly optimized that it's almost unplayable.”
- “The performance is terrible; I can't get over 60 fps on a 4090 with a 7800x3d, besides that the game is micro stuttering.”
- “The game suffers from poor optimization across the board, including random crashes—sometimes occurring mid-combat.”
stability
304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues, including frequent crashes, lag, and unresponsive gameplay. Many players acknowledge that it is still in alpha, which accounts for some of the instability, but express frustration over the extent of the problems, suggesting that the game is not ready for public play. While some find enjoyment in the game despite its flaws, the overwhelming sentiment is that it is currently a buggy and unfinished experience.
- “Runs great.”
- “Great game! Don't expect it to be bug free in its early access/alpha state, but even so, I'm loving the game.”
- “Honestly, so good! Don't listen to all the negativity; the queue times are not really there anymore, the game runs great, and has so much content!”
- “The game is currently unfinished and buggy and has no endgame currently and may never be finished.”
- “A buggy alpha mess that never changed—same one-shot kills, bots everywhere, and zero progress since 2016 demos.”
- “The game is a buggy mess and should not be charging $75.”
monetization
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
11%
87%
The monetization aspect of the game has been overwhelmingly criticized by users, who label it as a blatant cash grab, particularly following its release on Steam. Many reviewers express frustration over the game's unfinished state and the presence of microtransactions, suggesting that the developers prioritized profit over delivering a quality product. Overall, the sentiment is that the monetization practices are exploitative, leading to a lack of trust in the developers and disappointment among players.
- “It has a lot of crossover with ArcheAge, which I personally loved, but without the pay-to-win monetization that destroyed the game.”
- “I like it, I understand the negativity around the monetization policies and it being such an expensive alpha, but I think it's good regardless and I'd really like to see the full project come to fruition.”
- “No monetization shoved in your face.”
- “The game turned out to be a scam, built it up enough to get a steam release, then cash grabbed, and fired all employees.”
- “Charging full price for access to a game in this state, while also running a cash shop, this was definitely a cash grab.”
- “This steam release is nothing but a cash grab.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
52%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its quality and ability to enhance immersion, while others find it generic and repetitive. Highlights include a strong ambient soundtrack and enjoyable bard mechanics, but criticisms focus on the lack of variety and occasional misplacement of tracks. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, it may not resonate with all players, leading some to mute it during gameplay.
- “On just the music alone, I would buy this game.”
- “The music and sound design further enhance immersion and help create a memorable experience.”
- “Great music, amazing landscapes, and fantastic gameplay!”
- “Graphics meh, music meh, game loops meh.”
- “Sound design is equally uninspired, with repetitive music that most players will likely mute or turn down.”
- “The background music is particularly grating—it reminds me of 90s MMOs like Ultima Online, but not in a nostalgic way.”
humor
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its numerous bugs, awkward animations, and the chaotic nature of its early access state, leading to a mix of frustration and laughter among players. Community interactions, particularly in global chat, are described as entertaining, with players sharing funny moments and experiences, despite the game's many imbalances and technical issues. Overall, while the game has serious flaws, the lightheartedness of the community and the absurdity of certain situations contribute to a uniquely humorous experience.
- “Honestly, I haven't had this many fun, memorable, hilarious interactions in an MMO for a very, very long time.”
- “The fact I would need to do 4 of these quests to gain one level is hilariously imbalanced, especially when you consider that you can spend hours on a quest because of several different game mechanics.”
- “It's pretty funny to see.”
atmosphere
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
39%
11%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive environments, and rich detail, creating a vibrant and epic fantasy world that feels alive. Players appreciate the strong sense of community and memorable locations, although some critiques mention a lack of unique visual style in certain aspects. Overall, the game successfully combines modern production values with classic MMORPG elements, delivering a captivating and engaging atmosphere.
- “The world is rich in detail, feels alive, and captures a strong epic fantasy atmosphere.”
- “The visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is immersive, and progression feels genuinely rewarding.”
- “The world, music, and atmosphere pull you in, and the sense of community is strong.”
- “The general atmosphere of the game is heavily lacking outside of cool terrain in some areas.”
- “Atmosphere: the game is missing something here from Anvil at least.”
- “So far it is looking like they passed the clouds and are hanging just inside Earth's atmosphere.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players expressing deep disappointment and heartbreak over its shutdown and perceived failures, while others appreciate its nostalgic mechanics and the emotional investment it fosters. Many reviewers feel a strong connection to the game, highlighting both the joy it brings and the pain of unmet expectations, leading to a sense of loss and frustration among its community. Overall, the emotional landscape is characterized by a blend of attachment, nostalgia, and disillusionment.
- “The only MMORPG that made me feel something (good and bad) since 2008.”
- “A rug pull out was painful, I'm sure, on a lot of people who were just emotionally invested in not having another New World incident or failed MMO.”
- “I’ve developed an emotional attachment I’m not ready to unpack.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's replayability is currently limited, with only eight main archetypes available and mixed feedback on its overall playability compared to previous versions. While some players note improvements since earlier releases, many express frustration over the game's presentation and expectations versus reality. Overall, the potential for increased replayability exists if further development and polish are achieved.
- “Ok, I have to say that after some weeks the game is looking better and more playable, so this can be played and is good for an alpha.”
- “The game is way more playable.”
- “12~ ish hours into the game... since this isn't even supposed to be early access, it's still a lot more playable than before.”
- “Many players on Steam are frustrated because the price and presentation imply a more playable product than what’s here right now.”
- “According to numerous community reviews, the game was more playable during its closed alpha than it is now.”
- “While the game is much more playable than it was a year ago when I tried it in 2024, it's nowhere near or even in the realm of what they sell you on.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
Character development in the game has been widely criticized for its poor character design, with users describing the art style as generic and graphics as outdated. Many feel that the character models are disproportionately designed and lack detail, detracting from the overall experience and immersion. There is a call for improvements not only in character design but also in the main storyline and world-building to enhance solo play and overall engagement.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly rewarding, allowing players to truly connect with their characters and experience meaningful growth throughout the storyline.”
- “I love how the game focuses on fleshing out the characters, making their journeys feel personal and engaging, rather than just a grind for loot.”
- “The depth of character design and development adds so much to the overall experience, making each quest feel significant and impactful.”
- “I loaded in to probably the worst character designer I've ever seen.”
- “The character design is very disappointing, with short and disproportionate arms and low-resolution character art.”
- “Probably the worst character design in the last 15 years.”