Remnant: From the Ashes
- August 19, 2019
- Gunfire Games
- 23h median play time
Remnant: From the Ashes is an interesting mashup of genres, ultimately creating an experience that can stand alongside even the best Soulslikes
In Remnant: From the Ashes, play as one of the last remnants of humanity in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monsters, and fight to reclaim what was lost. Explore dynamic worlds filled with challenging enemies and epic bosses, using a variety of weapons and modifications to adapt to each situation. Every playthrough offers new, procedurally generated environments and threats.
Reviews
- gameplay8,210 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Remnant: From the Ashes" is characterized by a blend of third-person shooting mechanics and souls-like elements, offering a challenging yet rewarding experience. Players appreciate the fluid combat, diverse weapon customization, and unique boss mechanics, although some criticize the reliance on enemy spawns during boss fights, which can detract from the overall challenge. While the game excels in cooperative play and replayability through procedural generation, it has been noted that the story and level design may feel lacking or repetitive over time.
“The combat mechanics and world exploration are simple yet in depth.”
“Bosses vary greatly in design and mechanics, requiring players to remain adaptive and observant.”
“Ultimately, while 'Remnant: From the Ashes' doesn’t offer an extensive, character-driven storyline, it more than compensates with its challenging gameplay, immersive environments, and replayable structure.”
“Also, not being able to hip fire is a stupid firing mechanic.”
“The gameplay is predicated on timing and dodging to avoid damage, so if that isn't your thing, avoid the game.”
“The mechanics felt about 8 years old and the storyline lost my interest within about 3 minutes of the tutorial.”
- story8,068 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in "Remnant: From the Ashes" is often described as minimalistic and lacking depth, with many players finding it unengaging or confusing. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and lore scattered throughout the game, the overall narrative is seen as weak and underdeveloped, often overshadowed by the gameplay mechanics and combat. Despite its shortcomings in storytelling, the game is praised for its cooperative gameplay and replayability, making it enjoyable for those who prioritize action over narrative.
“The weapons and gunplay are absurd as is build-crafting, the bosses are really good except a couple, and the lore and story are rich and immersive.”
“The story is simple and world generation guarantees a unique experience every time.”
“The story makes sense and really can draw you in with the character development.”
“The story was not well-paced or built well into the game world, and the characters were utterly forgettable.”
“The story makes little sense and after finishing the main story I couldn't tell you any character's name or what even happened.”
“The story is practically non-existent and appears to have so much potential and everything just seems to fall flat.”
- graphics2,730 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style and immersive environments, while others criticize the visuals as bland or dated, particularly for a 2019 release. Some players appreciate the solid performance and optimization, noting that the graphics enhance the gameplay experience, while others feel that the graphics lack the polish expected from modern titles. Overall, the visuals are generally considered good but not groundbreaking, with a distinct aesthetic that appeals to many players.
“The graphics are stunning, with detailed environments and character models that really bring the game to life.”
“The visuals and design are praiseworthy, painting a vivid and atmospheric post-apocalyptic world that's both haunting and beautiful.”
“Great graphics, character movement, and fast action-based combat.”
“The graphics are unimpressive, lacking the polish and attention to detail that one would expect from a modern title.”
“The graphics look terrible.”
“The graphics are dull and out of date.”
- replayability2,439 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The replayability of "Remnant: From the Ashes" is frequently highlighted as one of its strongest features, primarily due to its procedurally generated maps and randomized boss encounters, which ensure that no two playthroughs are the same. Players appreciate the variety of builds and the need to reroll campaigns to experience different content, although some express frustration with the repetitiveness of certain areas and the reliance on RNG for loot and boss encounters. Overall, while the game offers significant replay value, opinions vary on its long-term engagement and depth, with many recommending it for those who enjoy cooperative gameplay and a challenge.
“Ultimately, while 'Remnant: From the Ashes' doesn’t offer an extensive, character-driven storyline, it more than compensates with its challenging gameplay, immersive environments, and replayable structure.”
“As if that weren't enough, there is a small and delicious dose of randomization that generates each campaign with specific events (including original enemies and bosses), dramatically increasing replayability.”
“The amount of replayability of this game is crazy.”
“I must, however, remark on how laughable the game's (and the fans') insistence on its replay value is when you consider that it sacrificed its level design to fit the procedurally generated maps.”
“Story is shallow, replay value is low/none existent, progress is a slog with little/no reward, difficulty is artificial rather than an actual challenge.”
“Not sure about the replayability everyone is talking about, yeah the maps are procedurally generated but they look the same, it's just a different layout.”
- grinding1,247 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly when farming for specific items or upgrades. While some appreciate the satisfaction of grinding out achievements and gear, others criticize the reliance on RNG and the lack of meaningful progression, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game is seen as heavily grind-oriented, which may appeal to dedicated players but can be frustrating for those seeking a more streamlined experience.
“Learn to master the fights; it's not grinding, it's mastery.”
“The weapons are interesting, and there are quite a few. Character progression is fun and not grindy.”
“I totally recommend this game. Awesome boss fights, cool weapons are challenge-based, loads of secrets, no grinding the same boss over and over for that 0.05% chance you get what you want.”
“Being hard doesn't mean it is fun or challenging to all players; it is rather boring and tedious repeating the same several times because I'm at a huge disadvantage. This doesn't require skills, it requires time.”
“The game can get very grindy though, but at least you can just select adventure mode for grinding.”
“The final boss isn't difficult, it's tedious.”
- atmosphere738 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Remnant: From the Ashes" is widely praised for its rich, dark, and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the game's post-apocalyptic world-building. Players appreciate the haunting visuals, atmospheric sound design, and the sense of tension and intrigue that permeates the gameplay, making it a standout experience for fans of atmospheric shooters and RPGs. While some critiques mention repetitive environments and a lack of environmental storytelling, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to create a captivating and oppressive atmosphere that draws players in.
“The hauntingly beautiful art design, combined with a superbly crafted audio landscape, sets the perfect tone for the game's post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is rich, the enemies diverse, and overall it creates something that allows one to immerse yourself and really enjoy the game that they've made.”
“The graphics and overall atmosphere are great and very unique.”
“While its lore and characters fail to hit the highs of similar titles, and the random nature of its map design means there is little in the way of environmental storytelling, Remnant does manage to create an atmosphere that is simultaneously captivating and oppressive.”
“It looks so bland because they are generic tile sets stitched together randomly by a computer with no sense of atmosphere.”
“The game simply lacks atmosphere in the level design (e.g. more sound effects, more interactable objects in the world), a sophisticated combat system with cover and stealth options and a rewarding loot and crafting system with a lot more different weapons and objects.”
- music666 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in "Remnant: From the Ashes" receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its atmospheric qualities and standout tracks, particularly during boss fights. While some find the soundtrack to be epic and immersive, others describe it as forgettable or generic, noting that it often fades into the background during gameplay. Overall, the music enhances the game's atmosphere but could benefit from more variety and presence throughout the experience.
“The music is also top-notch, with an epic soundtrack that perfectly complements the game’s intense battles.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely amazing too.”
“The music was beautifully designed and would be a joy to listen to outside of the game itself, with big orchestral pieces to stripped back pieces that gave the worlds a bleak, desolate atmosphere.”
“The lack of music while not in combat makes the whole thing feel lifeless.”
“Although I gotta say, bosses aren't that memorable, as well as the music and the story didn't interest me till the very last bit of playable content.”
“The music is much more of a background than something with significant attention or something you want to listen to; most of the time you don't even notice it.”
- stability652 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players noting it as a "buggy mess" that can detract from the overall experience. While some report minimal issues and a generally smooth performance, others highlight frequent glitches, particularly during boss fights and in multiplayer modes, leading to frustration. Overall, players seem to agree that while the game is enjoyable, its stability issues are significant enough to warrant caution for potential buyers.
“The game is very stable in my experience, with little to no glitches/bugs impacting gameplay.”
“Game is well optimized on day 1, over 70fps with 1080ti @ 3440x1440, almost bug free and some minor bugs are still present such as unopenable chest.”
“Clean polish with next to no glitches or bugs.”
“It's still a buggy mess, but it's our buggy mess.”
“0/10 buggy mess can't stand the fact they are making a second one without fixing the first.”
“Frequent frame rate drops and glitches further detract from the overall experience, causing unnecessary frustration and immersion-breaking moments.”
- optimization557 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance on lower-end rigs and smooth gameplay, while others report significant frame drops, crashes, and poor optimization in certain areas, particularly during multiplayer sessions. Many users noted that while the graphics are impressive, the game often requires adjustments to settings, such as lowering shadow quality, to maintain stable performance. Overall, the game shows potential but still needs further optimization to enhance the experience for a wider range of hardware configurations.
“The excellent performance makes it feel very good to play.”
“Remnant is well optimized, moving through checkpoints back and forth is a quick process, co-op is well done and meaningful, and I never suffered any disconnects or stutters.”
“The game is highly optimized and highly detailed especially on PC.”
“The game has numerous bugs, lots of weird game design choices, is poorly optimized, and the lore is non-existent.”
“Game runs like shit no matter what I do, I really like the way this game plays and have been wanting a game like this for years but the optimization is completely unacceptable for someone with an RTX 3060ti and an i7 11700f.”
“I tried to have fun with this game but just under 6 hours I finally had to uninstall it, because of the FPS drops and the lag spikes, and the total un-optimization.”
- monetization440 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and loot boxes, which is increasingly rare in modern gaming. However, the reliance on "ads" (additional enemies) during boss fights has been criticized as a cheap way to artificially inflate difficulty, leading to frustration and a sense of tediousness in gameplay. Overall, while the game is praised for its value and complete experience, the excessive use of ads detracts from the enjoyment of boss encounters.
“No microtransactions, no shady business tactics, addicting gameplay, procedural generation that actually adds to the game, and breathtaking art design.”
“This game has no microtransactions, it has no time gating, it just simply gives you everything it is when you purchase it.”
“For $40, a game without predatory monetization and loot boxes is a steal.”
“The amount of ads in boss fights, trash mob hordes around every corner, and elite enemies that spawn directly behind you can make navigating the world a tedious endeavor for solo players.”
“Bosses are uninteresting, their difficulty only comes from the tremendously high amount of ads they spawn.”
“My major issue is how ads are the only thing that provide any difficulty to the game.”
- humor166 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as a mix of absurdity and camaraderie, with players finding joy in the ridiculousness of character designs, boss encounters, and unexpected glitches. Many reviews highlight the fun of playing with friends, where friendly fire incidents and silly moments lead to laughter, while the game's self-aware references to other titles add to its charm. Overall, the humor is seen as a key element that enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable despite some flaws.
“It has a good level of ridiculousness that makes for funny moments with your friends.”
“The atmosphere and mood is funny; on one hand, the world has been ravaged by 'the root' (no dick jokes, please), as soon as you step outdoors you are greeted by these weird roid-rage Groot characters, yet indoors people seem to be getting on with things perfectly fine.”
“Got chased by a fat man who wouldn't stop whirlwinding at me for about 15 minutes while my friend was laughing as the building was getting destroyed around us.”
“The severely limited point of view means you'll get nailed from off-screen by an enemy you weren't aware of so many times it's not funny.”
“The final boss is a joke though; he is so easy it is not funny.”
- emotional116 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players expressing frustration over a lackluster story that fails to create meaningful emotional stakes. While some found moments of connection through side plots and character interactions, others felt the overall narrative was boring and poorly designed, leading to a sense of emotional detachment. Despite the challenging gameplay that can evoke strong feelings, the game's inability to deliver a compelling story left many players feeling disappointed and emotionally drained.
“You need emotional stakes to get people invested, themes of redemption, revenge, love, etc. Without it, the story just meanders pointlessly.”
“This game has hurt me emotionally for nearly 60 hours now.”
“Remnant: From the Ashes was a heartbreaking experience.”
“Suffers from a boring story, limited scope, and drab art design.”
“It's a good foundation of a game, held back by a boring story and bad level design.”
“Some of the tags I've given this game: choices don't matter, linear narrative, boring story, dated graphics, broken gameplay.”
- character development104 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many reviewers noting a complete lack of depth and progression for characters. While some praise the character design and visual aspects, they highlight that the absence of meaningful storytelling and character growth detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players express disappointment in the missed opportunities for richer character development and narrative engagement.
“The story makes sense and really can draw you in with the character development.”
“Sorta Dark Souls-y but different enough to make it interesting; the story is okay, graphics are nice, and character development is pretty fun.”
“I think they missed an opportunity for further storytelling, for character development, for a feeling of satisfaction beyond just acquiring badass gear and defeating badass bosses.”
“There is *zero* character development.”
“The character development is lackluster at best.”
“The game has 0 character development; once you meet the characters the first time and chat with them, that is it. You have no other reason whatsoever to ever talk to them again, except for getting new weapons, mods, or upgrading your arsenal.”
Critic Reviews
Remnant: From The Ashes – Complete Edition
Either way, when all is said and done – I kind of love this game. I know it’s not perfect and I know it can be repetitive, but what it comes down to is that I have undeniably enjoyed my time with it and I intend to spend a good deal more, too. The issues it had on release were awful, and the DLCs in a vacuum were a little underwhelming in scope; especially that first one, but the Complete Edition takes care of all of that, making it even greater than before. Remnant was just something I stumbled across and decided to take a chance on with a friend and now, over a year later, I’m still thinking about it; still excited to play some more. It’s true that it has slowly risen in popularity but I think it’s still quite underappreciated – there really isn’t anything else like this out there and I recommend giving it a shot.
90%Remnant: From the Ashes Review – A Shooter With Soul
Brilliantly crafted boss encounters, challenging enemies, immersive environments - Remnant: From the Ashes has everything you could want from a Souls-inspired game and more.
80%Remnant: From the Ashes Review
If you like loot shooters and some of the core systems from the Souls games, Remnant: From the Ashes shouldn't disappoint.
80%