Savant: Ascent

About

Savant: Ascent is a single player arcade shooter game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by D-Pad Studio and was released on December 4, 2013. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Savant: Ascent" is a rhythm-based platformer game where players control a hero named Savant who uses his music abilities to fight enemies and traverse through levels. The game features a unique combination of fast-paced action and dynamic music that intensifies as players progress through the levels. Players must master the rhythm and timing to overcome various obstacles and defeat bosses to reach the top.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,845 reviews

music1k positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

music
1,969 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
The music in "Savant - Ascent" is widely praised for its energetic and engaging soundtrack, primarily composed by the electronic artist Savant. Players appreciate how the music enhances the fast-paced gameplay, creating an immersive experience that keeps them motivated and entertained. While the soundtrack is generally well-received, some players note that its limited variety may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who are not fans of electronic or dubstep genres. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature of the game, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “The whole fight was orchestrated around its soundtrack and it was so amazing (and hard) that it etched in my memory forever.”
- “The music is absolutely epic.”
- “The soundtrack is one of the game's biggest selling points, with intense, fitting tracks that keep the action flowing.”
- “The only thing I hated about it is the soundtrack.”
- “Turns out the soundtrack is comprised of terrible chip-tuned styled dubstep.”
- “But the damn soundtrack is not enjoyable.”
gameplay
686 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The gameplay of "Savant - Ascent" is characterized by its simple yet challenging mechanics, primarily involving shooting and dodging while navigating between platforms. Players appreciate the fast-paced, addictive nature of the gameplay, which is enhanced by a fantastic soundtrack that syncs well with the action. While some find the game short and repetitive, many highlight its replayability through various modes and unlockable abilities, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of arcade-style shooters.
- “The gameplay is amazing, the music is perfect, and the amount of sheer badass-ness is unreal.”
- “The gameplay is easy enough to get a hold of, fast-paced enough to make you feel like you have some kind of decent reflexes, and unforgiving enough to make you want to keep coming back to get just a little further.”
- “Savant is just this tiny perfect package of innovative design, fantastic music, and heart-pumping gameplay.”
- “The art and music are great, but I found the gameplay to be too simple and repetitive to continue playing once I beat the game.”
- “There is no story or gameplay, which means there isn't a whole lot of playtime available due to there being only three stages and the unlockable songs don't take long to unlock.”
- “I paid a couple bucks for this game, neat soundtrack, if it included that as a download I would consider recommending, but the gameplay is painfully simple and repetitive.”
story
376 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
83%
4%
The game's story mode is notably short, typically taking around 10 to 30 minutes to complete, consisting of just a few stages and a boss fight. While the narrative is minimal and lacks depth, it serves primarily as an introduction to the gameplay mechanics, with players encouraged to engage more with the endless and time attack modes for extended play. Overall, while the story may not be a strong point, the engaging gameplay and vibrant soundtrack compensate for its brevity.
- “The plot exists, or rather the idea of it: the mysterious main character, and the villain, the setting, and the idea of the tower are very powerful.”
- “The story mode is short yet sweet and the other modes are addicting as hell!”
- “The story itself is minimal, you are the savant, who's been kicked out of his tower, forcing you to fight your way back to the top and take revenge.”
- “The following could, in all respects be considered 'spoilers' by those who care about such things, yada yada, I won't be using spoiler tags or anything of the sort, because honestly, this game has no plot or 'big twist' to speak of.”
- “The story mode is extremely short - like 15 minutes long, and consists of just 3 stages.”
- “The game has a poorly implemented story campaign for a somewhat well thought out and visually appealing arcade score-attack shooter.”
graphics
340 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
34%
1%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their vibrant pixel art style and polished visuals, which enhance the overall aesthetic experience. Many reviewers noted the impressive attention to detail and the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic arcade games, complemented by a dynamic and engaging soundtrack. While some minor glitches were mentioned, the overall consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and worth the low price point.
- “The graphics are beautiful, the music is epic, and the gameplay is fantastic.”
- “The visuals are outstanding as each background is created amazingly and what will be the best use of 1.99 you could ever get.”
- “The pixel art graphics are the best I have ever seen.”
- “The graphics are an overload of visual stimulation.”
- “It is not a game with a real breadth or depth of play, it will not wow you with its graphics or sophistication.”
- “No graphics options, so the picture is stuck in the corner of the screen.”
replayability
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
3%
The game offers a mix of high replayability and limited content, with many players enjoying the challenge of beating high scores and unlocking additional modes like "endless" and "time attack." While the main campaign is short, the engaging mechanics, beautiful art, and addictive gameplay contribute to its replay value, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate arcade-style games. However, some reviews note that the overall replayability may be constrained by the game's brevity and lack of diverse content.
- “The endless and time attack modes add some extra replay value, while endless mode just gets more and more ridiculous to the point where the screen is just filled with robots throwing themselves at you.”
- “Savant is a game that is short, but is almost more replayable than a 60-hour RPG because it is just plain fun.”
- “Thanks to the endless mode, this game has incredible replay value, where I can always try to improve my high score.”
- “Oh, another problem I can see in this is that because of how short it is, its replayability may not be so high.”
- “Not long enough and doesn't have replayability.”
- “I feel it has very little replay value.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
Overall, the game's stability has improved over time, with many players noting that while there are occasional minor glitches, they are generally not game-breaking. Some users experienced bugs primarily in earlier versions, but recent updates have enhanced stability, leading to a more enjoyable experience. Despite some lingering issues, the game is still recommended for its aesthetic and gameplay.
- “10/10, no glitches or any big game-breaking bugs.”
- “10/10, no glitches or any big game-breaking bugs.”
- “The only bad thing I can say about it is it can be a bit buggy at times.”
- “I will mention that I ran into a few minor UI glitches that were in no way game breaking.”
- “I do think that there are some glitches still, which I anticipate the developers will work out.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be tedious and repetitive, especially towards the end, many also describe it as enjoyable and well-suited for casual play sessions. The need to memorize enemy patterns adds a layer of challenge, but some players wish for improvements, such as the ability to skip cutscenes to maintain pacing during intense moments. Overall, grinding is seen as a fun yet sometimes frustrating element of the gameplay.
- “At first, the difficulty curve is a little tedious to learn.”
- “It is just memorizing enemy patterns then grinding out the levels.”
- “Fun and stylish, but short and pretty tedious towards the end.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through its clever integration of a musician's persona, engaging gameplay modes, and amusing animations, particularly in the "vario mode." Players appreciate the game's lightheartedness and find it both funny and stimulating, making it a memorable experience despite some minor bugs. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “Hopefully there still exist games like this one, a precise idea and game concept combine to make a funny and stimulating game.”
- “Pd: the Vario mode is cool, the Alchemist is better, but the animations and sound of the Vario mode are hilarious.”
- “Gameplay is funny 8/10 ... for about ~3€ I can only recommend it :) ... even if it’s sometimes a little buggy with the fullscreen resolution.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, characterized by an awesome soundtrack and meticulously crafted visuals that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers emphasize the care put into the game's design, contributing to a deeply immersive and atmospheric environment.
- “In my opinion, the visuals were crafted with tender love and care; they positively enhance the atmosphere of the game.”
- “I will just add that it is very atmospheric.”
- “Awesome soundtrack and atmosphere.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally positive, with smooth performance during gameplay. However, some users reported minor glitches in the start-up menu.
- “It runs smoothly, plays great.”
- “The game itself runs smoothly.”
- “It runs smoothly, plays great.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while the animation and character design are impressive, they do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game.