Ashen
Upcoming Souls-like Games
Announced back at E3 2015, Ashen looks like a blend of Dark Souls and Absolver in terms of its minimalist aesthetic. It takes places a bleak world in which the sun’s light has been blocked by volcanic ash, and the gameplay design is heavily inspired by the deliberate, high-stakes combat of the Souls series. But where Dark Souls was mostly about traveling solemnly in isolation, guided only by fleeting interactions with riddle-talking NPCs, Ashen is about forging more substantial relationships along the way. You’ll be given access to a range of skills and upgrades by taking the time to rescue people you meet out in the wilderness and bringing them back to a town, which forms your safe area.
Multiplayer has always been a component of the Souls series, and Ashen is putting a slightly different spin on its own take on co-operative play. Here, there’s a passive multiplayer connection at all times, so you’ll constantly meet other travellers along the way without having to invade or lay down co-operative markers. When you do play cooperatively, other players will sometimes appear as rescued NPCs, with the idea being that it breathes life into their quests and story. It all works by proximity, meaning that if you choose not to engage or cooperate, putting distance between each other removes the connection, and you’ll then walk into another players server. You’ll also be able to matchmake with friends if you prefer.
Ashen is coming in 2018 to PC and Xbox One.