Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 80 | 30 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 83 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 67% | 65 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 61% | 61 | 6 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 17 reviews sampled · 12 total reviews in window · weighted 7.3 up / 4.6 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (57)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“Another Souls-like game which will help you pass the time before the release of a new From Software project.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Aurora44 managed to build a distinctive and unique game on mechanics, which has long become familiar. Do not blindly copy other people's achievements, but embody familiar things in your own vision. I look forward to what the authors will do next. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Infinitely accessible, but challenging enough for any seasoned player, Ashen exudes an air of peace and hope in an unforgiving landscape. It's not perfect, but it resonates with the soul and gravitas befitting a Shakespearean classic.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ashen's subtle additions to its obvious inspirations make it greater than the sum of its parts. If you're a fan of Dark Souls or found it and many games inspired by it too daunting, Ashen is well worth checking out. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Ashen doesn't try to hide the fact that it's a Souls clone through and through. However, where many before it unwisely try to out-do FromSoftware in terms of difficulty or obtuse systems and lore, A44 has taken its game in a more refreshing, community-focused direction.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“By the conclusion of Ashen, the dominant feeling is not that of simply finishing a video game, but of having journeyed through a landscape of silence, distance, and quiet acts of reconstruction. This is a project that never chases instant spectacle; instead, it lingers slowly in the player’s memory. Its minimalist aesthetic and gameplay design mark it as a distinctive work, almost countercultural in a landscape where many contemporary releases prioritize immediate impact over reflection. What endures after the journey is primarily the bond forged with the game world: a connection cultivated through patient exploration, the effort of traversing its spaces, measured engagement in combat, and a gradual familiarity with locations that were initially forbidding. The game transforms repetition into ritual and challenge into learning, without ever conveying a sense of punitive design. Every advancement feels earned, every newly discovered area becomes part of an interior geography before it is merely virtual. Emotionally, Ashen resonates through its ability to evoke a luminous melancholy, a tension that persists constantly between desolation and hope. Its story is not explicitly told, but emerges organically from the interplay of environment, sound, and game mechanics. The experience hints at more than it reveals, inviting the player to fill in the gaps through personal interpretation. This openness makes it unforgettable for some, while for others it may feel distant or less immediately engaging. From a gameplay perspective, the commitment to essential, readable systems reinforces the game’s identity, even if it sacrifices the variety seen in other genre entries. Yet this very simplicity allows the rhythm of the adventure to remain steady, avoiding overload and keeping attention focused on the experience as a whole rather than on the intricacies of individual mechanics. It is a delicate equilibrium, one that may not satisfy those seeking highly technical challenges, but which aligns perfectly with the developers’ vision. Ultimately, Ashen is not a game built for universality; it is profoundly idiosyncratic. It does not seek to please everyone, and in doing so, it resonates with greater authenticity among players willing to embrace its deliberate pace and intention. The experience is measured, almost meditative, deriving its strength from coherence and the ability to craft a compact, recognizable, and tangibly human world. It is not a shouted adventure, but a whispered tale that lingers long after the controller is set down. Recommended for those seeking not only challenge, but a story that is truly worth inhabiting.”
read full review ↗ - 81
“I’m not a huge ‘Souls fan, at least not since bouncing off Dark Souls 2, and I tend to shy away from these games as I get older; however, even though Ashen has some difficulty spikes that remind me of those games, the vibrant world, likeable characters, companion system, and soothing soundtrack all kept me coming back.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“From superb shots of the sea to underground caves illuminated by the crackling fire of your torch, uncovering a new area is an utter pleasure. It might be a year late, but Ashen still manages to carve out its own space for greatness.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Ashen is not awful, and I think that any hardcore Souls fans who just can't get enough of this style of combat will enjoy it. The open world adds a new layer to the Soulsborne format that succeeds more than it fails, but it comes at the cost of weakening a core pillar of the genre. The result is a passable experience, and in a genre that's quickly becoming as crowded as this one, passable just won't cut it for anyone but the most hardcore of fans.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Ashen is a hardcore minimalistic RPG that delivers on a calming experience that requires pacing and patience to correctly take on the challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Overall, Ashen is a great title. The Souls formula may be adapted nearly wholesale, but the art style gives the game a different vibe. The presence of co-op at all times makes each run feel feasible, since the odds rarely feel impossible to overcome, and the presence of a community to grow gives you a real sense of progression and purpose. Unless you're completely burned out by the formula, Ashen is an adventure that's well worth checking out.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A moody, well-wrought action role-player with striking, desolate landscapes and a couple of great dungeons.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
3DNews
Jump Dash Roll
Gadgets 360
Nintendo Life
Indie Games Devel
Nexus Hub
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Gamerheadquarters
Worth Playing
Eurogamer…and 45 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.