Review for Underworld Ascendant. Game for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 15/11/2018 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 31/12/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 21/06/2019 The version for Xbox One came out on 31/12/2019
It was back in 1992 when a game entitled Ultima Underworld appeared on the scene of fantasy RPGs (and not only) revolutionizing it from head to toe, as well as its sequel, The Stygian Abyss, released only a year later. Underworld Ascendant, a title financed by a Kickstarter campaign and in whose development team counts names like Warren Spector (Deus Ex) o Joe Fielder (Bioshock Infinite), attempts to "bring to life" in our age the two milestones of the videogame role-playing game.
Unfortunately, and it really hurts us to say it, it is knowing that Underworld Ascendant fails in this noble intent. Meanwhile, although the original titles (in turn a spin off of the legendary videogame saga created by Richard Garrioth) are taken by the development team much more than a mere source of inspiration, we cannot speak of a spin off or a real following, all for simple copyright reasons.
We will therefore find ourselves not in the role of an Avatar but rather in those of the Ascendant, which on balance is practically the same thing. A mysterious and disturbing entity called Cabirus, invests us with the dangerous task of descending into the Stygian Abyss, the Stygian Abyss, to face nothing less than the monstrous Typhoon, a primordial horror capable of seriously worrying even Zeus himself..
Having learned our destiny like this, on the spot, we will therefore be called to give a shape to our Avatar, pardon Ascendant, immediately realizing that something definitely does not seem to work.
In fact, we will be able to see only and only the arms of our character (the game view in Underworld Ascendant, as in his illustrious "ancestors" is in fact in the first person) rather stunted we add, of which we can even decide the color of the skin! End. Definitely not a very happy start for immersive RPG enthusiasts, where the creation and customization of our PG at the beginning of the game is often a phase capable of lasting even hours! We must certainly not judge a book by its cover, too bad that the rest is even worse.
We will therefore find ourselves at the entrance to the Abyss left to ourselves without, or almost, a shred of guidance regarding what we will have to face. Surely the "open world" approach of total freedom that Underworld Ascendant presents to us is one of its rare strengths.
Every mission, every situation and every danger can be faced in the way that seems most appropriate to us, a little à la Dishonored just to understand. We can then charge the monsters head down or face them in a stealth and much more reasoned way. Or don't face them at all, continually evading their gaze and sneaking into the shadows all the time. The choice is ours.
This extreme freedom of action is also reflected in the management of the equipment, as there will be no class constraints for the use of an object, as well as a spell to be composed using the appropriate runes, it allows us to create a character with skill and very versatile and varied statistics. Too bad, however, that, speaking of weapons, armor and objects, a shred of peculiar statistics never appears in the description, which often and willingly will make us find the inventory full of useless junk.
Another of the key elements of Underworld Ascendant should be the management of physics, also applied to the almost total freedom to use the surrounding objects to imaginatively overcome the situations and obstacles that arise in front of us. We say it should because, unfortunately, it doesn't always work properly.
When all goes well, we may get really realistic feedback for interactions with the surroundings, such as having to use more force to throw heavy objects, flammable stuff used as a trigger for tactical fires, and so on. When everything goes well, we said, and when it does it also gives great satisfaction. Too bad that, practically at random, physics goes to be blessed, and therefore we will break down barriers apparently insurmountable only with a football, inextinguishable torches even under water and various amenities. These are really annoying things because they are capable of nullifying our careful strategy to face a delicate passage, thus leaving us only the violent option. Not that it's a big problem, given that the AI that governs opponents is really basic and often confusing, leading enemies to attack even simple inanimate objects at times.
To all this, we also add animations that are little more than embarrassing and a lack of practicality of movement (even the slightest roughness of the ground, like a simple step must be SKIPPED, to say) and we are faced with a complete disaster.
Underworld Ascendant is the classic great wasted idea. Probably the low budget available did not allow the team, despite the illustrious names that compose it, to present a finished and refined game on our PCs. Underworld Ascendant seems, wanting to remain magnanimous, a Beta to be reviewed again, and we add a lot. A real shame, especially for the nostalgic fans of the titles from which Underworld Ascendant takes inspiration.
► Underworld Ascendant is an Action-indie-RPG type game developed by Otherside Entertainment and published by 505 Games for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 15/11/2018 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 31/12/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 21/06/2019 The version for Xbox One came out on 31/12/2019
