Fire & Frost’s Of Ash and Steel is a third-person, open-world, role-playing game inspired by classic titles in the genre, such as Gothic and the first installments of The Witcher. It offers a modern design and fresh ideas. While primarily inspired by the Gothic series, the game is enriched with new mechanics and elements to offer players a unique experience.
Players will embark on an exciting adventure as they explore Grayshaft Island, located on the outskirts of the Seven Kingdoms. Mired in internal strife, banditry, and secrets, this island will be the setting where players participate in fateful events that determine its and the world’s future. The absence of a marker system and direct guidance adds an element of freedom, encouraging exploration and allowing players to discover the world and its mysteries for themselves. However, it is important to remember the dangers that await.
The game begins with us playing as Tristan, a regular cartographer who participated in an expedition to reach new lands. Tragedy struck during the landing, however, when the expedition was attacked and only Tristan survived. This event marks the beginning of a thrilling story full of intrigue and unexpected twists.
In Of Ash and Steel, players will find a vast, beautiful open world full of opportunities for exploration and interaction. The diverse crafting system plays an important role in gameplay, allowing players to create armor and weapons, mine ore, process leather, and more. However, it dilutes the experience.
Enemies are simple. In the early stages, you’ll feel as if you’ve arrived at your grandmother’s house in a distant village. Everywhere you look, there are huge bugs and mosquitoes the size of motorcycles. People live here too, and you’re bound to encounter problems with them. There are monsters, bandits, robbers, huge bears, and yetis. Adventures are guaranteed.
As befits an RPG, the game features an advanced character leveling system that includes levels for the main character, enemies, and weapons. As the player progresses through the game, they gain experience, which increases their character’s level. This unlocks new skills, stat improvements, and more powerful weapons. Enemies also have levels, making battles more challenging and dynamic throughout the game. Weapons have levels as well, which affect characteristics such as damage, attack speed, and durability. Players can upgrade weapons using found resources to increase their level and fight stronger enemies more effectively.
The game’s quests are structured according to a classic pattern. Each dialogue requires attention to detail and immersion in the story. If a player misses a description, they must rely on their own skills and intuition to complete the task.
As I mentioned earlier, Of Ash and Steel has a strong Gothic vibe reminiscent of the first Witcher games, creating a unique atmosphere. This is evident in its dark fantasy setting, deep storyline, and complex combat mechanics. In this game, you don’t just call out the enemy; you fight steadily while understanding your own capabilities and those of your enemy. These features are all in the best traditions of cult RPGs. Players can expect exciting open-world exploration and complex, drawn-out battles that will appeal
The reason is simple: combat is slow and requires calculation. If you rush the enemy with basic attacks, there’s an 80% chance you’ll lose. If your character has no armor, you will have to reload from your last save point. Yes, there are no bonfires or anything like that here.
The project is being developed by the Russian studio Fire & Frost using the Unreal Engine. This means that high-quality graphics, a detailed world, and high-quality models can be expected. But… There’s always a “but.”
At the stage of the game that was provided to us for review, not everything was perfect. The game has some technical issues related to the use of the Unreal Engine. In particular, there are strange shadows on objects and characters, incorrect clothing behavior, and see-through hair. The combat system feels slow and drawn out, which may not appeal to all players. However, let’s not focus on the negative and just chalk it up to early access issues.
Verdict
Overall, Of Ash and Steel looks like a promising project that is sure to delight fans of the RPG genre. It offers an interesting world, an intriguing plot, diverse crafting, and a familiar yet pleasant atmosphere reminiscent of Gothic, The Witcher, and The Elder Scrolls. The development team inspires hope for a successful release. Despite its current technical shortcomings and peculiar combat system, Of Ash and Steel has every chance of becoming a notable addition to the genre.
Pros
- Exciting setting
- Freedom of exploration
- Intriguing storyline
- Pleasant, familiar atmosphere
- Challenging combat and a complex RPG combat system
Cons
- Uncertainty: The lack of specific details about gameplay, plot, and world may raise doubts.
- Current technical issues
- The slow combat system may not be to everyone’s taste.
- Difficulty: The lack of autosave and the need for tactics may scare off some players.
