Lackluster lip-synching, stiff animations, odd cuts between dialogue – Of Ash and Steel isn’t exactly making the best first impression during its opening hour. The fact that the opening camp, which is where you’ll first gain control of protagonist Tristan, involves walking around and completing generic fetch quests, also doesn’t inspire much confidence. Did I mention the iffy audio mixing, where an NPC’s voice is as loud and booming, even when you’ve moved several feet away from them?
That being said, through all the grime and relatively medieval way of life, there is something here. It’s reflected in some of the writing, whether you’re dealing with an NPC who’s injured by wolves and needs healing or double-crossed during a quest. Even the combat, slow and plodding it may be at first, has some appeal (not a lot but still). Is any of this enough to elevate Of Ash and Steel beyond its means, much less cater to those seeking a Gothic-like? Sort of, but there are plenty of other problems that need addressing before it can reach its full potential.
The story takes place in the Kingdom of the Seven, a set of islands enjoying an era of peace and sea trade. Things take a turn, however, when rumors spread about islands seemingly going independent. None of that really initially, your character, Tristan, a cartographer who embarks on a mission with soldiers of the Order to chart Greyshaft. Shortly after landing, however, things quickly take a turn when brigands assault the camp, slaughtering everyone in sight. Tristan is the only one left alive, but is also assailed and left for dead.
“It also doesn’t help that a good chunk of the island’s hostiles can easily take you down, especially when facing more than two at a time (most bandits are a no-no in the early going). For the first 90 minutes or so, I found the best way to survive was to simply kite enemies towards NPCs that were capable of killing them.”
Discovered by one of the locals and nursed (somewhat) back to health, he begins exploring the island, and from here, things get a little more loosey-goosey. Of Ash and Steel doesn’t really confine you to a single path, instead encouraging you to explore and get a feel for the world, but without any actual tools to really chart a path (at least initially). You’re basically blind, which makes sense lore-wise, and there are no markers to indicate where you should go next. If you’ve been duped and a quest step involves finding the perpetrator, a waypoint won’t magically lead you to their location. Getting down in the dirt and exploring the island’s caves, abandoned mines, farms, and more is the key, and you’d better have the good sense to remember where things are.
In that sense, Of Ash and Steel is reminiscent of Hell is Us, but with way fewer clues. It’s also a lot more unforgiving. Tristan, despite his prominent abs, isn’t skilled at fighting whatsoever and has the lung capacity of a newborn kitten. He also lacks many survival skills, not that you unlock them by simply leveling up. Instead, you have to talk to various NPCs and learn from them, which requires gold, the required skill points, and the correct stat. Stat requirements also apply to weapons, so even if you find a cool claymore, good luck wielding it without the required 15 Strength.
Other immersive mechanics abound, such as managing hunger and thirst, which means cooking ingredients to sustain yourself with meals and drinking liquids to remain refreshed. Cooking some random meat won’t always agree with Tristan, leading to debuffs which can reduce melee damage. In the same vein, you can accrue injuries which become worse if not tended to. Want to make a campfire out in the wilderness? Better have some supplies on hand. In that sense, the starting hours can feel like a slog.
It also doesn’t help that a good chunk of the island’s hostiles can easily take you down, especially when facing more than two at a time (most bandits are a no-no in the early going). For the first 90 minutes or so, I found the best way to survive was to simply kite enemies towards NPCs that were capable of killing them. If it works, it works, but as Tristan’s strength and stamina grew (those two rings that boost the latter also help), I became that much more sure of his capabilities.
“And while I mentioned that some of the conversations can be quite endearing, a lot of them aren’t, and it all loops back to Tristan as a character, who feels exceedingly bland. Maybe it’s because he’s meant to be more of a self-insert, but the charm wears off after the first few hours…”
If you’re expecting something akin to Dark Souls or even Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Of Ash and Steel isn’t that, even given the importance of stamina. Attacks are more deliberate – even following up with another strike feels like Tristan is stuck in molasses. And while it can make for some initially tense encounters, especially against other human enemies as you parry their blows and look for openings, hit registration can be iffy on both sides. The same goes for targetting, as some of the quicker enemies can easily evade your blows before Tristan is even done executing them.
Don’t even get me started on the annoying AI – one battle against a clearly stronger spider saw them simply escaping before I could kill them, with no sign of their location. Later, it returned to its cave, fully healed and suffice to say that I’m not suffering that tedium again. I’m also not a fan of Tristan’s uncanny ability to slip in puddles. Once in a while, but every single time, even twice in a row during life-or-death fights? No thanks.
Also, while I’m fine with the old-school approach to exploration, the world itself can sometimes feel overtly barren. Towns and the like are an exception with different NPCs to chat up and requests to take on, but the wilderness is far from compelling. Some areas are laden with food and materials, while others, like the abandoned cave with the killer spider, offer nothing. Is it realistic? Sure, but with how generic some of the environments can feel, it doesn’t exactly reward my urge to explore.
And while I mentioned that some of the conversations can be quite endearing, a lot of them aren’t, and it all loops back to Tristan as a character, who feels exceedingly bland. Maybe it’s because he’s meant to be more of a self-insert, but the charm wears off after the first few hours, and he just doesn’t have much substance. Thus, even after he suffered traumatic events and was left to fend for himself, any sympathy is simply replaced by an ever-present feeling of “Sucks to be you,” especially after he trips in a puddle for the umpteenth time.
“Maybe it can shine if its various weaknesses are addressed, but even then, its storytelling, protagonist, world design, and gameplay feel ever-so slightly above average.”
If you don’t really care about what happens to him and simply favor a brutal adventure that won’t hold your hand on a large scale, Of Ash and Steel might be of interest. However, the lack of polish is still problematic, whether it’s sleeping bodies floating in the air or the previously mentioned hit registration. There are also several bugs, including Tristan’s voicelines overlapping if you spam a command numerous times, and a campfire that just wouldn’t let me cook, even though a similar one did.
Presentation-wise, it doesn’t look too bad at all, but the facial animations take away from the immersion quite extensively, which is all the more problematic given the number of dialogue exchanges. The music is acceptable – again, nothing too special for the genre, but it’s serviceable enough, even if I don’t think some of the epic tones match the plodding action.
Of Ash and Steel is geared primarily for those who enjoy the likes of Gothic, where carefully considering your build and skill unlocks is as important as deciding whether to tackle a group of seemingly harmless enemies. Maybe it can shine if its various weaknesses are addressed, but even then, its storytelling, protagonist, world design, and gameplay feel ever-so slightly above average.
This game was reviewed on PC.
