The Ascent Beginner's Guide - Key Info for New Players

Check out our Beginner's Guide for The Ascent, the scifi twin-stick shooter now on Game Pass.

The first game from developer Neon Giant games, The Ascent is a combo of isometric RPGs like Wasteland or Pillars of Eternity and twin-stick shooters like Dead Nation or Enter the Gungeon. Some folks have referred to it as "Cyberpunk Diablo," but it's less about a continuous loot grind than that might imply. Our previewer called it more like "cyberpunk Hunter the Reckoning," which - if you can remember back that far - sounds pretty rad. There is loot to be found, of course, but you're not just chasing the next weapon upgrade or armor set like in Diablo. The Ascent focuses much more on action than loot, with how you spec out your character being far more important than the loot itself.

00:00 - Intro
00:29 - What Type of Game Is The Ascent?
01:06 - Gameplay Overview
01:34 - Co-Op Explainer
01:47 - Story Synopsis
02:36 - Character Creation & Customization
03:31 - RPG Elements
04:25 - Gear + Weapon Upgrades
06:14 - Combat Overview & Tips

IGN has plenty of The Ascent gameplay or The Ascent trailers. The Ascent release date was July 29, 2021. The Ascent game is free on Xbox Game Pass and our The Ascent review received a 7 for "Good" if you're thinking about The Ascent before you buy. Our The Ascent preview was positive as well, though if you're wondering about The Ascent should I preorder it, maybe check out some The Ascent gameplay PC or The Ascent gameplay 4K.

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