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The Ascent Gameplay Video
The Ascent Key Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
| Developer | Neon Giant |
| Publisher | Curve Digital |
| Release Date | July 29, 2021 |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 |
The Ascent System Requirements
1080p
tune Minimum – Low Preset, 1080p (30 FPS Target)
tune Recommended – High Preset, 1080p (60 FPS Target)
1440p
tune Enthusiast – Ultra Preset, 1440p (60+ FPS Target)
2160p
tune Ultra – Max Preset + Ray Tracing, 4K (60 FPS with DLSS/FSR)
Hardware Below These Requirements?
Play The Ascent on Boosteroid Cloud Gaming in 1080p or 4K 60FPS on any PC, Mac, or phone with zero hardware upgrades.
The Ascent Laptop Recommendations
cloud 1080p / 4K 60FPS
flash_on Zero Install / Storage
devices Any Laptop or Phone
Instant Access
memory Intel Core i7-12700H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 140W
storage 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $1349
Model: MSI Pulse GL66 with RTX 3070 and i7 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H (Score: 900)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (Score: 6600) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory Intel Core i9-13900H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 140W
storage 16GB DDR5-5200MHz
US $999
Model: Acer Nitro V with RTX 4060 and i9 13th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i9-13900H (Score: 1058)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Score: 6700) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-5200MHz
save Storage: 512GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory Intel Core i9-14900HX
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 140W
storage 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
US $1749
Model: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (i9-14900HX, RTX 4060)
memory CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX (Score: 1200)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Score: 6700) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-5600MHz
save Storage: 2000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory Intel Core i9-12900H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 150W
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $1397
Model: Asus Rog Strix Scar 15 with RTX 3070 Ti and i9 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i9-12900H (Score: 1030)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (Score: 7100) @ 150W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory Intel Core i5-12450H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 75W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $645
Model: HP Victus 15 with RTX 3050 and i5 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i5-12450H (Score: 628)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (Score: 7220) @ 75W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory Intel Core i5-12500H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 80W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $710
Model: Acer Nitro 5 with RTX 3050 Ti and i5 12th Gen
memory CPU: Intel Core i5-12500H (Score: 633)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (Score: 7220) @ 80W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 512GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 75W
storage 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $799
Model: ASUS TUF A15 with RTX 3050 and Ryzen 7
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS (Score: 1655)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (Score: 7220) @ 75W TGP
storage RAM: 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 140W
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $1299
Model: ASUS ROG Strix G15 with RTX 3060 and Ryzen 7
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (Score: 880)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (Score: 7448) @ 140W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 100W
storage 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
US $1489
Model: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 Ultra with RTX 3080 and Ryzen 9
memory CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS (Score: 820)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Score: 7904) @ 100W TGP
storage RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
memory Intel Core i7-13620H
developer_board NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
storage 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
US $1350
Model: MSI Katana 15 with RTX 4070
memory CPU: Intel Core i7-13620H (Score: 843)
developer_board GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (Score: 8700)
storage RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz
save Storage: 1000GB NVMe
desktop_windows Display: 2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Meets criteria for tier: 1080p - Minimum (Low Preset, 1080p).
-
Core Requirements
- desktop_windowsOperating System: Windows 10 x64
A 64-bit operating system is strictly required by the engine to efficiently manage memory allocation across the massive, seamless cyberpunk metropolis.
- memoryDirectX: Version 11 (Minimum) / Version 12 (Recommended)
DirectX 11 provides baseline compatibility, but DirectX 12 is officially required to enable the game's advanced Ray Tracing features and DLSS support.
- save_altStorage Note: 35 GB available space
An SSD is highly recommended to eliminate loading hitches when taking the elevator or transit trains between the massive vertical tiers of Veles.
settings_applications Optimization Notes:
Upscaling: Supports NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. Using upscaling is highly recommended to maintain 60+ FPS on mid-range hardware if playing with Ray Traced reflections turned on.
Key Settings: Ray Tracing (Reflections and Shadows), Volumetric Fog, and Post-Processing severely impact GPU overhead. Lowering these can yield substantial framerate improvements.
The Ascent: Map Size and Regions
The Ascent: Post-Launch Content / DLC
The Ascent: Skills & Upgrades Overview
The Ascent: Game Editions
The Ascent: Cross-Platform / Crossplay
The Ascent: Top 5 Weapons (Subjective/Iconic)
'The Dominator', a rapid
fire assault rifle perfect for shredding crowds of unarmored gang members.
'EBR Enforcer', an energy burst
rifle highly effective against heavily armored corporate security and robotic enemies.
'Blastmaster', a devastating pump
action shotgun ideal for close-quarters alien swarms in the Warrens.
Rank #4
'RPG23', a rocket launcher necessary for dealing massive burst damage to mech bosses.
Rank #5
'Guillotine' (introduced in the Cyber Heist DLC), a massive, brutal melee sword that completely shifts the dynamic of the twin-stick shooter into a close-quarters brawler.
The Ascent: Specific Game Elements
Explore in-depth equipment, cast, combat mechanics, and world collectibles documented for The Ascent:
The Ascent Weapons
A highly accurate energy weapon that melts through the heavily armored corporate security forces and robotic enemies encountered in the upper tiers.
Introduced in the Cyber Heist DLC, this massive, brutal blade completely shifts the dynamic of the game into a close-quarters hack-and-slash experience.
A rapid-fire ballistic weapon perfect for shredding crowds of unarmored gang members and low-level mutants in the slums.
The Ascent Vehicles
Massive, city-sized freight elevators required to travel between the socio-economic Tiers of Veles, bridging the gap between the slums and the corporate luxury zones.
The immersive fast-travel network players use to move between the massive horizontal districts of the arcology.
The Ascent Animals / Creatures
Role: Rabid, heavily mutated creatures that hunt in massive packs in the dark, industrial depths of 'Deepstink', requiring heavy crowd-control weapons to suppress.
Role: Corporate defense drones that scurry across the ceilings and floors, harassing the player with energy blasts and self-destruct mechanisms.
The Ascent Characters
Corporate Handler
A highly capable, mysterious operative who takes an interest in your lethal efficiency, guiding you through the complex espionage of the upper tiers.
Syndicate Boss
The stressed, foul-mouthed leader of your home district who acts as your primary early-game quest giver, trying desperately to keep his turf from being overrun.
Player Avatar
An enslaved corporate worker who must utilize extreme violence and cybernetic enhancements to survive the collapse of their mega-corporate owners.
workspace_premium Top 3 Characters
Rank #1
'The Indent', the fully customizable, silent player protagonist who rises from a nobody to the most lethal mercenary in the arcology.
Rank #2
'Kira', a mysterious, highly capable operative and handler who guides the player through the mid-to-late game corporate espionage.
'Poone', the foul
mouthed, stressed-out boss of the local syndicate in the player's home district, who acts as the primary quest giver during the chaotic aftermath of the Ascent Group's collapse.
The Ascent Missions / Objectives
Objective: A massive mid-game raid on a high-tech corporate facility requiring heavy hacking, culminating in a brutal boss fight against a heavily armed mechanical spider.
Objective: Fight through rival turf in the deep slums to restart the district's primary water supply, establishing your value to the local crime boss.
Objective: The climactic final campaign mission requiring players to defend a central hacking terminal against endless waves of the most elite corporate security forces in the game.
workspace_premium Top 3 Missions/Objectives
'Mutual Dependencies', an early
game mission where the player must fight through rival turf to restore the district's primary water supply, establishing the gritty stakes of the world.
'Data Miner', a massive mid
game raid on a high-tech corporate facility requiring heavy hacking and culminating in a brutal boss fight against a heavily armed mechanical spider.
Rank #3
'Unhandled Exception', the climactic final campaign mission requiring players to defend a central hacking terminal against endless waves of the most elite corporate security forces in the game.
The Ascent Companions / Summons
Ability: The game supports 4-player local couch co-op and online multiplayer, allowing friends to synergize their cyberware abilities to dominate the battlefield.
Ability: Your constant companion. With a press of a button, it hacks nearby doors, ATMs for money, and turrets to turn them against your enemies.
The Ascent Collectibles
Location/Use: Crucial modules hidden throughout the arcology. Finding them levels up your hacking device, granting access to high-tier loot chests and heavily encrypted doors.
Location/Use: Glowing lore terminals scattered across desks and corpses that provide deep background information on the alien species and mega-corporations of Veles.
Location/Use: Physical skill points hidden in the environment independent of leveling up, rewarding players who explore every corner of the map.
workspace_premium Top 3 Collectibles
Rank #1
are 'Cyberdeck Upgrades', hidden modules scattered throughout the world that level up your hacking tool, granting access to high-tier loot chests and heavily encrypted doors.
Rank #2
are 'Skill Points', physically hidden in the environment independent of leveling up, allowing keen explorers to rapidly increase their stats.
Rank #3
are 'Datapads', glowing lore terminals that provide deep background information on the various alien species, mega-corporations, and history of the Veles arcology.
The Ascent Armor
Focus/Stats: Heavy, bulky tactical armor looted from corporate security forces, providing massive physical and energy defense at the cost of evasion speed.
Focus/Stats: A premium cosmetic/tactical set offering a striking, neon-infused Samurai aesthetic, providing excellent balanced defense for endgame content.
Focus/Stats: Standard, low-tier street clothing providing minimal physical defense but high mobility, worn by common workers in the Warrens.
The Ascent Clothing / Appearance
Options: Purchasable or unlocked weapon paints that feature moving digital patterns, making your firearms glow brightly in the dark industrial slums.
Options: Extensive character creation options allow players to cover their avatar in glowing neon circuitry and gang tattoos.
Options: A heavily requested feature added post-launch, allowing players to equip high-stat, ugly armor but change its visual appearance to any cool outfit they have previously looted.
The Ascent: Other Features & Info
- labelMultiplayer ModesThe Ascent features both single-player and up to 4-player cooperative multiplayer. Uniquely for a modern game, it fully supports 'couch co-op' (local multiplayer on a shared screen) as well as online co-op.Playing with a squad fundamentally changes the combat dynamic, allowing players to synergize their cyberware—such as one player acting as a heavy tank with energy shields while others use sniper rifles and hacking abilities to control the battlefield.Enemy health and spawns scale dynamically based on the player count.
- labelUser InterfaceThe UI embraces the cyberpunk aesthetic with sleek, red-and-cyan holographic menus. In combat, the HUD displays a health bar, energy meter (for augmentations), and a tactical charge meter.One of the best UI features is the 'Waypoint' system; pressing a button projects a glowing digital line on the ground guiding the player to their next objective, seamlessly integrating navigation into the world without cluttering the screen with permanent mini-maps.
- labelSound and MusicThe auditory experience is a standout feature, headlined by a pulsating, heavy synthwave soundtrack composed by Paweł Błaszczak (known for his work on Dying Light and The Witcher).The music dynamically shifts from brooding, atmospheric synthesizer hums during exploration to aggressive, high-tempo club beats during massive firefights.The weapon sound design is incredibly punchy, and the diverse alien languages spoken by the ambient crowds make the arcology feel like a true melting pot.
- labelGraphics and VisualsDespite being developed by an incredibly small indie team of 11 people at Neon Giant, The Ascent boasts 'AAA' visual fidelity.The game is played from a classic isometric perspective, but the camera seamlessly shifts and pans to showcase the breathtaking scale of the arcology.The environmental detail is staggering, with hundreds of physics objects, volumetric smoke, and neon signs reflecting in rain-slicked puddles.The implementation of Ray Traced reflections and shadows on PC is considered some of the best in the industry, making the grimy, futuristic city look hyper-realistic.
- labelAccessibility FeaturesThe game offers standard accessibility settings including text scaling, subtitle backgrounds, and UI color adjustments.It also includes highly customizable aim-assist settings, which is incredibly helpful for players using gamepads in a fast-paced twin-stick shooter.Difficulty can be adjusted at any time, allowing players to scale back enemy damage if a particular boss fight proves too punishing.
- labelStory and SettingThe game takes place on the planet Veles, inside a colossal, vertical arcology stretching into the sky. Society is entirely owned and operated by hyper-capitalist mega-corporations, the largest being The Ascent Group.Players take on the role of an 'indents'—workers enslaved by debt who execute the corporation's dirty work.Suddenly, The Ascent Group collapses, its AI systems shut down, and the arcology is plunged into a ruthless power vacuum.The player must navigate the ensuing turf wars between alien crime syndicates and rival corporations rushing in to claim the territory, all while trying to uncover the mystery behind the catastrophic collapse.The narrative highlights themes of corporate greed, transhumanism, and survival in a hostile, indifferent universe.
- labelTop 3 Mounts/CompanionsThere are no traditional mounts or permanent companions, but thematic equivalents exist:looks_one Rank #1
'The Inter
Tier Transit System (Train / Taxi)', the immersive fast-travel network players use to move between the massive levels of the arcology.
looks_two Rank #2Rank #2
are 'Summoned Monobots / Spiderbots', aggressive, temporary robotic companions deployed via cyberware augmentations that independently seek out and explode on enemies.
looks_3 Rank #3Rank #3
'The Cyberdeck', your constant digital companion that acts as a key, a weapon, and an analytical tool throughout the entire journey.