Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played. But even though Warhorse was a huge hit, the game has been zoomed in since its release, with about 10 months between launch and the third and final DLC, Mysteria Ecclesiae. It’s been confirmed that KCD2 no longer exists and that’s sad, but here’s a project that might help ease your pain a little. A new medieval RPG with a third-person perspective of ash and steel Despite the size of our development team, we are very ambitious. After a short delay, the game has finally been released on Steam.
Inspired by classic role-playing games from the early 2000s, Of Ash and Steel doesn’t feel like it’s from its era, but don’t expect flashy triple-A visuals. There’s a level of jank to the game that makes it feel quite old, and the first thing you’ll notice is the slightly ropey facial animations and lip syncing. But underneath, it has decent RPG systems and gameplay that I think will appease those who love a good medieval adventure. It was also one of the most played demos during October’s Steam Next Fest, with over 200,000 wishlists according to developer Fire and Frost, so don’t be immediately deterred by the lack of polished visuals.
The main story alone is said to take 45 hours, and on top of that you’ll be poring over the usual array of side quests and lore entries. You play as Tristan, a cartographer by trade, but now you need to step up. Similar to KCD, medieval combat is heavy and realistic, with three different stances to learn and a myriad of weapons and skills to consider as well.
The sense of realism continues in the exploration department. Fire and Frost prides itself on not displaying quest markers on the HUD. So you’ll have to rely on your navigation skills and intuition to navigate and stay on track with your adventure. The game takes place across seven islands instead of one continuous open landmass. Even if you get completely lost, things might be a little easier since you won’t have to go far from the coastline to change directions.
In addition to completing quests and defeating enemies, some side activities such as fishing, hunting, and alchemy also consume time, but can be useful on your journey across the island. For those who liked Kingdom Come Deliverance 2’s Legacy of the Forge DLC, Of Ash and Steel also features a blacksmith, which you can use to craft your own “unique” sword.
Considering this was made by a small indie studio, it’s packed with just about everything you’d expect from a large medieval RPG. As I mentioned earlier, from what I’ve seen in the demo and early reviews, there are some glitches in the visuals and audio, but I hope there’s some fun to be found within.
We previously had a date set for early November, but some serious bugs were discovered at the last minute, which pushed things back a bit, but now it’s finally coming out. Of Ash and Steel is currently live on Steam, and a demo is still available if you want to try it before you buy. If you want to join right away, it will cost you $29.99 / £24.99.
