Ashfall

Ashfall is a Fallout-inspired survival MMORPG shooter developed by Legendary Star Studio. It was released by NetEase Games, a Chinese company known for such titles as Naraka: Bladepoint, Dead by Daylight Mobile or LifeAfter. The game is distributed in a free-to-play model. It can be purchased for both personal computers and iOS or Android mobile devices.

Plot

The action of the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, ruined by a nuclear war unleashed by AI. The artificial intelligence attack caused chaos and havoc, leaving only the ruins of a former civilization. The protagonist you control leaves the Vault and goes in search of a legendary key, known as the Core of Creation, with whose help you will be able to save and rebuild the world.

Game mechanics

The main idea of the gameplay is to explore the vast, open world and fight against the enemies encountered along the way - mutants, humans or dangerous remnants of the AI. We observe the surroundings from a third-person perspective (TPP), and we can customize the appearance of our avatar in character creation mode.

The war led not only to destruction, but also incited the surviving communities against each other, which split into different factions as a result of constant conflicts. The main character must constantly be on guard, as you never know who in this world will turn out to be an enemy and who will turn out to be an ally. In addition, among the ruins lurk packs of mutated creatures and murderous machines, ready at any time to launch an attack on the unwary wanderer.

In this game, therefore, combat is unavoidable. Players have at their disposal an extensive arsenal of futuristic firearms and additional equipment (as the story progresses and they take on various challenges, moreover, they acquire more powerful equipment). Instead of fighting opponents in the open field, it's a good idea to take advantage of the various shields and unique characteristics of the environment. Good tactics are the key to success, especially when our way is threatened by one of the bosses - a giant beast or an opponent matching the hero's strength and skills.

During his expedition, the protagonist takes part in various missions and meets colorful NPCs who inhabit the various locations. The terrains he travels through are often unfavorable to him, and the changing weather conditions make the gameplay even more difficult. However, the effort is rewarded by valuable items acquired along the way and information he acquires about the society living in the land before the war.

Game modes

The title can be played both solo and in a larger group, in PvP or online co-op mode. Team play, by the way, turns out to be advantageous, especially when the hero comes to face one of the more powerful opponents.

Technical aspects

Ashfall features polished, three-dimensional graphics, and the terrains it depicts - barren deserts, abandoned cities or survivor settlements - combine elements of Eastern culture and a post-apocalyptic vision of the world. Soundtrack for the game was composed by such well-known creators as Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, Hollywood music producer Steve Mazzaro and Inon Zur - music producer responsible for the soundtracks to the various parts of the Fallout series, among others.

Other information

NetEase and Legendary Star Studio announced their work on Ashfall on September 17, 2022 at the Tokyo Game Show. The game caused a stir, as it was not the only production with such a title.

Ashfall from Liithos - a studio founded by veterans of such games as The Last of Us, Uncharted and Days Gone - was announced in June of the same year. According to Liithos founder and CEO Michael Mumbauer, their production was presented to NetEase in early 2022. NetEase declined to cooperate, but the name appealed enough to the publishers that it was used for another project. Both Ashfall games represent genre of MMORPG shooters, played in a post-apocalyptic world, which can hardly be considered a total coincidence.