The Ascent (v2022.08.18 & ALL DLC)

Veles is a filthy, vertical cyberpunk metropolis where every corridor hums with machinery, neon advertisements, and the threat of corporate violence. The Ascent casts you as an indentured worker after the megacorporation controlling your district abruptly collapses, leaving gangs, rival factions, and opportunists scrambling for power. What begins as a fight for survival turns into a dense conspiracy spanning slums, industrial warrens, and extravagant upper-city enclaves. The tone is grim and aggressive, but the lavish sci-fi scenery gives the chaos a striking sense of scale.

Combat plays like a twin-stick shooter with RPG customization layered over it: you move through arenas, manually aim weapons, choose targets, and make smart use of cover. A useful vertical aiming system lets you fire over low obstacles or keep your shots low, while destructible objects and explosive hazards make cramped encounters more tactical than simple run-and-gun action. Weapons, armor, cybernetic augmentations, and attribute points gradually define whether your character becomes a tough close-range brawler, a gadget-heavy disruptor, or a precision shooter. The complete campaign supports solo play as well as local and online co-op for up to four players, with shared firefights becoming especially frantic when enemies flood the screen.

Its greatest strength is the city itself: Veles feels like a functioning machine, packed with alien workers, hostile security, shops, side jobs, elevators, and layered streets that sell the fantasy of living beneath an uncaring corporate empire. The isometric perspective recalls Diablo-style action RPGs, but the shooting has more in common with a cover-conscious cyberpunk shooter than a loot-clicker. Character builds offer room to experiment without turning the systems into an impenetrable spreadsheet, and co-op gives repeat runs a more social, chaotic flavor. Fans of Ruiner, Cyberpunk 2077’s visual mood, or fast-paced ARPG combat should find plenty to enjoy, while newcomers can still get comfortable thanks to its straightforward controls and flexible build options.