It’s not often a campaign launches that just has so much going for it that it’s difficult to pin down what makes it so special. And yet, developer AurumDust’s gorgeous turn-based narrative-driven RPG, Ash of Gods has managed to do just that.
The project is seeking $75,000 on Kickstarter. This represents roughly 25% of the game’s total budget. The remaining 75% is being funded by the team themselves. The desire to see the project through to completion with all of its planned features intact is what brought the devs to Kickstarter.
“Right now we’re at a crossroads where we need to decide: do we go all out and include everything, or do we cut out the parts for which we don’t have enough money?” Currently, they are hoping to get enough backers to keep their full vision for the game alive.
Animate Me Like One of Your Nordic Girls
Perhaps the most noticeably striking aspect of the project is its hand-drawn art style. Much like Stoic’s The Banner Saga, Ash of Gods utilizes 2D realistic animation. AurumDust felt this was the perfect style to fit with the story they wanted to tell. They have also incorporated visual novel style choice mechanics and a robust, tactical combat system. All these elements work together to create a captivating rogue-like experience.
In the story, the world of Terminum has known seven hundred years of peace. As the Feast of the Spring Equinox gets underway that peace abruptly comes to an end. As one of 3 planned protagonists, players must carefully weigh every choice and decision they make. A single mistake could spell the death for any one of the characters, even the main hero.
The Show Must Go On
Of course, even in death the world continues onward. Losing a main character doesn’t mean the game is over. There are 7 different endings for players to unlock through measured dialogue and non-linear storytelling.
Combat combines traditional turn-based strategy with special card effects that can dramatically alter the outcome of battle. Players also have the option of sacrificing their own health points to deliver more damaging attacks. These options are mixed with an adaptive AI, as well as both PVE and PVP multiplayer modes, to give players a chance to really demonstrate their skill in battle.
Really, whether you’re looking for a good rogue-like, story-driven narrative, or a more challenging turn-based strategy game, Ash of Gods ticks all the right boxes to be a hit. Despite this the campaign has been sluggish. I suspect many backers have overlooked this gem due to it’s striking resemblance to Stoic’s work and it’s somewhat generic sounding name. Hopefully, AurumDust can convince more gamers to take a deeper look and see all that Ash of Gods has to offer.
