It's been almost two weeks since the launch of The Ascent, the co-op action RPG from indie studio Neon Giant. The game has received warm reviews, and a lot of interest from fans of both the action-RPG and cyberpunk genres. The Ascent is set on the dystopian cyberpunk world of Veles, an endless cityscape divided into towering Arcologies.
As one of the biggest cyberpunk titles of the last few months, comparisons have inevitably been drawn between The Ascent and CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077. Both RPGs have a lot of the classic cyberpunk tropes, including neon-washed streets, cybernetic augmentation, and lawlessness. However, the world of The Ascent and the world of Cyberpunk 2077 couldn't be more different.
Night City and the Ascent Group Arcology
Cyberpunk 2077 is set in Night City in the year 2077. Night City is an autonomous "free city" on the Pacific coast of North America in central California. In Cyberpunk 2077 planet Earth has been divided by climate and resource wars, and Night City is considered one of the most modern metropolises on the planet. Despite this, it's a dangerous place to live, overrun with lawlessness, gangs, corruption, and amoral mega-corporations.
The Ascent Group Arcology in The Ascent shares a lot of these traits, many of which are very common in the cyberpunk genre. The Arcology is one of many skyscraper mega-cities spread across the surface of Veles, the planet that The Ascent is set on. Compared to Cyberpunk 2077, The Ascent takes place in more of a traditional sci-fi setting. The world of Veles is inhabited by not just humans, but all kinds of alien species from across the galaxy. This turns the cyberpunk weirdness up to eleven, as alien physiology mixes with drugs and cybernetics, creating some truly bizarre creations.
The Culture of Cyberpunk 2077 and the Ascent
Because of its setting in the near-future of planet Earth, there's a lot to the world of Cyberpunk 2077 that's familiar. While Night City is undeniably a cyberpunk location, it's grounded by the aspects of its society that are still familiar to us. Most notably, there are a few strong cultural influences on Night City that are instantly recognizable to players. The Arasaka Corporation and its blending of traditional Japanese business practices with ultra-modern technology for example. Even the 6th Street gang, formed by the veterans of the 4th Corporate War, has recognizable roots in American patriotism and gun culture.
By comparison, the culture of The Ascent is much more alien to its players. Veles is an intergalactic melting pot, and the combination of species, customs, and technology makes for a much more chaotic world. Players will come to identify several different alien cultures over the course of The Ascent's campaign, mostly while shooting at them. However, unlike the mingling alien cultures in a sci-fi title like Mass Effect, the various species in The Ascent are all linked by their cyberpunk setting. Cybernetic augmentation is a huge part of the world of Veles, and some citizens are so heavily augmented that their original species hardly matters anymore.
Overall, The Ascent presents a more sci-fi, alien approach to the cyberpunk genre. By comparison, the relatively simple augments and real-world influence of Cyberpunk 2077 seem almost grounded in the reality folks know today.
The Ascent is now available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.