Microsoft and developer Neon Giant announced the isometric sci-fi ARPG The Ascent during last year’s Summer Game Fest. Now, E3 2021 brings a new trailer and a confirmed release date for the cyberpunk action game.
The Ascent takes place in a dystopian world of megacorps and towering neon-lit skyscrapers. This year’s E3 trailer gives fans another taste of its stylish combat engine, as well as announcing an imminent July 29th release date.
“Team up, tool up, rise up, and fight” is the trailer’s slogan as it shows off the game’s battles and environments. Those eight words may as well be the title’s mission statement. A 40-second-long trailer might not seem like much for an E3 video, but it’s enough for The Ascent’s action and atmosphere to shine through. An isometric twin-stick looter shooter, The Ascent is one of many new ARPGs bringing a bit of old-school flavor to modern PCs and next-generation consoles. Meanwhile, the games’ perpetual rain, blazing neon, and gigantic advertising holograms are instantly evocative of cyberpunk classics like Blade Runner.
The E3 trailer seems determined to show off as much as possible in its short runtime. It showcases player characters shooting, looting, blasting, and dashing their way through various dystopian environments. Viewers catch glimpses of crowded slums, sprawling industrial zones, and futuristic facilities between flashes of gunfire and explosions.
For anyone who missed The Ascent’s announcement and gameplay reveal last year, it takes place in a future dominated by all-powerful megacorps. Until recently, the planet of Veles was controlled by a company called The Ascent Group. With The Ascent Group gone, players must fight their way through a massive arcology skyscraper as Veles becomes a battleground between rival gangs and corporations.
As The Ascent’s E3 trailer shows, action is the priority in this action RPG. However, Neo Giant wants their upcoming game to be more than just lasers and explosions. Creative Director Arcade Berg discussed what makes The Ascent different during an interview in May. Berg talked about how Neon Giant hopes players will explore and immerse themselves in The Ascent’s world and story. It also features a unique upgrade-based progression system when compared to other RPGs and looter shooters.
If nothing else, today’s showing at E3 proves the studio can make an exciting-looking game. Still, it’s too soon to say if The Ascent lives up to Neon Giant’s grand ambitions. Fortunately, The Ascent releases in only a month and a half. Fans don’t have to wait much longer before finding out for themselves.
The Ascent releases July 29th on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.