Bringing a live-service FPS game to a crowded market is a very daunting task, but it's something that PlayFusion is keen to prove it can do. Showcasing an '80s inspired design in a post-apocalyptic, yet colourful world, Ascendant Infinity aims to add some exciting and unique features to the genre, but will it be enough?
For starters, Ascendant Infinity takes four teams of three as you fight other players in an attempt to capture up to three Biocores - precious resources that are created by a powerful and life-bringing trees. You can capture one Biocore to have your squad count as "winners", or you can attempt to go for the hat trick and nab all three in a match. Of course, the less Biocores up for extraction, the more difficult the odds become.
Much like a battle royale game, squads start with little but a basic shield, three lives, and a regular ol' gun. However, Ascendant Infinity offers a great variety of ways to attack the main objective. For example, you could potentially kill some hostile creatures around the map in order to gain Power, Ascendant's temporary in-game resources that reset each match, or you could rush for one of the Biocores ASAP. It's up to you and your squad.
This is where Ascendant Infinity truly shines in its own unique way. Unlike other games where you have to needlessly collect resources by yourself to unlock better gear, if you can safely put your earned Power into a Shop, the resource is universal for your Squad. For example, if you manage to collect 400 Power across your team, you'll have 400 Power each to spend. There's a variety of shops across the map, with different gear each match to stock up on.
I really, really, like this design for the shop. It makes it feel less tedious to stock up on resources per match, and the added benefit that your purchased gear stays with you after death makes late-game battles even more exciting. Any gear you find randomly in the map won't stay with you if you lose a life, but the various methods of winning Ascendant Infinity's matches kept things fun and refreshing during my hands-on session.
Keeping things refreshing for each match you play is the 'Procedurally Unlocking' system in the game. The map stays the same, rewarding competitive map knowledge for those who want to be the best of the best, but the way the map unlocks each game is different. Ascendant Infinity also has a variety of random events that happen in the map, giving players the opportunity for some in-match rewards that may help you win, such as shortened extraction times or additional Power.
When it comes to the general gameplay, it's hard not to compare Ascendant Infinity to the likes of Apex Legends. The gunplay feels remarkably similar, and any Apex veterans will feel at home with PlayFusion's latest game. There's a small pool of weapons, with different rarities that can get progressively harder to find, but all of them have unique functions. One of my favourites was the Beam Glove, a hybrid support/attack weapon that requires no aiming, but locks on to enemies and allies alike to provide damage or healing respectively.
In fact, the overall gameplay and objectives was eerily similar to the now-cancelled Hyenas game from Creative Assembly, which I really enjoyed during the Closed Alpha and Beta tests. I still feel like SEGA cancelling the project was a huge mistake, and while Ascendant Infinity is slightly different, I'm hoping it can fill the Hyenas-shaped hole in my heart.
There's even a great social and persistent lobby for players to interact with before and after each match. Unlike a Call of Duty-style lobby UI that lets you switch your guns or invite friends, Ascendant Infinity's physical lobby space lets you interact with other players or even play mini-games like Hide and Seek.
The lobby is also where you can customise your main gun. Unfortunately, your custom gun won't appear alongside you when you join a match, but it can be bought with the aforementioned Power that you acquire in each game. I didn't get the chance to make my own custom gun during my hands-on session with Ascendant Infinity, but it sounds like the price for it will vary depending on how powerful or weak you make it, so it's up to you whether you want to have a powerful late-match weapon, or something that's reliable early on.
However, I can't say I'm not somewhat worried about the game's impact. Ascendant Infinity is set to launch in a few months on PC, with the game having console releases sometime later during Early Access. Unfortunately, the game is launching as a premium title, and while the price doesn't seem to have been decided yet, I can't help but feel like it could be a risky gamble. I'm hoping it sees success, but with a wave of fairly similar FPS games that are free-to-play, it may cause PlayFusion some trouble with gaining and retaining players.
I am still very excited to see what Ascendant Infinity looks like when it finally releases. If you want to test the game out, you're able to sign up for Closed Beta tests on the Ascendant website.