iOS Review: Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer

Continuing our coverage of all things Ascension, Gary Games and Incinerator Studios have released their digital take on the board game to the iOS marketplace.  Let's take a look at the features of the game:

- Universal App
- Full asynchronous support for multiplayer online games
- Play against multiple AI opponents using varied strategies
- Enhanced visual optimization for iPhone 4 and iPad using high resolution graphics designed for the retina display

First off, game designers, this is how you do it.  You make your game work on everything as a universal app.  My wife and I both own iPhone 3gs models, and we have an iPad 2 and nothing is more annoying than looking over apps and having two different versions available.  Hats off to Incinerator Studios. For purposes of this review, all screen shots taken will be from the iPad 2.

Though I'm sure I don't have to mention that

For those who are unfamiliar with the premise to the game, Ascension is what's known as a deck building game.  All players start with the same cards, and through use of strategy and a bit of luck, you determine what cards you will be adding to your deck based on what 5 cards you draw each round.  Cards you acquire are placed in your discard pile, and when your deck is empty, you shuffle them into a new deck.  Ascension is different from other deck building games in that the cards available to add to your deck change.  Cards that are available to your opponents may not be available to you, so it's important to keep an eye on what's going on.  For more information, take a look at our previous review of the board game.

The big question that everybody is asking is "Does the game translate to the iOS well?"  Yes, yes, and triple yes.  Incinerator Studios did a fantastic job of capturing the game play as well as the interactions between the cards.  Cards do what you expect them to do, and the game helps guide you by telling you what cards can be acquired based off of current power and rune levels.  It also makes sure there's little room for error by checking if any additional moves can be made and warning you before ending your turn if there are.

Art is faithfully depicted and cards can be zoomed in on to get a better look

At launch, you can play against up to 3 AI opponents which come in two difficulty levels, with the promise of a third level that will be patched in at a later date.  The easy opponents will help beginners learn how to play, and the medium level will provide enough challenge to hold you over until the hard difficulty is available.  Each AI can be set individually, so if you only want one opponent to be easy while the other two to be medium, that's not a problem.

But board games like this aren't all about fighting AI opponents!  Ascension includes pass and play for up to four local players (or any combination of AI) and Game Center support to link up with other players online.  You can either start your own game or join somebody else's, once the room is filled the creator okays the group and play begins. 

Once the game has begun, players can hop in and out as they have time available.  When it's your turn, you'll receive a push notification letting you know, or if you're currently in the game, you'll see a small spinning rune in the corner to let you know that one of your games in progress wants your attention.  It's worth noting here that you can actually juggle several local play and online games at the same time, so the only time you'll have downtime is if you want to.  If you are in the game at the same time as an opponent, the game flows in real time as you see your opponent's moves and what cards they are acquiring.

The game includes a card gallery for new comers to see what's available to them

With online play and Game Center support, Ascension needs a few more tweaks to it still.  There's no way to chat with other players, no Game Center Achievements, and no score tracking.  Hopefully future patches will include these options, as they would take an an incredible translation of the game to new heights.

I know I'm gushing a bit here, but Incinerator Studios has shown how a board game on mobile devices should be done.  Universal support, local play, online play, and a full translation of the original game make this app a must own for board gamers.  I can't wait to see what else they've got in store for us, and I'll gladly be handing more money over to them when the expansion comes out later this year.

We have two more articles coming up for Ascension, Part 2 of our review of the expansion when combined with the base set, and one more that we're keeping quiet on for just a bit longer.  Keep checking back, and Happy Gaming!