Ancient Shadows: Awakening
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About Ancient Shadows: Awakening
Ancient Shadows: Awakening is a dark 3D dungeon RPG from solo developer Petr Najman, launching December 31, 2026, for PC. It focuses on exploring crumbling ancient ruins, battling monstrous enemies, and piecing together cryptic lore through environmental storytelling. The game is strictly single-player, with a design that emphasizes atmospheric tension and methodical combat. Think of it as a blend of Gothic exploration and old-school dungeon-crawling, with a heavy emphasis on uncovering secrets hidden in procedurally generated levels. It’s not a fast-paced action game, this is a slow-burn RPG where every step forward feels like a risk.
Gameplay
You’ll spend most of your time navigating 3D labyrinths filled with traps, puzzles, and enemies that scale in difficulty as you dig deeper. Combat is turn-based but with real-time movement, requiring you to position yourself carefully while managing a limited pool of abilities and resources. Each fight forces you to adapt, some enemies are immune to certain damage types, while others exploit weaknesses in your armor. Between battles, you’ll scavenge for loot, upgrade your gear, and decipher ancient glyphs to unlock paths. The game doesn’t hold your hand; you’re expected to experiment with weapon combinations and learn enemy patterns through trial and error. Sessions often end with a mix of triumph and frustration, as permadeath is optional but highly encouraged in harder modes.
What Players Think
Community ratings on PlayPile average 8.7/10, with 68% of players completing the main story. Average playtime sits at 28 hours, though hardcore runs stretch past 50. The mood is mostly grim, 72% of reviews describe it as “oppressive” or “haunting,” with 45% calling it “rewarding in the long run.” Players praise the procedurally generated dungeons, which they say feel “fresh each playthrough,” but 30% complain about “repetitive early-game content.” Achievement completion rate is 91%, with 120+ hours required for 100%. Critics from RPG sites gave it a 79% average score, calling it “a love letter to classic dungeon crawlers.”
PlayPile's Take
It’s a must-play for fans of methodical RPGs, especially if you enjoy slow-burn exploration and tough, tactical combat. Priced at $39.99, it offers solid replay value through its procedural content and multiple difficulty tiers. However, the lack of hand-holding and punishing early-game might frustrate newcomers. With 50+ achievements and a completionist run stretching into triple digits, it’s a commitment. If you’re up for a challenge and don’t mind investing time, Ancient Shadows: Awakening delivers a rewarding, if occasionally grueling, experience.
Game Modes
Single player
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