BrokenLore: Ascend
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About BrokenLore: Ascend
BrokenLore: Ascend is a first-person psychological horror game developed by Serafini Productions. Released on December 31, 2026, it blends climbing mechanics with stealth as players control Ren and Yui, two climbers trapped in a cursed tower. The game’s focus is on figuring out a shared mystery while battling the Rokurokubi, a grotesque creature that preys on their mental stability. Set across PC, Xbox Series, and PS5, it’s a single-player narrative-driven experience. The tower’s shifting layouts and hallucination-fueled environments push players to question reality. It’s a lean, tense package for fans of slow-burn horror and environmental storytelling.
Gameplay
The core loop revolves around navigating the tower’s verticality. Players alternate between Ren and Yui, each with distinct movement styles, Ren favors brute strength for climbing, while Yui uses stealth to avoid detection. The Rokurokubi stalks them, forcing quick thinking: hide behind ledges, time jumps, or use the environment to create barriers. As the tower warps, paths collapse or reappear, demanding constant recalibration. A sanity meter affects vision and audio cues, blurring lines between threat and illusion. Sessions feel fragmented, with 30, 60 minute stretches of tense exploration punctuated by sudden chase sequences. Controls are tight but demand precision, especially during stealth sections.
What Players Think
Community stats show an 88% critic score but mixed player reactions. Average completion time is 11.5 hours, with 43% of players finishing. Community moods are split: 62% describe the experience as “unhinged,” 28% as “claustrophobic,” and 10% as “disjointed.” Playtime peaks at 15, 20 hours for those who quit, suggesting pacing issues. One player wrote, “The tower feels alive but the story doesn’t earn its twists.” Another praised the “nauseating tension of climbing while hearing that neck-stretching sound.” Achievements (45 total) lean toward exploration, with 72% unlocked by players hitting 10 hours.
PlayPile's Take
BrokenLore: Ascend is $39.99 and worth the price if you crave experimental horror. The climbing and stealth mechanics are sharp but limited by a linear, 10-hour campaign. Achievements add replay value, but 57% of players abandon it before halfway. It’s best for those who enjoy atmospheric dread over traditional gameplay depth. Skip if you want polished systems or rewatchable narratives. The tower’s madness is palpable, but the game itself feels like a prototype stretched thin.
Game Modes
Single player
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