To Ash

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Decently interesting, not super long but has decent game time and is fun nonetheless. The aspects of the game are very cool and I love it. Somewhat limited though considering its an RPG maker game. 7/10

I'm enjoying the game. However, I would not call it an RPG for beginners and not sure what happened to "two game modes."

Concept sounded interesting but game was too slow to get started, there were too many combat options I didn't know what to do with from the start which feels a bit overwhelming. I just followed the instructions which didn't feel tactical either, not to mention you can still win fights without tactics, I guess you'll pay for it later though. Combat wasn't all that interesting to me, but I'm not a huge fan of this type of combat anyway.

I liked the game a lot, it's a good concept and the ending was interesting as well. I'd pay 5000G for a random encounter repellant though... at least in normal RPGs they help you, here random encounters send you right to the groan zone.

To Ash, developed by 16 Bit Psych and Kyle B and self-published, is an unconventional role-playing game that deliberately subverts the genre’s most familiar progression systems. Instead of charting a hero’s rise to power, the game centers on decline. It follows Demitri, a once-great adventurer who has already completed his legendary quest, and now finds himself facing the inevitable erosion of strength, relevance, and life itself. This reversal of the traditional RPG arc forms the emotional and mechanical foundation of the experience. From the outset, To Ash signals that it is less concerned with empowerment and more focused on reflection. Demitri does not gain levels in the conventional sense; instead, his capabilities gradually diminish as the story advances. This design choice reshapes how players approach combat. Every battle carries weight, not because the hero is on the cusp of unlocking stronger abilities, but because resources and resilience are finite. The absence of traditional power escalation encourages careful planning and strategic thinking, reinforcing the narrative theme that time and vitality are slipping away. Combat unfolds through a turn-based system anchored by a stance mechanic that allows players to shift tactical focus during encounters. Adjusting stances can bolster defense, amplify offense, or provide situational advantages depending on enemy behavior. This layered system ensures that even as Demitri weakens, combat remains engaging and intellectually stimulating. Encounters are not built around spectacle but around deliberate choice, asking players to consider how best to manage limited strength in the face of adversity. The narrative explores themes rarely examined so directly in RPGs. Concepts of aging, loss, grief, and acceptance form the emotional backbone of the story. Rather than presenting a grand quest to defeat a final antagonist, the journey is inward. The environments Demitri travels through often mirror psychological states, subtly reflecting stages of emotional processing. Dialogue is introspective and contemplative, encouraging players to consider mortality not as a distant abstraction but as an integral part of the character’s lived experience. Visually, To Ash embraces a retro-inspired aesthetic reminiscent of classic 16-bit RPGs. Pixel art environments and character sprites evoke nostalgia, but the presentation is grounded in restraint rather than excess. The soundtrack complements the reflective tone with subdued melodies that underscore the emotional weight of the story. The modest scale of the world allows the focus to remain on thematic cohesion rather than expansive exploration. For players more interested in narrative than combat, the inclusion of an adventure mode that minimizes battle elements provides an alternate way to experience the story. This flexibility broadens accessibility without compromising the game’s thematic intentions. Multiple endings tied to player choices further reinforce the sense of agency, offering different forms of resolution depending on how Demitri’s journey unfolds. Ultimately, To Ash distinguishes itself through its willingness to challenge genre expectations. By framing decline as both a narrative device and gameplay mechanic, it delivers a thoughtful meditation on mortality within an interactive medium typically associated with power fantasies. While its scope is modest and its appeal niche, it stands out as a sincere and introspective RPG experience. For players seeking a reflective journey rather than a conventional heroic ascent, it offers a quietly powerful exploration of acceptance and impermanence. Rating: 6/10

Very nice game

[i]To Ash[/i] is, to start, an amazing concept. Starting out as basically Hercules and having to watch yourself level down as you play really turns the standard RPG on its head and makes every enemy encounter that much more tense. The battle system is a bit complicated; it works a lot like the battle system in 16-Bit-Psych’s newer game [i]Stories in Stone[/i] though with more focus on your battle stance. Because I’d played his other game I came into this knowing how the mechanics work, but I think the average player would have to take their time to figure everything out. This isn’t a problem, though, since as I said before you’re so strong that you have time to learn as you play. But then, just as you’re starting to learn the ropes, you get the message that will haunt your entire game for the first time: “Demetri has weakened.” While before you could basically cut through every enemy like butter without even having to think about it, you’re slowly forced to play strategically. It’s really fantastic how the game progresses. All of this ties in amazingly to the plot about death and its inevitability. So not only is it a very novel concept, it is used very well for an actual purpose. This is definitely a game to check out. If you aren’t interested in these retro-style RPG Maker games then maybe it won’t be your thing, but as far as I know there isn’t any other game that brings to the table what this game does. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32769325/]You can find more RPG and Visual Novel reviews like this on the Rainbow Role curator page![/url]

So far so good! Pretty hard overall

No