Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
In Ascended, players take on the role of a magic-sensitive creature that awakens alone in the middle of a medieval-like, dark and icy landscape, completely oblivious to where or what it is.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Deck / Bag Building
Add new pieces during play to improve the cards, tokens, or dice drawn later.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Hand Management
Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Modular Board
Build the play area from interchangeable sections that vary between games.
Read the full game description
In Ascended, players take on the role of a magic-sensitive creature that awakens alone in the middle of a medieval-like, dark and icy landscape, completely oblivious to where or what it is. Players will make their way through this wild and dangerous setting, fighting for self-awareness and searching for the ultimate reward - ascension. Ascended is a game that combines elements of Strategy, Exploration, Fantasy and RPG. It features several ingenious game mechanics ranging from changing game cycles (Daylight and Darkness) and terrain to unique map building, card drafting and combat systems, all framed within a dark and unexpected plot that unveils as the game progresses. The path to ascension is filled with adventure. Players will start isolated, unaware of each other's locations and identities. Based on a limited number of possible decisions, they will be able to explore random unknown territory, influence map building and positioning, raid ancient sites for precious artifacts, deal with local superstition, master god-like mutations, recruit brave companions and fight notorious Villains. Inevitably, they will also directly confront each other in epic Close Combat.