The Ascent, the cyberpunk action-RPG from indie studio Neon Giant, released last week. The game is played from a top-down perspective, with players unlocking new weapons, cyberware, and skills as they attempt to survive in the world of Veles. The Ascent leans heavily into its cyberpunk theme, with plenty of neon, technobabble, and augmentations.
The Ascent's campaign takes 9-14 hours to beat, but completionist players can expect to be playing for 15-22. This is due to the 24 optional side missions that are available for players to complete. Although they're not as long as the 12 main missions, they give a chance to further explore the world of Veles. To make sure players get them all, here's a complete list of every main and side mission in The Ascent.
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The 12 main missions of The Ascent's campaign take place in four distinct regions of the Veles Arcology. Each of these has a different theme, rising from the lowest of society to the highest. Like all of the missions, main missions in The Ascent can be played solo or in co-op groups of up to 4. Main missions normally lead into each other through events, but are occasionally given by NPCs.
deepStink – The lowest of the low, deepStink is where all the filth of Veles flows.
- Arcology Blues
The Warrens – Only a small step up from deepStink, the badly-maintained habitats of the Warrens are fraught with violence and crime.
- Mutual Dependencies
- Trading Places
- Empowerment
- Data Miner
highStreet – The highStreet region represents the middle-ground of Veles, stuck between the desperate people of the Warrens and the privileged few from the Pinnacle.
- Foreign Code
- Trace Protocol
The Pinnacle – The summit of Veles, and home to the elite of The Ascent's world.
- Syntax Error
- Recompile
- Board Meeting
- Root Access
- Unhandled Exception
The 24 side missions in The Ascent are also scattered across the game's map. While there are no side missions in deepStink or the Pinnacle, there are a few in Stimtown, which features in the main mission Trace Protocol. Side missions are acquired by speaking to NPCs and accepting the jobs they offer. These missions have no direct influence on the main campaign, but will allow players to expand their skills in The Ascent.
The Warrens
- Anabolic Express
- Balls Deep
- Bubble Trouble
- Double Charge
- Gear Up!
- Humidity Doctor
- Silicon Optics
- One More Rep
highStreet
- Lost and Found
- The Dark Horse
- Exotic Dinner
- Prison Break
- Wash-N'-Go
- Casino Courier
- Gen 9 H20
- You Snooze You Lose
Stimtown – A side-district of the Warrens dedicated to entertainment in any form.
- Plug & Play
- The Recipe
- The Champ
- That Guy
The Ascent is available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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