Ascend to ZERO was a dream roguelike game for me, with a very interesting time-freezing premise and an intense gameplay that only got better as I unlocked new stuff. It still retains the roguelike loop, which might deter some people from playing. But if you like the idea of getting as far as possible, then dying and doing new runs after improving a bit and unlocking new skills, then this is certainly a game for you. There are lots of opportunities to experiment with builds, and the characters you unlock offer a lot of varied abilities to keep things interesting. The electronic music offers a great framework for each level, and every run felt great for me. Maybe the beginning fell a bit flat because it takes a bit to understand everything. However, once you get into the groove, it becomes an exceptional game with outstanding replay value.

Ascend to ZERO is a fantastic roguelike, one that combines its unique time-trial mechanics with a quick, dirty, and clever adaptation of survivorslike combat and satisfyingly intense level scaling. The game looks and plays great, but some poor localization and the grindy nature of its difficulty curve might prevent some players from fully appreciating it.

It’s a roguelike, but it’s a roguelike that gives you the perfect sort of bite-sized progress and even runs without your favorite options feel quick enough that you don’t resent missing out on your favorite options. If you want a chance to duck in, smash some monsters, and jump out, I think this is going to quickly become a staple. It’s god a fun energy to it, and I’m glad to say that it makes good on what it offers.