3/5 ★ – DanteSnowcone's review of Remnant: From the Ashes.

Whoa … it’s over. I think the “Dark Souls with guns” comparison isn’t doing this game any favors. It’s a good game, but the things it does similarly to Dark Souls aren’t that great, and the things that make it unique are worth focusing on more. The gunplay and the co-op aspects of Remnant are great. Joining a session is simple and seamless, and facing a horde of enemies with a team makes you feel like a badass, even when playing with randos. I did play big chunks of this solo, which is alright, but you have to take things much slower. The whole campaign can be raced through when you’re with people who are even a little competent, so that’s definitely the best way to experience this. The boss fights are a mixed bag. Some are way too easy, some are extremely difficult, and others are simultaneously very hard when playing solo but trivial when done with a partner. Very few bosses exist in that sweet spot, but there is decent variety in how the fights play out. This is one of the ways in which the Dark Souls comparison hurts the game’s image; sure, there’s a guy with a big red health bar every 30 minutes, but they were designed specifically with team play in mind, whereas a souls boss is typically a 1v1 experience. There are some similar approaches to bosses, but the game is mostly trying its own things — results vary. The maps all function pretty much the same with new coats of paint, but it’s at least nice to look at. There are a couple shortcut doors that you can unlock, but they’re kind of pointless when the game is almost entirely linear. There’s a mix of direct exposition and lore-based approach in the story, but I don’t think they nailed either because it’s all unmemorable. This is a fun campaign as long as you don’t care about having a strong narrative experience. Get a friend or two for the best experience, admire the scenery, and have fun blasting baddies. Time played: 10 hours Played on Steam Deck