Ashen's wonky multiplayer has been un-wonked
Bash 'em together
If you've been struggling to hook up with ghost pals in newfangled Soulsian RPG Ashen, you should give your dating profile an overhaul. If you've just been trying to play the videogame with them, then good news! Developers Aurora44 have fixed an issue preventing some players from accessing multiplayer, leaving them stuck with AI companions rather than a humans. That's good, because co-op in the Dark Souls vein (where a silent stranger appears and you occasionally bow at each other) is one of Ashen's key selling points.
All the other selling points also involve being a lot like Dark Souls, which is either FINE or AWFUL depending on which member of the RPS treehouse gives you the scariest look.
Connectivity issues were still plaguing some players four days after the game came out, but everything should be dandy now. "Ashen multiplayer is now fully functional on PC", goes this celebratory tweet from the devs. It also links to an explanation of how the multiplayer works, and how you can play with a specific friend.
How is Ashen itself? Three brave souls at RPS have been poking around its crypts and buttresses, and I'm looking at a treehouse divided.
John, renowned wimp, is not a fan: "It was just so boringly hard. I don't get the entertainment of having a lumberingly slow character who's no good at hitting things, being asked to hit millions of fast, capable enemies."
"I liked being a lady with a pirate moustache but disliked the idiots I kept getting matched with", contributed Alice Bee. "GO BACK TO PLAYING JOURNEY YOU SILLY SAUSAGES", was Brendy's rebuttal.
My thoughts on the game are limited by not having played it, BUT:
I was sold when I saw the roll at 0:46. I want that. I want to be doing that.
Ashen is available on the Epic Games Store for £36/$40/€40.
Brendy has since apologised, and the treehouse has returned to its natural state as a bastion of harmony.