This game be like:
Diablo had a three-way with Cyberpunk and Call of duty...
Diablo, probably Lilith, then births The Ascent...
:)
No, seriously, this game is legit good and worth every penny of their reduced price point...$30
The fact they turned a 50k budget into this masterpiece is a true testament to indie game developers and what some people can do if they are happy and love what they are making... this truly feels like a labor of love.
The developer didn't waste resources on clunky animations that furthered the story, instead they focused on making the game mechanics and visuals just breathtakingly beautiful and fluid.
Even as I say that I don't believe those decisions took much away from the story, I still felt just as connected to this story as any others that do a "better" job with dialog cut scenes.
The Map:
While you don't get the beautiful 3D chess animated maps like you get in Returnal, you still get an ultimately functional map with a slightly higher learning curve than your traditional titles.
Look, if the mission or set point is not where you are standing, try going up or down... its pretty simple once you realize the 3D nature of the city design. 2 hours of gameplay and it works just good enough.
lol people rating games who can't read maps make me laugh...