Alright, let’s talk about this “Ascent Crossplay,” whatever that fancy word means. I heard the young’uns yappin’ about it, so I figured I’d poke around and see what the fuss is all about.

What’s this “Ascent” thing anyway?

Well, from what I gather, it’s some kinda shootin’ game, like them arcade games they got down at the bowling alley, only fancier. They say it’s got them “cyberpunk” whatchamacallits, ya know, with all the shiny lights and robots and such. Sounds like a whole lotta noise to me, but the kids seem to like it. They say the picture is real purdy and the bang-bang is excitin’. And there’s music too, but I bet it ain’t as good as Hank Williams.

• It’s got shootin’
• It’s got shiny lights and robots
• It’s got purdy pictures

Now, this “Ascent” game, it’s about some big company fallin’ apart. Like when old man Johnson’s grocery store went belly up, only with more explosions and lasers, I reckon. They call it a “mega-corporation,” which just sounds like a big ol’ word for a big ol’ mess to me.

So, what about this “crossplay” thingamajig?

Here’s where it gets a bit tricky. Seems like “crossplay” means playin’ together with folks on different gizmos. Ya know, like Billy playin’ on his Xbox and Susie playin’ on her computer thingy. They can play together in this “Ascent” game, shootin’ robots and whatnot, even though they ain’t using the same machine.

But, and there’s always a “but,” ain’t it? This crossplay ain’t for everyone. It’s mostly for them Xbox fellas, the ones with the Series X and Series S. And if you got that computer thingy, you gotta go through that Xbox app, whatever that is. Sounds complicated if you ask me.

So who can play with who?

• Xbox One folks can play with Xbox Series X/S folks.
• Xbox Series X/S folks can play with computer folks (if they use that Xbox app).
• But if you got somethin’ else, like that PlayStation doohickey, well, you’re outta luck. You gotta play with your own kind, I guess. Like how the Methodists go to their church and the Baptists go to theirs. Can’t mix oil and water, they say.

Now, they tell me this game, this “Ascent,” takes a good long while to finish. Someone said it takes about 12 hours just to do the main stuff. And if you’re one of them completionists, the ones who gotta find every little thing and do every little chore, well, you could be at it for 26 hours or more. That’s a whole lotta shootin’, if you ask me. I’d get a crick in my neck after that long.

Can you play with your friends sittin’ next to you?

Yep, you can. They call it “local co-op.” Like when me and Ethel used to play cards at the kitchen table, only with more robots and less gin rummy. And you can play with folks far away too, “online co-op” they call it. That’s like when you call your sister on the phone, only you’re shootin’ robots together instead of gossiping about the neighbors.

What about them fancy graphics and such?

I heard some folks complainin’ that the game didn’t look so good on their computer at first. Somethin’ about “broken ray tracing” and missin’ “DLSS support.” Sounds like a bunch of gibberish to me. Like when the TV goes all fuzzy and you gotta whack it on the side to get it workin’ again. Hopefully they fixed it, so folks can enjoy them purdy pictures without the fuzz.

So, what’s the bottom line?

Well, this “Ascent” game seems like a whole lotta shootin’ and explodin’. If you like that sort of thing, and you got the right gizmo, and you got some friends (or don’t mind playin’ with strangers), then you might have a good time. Just don’t expect me to understand all them fancy words and technical mumbo-jumbo. I’m just tryin’ to make sense of it all, like tryin’ to untangle a ball of yarn after the cat got ahold of it. And remember, it ain’t crossplay for everyone, just those lucky Xbox folks and the ones with that computer app.

Can you survive playin’ it? I dunno. Can you survive without it? That’s the real question, ain’t it?

Tags: Ascent, Crossplay, Xbox, PC, Co-op, Shooter, Action RPG, Gaming