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Ascendant is a 'neon-drenched PvPvE fever dream' multiplayer shooter, that's like 'capture the flag if it were raised by wolves'

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The plan is to make a game that breaks the mould.

PlayFusion's newest trailer for Ascendant has arrived at the PC Gaming Show 2025, and it gives us a quick look at what we can expect from the chaotic multiplayer shooter—with tanks, weapons, and some funky hairdos all making an appearance.

After waking up from a thousand-year cryo-nap, players will dive straight into what the devs call a "neon-drenched PvPvE fever dream", coming up against ruthless opponents and some killer local wildlife. No one fight will be the same either as maps will change, with toxic storms triggering at random, lethal airstrikes, and beasts the size of buildings making an appearance.

There'll also be events that can trigger mid-fight. Biocores will also be found in different locations, making each run through just that bit harder. The motto through all of this is: "Adapt or die".

There is, of course, more to see in the trailer, not least "firefights that go from surgical to explosive in seconds". There's also a very quick look at the game's modular weapon crafting system, which lets every player build their own "Franken-guns" with over 3 million possible combinations. "Want a poison-spitting SMG or a sniper that shoots explosives?" the devs ask. "Cool. Build it. Just don’t cry when someone shows up with something worse."

But it's not all hectic. There'll also be a social hub which allows players to flex in the lobby, squash beef in the Thunderdome, or just sit back and chill before diving back into the mess: "Leaderboards, loadouts, and locker-room trash talk included."

From what we've seen so far, Ascendant looks like it'll be a neon headache, but a very fun one at that. PvPvE shooters thrive under chaos, and while it may be hard to imagine, they can also provide some of the best, most hilarious moments and I can't wait.

If you feel the same you can wishlist Ascendant on Steam right now.

Check out every game, trailer, and announcement in the PC Gaming Show 2025

Elie Gould
Elie Gould
News Writer

Elie is a news writer with an unhealthy love of horror games—even though their greatest fear is being chased. When they're not screaming or hiding, there's a good chance you'll find them testing their metal in metroidvanias or just iring their Pokemon TCG collection. Elie has previously worked at TechRadar Gaming as a staff writer and studied at JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs about Smash Bros. or any indie game that crossed their path.

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