When every second counts, having the ability to rewind time sounds like a pretty useful advantage. That’s exactly the hook behind Ascend to ZERO, a stylish action roguelike that has today arrived on Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support. Better still, it’s available from day one through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, giving subscribers another fresh adventure to dive into.
Blending frantic combat, evolving builds and a story built around time travel, Flyway Games’ latest release looks to put a fresh spin on the increasingly popular roguelike genre.
At a Glance
- Game: Ascend to ZERO
- Developer: Flyway Games
- Publisher: Flyway Games
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Play Anywhere
- Game Pass: Day One – Ultimate and PC tiers
- Price: £10.99 (included with Game Pass)
- Genre: Action Roguelike
A Fight Across Time to Save Humanity
The world of Ascend to ZERO is already lost when your journey begins.
Set in the 22nd century, humanity’s ambitious experiments with time travel backfire spectacularly when a portal to the future unleashes an army of mechanical invaders. Civilization collapses, leaving only one hope – the Chrono Child, a mysterious figure capable of travelling through time itself.
Things don’t exactly go to plan. Forced into a desperate escape, she awakens alone in a ruined future with little memory of who she is or what happened. From there, the mission becomes clear: travel back through fractured timelines, grow stronger with every attempt, and stop history repeating itself.
Every Run Changes the Battle
Like any good roguelike, success isn’t just about quick reactions. It’s about adapting.
Each expedition allows players to experiment with different avatars, discover powerful weapons and combine items into increasingly destructive builds. As you progress, your abilities evolve, encouraging experimentation and rewarding players who find clever synergies between equipment and upgrades.
The standout though? That will be the game’s focus on time manipulation. Rather than simply throwing endless enemies at you, Ascend to ZERO builds much of its identity around controlling the flow of combat, adding another layer of strategy to every encounter.
Jump In Through Game Pass
The arrival of Ascend to ZERO as a day one Game Pass title makes it particularly easy to recommend for subscribers. Roguelikes have become one of the service’s strongest genres over the years, and this latest addition brings another distinctive take on the familiar “one more run” formula.
Those buying outright can pick it up for £10.99, while players looking to support the developers further can also grab two optional DLC packs.
The Original Soundtrack (£4.99) brings together the game’s music outside of the main adventure, while the Supporter Pack (£4.99) unlocks a collection of gold cosmetic skins for all six playable avatars. The developer stresses these are purely cosmetic additions, designed as an optional way to support ongoing development.
Another Promising Addition to the Roguelike Line-up
With fast-paced combat, evolving character builds and an intriguing time-travel premise, Ascend to ZERO arrives with plenty of ingredients that should appeal to fans of modern action roguelikes.
Whether you’re jumping in through Game Pass Ultimate, playing on PC, or picking it up outright for £10.99, it’s a journey through time that looks set to reward players willing to keep learning from every defeat. Make your way to the Xbox Store right now. It’s on Steam too.
