This FREE Retro FPS Puts AAA games to Shame!

Spoiler free review of Ashes 2063 and Ashes 2063 Afterglow (the sequel)
This Should Not Be FREE But It Is! - Ashes 2063 & Afterglow Review
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#retroshooter #gzdoom #ashes2063 #review
00:00 Introduction
00:34 Story
01:42 Basics of the story
02:41 Gameplay
07:25 Graphics
08:10 Audio
09:29 Afterglow
10:04 Conclusion

[@ZlimBratSki]

Thanks for checking out my review on Ashes! If your interested in playing it yourself the download link is in the Discord linked in the description with a small tutorial :)

[@RR-rn8ds]

Yo im in the last lvl of afterglow all my weapons are full modded ! pure fun but its almost the end sniiiif ! BUT i heard vostyok the main DEV is actually working on a next episode who should be a prequel ! Yééééé

[@rodrigoalves-cg6xv]

A bit sad this is for GZDoom (ew).

[@Chozo_Ghost]

Super stoked for Episode 3, but in the meantime we're also getting a 2063-styled new spinoff episode called Ashes: Hard Reset, where we get to play as Walker, the mysterious scavver from The Flooded District in Afterglow. Can't wait for that! The Ashes series Alien Armageddon (Duke Nukem) The AMC Squad (which I haven't played yet, but have heard absolutely rave reviews over) So many fantastic mods that you can play for basically free, it's nuts.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Super excited for that as well! good times ahead of us :> I've really been wanting to get more into the modding scene and cover more mods, but for me there simply isn't any time, I will always prioritize the games or stand alone ones. And they just never stop coming, I can't catch a breath to play some mods lol

[@Chozo_Ghost]

@@ZlimBratSki Not to increase a potential workload or anything, but I would totally also suggest (if you haven't already that is) checking out Blood's 3 big mods should you get the chance to do so: Death Wish (which is apparently getting a 4th episode in the not-too-distant future), Fleshed Out, and Marrow :D

[@ZlimBratSki]

Will def check them out when the boom shoot scene starts calming down a little, thanks for the suggestion :D@@Chozo_Ghost

[@Ahov]

Best game Ive ever played and episode 3 is on the way!

[@ZlimBratSki]

Cant wait for that :o!!

[@Fnord23Gnosis]

When is episode 3 coming?

[@SpecShadow]

@@Fnord23Gnosis when it's ready

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

Excellent news! A couple of loose ends that I'm really interested to see being tied up.

[@arkgaharandan5881]

This is the best game i played in the last 5 years. It puts AAA into shame because most AAA games have horrible cringe writing and repetitive copy pasted open world side stuff that it feels like doing chores while listening to a redditor podcast. Meanwhile this game not only has spot on dialogues and no looter shooter rpg bulletspongy gameplay that you spent so much time grinding and upgrading but it also does not waste your time, it is a thrilling roller coaster ride form beginning to end, not one dull moment, it does not wastes your time, it respects your time and takes you on a grand adventure.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Well put Arkgahan, well put!

[@HexenStar]

A question: i've heard in some reviews that this game heavily relies on monster infighting, instead of shooting them yourself. And that's is something that deterred me from trying the game, as i find such a concept to be absurd. Is there any truth to that, or was it just blabber of some inept players?? I would like to try it, and I don't mind the disastrous bike, as long as you don't have to fight while on it...but i do mind the above "gameplay element" of forced abstinence from shooting the enemies in the head. So what's the reality of this one?

[@hylea96]

@@HexenStar There are two game modes you can pick on the start of the campaign, one is more arcadey with plenty of ammo and the other more true to the scavenger reality where resources are more scarce. I'm a few hours in on the scavenger mode and I didn't have to rely on infighting not even once, so whoever said that just needs to git gud I guess. If you're playing on the scavenger mode you need to put some thought on how to approach fights and even use melee when appropriate but still, the gameplay flows really well at least for me. I'd say give it a go, it's a real gem of a game and the two game modes accomodate both casual and hardcore gamers

[@amydoesart3724]

Heck yea!

[@averagemug_music]

Yes it doesn't have looter shooter mechanics... Because it's not a litter shooter. Borderlands was a looter shooter and 1 and 2 of those games were great. You're correct about everything else though.

[@UndeadGunslinger1997]

This game is stylistically more similar to Shadow Warrior, but with the atmosphere of Fallout, Mad Max, and Escape from New York. Perhaps Ashes 2063 is one of the best post-apocalyptic fps mods for DOOM.

[@Hyacsho]

Ive been wanting to play Ashes for ages! Loving the look of this game though

[@ZlimBratSki]

Yeah same here! I finally pulled the plug when you lot made it win by 70% when voting on my next review and im so happy for it 😁

[@TheDeadlyJedly]

I can't believe how many Uploads you do man!!! Incredible!! Looking at playing this!

[@ZlimBratSki]

Busting my nuts off with the videos 😄 goal is 1-3vid each week. You should play it its good! 🤟

[@JohnSWeekley]

Music is okay, I guess.

[@ZlimBratSki]

I'm still head banging to it even two weeks after I finished both games 🍻 well done Primeval, well done!

[@JohnSWeekley]

@@ZlimBratSki Thank you!!

[@piggosalternateaccount4917]

Absolutely spectacular mod/game, the music is just premimum icing on an amazing cake

[@ZlimBratSki]

Hell yeah!!

[@amydoesart3724]

The ashes franchise have to be one the best game franchises i ever played, everything is so greatly crafted and full of creativity and passion it dunks other games from the time (cyberpunk 2077 came out in the same year afterglow was released), it js simply peak fiction

[@hylea96]

Yea, the bike is finicky but I can't hate on it, it's such a novelty for the GZDoom engine, I found it super cool lol. And unlike you I totally felt like a badass riding it hahaha but hey, that's just my opinion. Great review as usual mate!

[@ZlimBratSki]

haha that is so true that it is a novelty for the GZDoom engine am glad we don't always agree on everything :) Thanks man!

[@sealboy1211]

Anyone else hear the shotgun and think “that’s duke 3ds shotgun sound”? Just me?

[@ZlimBratSki]

Hmm I can kind of hear it, but for me the duke shotty has a little more high pitch sound to it then this one :)

[@sealboy1211]

@@ZlimBratSki fair, dukes shotgun often came with the high pitched squealing of pigs.

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@sealboy1211 haha Exactly!

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

In Ashes, the main character's voice feedback when you get wounded are Alex Munro's soundbites from Star Trek Elite Force.

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

One of the reasons the dev didn't want to make a for-sale version of Ashes is because of the nightmare of either removing anything from other copyrighted works or finding the legal exemptions.

[@kirillholt2329]

"I. Don't. Like. Doom. Movement." I'm gonna have to call based on that one.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Haha glad I'm not alone on this 🤜🤛

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

Hendon's developer Zan agrees with you both. They found it so annoying that they patched it out in their game and changed the movement mechanics. Much less floaty in Hedon than ANY other game I've played running GZDoom.

[@SiddharthNilakantan]

Nice review Zlim! I felt the same way about the movement, but i loved the gunplay. Peek and shoot is fun as a change.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Thank you man! Haha in so glad Im not the only one feeling the movement is off 😂 I agree peek and shoot is fun when done right! :)

[@arkgaharandan5881]

run it with zmovement wad

[@amydoesart3724]

The problem with the bike is more of a skill issue from your side, if you use the mouse to turning and get a bit of practice you can go as fast as you want and still dodge and drift like a badass, its insanily fun once you get the grip on it and i unironically want more

[@ZlimBratSki]

I need to practice it more then 😁✊

[@Cnsmf868]

Yes im still alive. Iv'e heard this a long time a go but i never knew how to open it and i gave up :(

[@ZlimBratSki]

Heeyooo!! 😃😃 You just download the latest version, click play episode 1 and the game starts 👀

[@Cnsmf868]

​@@ZlimBratSki i would also want the link

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@Cnsmf868 absolutley man! 🤟

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@Cnsmf868 I will get you that :)

[@jokerhaha9630]

Me when the earth suffers from a sudden technological darkage: 😮😮 (its just like ashes)

[@ZlimBratSki]

Hahaha I feel you on that! The thing with the immersion in this game is that it somehow manages to feel relatable somehow. But its weird to say that since there are mutants, monsters and all kind of crazy stuff in the game so I didnt say it in the review. But I think it has a lot to do with the locations and how well they are crafted

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

One of my favourite shooters. Not GZDoom shooters Not Indie Retro shooters Just favourite _shooters_ I really liked 2063, but I love Afterglow and how much it doubled down on the story and the mystery.

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

My ONLY negative about this game is how fast the run is. I left auto run turned off because the walk speed was more than quick enough.

[@ZlimBratSki]

But most importantly how excited are you for chapter 3? :0 🤤 There is talks of it releasing as a stand alone game, with no doom assets left in it.

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

@@ZlimBratSki A standalone release would be FANTASTIC! I'd love to pay for that game, with the amount of joy it's brought me over the years, seems like the least I could do!

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@Andrew-pr9xv big big agree!

[@T0XICMASCULINITY]

I can't believe of all videos, this is the one I missed the release of. Figures. Excellent video though, I loved every minute. That was an awesome review of the game, and did a good job covering all aspects. The review for Afterglow was really good too even though it was really short. You perfectly explained exactly what Afterglow is in the fewest amount of words possible, and it worked. I agree with pretty much all your views about both games as well, except I don't mind the movement myself. I've been playing Doom mods religiously for over a decade though so I've grown accustomed to it, but I totally understand why you and many others don't like it. Anyway, great video yet again and thanks for making it. Keep on being awesome.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Thank you man! I'm glad you enjoyed the review! :) The movement is really special and majority mods have it, but the more I play doom mods without playing something else the more I get used to it, but as soon as I switch game and then play a mod again I hate it again haha 😅

[@Predator1981Gaming]

Awesome review as always ❤ can't wait to put my hands on it is the link still the right one you showed me on discord ? Or do they upload a new version. Love the graphics and style.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Thanks predator! ❤️ I sent a updated link in the Discord :)

[@Predator1981Gaming]

@@ZlimBratSki Awesome, thx a lot. 🤗

[@Felsmukk]

You wouldn't even need to make a review, just let the main theme play and people would be compelled to play it.

[@ZlimBratSki]

This is true

[@lonewollf89]

BEST RETRO REVIEWER ON YT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MikeToreno1992]

Hear hear!

[@ZlimBratSki]

❤️❤️❤️

[@ZlimBratSki]

❤️❤️❤️

[@judsongaiden9878]

The shotgun looks kinda like the one from 'Book of Eli' (a trimmed-down Remington 870 in "whippet gun" configuration). 1:45 Also S.T.A.L.K.E.R., 'The Omega Man', and Damnation Alley. 2:07 It even depicts shotgun chamber-loading! 5:31 Including S.T.A.L.K.E.R. references! Even a reference to "Breeki Man" which is a reference to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. subculture, not the game, itself. 6:15 Half-Life 2 really nailed FPS vehicle controls. It's only too bad the airboat and the dume buggy didn't go FASTER! 6:26 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJecqaSporRso5Y

[@ZlimBratSki]

Oooh I need to re-watch Book of Eli! You managed to learn me something about the stalker references! Mission complete once again 😃 Yeah the half life 2 vehicles feels a gazzilion times better then this motorcycle thats for sure! But they are slow and this bike is not 😅

[@vostyok6030]

​@@ZlimBratSki motorcycle lessons not included*

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@vostyok6030 hahaha, should be on the box art for the game 🤪 Still loved the games tho great job!

[@vostyok6030]

@@ZlimBratSki thank you! And great review! Subbed o7

[@TimmyTurner421]

6:25 Hahahaha that's funny

[@ZlimBratSki]

😂😂

[@Ionprime]

I played a bit of this a while ago. I may revisit it and see if I can't gamebreak some secrets out of it

[@ZlimBratSki]

Ah man if you do im 100% watching it. I think I was able to find three secrets in total. Hence my "i didnt record when i found all the secrets in the game" with emphasis on the "" haha

[@Ionprime]

@@ZlimBratSki I will admit finding them isn't easy for sure

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@Ionprime I believe you 100% one of the reasons I have big respect for your videos. I understand the time and effort that must go down in to making them and I respect it!

[@Ionprime]

@@ZlimBratSki I am still experimenting with my style and what it should look like and how it should sound and work. I love your reviews that I watched and I am happy to have ran into your channel. Will be watching more reviews you have that's a fact. Keep on boomer shooting

[@ZlimBratSki]

@@Ionprime Thats a part of the grind, constantly improving and changing it up until you find what works best for you. And I truly believe in create to learn, I am ashamed of atleast 80% of my content but at the same time really happy to see how much I have improved. Thanks man those words fills me with warmth and joy ❤️

[@bloodborne410]

hell yeah

[@ZlimBratSki]

Woohoo!!

[@StormdogK]

Have you seen the Gzdoom game Space Cats Saga? Its free (although you'll need an original wad)

[@ZlimBratSki]

I got the OG wad so all good there, but I havent seen it, going to check it out! Thanks for the tip :)

[@SpecShadow]

It was one of those mods that made me buy the game - not the first case tbh. I've tried original Doom years ago, but couldn't get into it.

[@ZlimBratSki]

It was worth it right? :)

[@SpecShadow]

@@ZlimBratSki you bet!

[@arkgaharandan5881]

"the level design is nothing spectacular" YOU TAKE THAT BACK.

[@ZlimBratSki]

Haha no, What I meant more specifically is the layout, the "mazes" sort of speak (English is hard) The artistic side of it is fantastic and added a lot to the immersion. But the layouts did not wow me in any way, they were not bad and I never felt lost for long periods even tho I struggled a little sometimes which is fine. And then the bike rides were were just awful including the level design, giving it a nothing spectacular grade. But as I said in the Afterglow part I think it got better.

[@HexenStar]

Well, to be fair, Doom mod scene has some insanely talented level makers, so the competition on that front is top tier only. I believe what Zlim implied, that this one still has to fly a few light years, before getting to the Doom-galaxy where projects like Verdant Citadel, Hurt:Putrid Grounds and Lullaby dwell.

[@eldritchhorrors4703]

Anyone know how to get this working on steam deck?

[@ZlimBratSki]

I unfortunately have no idea, but I hope someone pops in that knows :)

[@reggiereg2064]

Have you played the Aliens Eradication tc. Its probably the only Aliens franchise game/mod that expertly delivers action horror rather than just action or horror.

[@ZlimBratSki]

I haven't yet. Just took a look at it tho and it looks really cool! 👍

[@HexenStar]

That title belongs to the old classic Alien Trilogy. The soundtrack alone delivers the atmosphere like no other, and the thorough presentation of all the Alien film locations in ways and detail far beyond what Ridley Scott, James Cameron and others ever allowed us - is the icing that is bigger than the cake. And you get to play as Ripley. Timeless. And guess what, the runner-up is the arcade game Aliens, from 1990. Nothing gets more alien-Aliens than this one. It's like as if it was designed by Rick Taylor himself. Yes, the one with the Mask... There is no better expert.

[@steliosmarkakis825]

@ZlimBratSki i guess you did your research first i am the guy that said you forgot about that mod 🤫 ibut i am expecting one more 3A mod video wolfenstein blade of agony

[@ZlimBratSki]

Oh there will be plenty more doom mod videos 😁 I just need to play them first 🤘

[@1oneguythat]

I smoke i drink i squat, if you do the same then you are my brat

[@ZlimBratSki]

I'll take it

[@1994736507385985]

1:57 or not ?

[@ZlimBratSki]

Or not what? 😅

[@HexenStar]

Wow... is 03: 05 for real? Doom movement? lol I wonder then, what would you say about the movement in Quake? Cause that's where you have a true ice hockey with a shotgun! Frankly, i wouldn't even touch Quake on PC literally for YEARS, exactly for this very reason until one my friends taught me the "sv_stopspeed" command. And it still is the first thing i do when playing Quake. Strangely enough, Hexen 2, which uses Quake engine as well - has perfectly balanced movement, and feels a lot like Quake 2, which i find ideal. But ice-skating in Doom movement? Honestly, that's one thing i could never imagine anyone saying. Then again, as the famous expression goes: never say never, there is a first time for everything 🙂 I do have to disappoint you regarding the revolver sounds. This here revolver is rather generic, and while it's decent, but it ain't something to write home about. There is a rather long list of revolvers with simply superb sound. I'll give you a few examples right away: the best is definitely the revolver in Shadow Warrior remake (the 2013 one), while the second place has many candidates, but i'll go with the same talented guys from Flying Wild Hog: Evil West, Jesse Rentier's six-gun. On the note of the westerns, - Blood West has great revolver FX as well, completely deserving the third rank - shared with the equally expert-tier developers from People Can Fly: Bulletstorm. A better revolver right there. Even the obscure can occasionally deliver: Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler's Green - boasts a very impressive revolver as well, a whole different level. Packed-in with its exclusive headshot fx. And the list of top quality six-shooters can go on. Johnny Ringo says hello ;-) !

[@ZlimBratSki]

Im surprised you never heard that before, a lot of people agree on the ice skating movement in DOOM its well known 😅 I agree that quake has icey movement, but I also know that some GZDoom games dont have this ice movement so it is possible to re code it just as DISDAIN has done, that feels much more like a non slippery quake then doom but in the doom engine. I also reviewed the game for what it is, a free game with zero microtransactions. And for that some things overly impressed me like the revolver. What you are mentioning is AA - AAA studios and it would be very, very bad if they had worse sounding guns then a free doom mod has 😁

[@HexenStar]

@@ZlimBratSki Well, with Quake, - the running speed lacks the precision of being able to stop on a dime, and the effect is particularly felt when strafing. If your playstyle is based on precision, then it becomes uncomfortable to the point of not playing. ("sv_stopspeed" command solves it). More so, from all ID-Software-created games, this issue exist ONLY in Quake-1. No other creation of John Carmack feels like it needs such adjustments, at least that was my experience. And the fact that this issue was corrected in Hexen 2, also says something. For the other point, I'll go with a disclaimer upfront: i am in no way nitpicking on the game in the review. Just having a conversation about little bits of sound design, and the chances of an average joe VS a big corporation in the creativity field (since you brought it up), and the chances are...(spoiler alert, lol) excellent! Particularly impressive sound designs always fascinated me, such as in "Butcher", for example. While that game is not my cup of tea, but i totally take my hat off to the sound engineer there). So, you mentioned it was impressive, - and i got curious. :-) I've been doing sound work for a good while, some neat mods too. And from experience i can tell you this: sound modders work with a starting source material (99.9999% probability). Which means that the final result depends on: A - quality of the source material and B - creativity and knowledge of the SFX designer. So, a no-name joe-shmoe has all the chances to outmatch a "big dog" from an AAA studio - IF(!) the said joe-shmoe is more creative, has better approach to design and gets a hold of a quality source material (which today isn't very hard). I've seen this being done, and i've been there. It even gets particularly easy, if the "big dog" soundman is being lazy. (ID Software is one such example, haha). A person working for a big corporation - does not mean that he (or she) is obligatory a great talent because of that. Plenty of evidence around. Today, modders can be far more creative and far more dedicated than any AAA company. More skilled often too. So in this specific instance, AAA or a cave under a rock - the odds are even. A great sound design is a great design. "can't touch this". Extremely hard or even impossible to outdo. But to mod(!) an equally(!) great design (or almost as great) - is totally doable, even for the proverbial joe-shmoe. By no means easy, but nonetheless doable. Creativity and source material, not a huge team of a big corporation.

[@ZlimBratSki]

I lack the insight you have in the development process of the audio design. My POV is just an average gamer with little to no experience in the development feed, but I love reading you comment and learning :) Altho my opinion in the review stands with me from my POV it impressed me and stood out :) And I will keep pointing out things like that and keep in mind it's from my POV but that said please don't stop with the comments, i'm learning a ton from them and I love having civilized discussions!

[@HexenStar]

@@ZlimBratSki I love having civilized discussions too🙏 Videogames and design especially lol 🙃

[@Osman_jiel]

Don't play or review doom or mods if you don't like the movement.. it biases your review

[@ZlimBratSki]

You could not be more wrong, the movement can be altered to feel different in Doom mods. My review hopefully helps more devs realise that it could benefit them. It's like saying don't review anything if you have anything bad to say about them

[@MasterSoto]

It's amazing how masterful games like this and Total Chaos are free, while awful pixelated crap like Nightmare Reaper and Viscerafest sell for money.

[@ZlimBratSki]

hahaha let's agree to disagree

[@MasterSoto]

@ZlimBratSki Ja I know I went overboard, just wish the devs of some of these new boomers would really try harder in the graphics department.

[@HexenStar]

Because the former were made out of passion for game-making and/or various reasons derived from that. Therefore diligence, skill and dedication come into play. While the latter were just maladroit cash-grab attempts.