I disregarded the other reviews, thinking that they just must not be getting how immersive sims are supposed to work, thinking that it must have some redeeming factors underneath the bugs, thinking that such esteemed developers couldn't have released something as bad as people were saying. I was wrong.

Underworld Ascendant's problems are in the fundamental areas of its design. While it's fun for a few hours experimenting with fire, physics, magic, etc., the overarching objective of the game completely saps you of motivation: You play missions (always either a fetch quest or an assassination) in a small set of levels, while each mission increases one of several numbers that brings you closer to some sort of ending. I don't know what that ending is. I played about 15 missions and wasn't even half-way toward the ending, and there were no indicators of progress other than these numbers increasing. As far as I can see the plot doesn't change, the world doesn't get permanently affected by your actions, anything you do that isn't directly related to completing missions to increase those numbers is pointless.

I disregarded the other reviews, thinking that they just must not be getting how immersive sims are supposed to work, thinking that it must have some redeeming factors underneath the bugs, thinking that such esteemed developers couldn't have released something as bad as people were saying. I was wrong. Underworld Ascendant's problems are in the fundamental areas of its design. While it's fun for a few hours experimenting with fire, physics, magic, etc., the overarching objective of the game completely saps you of motivation: You play missions (always either a fetch quest or an assassination) in a small set of levels, while each mission increases one of several numbers that brings you closer to some sort of ending. I don't know what that ending is. I played about 15 missions and wasn't even half-way toward the ending, and there were no indicators of progress other than these numbers increasing. As far as I can see the plot doesn't change, the world doesn't get permanently affected by your actions, anything you do that isn't directly related to completing missions to increase those numbers is pointless.