Remnant: From the Ashes – Subject 2923
Gunfire Games/Perfect World Entertainment
Remnant: From the Ashes was one of the major surprise hits of 2019. Many people were deductive in their description of it and said (in a good way) that it was basically a Soulslike with guns. Actually, there were many differences that separated it from the Souls franchise, such as the fact that melee fighting was also a viable tactic (not just gunplay) as well as its procedural levels.
It was only natural that Gunfire Games would want to seize upon the success of the base game and follow up with some DLC. The first one, Remnant: From the Ashes – Swamps of Corsus, took us to…yes you guessed it…some swampy environs with all kinds of new perils, as well as a super-cool survival mode.
The second, and (sniff) final DLC, that recently debuted is titled Remnant: From the Ashes – Subject 2923. Here, you’ll learn more about the origins of the Root and also get the chance to wipe them out for good. This will take you (or you and your team) to a place called the First Ward AKA Ward Prime, which just so happens to be the birthplace of the Root.
In a clever twist, this is where Gunfire Games goes off the rails (in a good way) and tries something new. As you explore the different floors the First Ward you’ll start to discover clues as to the horrible deeds that took place there and acted as a catalyst for the Root to invade Earth.
Scattered throughout Ward Prime are all sorts of interesting informational tidbits along with some intriguing puzzles. However, you’ll have to switch between the reality of a dream-like dimension and the real world. The catch is that the malevolent denizens of the place will try to locate you as you’re feverishly working on the puzzles—it’s all pretty unnerving.
Eventually, you’ll come to know about entities called “The Dreamers,” along with some pretty dastardly experiments that were being conducted on various test subjects. Rummaging through notes, old computer terminals, dusty notebooks, and other assorted items, you’ll begin to piece together the tragic events that transpired there.
Whereas I really got a creepy survival horror vibe during the initial portion of the game where I had to explore areas and solve puzzles (all the while hiding from invincible monsters), eventually you’ll end up in an arctic region called Reisum. Don’t get me wrong, Reisum is an eerily beautiful place to check out, it was just a little jarring since it didn’t quite mesh with the first part of the DLC.
As you try to track down more information on Subject 2923, you’ll encounter a new race of beings called the Urikki. These barbaric creatures reminded me of the Skaven from the Warhammer series—in other words, devious bipedal ratmen. The Urikki are very mobile; dashing between cover while advancing in order to overwhelm you—being nimble is the name of the game if you want to survive their onslaughts.
Reisum, just like the previous DLC, Swamps of Corsus, has a bunch of new dungeons to explore and some pretty tough bosses that you’ll eventually encounter and have to fight. The bosses in Remnant: From the Ashes – Subject 2923 are more impressive and unique, such as a magic-caster who blasts away at you with frigid blizzards or a brutally cruel prison warden. If you do manage to take them down you’ll feel a real sense of accomplishment.
Overall, I really enjoyed playing Remnant: From the Ashes – Subject 2923, even more so than the last DLC. It has an interestingly horrifying first part of the expansion’s region (which I wish they would have developed further) and simply contained more content as well. If you’re already a fan of Remnant: From the Ashes, it’s a no-brainer that you try this DLC out.
SCORE: 83%
Remnant: From the Ashes – Subject 2923 has some pretty good looking graphics that make its shooter gameplay truly shine. However, you want to have a pretty beefy gaming PC or gaming laptop in order to play it at a decent framerate. So, you may just want to invest in a decent gaming rig:
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