After picking up Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer, I knew there had to be more to the game and immediately grabbed the first expansion – Return of the Fallen! An assortment of new cards that works as both a two-player stand alone game or a way to buff your existing Ascension experience up to six players, this isn’t something I often say but, if you like Ascension then Return of the Fallen is a must buy.
Samael the Fallen God has returned in his true form, and is intent on obliterating your world. Will you be able to overcome monstrous obstacles and assemble a mighty army to end Samael’s reign once and for all?
Suggested Ages: 13+
Suggested Players: 1 to 2 players (a 5-6 player expansion for Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer)
Playing time: 30 minutes
Contents: 40 tokens (20 red, 20 white), 120 cards
Retail price: $29.99 available at Amazon or Ascension Game
To be brought up to date on the rules and general idea of Ascension, check out our past review. Return of the Fallen takes all of the ideas set forth in base set and expands upon them in interesting ways that really show how much the game can grow.
To help expand the game, this expansion provides everything needed to add two more people into the mix. Two starter decks of 8 Apprentice and 2 Militia cards are included along with 17 Mystics, 17 Heavy Infantry and another Cultist. The remaining 65 cards are divided between the Factions and Monsters like before, there isn’t anything groundbreaking.
The newest mechanic though is Fate, which is an ability that triggers when the card enters the center row. Cards like Ravenous Gorph banish the cards adjacent to it while Askara of Fate allows everyone to draw cards. These cards usually help everyone out in different ways. It’s a simple mechanic that gives the game board a reason for actually existing!
The rest of the cards help flesh out the Factions. Lunar Stag costs the same as a Mystic, but gives you the choice of gaining 2 honor or 2 runes. Arha Sensei allows you to banish a card in your hand to add a Mystic or Heavy Infantry to your hand – finally giving Enlightened a way to pitch stuff without resorting to tapping into the Void.
Another nice touch is the addition of expansion symbols to the cards. It’s a small and unassuming emblem in the bottom right hand corner that also shows the rarity of the card.
As a two-player game, Return of the Fallen is a decent introduction to the game, but with only 65 cards to cycle though there isn’t much substance by itself. It’s all well done, but definitely feels more like an expansion. Once you add the new cards into the core game, it really shines by adding new strategies.
The new “legends” are also fantastic at debuting what their respective factions are about. Adayu, the Chosen costs a whopping 8 runes to acquire but allows you to acquire or defeat ANY card in the center row! Meanwhile, Sadranis, Dark Emissary allows you to battle a monster from the Void as if it were in the center row. They’re nice, powerful cards that really shine when they rarely show up.
But the expansion isn’t flawless. If you want to play the game with the core game, you will need sleeves. The card stock is noticeably different so grab a couple hundred penny sleeves to make the game actually playable. The honor tokens are the same oddly shaped gems and still don’t work as well as I would like.
My biggest issue though with the game is the scope. With Samael the Fallen representing the boss of the game, it’s depressing that it only takes 8 power to kill him. I want a giant monster that you need to kill – or work together to kill, because 8 power is pretty easy to obtain. It’s the same thing with heroes and constructs that max out at 8 runes, this game is begging to go bigger and beyond!
Another area that still bothers me is the lack of identity for the factions. Enlightened and Void still feel like they’re trying to find their feet. Those factions are great at supporting either Mechana or Lifebound, but on their own, they leave a lot to be desired.
While Return of the Fallen isn’t perfect, it’s still an excellent expansion and clearly shows that the guys at Gary Games know what they’re doing. It expands the core game in creative ways and the Fate mechanic gives the board an actual purpose. If you liked Ascension, you will love the expansion.
Pros
Adds two more players!
Fate mechanic makes the game more fun
New legends up the wow factor
Seamlessly fits in with the existing game… once you sleeve everything
Cons
Honor tokens still feel off
Cardstock is different, making sleeves a must
Enlightened and Void need more support
Game still seems to be holding back
Tags: ascension, ascension return of the fallen, game, gary games, review
One comment
Leave a reply