Ashen
The first 3 hours are a test
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours most reviews are negative (77%); after 15h it's 1 in 6 (18%).
- Fully opens up by hour 15.
- The opening is criticised more than in 98% of games we track.
- 19% of players who start reach the ending.
- The biggest drop-off is between “Vagrant's Rest” and “Ukkoto”: from 100% to 68% of starters.
- 75% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 3,899 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 300 reviews: 18.8h for positive, 2.8h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (75.3% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Vagrant's Rest Claim Vagrant's Rest. 100%
- Ukkoto Defeat the Elder Dark Ukkoto. Most players quit here 68% −32
- Double Trouble Defeat Touma and Souma. 35% −32
- Amiren Defeat the Listener Matriarch. 32% −3
- Shadow of the Ashen Defeat the Shadow of the Ashen. 20% −12
- Sissna Defeat the Elder Dark Sissna. 16% −4
- Twin Hearts of Lathyrus Reunite the Listener and Human hearts. 19% +4
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (34)
story milestone ending side
- Vagrant's Rest Claim Vagrant's Rest. 100%
- Ukkoto Defeat the Elder Dark Ukkoto. 68%
- Trapper Hunt a rafet. 64%
- Hunter Hunt a Deer. 56%
- Diasora Free the Diasora pup. 47%
- House Warming Hunt the corb near Vagrant's Rest. 40%
- Double Trouble Defeat Touma and Souma. 35%
- Whispers Folk Take a ride in Eila's barrel. 34%
- Amiren Defeat the Listener Matriarch. 32%
- Fleeing the Nest Meet Kol the wildman. 32%
- Shadow Walker Travel the shadow pathways. 30%
- Crafter Unlock all crafting specialities. 29%
- Contemplation Discover the secret of Contemplation. 28%
- New Lathyrus Construct all houses in Vagrant's Rest. 25%
- Best Served Cold Complete Eila's journey. 25%
- Lathyrus' Last Stand Untangle Sissna's weave at the Palace of Lathyrus. 24%
- Placebo Complete Vorsa's journey. 24%
- Heritage Complete Jokell's journey. 24%
- Blind Fashion Acquire all lanterns. 22%
- Big Game Hunt a roamar. 21%
- Squork Hunt a squork. 21%
- Leap of Faith Leap into the dark portal. 20%
- Shadow of the Ashen Defeat the Shadow of the Ashen. 20%
- Fancy Unlock all townsfolk outfits. 20%
- Twin Hearts of Lathyrus Reunite the Listener and Human hearts. 19%
- Flesh Wound Complete Flokir's journey. 19%
- Brute Island Defeat the brute near Vagrant's Rest. 17%
- Sissna Defeat the Elder Dark Sissna. 16%
- Malik's Curse Wear the Umbral Veil. 9.0%
- Riak Defeat the Elder Dark Riak. 8.4%
- Threads of Light Wear each relic once. 6.1%
- Prophecy Acquire all Kol's armors. 5.3%
- Children of Sissna Defeat Sissna in the Children of Sissna mode. 1.5%
- Children of Riak Defeat Riak in the Children of Sissna mode. 1.5%