We were recently invited by Xbox to check out some indie titles that are coming to Xbox via the iD@Xbox program, one of those titles was Fallen Tear: The Ascension. We got to see new gameplay and ask questions of the developer, so let’s dive in.

So what is the game all about?

Fallen Tear: The Ascension is a metroidvania where you will venture across a world brimming with magic, bit also dangerous beasts and more than a few corrupt gods. You will play as Hira, a young boy who is seeking the answers to his mysterious past and why he can transform into different forms. The opening of the game has Hira trapped in a form called Overgrowth, or OG for short and it’s a tank like creature that can wallop enemies, though not all that quickly. OG also is a form that you can only change to once you have obtained enough mana, changing to it is something to remember, as you don’t take damage in the form either. As you proceed across the roughly 40 hour story, you will get to meet special characters that are called Fated Bonds, more on those in a bit.

An upgraded Metroidvania experience?

One of the things that was called out during the preview was that the world is interactable. This doesn’t mean just switches and buttons, but rather that you can break things and destroy parts of the world. These changes were not detailed too much, meaning there are likely times when it happens with little prompt for you, but when they do, even the enemies can be impacted by the outcome. It isn’t that you can just lay waste to the world, there are even changes to the towns that you can visit, talk with a host of characters, discover hidden nooks that might contain a secret or two and even spend some hard earned Fated Points. Currency can be earnt by completing missions and even hunts, some of which you can get from towns and others from the Fated Bonds.

Exploring is one half of a Metroidvania, combat is the other. How does that work here?

There are a few familiar combat systems in play here, one of which is your basic attack. Early on, during your mission to obtain a hunting licence, the game introduces you to the concept of backstep and backstep counter. Backstep shouldn’t be too hard to figure out, it’s a dodge mechanic and should help get you out of range from an enemies attack. The backstep counter is a combo where you move out of the way and then return back with an attack, perfect for when an enemy has just missed you. You won’t get an instant hit with them; you need to time it right as dodge to soon and they might get you anyway or miss out on the attack back and they might have their defences up. Most attacks will leave a blue afterimage behind from your blade, that means you hit the enemy without anything special, but if you see a yellow one, that means you landed a critical hit.

Ok, so you have mentioned Fated Bonds twice now, what are they?

While the game is going to offer you a lot of enemies to smack around, Fated Bonds are folks who will help you on your quest. One example that we saw was Bjorn the Chef, another was Efimer the Scribe and there are more to discover. Just saying hi won’t get them on your side, you will need to do a quest for them, to get them to join you. Having them along for the journey means that they will help you in combat, but can also provide skills, buffs and debuffs that are up to you on how to use. While a lot of the options may help you out in combat, not all of the Fated Bonds are combat orientated, there are 5 map makers that once you find, will direct you to their watchtower and going there will fill in the map for that area. With more than 20 Fated Bonds, the combinations of who will join you is extensive and finding a combination that works for you will be a real challenge.

The game is aiming to release on Xbox, PC, Switch and PlayStation at the end of 2025.