Century: Age of Ashes is a PvP dogfighting game that lets players ride and battle with dragons. It is also free-to-play, with the only microtransactions being cosmetic items that do not affect gameplay. The best parts of Century: Age of Ashes is the flying, combat, and of course, being able to ride on the back of a dragon which you can hatch and raise yourself.
Those familiar with dogfighting and aerial combat games will be right at home with this game. There are currently three different classes and three different game modes in the game. More classes, game modes, and maps are likely to get added, thus expanding the game's content and offering more ways to play. There is a level of skill to Century: Age of Ashes, and players will need to put some time in to get good. But those moments where you pull off a clutch and make an incredible play are so worth it.
Century: Age of Ashes' gameplay is tight, fast-paced, and intense. It is thrilling to engage in aerial combat against other dragon riders, especially during the objective game modes. Spoils of War and Gates of Fire are an absolute blast that will test your teamwork. Speaking of dragons, the game looks stunning in both the characters and maps.
But the thing that should truly be praised is the free-to-play nature and complete lack of pay-to-win mechanics.
Although Century: Age of Ashes was marketed as multiplayer-only, a single-player mode would work well here. Having a story of some sort, or even cut scenes, would allow players to better their customizations as they can be difficult to see during battle. This would also give players more variety if they prefer to play alone or have inconsistent internet. Currently, there are issues with Century: Age of Ashes servers that make it difficult to get into games.
One aspect that needs more attention is the lack of class diversity. The Windguard and Phantom classes both share an ability, and with only three classes in the game, it feels limited. Following that, it feels too punishing when an enemy flanks from behind. Dodging their attacks is difficult, especially if it is a Marauder that's in pursuit. Having some form of the barrel roll mechanic and evasive maneuver besides braking and boosting would go a long way.
| You can ride dragons/wyverns. | No single-player mode. |
| Beautiful graphics. | Hard to see customization on characters. |
| Fun game modes. | Classes need more diversity. |
| Controls and combat feel great. | Server issues (Devs are aware and working on this). |
| Free-to-play. | Can be difficult to avoid enemy attacks. |
Verdict - We recommend trying it
As a free-to-play game, you have nothing to lose by trying out Century: Age of Ashes besides your time. While time is valuable, this game has good gameplay mechanics and aesthetics. At launch, there isn't a lot of content, but what is there is very fun, and the developers intend to add more in time. Regardless, we recommend checking the game out at the very least, as you might find that you really enjoy it.
For more information on Century: Age of Ashes, check out All controls in Century: Age of Ashes and How to get XP Boosters in Century: Age of Ashes on Pro Game Guides.
Justin has been diving into fantasy worlds since he can remember. He is a certified nerd who has a deep love of reading, writing, and hiking. He has been writing since his college days, but specifically in gaming for two years. His favorite games are The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Banjo Kazooie.