Of Ash & Steel Is Betting on Exploration—But Can It Stand Out in the Open-World RPG Crowd?

Why Of Ash & Steel Stood Out in a Sea of Open-world RPG Hype

When Of Ash & Steel’s new trailer dropped at gamescom, I’ll admit-it almost slipped under my radar amid the festival of open-world RPGs. But what grabbed my attention was a simple detail: the complete absence of quest markers, and a promise to “rediscover the joy of exploration.” In a genre that’s drowning in glowing trails and objective pings, Fire & Frost Studios is making a bid for the lost art of genuine discovery. But does that really make Of Ash & Steel worth watching for RPG veterans, or is it just marketing spin?

• No quest markers-exploration and listening actually matter for progression.
• A focus on story choice and alliances that might shake up the standard “pick a faction” formula.
• Crafting, ancient powers, and character-driven quests signal ambition from a new studio.
• tinyBuild’s involvement gives it a track record-but can it deliver against those expectations?

Promising a Genuine Exploration Experience—Not Just Waypoint Chasing

Let’s be honest—we’ve all played “open-world” RPGs where exploration means walking from one glowing dot to another, barely noticing the world in between. Of Ash & Steel, at least in its pitch, wants to yank us back to a time when listening to NPCs actually mattered. There’s no “go here now” marker on the map—just clues from dialogue, environmental details, and our own curiosity. For those of us who grew up on Gothic or even the earliest Elder Scrolls, this is legitimately intriguing. The last few years have seen a handful of indies flirting with this approach, but it’s still rare in big releases because it’s risky. Most publishers bank on clear navigation to avoid player frustration—but sometimes, a little frustration is what makes a world memorable.

Crafting, Combat, and Character Choice: Old-School DNA, Modern Expectations

Of Ash & Steel offers the usual RPG suite: kill stuff, craft gear, choose sides, save (or ruin) the world. But what’s actually on offer here? As Tristian, a cartographer-turned-adventurer (an unusual but fitting RPG protagonist), you aren’t just slaying monsters. Instead, the pitch is about gradually “earning your keep” and unlocking new abilities by forging alliances with factions like the Order of the Seven, Free Hunters, or rival guilds. It’s the kind of granular, reactive world-building I hope will actually feel meaningful, not just boil down to “choose your color,” à la so many forgettable faction systems. The developers are also hinting at deep crafting and the hunt for ancient powers—another throwback to the mid-2000s RPGs where power was something you discovered, not handed to you in the tutorial.

The combat system is still wrapped in mystery, apart from promises of mastery and the ability to “devastate your enemies.” Translation: it’s probably skill-based, perhaps with unlocks tied to story progression or choices. I’m watching closely for any sign of Souls-like difficulty or tactical combat, which would put it in another league entirely, but for now, I’m tempering my expectations—trailers frequently overstate innovation when, at launch, combat winds up being another round of janky swings and clunky dodge-rolls.

tinyBuild’s Track Record: Indie Ambition Meets Publisher Reality

For anyone eyeing tinyBuild’s involvement, there’s reason for both hype and caution. The publisher has a knack for supporting quirky, ambitious indies—Hello Neighbor, Graveyard Keeper, and SpeedRunners all carved out strong niches. But tinyBuild titles sometimes arrive rough around the edges, or struggle with scope. Fire & Frost Studios is new blood, pitching themselves as bridging “old and new-school games.” That’s promising in a world awash with copycat fantasy RPGs, but it’s also a tall order for a small studio trying to balance scope and polish. The trend lately is for indies to over-promise at reveal, then scramble to fill out the world before launch. So while the vision is sound, I’m keeping an eye on whether the promised depth is real or just marketing sugar.

The Gamer’s Perspective: A Real Shot at Revival—But It’s on Thin Ice

Of Ash & Steel teases a game where the act of paying attention and getting lost is the real adventure—a risky, but potentially awesome, gamble. The nostalgia is hitting the right notes: organic quest discovery, story choices with actual impact, and a world to get lost in. But skepticism remains. Will the world of Grayshaft feel alive, or end up full of pretty but empty space? Will the crafting and alliances matter after the first ten hours, or will it devolve into checklist-ticking? We’ve seen promising indies before that set the right atmosphere but falter on execution.

If you’re a jaded RPG fan craving something less hand-holdy, Of Ash & Steel should at least be on your radar—or your Steam wishlist. But don’t throw out your fast-travel map just yet. Wait for hands-on impressions and real gameplay after launch—this is a gamble, not a sure thing.

TL;DR

Of Ash & Steel looks set to revive classic, exploration-driven RPG design—no quest markers, more meaningful choices, and actual incentives to pay attention. It’s ambitious, and if Fire & Frost Studios can actually deliver, it could become a cult favorite. But as always: wait for hands-on proof before buying into the hype.