<s>
Ashen	B-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
New	O
Zealand	O
studio	O
A44	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Annapurna	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
E3	O
2015	O
press	O
conference	O
,	O
Ashen	B-Application
was	O
revealed	O
as	O
an	O
Xbox	B-Device
console	O
launch	O
exclusive	O
being	O
developed	O
by	O
Aurora44	O
(	O
now	O
A44	O
)	O
under	O
the	O
ID	B-Device
@Xbox	I-Device
independent	O
developer	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
was	O
described	O
as	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
being	O
high	O
risk	O
,	O
with	O
stamina	O
being	O
a	O
major	O
factor	O
in	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Art	O
style	O
influences	O
were	O
cited	O
as	O
initially	O
including	O
Superbrothers	B-Application
:	I-Application
Sword	I-Application
&	I-Application
Sworcery	I-Application
EP	I-Application
,	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Colossus	I-Application
,	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developers	O
also	O
stated	O
they	O
had	O
been	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
emergent	O
multiplayer	O
storytelling	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
DayZ	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
initially	O
listed	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
Ashen	B-Application
was	O
later	O
announced	O
as	O
an	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
timed	O
exclusive	O
but	O
was	O
also	O
later	O
listed	O
as	O
a	O
Microsoft	O
Store	O
and	O
an	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
title	O
as	O
a	O
timed	O
exclusive	O
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ashen	B-Application
was	O
rated	O
9/10	O
by	O
GameSpot	O
,	O
and	O
4/5	O
by	O
GamesRadar+	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
noted	O
through	O
multiple	O
reviews	O
to	O
hold	O
similarities	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
specifically	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
contrary	O
,	O
some	O
parts	O
and	O
areas	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
heavily	O
criticized	O
by	O
critics	O
and	O
players	O
for	O
being	O
tedious	O
or	O
hard	O
,	O
especially	O
Seat	O
of	O
the	O
Matriach	O
and	O
being	O
compared	O
to	O
Blighttown	O
from	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
.	O
</s>
