It's all part of the "realism," sure, but it's not a realism that I feel great about. There's a certain "No Russian" feel to it, watching these panicked bystanders running for their lives, that immerses me into Veles, but not in a good way. If that crossfire is from my gun? No repercussions, off I go.
If they're caught in the crossfire? Oh well, wrong place wrong time. Normal denizens of Veles are seen going about their normal dystopian days when all of a sudden an enemy takes a shot at me, sending the nearby populace into a petrified frenzy.
If my character didn't put his gun away in safe areas, I would think there were always enemies coming to get me.Ī big reason for that is the collection of NPCs that populate every area of the game, including the dangerous ones. It's equally foreboding and inviting, the kind of city that will lull you into a false sense of security with its warm glow before shoving you into an alley and stealing your wallet. The game does a good job of leading me through it as well, throwing in areas where enemies are purposefully overleveled to let me know organically I'm not supposed to be in that place yet. Trash-ridden streets are dotted with light, panoramic views of the city stretch over the horizon in a mixture of dull greys and bright neon. First I have to talk about Veles, the world of The Ascent that is beautiful in its dinginess.