On any given Saturday, you might find Morgan Quinn Ross, an assistant professor of emerging media and technology at Oregon State University, deep in the mountainous woods, sans phone, on a solo run. “People generally know that I do it, so if I die, I would like to think that they would find me eventually,” […]

Developer Ludogram Games (Monsters are Coming: Rock & Roll, Firebird) has announced Ascenders: Beyond the Peak, a new mountain-climbing adventure that features roguelite progression and turn-based gameplay, with a Lovecraft-inspired twist.

Players lead a team of climbers as they ascend a mountain cursed by mysterious, sinister forces. Success means carefully guiding your team, tethered together by a rope, across obstacles to reach the summit. Team composition matters, as climbers have different classes determining the tools and techniques they bring to the expedition. Highlanders, for example, can shove enemies off the cliff. Scouts can reposition themselves using a grappling hook, and Sappers can use explosives and firearms.

The short, tactical climbs are riddled with environmental hazards, including ice sheets, unstable rocks, and bramble, which drain the team’s endurance. Climbers can be lost during the journey, and players will need to make tough decisions when one character’s peril endangers the entire team; it may be necessary to literally cut someone loose to progress the expedition at the expense of that climber's resources. The ascent itself is broken up into a roguelite-style branching path, with each stop representing a section of the climb and potentially other destinations.

Reaching the summit rewards artifacts from a lost civilization, which can be used to upgrade your camp or traded to other factions. These artifacts can also be used during climbs to make them easier, though how is unclear.  The choice-driven narrative will push players to make decisions such as which mountains to tackle, which factions to align with, and other choices that determine one of multiple endings.

Ascenders: Beyond the Peak is launching into Steam Early Access during Q3 2026.

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