Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Take on the Iskal Queen.
Remnant: From the Ashes is a third-person shooter along the lines of Dark Souls. While many titles are compared to FromSoftware's excellent franchise, Remnant features fog walls, bosses, resurrection areas, and more that make the two titles quite similar. Recently, the game got the "Swamps of Corsus" expansion that revamps the mysterious area of the game by adding new challenges. It also addresses a major plot hole in the base game by giving us the long-awaited fight with the Iskal Queen.
Save multiple dimensions
Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus
Bottom line: Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus is a good expansion that provides closure to one of the major plot holes in the base game.
Pros:
- Intriguing new characters
- Iskal Queen boss fight
- Powerful new items
- New dungeon
Cons:
- Multiplayer performance issues
- Revamps existing area
Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus setting and story
From my understanding, the Iskal Queen is responsible for introducing a parasite that warps the native elves into terrifying creatures. You finally meet one of the elves in the Swamps of Corsus expansion, and the end goal is to take out the Iskal Queen. Defeating her gives you a powerful weapon so it's worth it. However, there are a lot of new roadblocks before you make your way to her.
When I first went through the Swamps of Corsus in the base game, I remember it as a small and somewhat unremarkable location. The twin bosses in one of the underground areas were a nightmare to slay, but that was essentially the highlight of the region. Now, there are even greater threats as well as new weapons to experiment with. It's a much-needed overhaul in my opinion.
Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus modes and replayability
The Swamps of Corsus expansion only costs $10 on Xbox One. This represents great value because it'll take you a few hours to explore the region again, defeat the enemies, and uncover all of its secrets. However, if you want to get 100 percent completion, it'll take you multiple playthroughs.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Genre | Third-person shooter |
| Developer | Gunfire Games |
| Players | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Platforms | Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4 |
| Price | $10 |
| Xbox Game Pass | Base game only |
The $10 purchase also gives you access to Survival Mode. This is a great way to quickly level up as well as acquire resources. My playthroughs usually lasted 10 minutes or so, and they were quite rewarding. Survival Mode is exactly what it sounds like. You have to survive a never-ending onslaught of enemies to slay.
The new Swamps of Corsus has a dungeon that requires multiple runs to fully unlock. There are a number of items locked behind doors that require Acid Cleaned Keys to open. You acquire keys by either helping other people complete the new dungeon or start new playthroughs of the revamped section Adventure Mode. Be sure to pick up the Simulacrum because it's a necessary upgrade material. Crouching in a pool of acid with the Rusted Amulet gives you an Acid Cleaned Key.
Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus performance and visuals
Remnant still runs great on Xbox One in single-player mode, but it seems like the frame rate drops a little if you're playing with other people. I encountered this a number of times when I either joined another player's session or someone joined mine. Hopefully, the team will fix this soon, with the problem even extending to Xbox One X. It appears to be an issue with optimization more than anything else. By no means is the game unplayable, but it's just a little jarring to witness the frame rate drops.
Other than that, the 4K visuals still shine on Microsoft's upgraded machine, but I would've liked to see a 60 frames per second option given the fact that it is a shooter that requires a lot of evasion. Maybe the team will upgrade it for Xbox Series X, one can hope.
Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus final thoughts
Overall, Swamps of Corsus is a good expansion, but I would've liked to see a brand-new area instead of a revamp of an existing region. Luckily, there are a lot of additions that make it worth it for existing players. The new weapons and trinkets definitely come in handy when you're going up against high-powered creatures.
The Subject 2923 expansion that's coming in August takes you to a snow-covered region where you encounter giants and other mystical beasts. That should offer similar excitement, but if you're looking to become more powerful, then playing through the Swamps of Corsus expansion is the way to go. I found it appealing due to the new dungeon and the final battle with the Iskal Queen. I'm sure you will too if you're a fan of the base game.
Save the elves
Remnant: From the Ashes - Swamps of Corsus
Take on ferocious monsters
Begin your journey across the dangerous and corrupted worlds of Remnant: From the Ashes with a new mode and expanded map content in Swamps of Corsus.
Play more games
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
It'll last you a couple of months
Xbox Game Pass gives you access to over 200 games for one monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also adds Xbox Live Gold to the package so you can play online with your friends.
$1 at Microsoft Store $23 at Amazon $25 at Newegg
The expansion was reviewed on an Xbox One X with a code provided by the publisher.
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