Flyway Games announced today that Ascend to ZERO will enter a major new development phase with its upcoming December 10th public playtest. By expanding the roguelike formula with a unique time-stop mechanic, the playtest dramatically increases strategic depth while reducing grind. The update also introduces expanded customization, new weapons and gadgets, and accessibility-focused improvements designed to help players jump immediately into high-impact decision-making. Players can join the time-bending experience when the public playtest opens on December 10.

Game Overview & Key Features

Master Time to Rewrite Fate – Wield time itself as your greatest weapon. Ascend to ZERO revolves around a distinctive time-stop ability that freezes danger in place, allowing players to plan, reposition, and strike with precision. Survival—and the fate of the world—depends on how effectively time is bent to your advantage.

Unique Characters & Perspective – Unlock a diverse roster of voxel-crafted avatars, each equipped with their own weapons, skills, and combat styles. Presented from a dynamic 3D top-down perspective, every hero offers new strategies for reclaiming the world.

Ultimate Build System – Create endlessly imaginative builds by combining avatars with gear, gadgets, weapons, chips, and time-warping abilities. No two runs—victory or defeat—ever feel the same.

What’s New in the December 10 Playtest

Accessibility & Meta Power

Streamlined Progression – Permanent upgrades via the Time Machine increase starting level, EXP gain, attack speed, time limit, and more, giving players a stronger, more dynamic opening to every run.

Time of Choice (Anti-Grind Feature) – Begin each run with optional boosts, including extra chips, resources, or levels, enabling strategic early-game decisions and reducing reliance on repetitive grinding.

Traces of Time – Enhance core time-control abilities by extending time limits, reducing cooldowns, and unlocking new temporal manipulation options.

Choice-Driven Building

Reward Boxes Prioritize Player Choice – Every upgrade opportunity lets players choose between Slot Module Chips, Weapon Skill Chips, or Stat Chips, enabling highly controlled and intentional buildcraft.

New Weapons & Gadgets expand combat variety and introduce fresh ways to influence the battlefield.

Gadget Highlights:
• Recall Blade – Place a blade, then warp instantly back to it when time resumes.
• Shard Controller – Fire four projectiles that return when time unfreezes, damaging enemies in both directions.

Challenges, Stages & Art

Special Encounters – Optional high-risk, high-reward challenges that test mastery of the time-stop mechanic, offering powerful chip rewards.

Stage 2 Unlocked – A fully rebalanced second stage featuring refined enemy behavior, resource pacing, and build synergy tuning.

Visual Enhancements – Updated portraits, hero illustrations, and key art provide stronger tone, personality, and readability.

For more information on Ascend to ZERO, follow the game on X, join the community on Discord, subscribe on YouTube, or visit the official Flyway Games Website.