Once you get going, there are 3 regular game modes at present with all being variations of team-based action.

Appropriately enough getting started here is a real trial by fire.

There is a simplified 3 vs 3 mode only available to players under level 5 but this can still result in very quick deaths for new players. There is no real backstory here which feels like a missed opportunity, as does the lack of any bot style practice modes. Controller felt more natural here but I imaging that mouse will provide the most precise control when mastered. I never quite got the hang of controls on mouse and keyboard though, as I found myself instinctively pressing W to go forward when it isn’t needed. This served as a useful refresher for me and felt like it covered the controls in a sensible way.

I’m pleased to report that this has been remedied here and a functioning tutorial is included. The beta build suffered from a lack of a tutorial, meaning that you had to learn the basics when under attack from other players. There is a very slow drip feed of currency and XP to build your character and equipment so you don’t have to pay but the temptation is always there. These are, of course, optional and primarily exist to enable players to support the game’s upkeep but there are the usual ridiculously priced options to tempt potential whales (or the nearest fantasy equivalent). There are multiple levels of currencies and a multitude of cosmetic upgrades to work towards.

While very different in tone and setting than its many competitors the mechanics of Century’s economy and progression are overly familiar. It’s perhaps just as well that Century: Age of Ashes is aiming for such a different audience as it is entering the world of free to play multiplayer at the same time as the mighty Halo: Infinity (despite its less than impressive battle pass implementation), not to mention the many other long-running successes in the field. Whatever the species specifics, it’s still true that controlling a flying, fire breathing and giant lizard is hella cool and a welcome change from the ubiquitous shooty man of so many other multiplayer titles. The key difference between the two fantasy species is that wyverns have two legs and wings whilst a dragon is quadrupedal with separate wings on their back. However, having spent some time reading through fan discussions of the game it turns out that the creatures in Century are actually wyverns. I began my preview of Century: Age of Ashes a few months back with a lengthy discussion of dragons in gaming from Spyro to Lair.

Century: age of ashes best dragon