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Ascending Realms
5 Years Now · Published by 5 Years Now · Official site ↗
Last updated 4 Oct 2026
A medieval fantasy real-time strategy game with fast-paced autobattler combat where you command forces across contested realms in the war between the technological Ironclad Pack and magical Arcane Talon. Choose your faction or hero and advance your ideology in the war-torn world of Reznara.
Indie, Simulation, Strategy, Early Access, Casual · More free games
Explore Ascending Realms' medieval fantasy world where you command forces in real-time strategy combat. With early access, dive into the war between technology and magic, choosing your path as either an Ironclad Pack or Arcane Talon hero.
About this game
Command the destiny of a world torn between science and sorcery in this strategic battle for the future of civilisation.
For centuries, the crimson banners of the Ironclad Pack and the azure standards of the Arcane Talon have flown over battlefields across multiple mystical realms. One embraces the precision of technology; the other channels the raw power of magic. Both seek dominance over a world that can no longer sustain their endless war.
Lead your faction’s elite forces in tactical combat across diverse realms and game modes. Whether you’re diving straight into battle, honing strategies in skirmishes, or waging prolonged wars of conquest, every decision shapes the fate of the realms. Each territory offers unique strategic advantages and challenges, from the open Plains of Sun to future biomes with their own distinct environments.
But beware—you are not alone in these contested lands. Ancient guardians such as Rezna the Dragon and the Primal Beasts defend their domains with terrible power, caring nothing for your faction’s grand ideologies.
Beyond traditional conquest, Ascending Realms offers experimental and replayable modes. Test your strategies in Instant Action, face off in Skirmish battles, or engage in Ascension Conquest, a rogue-like hero wave survival mode featuring meta-progression across runs. Experiment freely in Sandbox Mode, design your own battlegrounds with the Realm Builder, and personalise your kingdom with custom War Banners.
Victory is not forged by brute force alone—it is earned through adaptation, experimentation, and mastery.
Key Features
Gameplay inspired by Sensible Software’s 1991 classic Mega-Lo-Mania
Multiple game modes including Instant Action, Skirmish, Ascension Conquest, and Sandbox
Command two distinct factions with unique units, abilities, and playstyles
Control powerful Hero units with diverse abilities and discover loot across battles
Rogue-like hero survival gameplay with meta-progression in Ascension Conquest
Battle across multiple realms, each with unique strategic considerations and environments
Contend with neutral creatures that can aid your faction—or plunge the battlefield into chaos
Upgrade units and buildings through a Technology Tree
Choose when to attack—day or night—and weigh the tactical consequences
Create custom maps using the Realm Builder
Design and display your own War Banner to represent your kingdom
An original soundtrack inspired by the greatest RTS games of all time
Support for over 30 languages
In Ascending Realms, victory is not measured in a single battle but in a war of ideologies that has spanned generations.
Will you bring glory to the wolf or the eagle?
Will you forge the future with steel—or bend reality with spells?
The realms await your command.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64 X2
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: Integrated graphics (Intel HD 3000 or better)
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 100 MB available space
- Sound Card: Integrated sound card
Recommended
- OS: Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core i3 / AMD Ryzen 3 or better
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: Any dedicated GPU (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660, AMD Radeon HD 7850, or better)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 200 MB available space
- Sound Card: Integrated or better
Supported Languages
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
v0.7.6-demo update now live! + Linux/SteamOS support
NEW: Linux/SteamOS/Steam Deck supportTry it out!NEW: Guided TutorialPlayers are prompted on the first time they launch the game (or first time after this update) if they wish to play the guided tutorial. The tutorial is also accessible in the single player menu.NEW: Realm Builder Custom Map BuilderRealm Builder now includes separate Generate, Build, and Triggers tabs for different map creation workflows.Generate lets you quickly create randomised maps with preview and save support.Build lets you handcraft maps sector by sector, including terrain, ownership, start positions, buildings, units, heroes, victory rules, and starting resources.Triggers lets you create event-based map logic through a visual rules-and-actions interface creating your own scenarios and missions.Hover tooltips across the interface explain what each control does.All maps created can be played in Skirmish Mode.NEW: Observer ModeObserver Mode lets you spectate bot-controlled matches in both Skirmish and Ascension Conquest, with the option to view from specific team perspectives or both.While observing you can left click units and buildings to inspect their stats in the bottom HUD, without being able to give them orders.In Ascension Conquest the bot picks its own cards after a short delay, so an observed run plays through on its own.The chosen Ascension card is now highlighted for a moment before the card options close, so you can see which one was taken.Team perspective switching applies to Skirmish, where there are two sides to watch. It is hidden in Ascension Conquest.NEW: Performance BenchmarkThe new performance benchmark can be found at the bottom of the Settings menu. You can start a benchmark test, see the results in real-time then review the results at the end compared to previous runs. You can even export the results and view them locally with the benchmark_viewer.html tool.Gameplay UpdatesArmour debuffs can no longer reduce a unit's armour below 0%. Previously, stacking enough negative ar...Read full article on Community Announcements (Dr Sharkie 🦈)AnnouncementsOfficial
5YN-OS demo is now available!
If you have any questions feel free to reach out on the 5 Years Now Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/URsQvAdYRNFor FantasyLang documentation check it out on the official website here: https://5yn-os.com/fantasylangIf you encounter any issues, bugs, or crashes please let us know either in the #bug-reports Discord channel or email support@5yearsnow.com.Enjoy!Read full article on Community Announcements (Dr Sharkie 🦈)AnnouncementsOfficial
Adventure Reznara demo now available!
Try out the demo!Read full article on Community Announcements (Dr Sharkie 🦈)AnnouncementsOfficial
Adventure Reznara - new game within the Ascending Realms universe
Adventure ReznaraA persistent, text-led open-world RPG roguelike set in the Reznara universe. Explore dangerous regions, shape your adventurer, and face every strange road on your own terms. Every decision matters.Ascending RealmsThe next big Ascending Realms update continues to be developed with several new features and multiplayer on the way. More news on that soon.Read full article on Community Announcements (Dr Sharkie 🦈)AnnouncementsOfficial
Demo v0.7.5 NOW LIVE!
Patch notes can also be viewed at https://ascendingrealms.com/patch/v0.7.5-demoNEW: Ascension Conquest Mode Ascension Conquest is a new roguelike wave-based survival mode where you select 1-3 heroes with custom loadouts and fight against increasingly difficult waves of enemies in a single-sector arena. Between waves, choose powerful cards to enhance your heroes' abilities and stats, and select between easy or hard difficulty paths that affect enemy strength and rewards. Survive as long as possible to earn XP for your heroes to unlock unique wargear and Ascension Shards currency that can be used for cosmetic upgrades in the shop. Each run features dynamic enemy scaling and strategic decision-making as you build your perfect combination of heroes and card synergies to push deeper into the mode and unlock greater rewards. NEW HERO: Plague Doctor Tarkus The Plague Doctor spreads disease and summons vermin to fight for them. Predominantly relying on decay auras and summons to do their bidding. NEW UNITS RatsDiseased Rats that are part of the neutral unit faction (Primal Ones). They can also be summoned by the Plague Doctor as part of his "Summon Vermin" ability. BatsDiseased Bats that are part of the neutral unit faction (Primal Ones). They can also be summoned by the Plague Doctor as part of his "Summon Vermin" ability. NEW: Skirmish Mode Play Official and Custom maps with various configurable starting match parameters. There are 9 maps (8 new): No Mans Land (small, 1x3) The Gauntlet (small, 2x1) Crossroads (medium, 2x2) Contested Grounds (small, 2x2) Valley Of Strife (medium, 3x2) Twin Peaks (medium, 3x2) Dragons Reach (large, 3x3) Fertile Grounds (large, 3x3) Instant Action (same map from the Instant Action game mode) NEW: Realm Builder Procedurally generate maps based on configurable parameters and save them to play in Skirmish mode. Note: It is possible to copy/paste a .map file in the maps directory in the game's installation and create your own maps with full flex...Read full article on Community Announcements (Dr Sharkie 🦈)
