# Ascension: Deckbuilding Game

> Award-winning mobile deck-building card game with strategic gameplay and multiplayer options. (iPhone/iPad app by Playdek, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Playdek, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/493347346)
- Category: Games, Board, Card
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 3.40/5 from 1,103 App Store ratings · 418 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 1.2 GB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2011-11-02
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733/reviews.md

## What is Ascension?

***Legends Expansion Now Available!**

Return to the world of Vigil as the Muses of Malevolence rise to bring ruin. Legendary Heroes from Ascension’s past have returned to guide you, granting their power to those who prove worthy.

Each card you acquire or defeat grants Renown with its factions, advancing you on the Legendary Track. As your Renown grows, unlock powerful Boons from Legendary Characters and, at the pinnacle of a faction’s track, gain Legendary status with the power to acquire or defeat one card from that faction for free each turn.


Ascension: Deck Building Game, is the award winning deck building card game for mobile. Play alone or with friends to battle against the Fallen One for honor and victory. Conceived and designed by Magic: The Gathering tournament champions, Ascension will provide hours of engaging and strategic game play for enthusiast and experienced gamers alike.

2011 Golden Geek award winner (Best Mobile/Handheld Game)
Pocket Gamer Bronze Award 2011
Dice Tower Awards Awards: Best Digital Boardgame
Best Interface and Graphic Design - 2011 
Best Online Multiplayer - 2011

Highlights:
• Universal Application: Plays on phones and tablets
• Beautifully detailed cards
• Full asynchronous support for multiplayer online games
• Cross-platform online play
• Play against multiple offline A.I. opponents
• Multiple expansions available to purchase to expand the Ascension experience!

*AN INTERNET CONNECTION AND PLAYDEK ACCOUNT ARE REQUIRED FOR ONLINE PLAY.*

Per our Terms of Service, you must be 13 years old or older to use the Playdek online games service.

Also by Playdek:
- Twilight Struggle
- D&D: Lords of Waterdeep
- Labyrinth: The War On Terror
- Fort Sumter
- Fluxx



Having an issue? Looking for support? Please contact us at: support@playdekgames.com

You can follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram!
Facebook: /playdek
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/playdek
Twitter: @playdek
Instagram: @playdek

## Key features

- Deck-building card game mechanics
- Single-player and multiplayer modes
- Unlock powerful Boons and Legendary status
- Cross-platform online play
- Offline AI opponents
- Multiple expansions available

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Return of the Fallen expansion | $1.99 | one-time |
| Storm of Souls expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Promo Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Immortal Heroes expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ascension Promo Cards - Pack 4 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Rise of Vigil | $0.99 | one-time |
| Darkness Unleashed expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Realms Unraveled expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dawn of Champions | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dreamscape | $0.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Ascension?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Awesome adaptation of the physical game
- 🕹️ Engaging gameplay
- 💰 Reasonable in-app purchase prices
- 🕰️ Excellent time killer
- 🎨 Beautiful card art

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Slow AI turns
- 🔒 Issues with restoring purchases
- 🔍 Cluttered UI, hard to read cards
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤖 Unbalanced AI

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Purchases disappearing after updates
- Restore function not working
- Crashes when certain cards are played
- Constructs getting stuck in the middle of the screen
- Game freezing and logging out users

**Most requested features**

- Increase honor pool limit for online games
- Add custom deck building options
- Optimize for iPhone X and newer devices
- Provide option to revert to old art style
- Improve online multiplayer experience

## Recent user reviews (10 of 418)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Secret AI bs update

*2026-06-12, version 2.5.3.531*

If I wanted to play against AI I’d opt into it

### 5/5 — Yet another expansion!? Legendary

*2026-06-06, version 2.5.3.531*

[Note: the free base-game is hours and hours of fun]

I have been playing this one app for almost a decade, and beyond all hopes and dreams, they keep releasing expansions and keeping the experience fresh. Online and local multiplayer, tons of customization options, and always new gameplay. Really unmatched by any other digital board game!

### 3/5 — Great game but purchases in app have been lost

*2026-05-18, version 2.5.3.531*

Game is great but In-app purchases are not restored on different devices. Requests for support have been unsuccessful.

### 1/5 — Horrible model

*2026-05-16, version 2.5.3.531*

The game forces you to update.  Sp after purchasing you really dont own the game because they hold you hostage for updated.  Totally cruddy business model. 
Stay away.

### 5/5 — Starting to update the game

*2026-05-16, version 2.5.3.531*

Updates and content?! 5 stars

### 5/5 — Years of Entertainment

*2026-05-15, version 2.5.3.531*

I’ve been playing since it came out. Expansions are well timed and cheap. Friendly user base.

### 1/5 — Deleted purchases again

*2026-02-25, version 2.5.2.523*

This app used to be great. Twice now it has deleted my purchases and the restore purchases button doesn't work. It was able to get itself sorted out then it happened again. Am running the most recent version. Unacceptable.

### 5/5 — Deep

*2025-12-18, version 2.5.2.523*

I’ve had this game since it first came out, and I still play it every day.  It’s the one app that will never leave my phone.

### 1/5 — No expansions for IOS

*2025-12-04*

I don’t know why but only few expansions are available for IOS, while almost all expansions are activated for Android

### 3/5 — Its fun but yea

*2025-12-01*

I love the game, my boyfriend introduced me to the irl board game and i had a ton of fun so we decided to play the online version, previously i had a samsung and had 3-5 expansions that i wasnt able to play, now i have an iphone and only have 5 expansions that i can play and i dont get why its like that so i only gave 3 stars because its really bothering me and taking a lot of fun. I think itd be better if all devices had the same amount of playable free expansions because on steam its different as well, you have almost all of them except for 3-5

## Frequently asked questions about Ascension

### What is Ascension: Deckbuilding Game?

Ascension: Deckbuilding Game is an award-winning digital card game for mobile devices. It features strategic deck-building mechanics where players acquire cards to gain Renown, unlock Boons, and battle against opponents. You can play alone or with friends online.

### How does the deck-building work in this game?

In Ascension, each card you acquire or defeat grants Renown with its factions. As your Renown grows, you unlock powerful Boons from Legendary Characters. Reaching the pinnacle of a faction's track grants Legendary status, allowing you to acquire or defeat one card from that faction for free each turn.

### Is Ascension: Deckbuilding Game free to play?

The base game is free to download and play. However, multiple expansions are available for purchase within the app to expand the Ascension experience and offer new cards and gameplay elements.

### What devices is Ascension: Deckbuilding Game compatible with?

This is a universal application, meaning it plays on both phones and tablets. An internet connection and a Playdek account are required for online play.

### Can I play with friends online?

Yes, you can play Ascension: Deckbuilding Game with friends online. It supports full asynchronous multiplayer for online games and also offers cross-platform online play. You can also play against multiple offline AI opponents.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.5.3.531 — 2026-05-15

Introducing the all-new Promo Pack 7 for Ascension!

Expand your strategy with fresh cards and unlock new synergies. Harness Spire of the Wind to transform your discard pile into powerful card draw, and leverage Seed of the World to extract even more value from the Center Row—unlocking dynamic combos and new paths to victory!


Cards Included:
Monster: Puggageddon
Enlightened: Spire of the Wind
Lifebound: Seed of the World
Mechana: Chaotic Cannon
Void: The Aethermourne

### 2.5.2.523 — 2025-11-20

Various bug fixes including DLC access and crashes.

### 2.5.1.520 — 2025-11-15

- Expansion access fix

### 2.4.19 — 2025-11-14

Introducing the newest Ascension expansion: Legends! 

NEW FEATURES: 

The Legendary Track
Advance through the four faction tracks by earning Renown. Reaching milestones along the track unlocks powerful Boons—temporary bonuses that enhance your strategy and accelerate your rise to power.

Legendary Cards
Choose from iconic Legendary Characters—each representing one of the four factions of Vigil. These Legends preside over the game and grant unique Boons as you advance on their faction’s track, offering abilities that can completely shift the balance of play.

Renown
Earn Renown each time you acquire or defeat a card tied to a faction. Every point of Renown advances you on that faction’s Legendary Track, unlocking Boons and strengthening your bond with its Legendary Character.

Legendary Status
Reach the end of a faction’s track to achieve Legendary Status, granting the ability to acquire or defeat one card from that faction for free every turn.

### 2.4.18 — 2025-07-14

- Notification fixes

- Updated to the latest Unity engine

- Graphic improvements and optimizations for current devices

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## More apps by Playdek, Inc.

- [Fluxx](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fluxx/id561319376)
- [D&D Lords of Waterdeep](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/d-and-d-lords-of-waterdeep/id648019675)
- [Twilight Struggle](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twilight-struggle/id942766453)
- [Labyrinth: The War on Terror](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labyrinth-the-war-on-terror/id1438485859)
- [Fort Sumter: Secession Crisis](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fort-sumter-secession-crisis/id1457799708)

All apps by Playdek, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/493347346

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*
