The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC Overview Impressions- In this The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC Overview Impressions, we are going to run through the new features of the game to determine whether the DLC is worth purchasing or not. The Ascent is an action-shooter RPG developed by Neon Giant and published by Curve Games. Cyber Heist is the first expansion where we are treated with a bunch of new things including but not limited to new questlines and melee weapons! You can also check outThe Ascent Reviewif you want to know our thoughts about the base game!
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC Overview Impressions
SinceThe Ascent’srelease back on June 19, 2025, Neon Giant has been working on severalDLCs, both free and paid. The free ones include theHalloweenandWinter Packswhere you get a Skeleton shirt, Jack-o-lantern headgear, a festive Winter shirt, and another headgear in the form of a deer. When it comes to the paid DLCs, you have theCybersecandCyber Warrior Packsfeaturing brand newWeapons,Armor, aTactical Item, and weapon skins. Transmogrification was also baked into the Action-shooter RPG at the same time as Cybersec’s release date.
The Ascent has delivered a true dystopian cyberpunk experience by bringing Planet Veles to life. This space has since brimmed with eccentric creatures coming from vast galaxies, trying to survive in a massively dangerous metropolis until such time that they complete the terms of their contracts.Factionsonly care about themselves without giving much thought to how their actions would impact others. Overall, the base game has embodied the consequences of a collapsing superpower, and it asks the most important question - do you have what it takes to survive in this disorderly world of greed and power?
In theCyber Heist DLC, you continue to play as an indent but you do not start from the bottom. Instead, you get to work withKira, your previous employer, as you embark on another “secret mission”. This time around a new piece of tech is up for grabs - can you beat the others to it? This expansion is the first to showcase new main and sideMissionssince The Ascent’s release last year.
You are not only treated with another branch of narrative but you will also experience new overworldLocations, further expanding the reach of the arcology. There will be a decent amount of enemy variety, and more importantly, the introduction of the highly-anticipated melee weapons! Who doesn’t want to crush foes with a baseball bat? I know I do!
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - The Campaign
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - How to Start the DLC
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC is accessible to players who have finished the main quests from the base game. You will not have to initiate the DLC, instead, you will receive a communication from Kira herself to kickstart the mission. What’s cool with this expansion is you can play it solo or co-op. Should you play it with friends, only one of you will need to have purchased it. Whoever has a copy will be the session’s host.
Additionally, even if they do not have the Cyber Heist DLC, they will still get to keep whatever loot or item they pick up along the way to bring it into the base game. So melee weapons, which players did not have access to in the past such as the Rock Crusher and Guillotine, will be theirs to keep forever!
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - Story and Setting
The events in Cyber Heist take place after completing The Ascent’s main campaign, which makes sense since you are left roaming the streets of Veles waiting for the next big thing. At Cluster 13, Kira will share some details about a secret job from yCorp. Journeying to a place you have never been to before is exciting because you get to compare it with unforgettable areas like the deep underbelly that isDeepStinkand the futuristic facade ofThe Pinnacle. The Dark Playground, which is controlled by the elite Malhorst-Gelb Group, will be this DLC’s main setting.
Similar to the amazing landscape and visual design of The Ascent’s multiple locations, The Dark Playground does not disappoint. Walking among its streets, you immediately notice yellow-green hues and themes akin to the cyberpunk genre - congested hubs and somewhat struggling inhabitants, the exact opposite of the faction owning this city. Customized and hand-drawn art assets continue to make the area as familiar and unique as it can be. It is definitely another world you would want to get lost in, yet I couldn’t help but hope for an even bigger Dark Playground given how good it felt to return to the game.
On top of the visual spectacle, the voice acting continues to be remarkable, however, I do wish that there are more soundtracks added into the mix rather than reusing the bulk of them from the base game. There is also an issue with the sound effects of the Guillotine’s normal attacks since it feels like you are cutting through paper compared to the uPlus Bat and Rock Crusher. Moreover, enemies who are hit by the Guillotine do not react as much either. Both concerns will hopefully be improved upon in later patches.
It is worth remembering that similar to the base game, the Cyber Heist narrative unfolds linearly based on the quests you take in. Additionally, your choices besides deciding to accept or decline a side mission, will not have an impact on the overall story arc but this in no way reduces the fun factor of the DLC because it still plays to its strength in terms of theCombat.
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - Patch 12
Alongside Cyber Heist, Neon Giant has released Patch 12, which is largely comprised of fixes related to keyboard inputs, co-op joining sessions, and mission-related bugs, to name a few. Notable additions are the ultrawide support for many screens as well as the addition of the uPlus Bat into the base game so players who do not purchase the DLC can still get a taste of some melee action.
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - Gameplay Mechanics and Combat
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - New Weapons
Next, the DLC treats us with several melee and ranged weapons such as the Guillotine, Rock Crusher, Void Cutter, Violator, and F&F Stinger. you’re able to get ahold of the Guillotine, Rock Crusher, and Void Cutter from chests. Out of these three, the Rock Crusher provides you with the highest amount of damage dealt because of its crushing impact, allowing you to smash even the enemy’s shields, often killing them with a single hit. However, this is quite heavy so if you are going for an agileBuild, you may want to switch to the Guillotine or Void Cutter.
What’s cool with these melee weapons is that they each have special attacks in place of the ranged weapons’ “raise gun” option. For instance, with the Guillotine, you are able to transform into a whirlwind, slashing multiple enemies around you. With the Rock Crusher, on the other hand, you’re able to smash the heavy hammer onto the ground to send shockwaves toward those in front of you.
When it comes to ranged weapons, you have the Violator, an SMG, which is effective in close-quarter defense missions. But generally, it is not very useful since you only stagger one target at a time. This weapon embeds nanites long enough until that same enemy explodes. When that happens, a chain effect is created where the hostiles around it blow up as well. However, it takes time to completely reduce the main target’s HP, making the Violator’s use case pretty limited.
Meanwhile, the F&F Stinger is a rifle that shoots slow, homing darts. However, it results in explosive impact in terms of audio and visual feedback when hitting enemies. Both weapons can be acquired after completing certain side quests.
What I am hoping for in future updates, is the possibility of purchasing Basic, Advanced, and Superior Components, which are required to fully upgrade weapons. They should be bought from a shop rather than waiting forBountiesto pop up near us to farm for them. Alternatively, we ought to be able to salvage these from the weapons we no longer use.
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC - Combat and the Environment
Combat-wise, Cyber Heist follows in the excellent footsteps of the main campaign. The action is still as exhilarating as before and the controls continue to be responsive, especially after the introduction of melee weapons. What Neon Giant brings to the table now are frequent perspective changes depending on where you are on the map so it is no longer limited to the usual top-down and long-winding horizontal views like in Tham’s Gate.
Here, you have a bird’s eye view of everyone in certain sections of the adminZone as you continue to shoot down or slice enemies into pieces. The way they experiment with these options is interesting to see as it improves our sense of scale of The Dark Playground, more than ever.
Another significant improvement to encounters is the high influx and density of enemies. Combat follows the same exciting formula where you utilize the Cover System to your advantage and switch between weapons depending on who you are fighting against. But this time, it is much more thrilling due to how densely-packed the DLC is. This makes exploration a more joyful activity since the world does not feel empty at all. Within a few seconds of running around, you get swarmed by hordes of enemies. If you love shooting in The Ascent, then Cyber Heist would be perfect for you due to how well-populated the cities are.
Now, there is a specific sequence where you traverse a long-winding area, revealing the different lifestyles of nearly hundreds of citizens as you progress and take down targets. This is definitely an interesting take on depicting the imbalances of society. On one hand, you see those who are struggling by finding whatever job they could yet on the other, some are simply coasting by with swathes of cash, allowing them to party and enjoy their privileges all night long without a care in the world.
From a technical standpoint, I encountered several bugs where my Xbox Controller did not respond in the middle of combat so I was basically gunned down. Moreover, there were a number of random instances where Cyber Heist would crash when I was running around areas or engaging in fights. Relaunching the game would temporarily resolve these issues. In some cases, enemies would spawn out of thin air, making combat seem unending and immersion-breaking.
Pricepoint
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC costs USD 9.99 but it is currently on sale for USD 7.50 until August 01, 2025. The DLC is worth buying if you have enjoyed the base game, and you do not mind the short 3-5 hours of gameplay with some bugs. If you have not bought The Ascent, you can purchase it via the Cyber Edition, which includes the base game, the CyberSec Pack, Cyber Warrior Pack, and Cyber Heist DLC. This edition costs USD 49.96 and is on sale for only USD 18.07 so now is the best time to grab it!
Final Thoughts
The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC is an expanded world of Planet Veles brimming with interesting missions and exciting action, much like the base game. There is enough endgame content to keep you going, although I would admit that it is a bit too short for my taste because I wanted to spend more time in this dystopian universe. What will certainly pull fans back are the new weapons, letting you experiment with different playstyles to come up with more builds, especially for the New Game + Mode.
If you enjoyed killing swarms of enemies in The Ascent (and let’s face it, this is the best part of the game), then Cyber Heist is the perfect excuse to return to the arcology. If you are new here, then now is the best time to dig deep and experience this amazing action-shooter RPG!
Stay tuned for the upcomingThe Ascent Build Guidesin the next few days. Be sure to check out ourThe Ascent Wikiif you have questions on the game. What did you think of this overview? Will you be purchasing The Ascent Cyber Heist DLC? What builds are you thinking of making now that there are melee weapons in the game? Let us know in the comments section below!
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