Ashes of Power

The player is the Ritualist, an ancient warrior who draws power not from life, but from death. They are trapped in a spiritual realm and must survive waves of enemies known as Shades. The unique mechanic is that all powerful abilities (Rituals) are fueled by Ash (the remnants of defeated enemies), but the act of igniting this Ash requires a permanent sacrifice of the Ritualist's vitality or physical integrity. The player must constantly choose between clearing the screen now and making the rest of their run exponentially harder.