In Ashcombe House, we are tasked with robbing a modestly sized estate. A tunnel connecting the sewers with the mansion's hedge maze is dig by a bunch of goons and this is where our heist starts.

The target building is constructed and furnished in a Victorian style; there are three floors to explore. Had it not been for some new textures, Ashcombe Houses could be easily mistaken for an early era release (2000-2003). I mean this as a compliment, as atmosphere is undeniably the strongest side of this mission. The estate looks and feels like a larger version of those little apartments at the beginning of Blackmail, while the basement reminded me of Running Interference.

In terms of difficulty, the mission is a bit too easy. There are only a few guards in the area and they can be easily ghosted or blackjacked. Realistically, it makes sense that a small mansion wouldn't have high level security. However, there is not really any challenge for players here, especially since the objectives are also really simple. The readables are basic (I think some information included in them is not necessary, you will see what I mean when you play the mission), but acceptable given the size of the mission.

I would highly recommend Ashcombe House for anyone who would like to have a relatively straightforward taffing experience to end a long day on a relaxing note. Those who prefer something more complex or difficult will not be impressed, but at least the level is unlikely to frustrate them.

Atmosphere: +20 points
Gameplay: +15 points
Story: +15 points
Originality Bonus: N/A
Classic Experience Bonus: +10 points
Cinematic Bonus: N/A
Audio Bonus: N/A
Debut FM Bonus: +5 points
1999 FM: N/A
Classic Era FM (1999-2003): N/A
Laziness Penalty: N/A
Bugs Penalty: N/A
AI Content Penalty: N/A
New Dark Era Penalty: -5 points

Total Score: 60/100 or 6/10