Fortunately for this particular case, however, they are! Not only is platforming simple, enjoyable, and unobtrusive (meaning that the turn-based combat is still the focus), but this game has some absolutely phenomenal artwork going on. However, “novel” and “good” aren’t the same thing in every case. While Astria Ascending isn’t the first game to do this, it’s still uncommon enough for it to feel novel. Rather than using top-down, isometric, or 3D perspectives, the entirety of Orcanon is presented to players as a 2D side-scroller.
And if you haven’t played either of those games… well, then I guess I had better actually explain what’s going on.ĭespite being a traditional turn-based RPG in many ways, and taking a great deal of inspiration from the Final Fantasy franchise (which makes sense because a handful of FF veterans worked on this game), Astria Ascending doesn’t play like you’d expect it to. If you haven’t, then the best thing that I can compare it to is Valkyrie Profile. If you’ve played Super Neptunia RPG, then I’ve got some good news for you– Astria Ascending plays almost identically to that in terms of how exploration is handled. Not only are these eight chosen individuals literal demi-gods, but they’ve also worked closely with each other for almost three years by the time the game begins–but you wouldn’t know it by looking at them. However, while there are plenty of things to like about the game’s story, I would have to say that my favorite thing about it is its contrarian, almost deconstructivist, approach to how it sets up the Fated Eight. Overall, Astria Ascending‘s story-rich narrative is quite enjoyable and progresses along smoothly with the rest of the game without feeling overbearing. It seems as though they won’t have any time to ponder their approaching demise, however, as their most defining moments as demi-gods have yet to come. And the 333rd demi-god brigade? Well, they’ve only got a few months left. However, in this world, such power also comes at a great cost–the fact that you only have three years to live after ascending to demi-god-hood. Now, you might be tempted to think that being a demi-god would grant you a bunch of cool new abilities, and you would be right in doing so.
Taking a unique approach to some rather traditional tropes, Astria Ascending‘s story follows Ulan Merer, the leader of the 333rd demi-god brigade, and her seven other compatriots–collectively known as the “Fated Eight”–as they seek to maintain the Harmony which permeates throughout most of the world of Orcanon. How can you say that with such a smug-looking smile on your face? Still, I wanted to stay hopeful that Artisan Studios would deliver with this one–and they most certainly did! Because of that, I was a little hesitant when I first approached this game–especially being aware of the fact that Astria Ascending is in many ways very similar to Super Neptunia RPG. As hesitant as I am to start throwing shade, their previous game, Super Neptunia RPG, was, and I say this with no disrespect, a little rough. I still like it a lot.Īrtisan Studios has really managed to impress me in a number of ways with this game. A lot can change in the course of a month, though–including people’s opinions on games… but that totally didn’t happen here. You can go check it out if you’d like, but I’ll go ahead and save you the trouble by telling you that I liked what I played and thought that it did a great job with paying homage to a number of classic RPGs. It’s been about a month since I first gave my thoughts on Astria Ascendingin the form of a preview.
0 kommentar(er)
