
I hoped that might change throughout the story, that the heroes might adopt new and different views about their fate and even see some meaningful changes in their relationships. The Demi-Gods divide themselves into cliques, argue frequently, and are generally unpleasant, as you might expect from a group of people pushed unwillingly to their own deaths. The cast is probably the least likable group of characters I’ve ever seen it’s almost like they go out of their way to make you loathe them.Īstria is billed as a “mature” take on the genre, though its approach to heavy subject matter and character development never extends beyond general angst. It’s not the only obnoxious thing in Astria. Add dozens of unnecessary comments from party members who just have to pipe up and no option to skip through dialogue, and it’s downright obnoxious. Most of Astria’s inhabitants have little to say, and wordy, awkward writing hounds conversations between party members. It’s an intriguing setup for the first 10 minutes, but there’s a sense of having a well-defined main idea and giving less time or attention to the important pieces that connect it. Instead of journeying across the world and assembling a party of heroes, your established group of dead-heroes-walking takes on multiple tasks in each of five regions to try and unravel a dark web of mysteries encasing the world. New ones rise up every three years because the old ones die at the close of the cycle.

Harmony is a convenient plot device and little more, but the interesting part is how Astria handles the heroes.īeing the chosen one is literally being marked for death. Nations choose Demi-Gods, heroes with unique abilities, to fight the Noise every few years and maintain the balance of Harmony. Astria Ascending Review: Failed AscentĪstria Ascending topples the usual RPG narrative from the start. It's ambitious even while its own inspirations hold it back. Artisan Studios’ newest RPG is creative but underdeveloped.
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A Treat for the Ears – With music and SFX from composer Hitoshi Sakimoto ( Final Fantasy XII, Valkyria Chronicles), Astria Ascending is a heart-swelling joy to listen to.Īstria Ascending is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 30.This is Astria Ascending, an RPG with as much tonal whiplash as the end of the previous paragraph and enough proper nouns to make Robert Jordan blush.Rewarding Combat – Work together to save the world, waging strategic turn-based battles using the innovative focus point system.Unforgettable Characters – Pick from eight customizable player characters spanning a range of fantastical races and skills, and assemble a diverse team of heroes.Living Landscapes – Travel the world of Orcanon, a richly imagined and fully animated 2D landscape with five cities and a dynamic weather system.The story of Astria Ascending was developed in part by writer Kazushige Nojima, known for his work on Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Epic Tales – Fight for the future while you reckon with the past sacrifice everything, relinquish nothing.

Along with the finely tuned turn-based combat, players can try out a range of side quests and mini-games, including an original fantasy-themed token game.

Each character has their own story, explored across five cities, twenty-five dungeons and thirty hours of gameplay up to fifty for 100 percent of completion. In a world where chaos looms, players take control of the Demigods-a motley crew of eight heroes charged with the fate of the world. The game was developed in partnership with publisher Dear Villagers and boasts contributions from world-class JRPG developers, with a score by Hitoshi Sakimoto ( Final Fantasy XII, Vagrant Story), narrative by Kazushige Nojima ( Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy VII Remake) and art from CyDesignation (Akihiko Yoshida and Hideo Minaba). An epic adventure with the charm and pedigree of a classic Japanese RPG, Astria Ascending tells an expansive story of fate, sacrifice, and new beginnings.
