Astral Chain Review 88 on Meta

[Playstation Tablet 1,746]

Polygon (no score):

What begins as a dark meditation on collecting pocket monsters gradually becomes a blunt, but effective, soap opera about life in shitty times. Astral Chain is about the urge to inspire good, not just by hurting the enemy, but through helping those around you. It’s also wonderfully welcoming, an action game for everybody that provides an escape to a world on fire where good people can do right.

Forget Game of the Year. Astral Chain is a game for this moment.

Eurogamer (no score, essential):

And Astral Chain's action is some of the very finest I've come across, all delivered with a seamless quality that often leaves you breathless. Platinum never loses its lustre, goes the motto that sits proudly in the entry lobby of the studio's Osaka headquarters, though some might have thought the studio has dulled in recent years. Astral Chain is having absolutely none of that, and it shines brighter than anything in the studio's past. It's an absolute dream of a game.

Kotaku (no score):

I came into Astral Chain expecting a nice action game with a pleasant anime aesthetic, a a scoop of ice cream with a cherry on top. Platinum Games gave me a giant sundae piled high with whipped cream and sliced fruit and chocolate sauce. And nuts. Pecans. Love those pecans. What I wanted is there, and it’s good. There’s just so much more, and I love it all.

Waypoint (no score):

It’s not that there are no original ideas in Astral Chain, no bright spots or brief respites from the boring loop. It’s that for nearly 30 hours, the ones that show up are either underdeveloped or else go uncultivated in favor of something fundamentally rehashed and reheated.

GameXplain (video review, liked-a-lot)


VGC (5/5):

In hindsight, perhaps it’s unfair to see this as a second swing at Scalebound. It’s a world too singular in its cartoon cyberpunk vision to be a recycled leftover; the chained relationship between man and living weapon just too central to the action to be a quick fix for a missing dragon. Just as those fighting halves come to life in unison, so PlatinumGames and Nintendo continue their outstanding work together.

Nintendo Insider (10/10):

remembered for decades to come. Its yin-yang of chaos and carnage, fused with the calmer subtleties of investigation and exploration makes returning back to the action that little bit more special every time. There are so many gameplay elements that just feel and sound so goddamn satisfying that it’s so easy to become blind to any faults. It’s a game begging to be replayed countless times with an absolute boatload of things to do, observe and unlock that I haven’t even touched upon in an effort not to make this review even longer than it already is. Put it this way, if Astral Chain doesn’t turn out to be my game of the year when 2019 reaches its end, whatever surpasses it would have to be something incredibly special indeed.

Switch Player (5/5):

Astral Chain is one of the most confident, stylish and satisfying third-person action games we’ve played in quite a while. While its narrative might be melodramatic, battles and enemy encounters always deliver a thrilling but balanced challenge.

Nintendo Enthusiast (9.5/10):

Astral Chain packs the punch you would expect from Platinum Games while simultaneously going above and beyond in all other areas. It’s great to see Platinum stepping even further out of its shell with expertly crafted titles like NieR: Automata and now Astral Chain. This marks another game in the studio’s catalog that is nothing short of amazing.

 

GMagazine (9.5/10):

Astral Chain is a fantastic character action game that reimagines the subgenre at its core with a completely original and immensely satisfying combat system. I loved how much personality and style was put into every element of the game, creating a truly exceptional experience I believe every Nintendo Switch owner should try out for themselves if they have the opportunity. Scalebound and its potential may well be dead and buried, but what came out of that disappointing cancellation as a result is one of my favourite games released so far in 2019.

Wccftech (9.3/10):

Astral Chain is, without a doubt, one of the best games ever released by Platinum Games and one of the best Nintendo Switch exclusives to date. With its combination of explosive action gameplay, which masterfully blends together mechanics taken from previous games developed by the studio, engaging investigation and exploration mechanics, an enjoyable story and huge amount of content, Astral Chain is a game that no fan of action games should pass on. That's even in spite of some issues here and there, such as the low challenge level and unbalanced evaluation system that makes it too easy to get S+ ranks.

COGconnected (91/100):

Astral Chain is an excellent action game that uses the Switch’s unique hardware in creative ways. It fits handsomely in PlatinumGames’ excellent catalog and should satisfy anyone who likes Japanese action RPGs, or third-person action games. It is a wholly satisfying experience.

Game Informer (9/10):

I had a blast playing Astral Chain and didn’t want it to end. Platinum has created a wonderful new universe for players to dive into that I could see extending into anime, movies, and hopefully sequels. The dual-character gameplay is also brilliantly devised, and although not as difficult as PlatinumGames’ other titles, creates a duet that makes you feel like a powerful, unstoppable force. The story may be the weakest part of the experience, given just how much it changes trajectory, but it has some legitimately great moments, and a big twist I didn't see coming. All told, this is one hell of a game.

Metro GameCentral (9/10):

Another classic action game from Platinum that’s so full of ideas it seems fit to burst and yet everything not only works perfectly but is filled with an infectious sense of goofy fun.

IGN (9/10):

Astral Chain is another excellent game from Platinum, and one of the best action games of this generation. Period. Fighting off alien invaders with a Legion robot by your side proves to be even more fun than it looks, which is saying a lot. Even outside of combat, the world and its characters brim with life – other than the main protagonist, that is. Excellent pacing artfully balances tense action with enticing exploration to create a deeply satisfying and charmingly quirky ride.

Destructoid (9/10):

Whatever criticism you can throw at Astral Chain, you can’t say it isn’t unique. In the first few hours, I was all over the place when it came to an assessment, as it can take some time to really turn it up. But when it does it just clicks, and I don't want to stop playing it. Lol

[-GD-X★ 7,814]

2019 is the year of Switch. Fire Emblem, alone, annihilates anything I’ve played this year.  

[jehurey 3,299]

We didn't even know this fucking game existed 6 months ago.

 

Hey remember when people said that the Switch was going to enter a drought after 2017, and then it was definitely going to enter a drought after 2018.

[-GD-X★ 7,814]

4 minutes ago, jehurey said:

We didn't even know this fucking game existed 6 months ago.

 

Hey remember when people said that the Switch was going to enter a drought after 2017, and then it was definitely going to enter a drought after 2018.

i will literally have too much to play on my switch this fall. ps4 and xbox have been shit all year. 

[Goukosan 2,283]

4 hours ago, jehurey said:

We didn't even know this fucking game existed 6 months ago.

 

Hey remember when people said that the Switch was going to enter a drought after 2017, and then it was definitely going to enter a drought after 2018.

bbbbut a game in development doesn't exist until it's announced 

[Remij 4,717]

Congrats to the Sheep on this one.  Looks awesome, but I'm gonna be holding off on it for a bit.  Probably ask for it for Christmas.

[bhytre 2,753]

Just now, Remij_ said:

Congrats to the Sheep on this one.  Looks awesome, but I'm gonna be holding off on it for a bit.  Probably ask for it for Christmas.

waiting for the superior PC version I see

[Remij 4,717]

2 minutes ago, bhytre said:

waiting for the superior PC version I see

It's already deep in development