Astria Ascending (2021)

As one of the Fated Eight, explore the world of Orcanon where twelve ancient beasts dwell, and fight against your destiny to save the world in this hand-drawn, turn-based JRPG.

Role-playing (RPG)Adventure Fantasy 2d jrpg hand-drawnXbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

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Character

Epic, grave, earnest and classical in form.

intimateepic
gravecomic
earnestironic
classical in formformally daring
unpretentiousprestige

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From the critics

A few lines from each review; the whole review is on the critic's site. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.

PlayStation GalaxyLeif Rey BornalesSep 202110/10
Overall, Astria Ascending is a great tribute to the classic JRPG’s from before. It has that classic feel but with a modern flair to make it relevant to the times. It’s JRPG with a heart, passion and an endless amount of entertainment. You wouldn’t want to put down this game once you have started playing it.
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COGconnectedRicky KnightSep 202185/100
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Astria Ascending. While parts of it felt long and grindy, the English cast is abysmal, and the dungeons design themselves left more to be desired, Astria Ascending is still a solid entry in the JRPG genre. It does what it sets out to do and at its price point it does it pretty well. While it may not quite rise to the heights of some of the forebears it tries to evoke from Square Enix’s past, its friendlier price point makes it a great entry that can steal away 25-30 hours of time. Just don’t expect it to sway you over if you don’t already like the genre. As its tendency to get grindy, and its overwrought characters may not change your mind.
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But Why Tho?Charles HartfordSep 20219/10
If you are a turn-based RPG fan looking for a new experience that brings fresh twists on classic elements of the genre, I cannot recommend Astria Ascending enough, just so long as you don’t need an overly engaging plot to pull you along.
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VG247George YangSep 20212/5 stars
With so many other incredible JRPGs released in 2021, it’s hard to recommend Astria Ascending. It does have a very pretty artstyle, which is what will draw most players initially. The battle system and customization options can be enjoyable to tinker around with, but the lackluster story and unpleasant cast of characters really bog down the whole experience.
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Screen RantScott BairdSep 20212/5 stars
Astria Ascending has the makings of a great game, but it falls short on several fronts. A version of the game that started out at an earlier point in the story, in order to gradually introduce each character and their abilities, would have helped smooth the transition into the main quest. A number of QoL improvements, especially related to the speed of the battles, would also drastically improve the gameplay. As it stands, Astria Ascending feels like a throwback to a different era, while needlessly ignoring the modern conveniences that have improved the genre in the time that has passed since then.
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Snippets via OpenCritic, where 32% of critics recommend it.

About the game

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer: Artisan Studios
Publisher: Dear Villagers
Released: September 30, 2021
Modes: Single player
Perspective: Side view
Engine: Unity
Time to beat: 30 h rushed · 40 h main story · 54 h completionist