Astral Chain

 Switch
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3468 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,079 out of 3468
  2. Mixed: 143 out of 3468
  3. Negative: 246 out of 3468
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  1. DopaminE
    Sep 18, 2019
    7
    + Combat system
    + Art Style
    + OST
    - Investigate
    - Side Quest
    - NPC Dialogue
    - Riding Beast Legion
  2. OwtDaft
    Mar 29, 2020
    7
    + Legions make the game combat and exploration very unique.
    + The game has a great sound track.
    + Graphics are very good, for the Switch. + The game play has variety to it. +- The story is alright, it's a great idea but they didn't do much with it. +- Investigations are a good idea but they're too basic. - Controls are a bit clunky and take some getting used to. - Large amounts of    + Legions make the game combat and exploration very unique.
    + The game has a great sound track.
    + Graphics are very good, for the Switch.
    + The game play has variety to it.
    +- The story is alright, it's a great idea but they didn't do much with it.
    +- Investigations are a good idea but they're too basic.
    - Controls are a bit clunky and take some getting used to.
    - Large amounts of the game are set in environments that look the same and look rushed.
    - Boring side quests. It's like watered down juice when the side quests are so low effort.
    - Camera is awkward at times while using a Legion.
    - Using Legions to leap gaps is buggy.
    - Got sick of collecting red shards very quickly.
    = The game feels fresh enough to be worth playing but the game is a bit rushed in places.    … Expand
  3. DreamCore
    Sep 15, 2019
    7
    Cons:

    * Story is quite shallow. * Many garbage side quests like carrying boxes, delivering ice cream that don't really belong in a game like this. * The skill trees are the same for all legions, and they even have the same abilities. I mean, for real? * Combat ratings are off. Sometimes you play like a god and get ranked D while sometimes you play like **** and get ranked S+. * Too    Cons:

    * Story is quite shallow.
    * Many garbage side quests like carrying boxes, delivering ice cream that don't really belong in a game like this.
    * The skill trees are the same for all legions, and they even have the same abilities. I mean, for real?
    * Combat ratings are off. Sometimes you play like a god and get ranked D while sometimes you play like **** and get ranked S+.
    * Too easy on Standard (highest available at first). Never had too purchase any items or anything and only died once in a full playthrough. Since it was developed with Nintendo I guess they abandonded the Bayonetta style and and went toddler style instead.

    Pros:

    * Combat is really cool.
    * Nice art-style.
    * Very polished and good performance.    … Expand
  4. MiracSpectac
    Sep 6, 2019
    7
    Having read so many conflicting things about this game before release, I was really apprehensive to pick it up. However, I'm glad I did. Being a fan of both Nier and Bayonetta, I really appreciated the "middle of the road" approach to combat in this game. It's really simple enough to feel uninhibited but makes every fight somehow feel like some epic challenge. This is really where the gameHaving read so many conflicting things about this game before release, I was really apprehensive to pick it up. However, I'm glad I did. Being a fan of both Nier and Bayonetta, I really appreciated the "middle of the road" approach to combat in this game. It's really simple enough to feel uninhibited but makes every fight somehow feel like some epic challenge. This is really where the game shines, but everything else is just OK, nothing too special here. The story is fairly uninteresting beyond some fun characters and the features of the game, like customization and upgrades, are pretty bare bones. This definitely could've benefitted from some more time in the cooker, but it's still a fun game that will hopefully see an even better sequel.… Expand
  5. Titan897
    Sep 22, 2019
    7
    Alla lunga un po' ripetitivo. In compenso il gameplay e la trama non è male, però non vedevo l'ora di finirlo (Ed è durato solo 25 ore cercando di raccogliere più roba possibile)
    Ero indeciso tra 7 e 8, ho scelto 7, ma avrei messo 7,5 potendo.
  6. juanlobo
    Aug 24, 2023
    7
    the investigation parts are horrible, the action is nice, the chimeras world is bland and boring. Not a bad game, but not that great
  7. Brokenchikara
    Sep 4, 2019
    7
    Me he terminado Astral Chain en unas 25-26 horas. Os comentaré mi experiencia:
    JUGABILIDAD 8
    Al principio es una mierda simplísima. Hasta las 10 horas es bastante meh la jugabilidad y los 30 fps no ayudan para nada. Si fuera a 60 fps la jugabilidad y el manejo de la legión (los bichos con cadenas) se haría mucho más ágil e intuitivo. Después de superar las 10 horas el gameplay mejora con    Me he terminado Astral Chain en unas 25-26 horas. Os comentaré mi experiencia:
    JUGABILIDAD 8
    Al principio es una mierda simplísima. Hasta las 10 horas es bastante meh la jugabilidad y los 30 fps no ayudan para nada. Si fuera a 60 fps la jugabilidad y el manejo de la legión (los bichos con cadenas) se haría mucho más ágil e intuitivo. Después de superar las 10 horas el gameplay mejora con todas las habilidades que has conseguido (si las quieres todas hay que farmear misiones, una cagada a mi parecer). Hay mecánicas de algunas legiones que usarás 4 veces contadas durante el juego. Los bosses han ido mejorando según avanzaba el juego y me han gustado mucho los bosses finales de la segunda mitad del juego. Pero nada de esto quita que al principio el juego se me ha hecho insufrible por lo monótono que resultaba todo.
    Las fases de infiltración son de lo peor del juego con diferencia por lo aburridas que resultan.
    La dificultad en normal es de chiste, no he muerto ni una sola vez en todo el juego porque puedes abusar muchas mecánicas que te da el juego para no morir.
    La personalización de tu avatar es muy limitada en cuanto a indumentaria se refiere (y los accesorios son feos de cojones).
    Al final, todo se centra en saber mover la cadena de tu legión cuando toca y qué combos lanzar en cada enemigo. Hablando de los combos, es difícil memorizarlos porque en lugar de combinaciones de botones tienes que mover el analógico y pulsar el gatillo.

    Al final, no puedo decir que el gameplay no me ha gustado porque hacer combos con las distintas legiones es divertido y algunos bosses son sencillamente brutales. ¿Es un mal juego? NO, EN ABSOLUTO. ¿Es una obra maestra? TAMPOCO, está un escalón por debajo de otro títulos como Nier Automata.

    Por último, se me ha hecho bastante incómodo jugar en portátil por los controles del juego ya que se corre apretando el gatillo (lo que sería el L3 en la PS4) y se me hace incómodo al no jugar con mando.

    HISTORIA 5
    Es esencia, la historia me ha parecido super cutre y genérica. Parece la típica historia creada por un adolescente con las hormonas por las nubes y que cree que las explosiones son lo mejor que ha parido la humanidad. En el segundo tramo del juego mejora bastante porque había margen de mejora pero ya os digo, una mierda predecible desde el minuto 1. No me ha gustado el trato que han dado a ciertos personajes del juego que desaparecen de la misma sin razón aparente.

    Un fallo muy grave que le he encontrado es que el personaje que controlamos no tiene voz, es un avatar sin personalidad ni carisma alguno. Sinceramente creo que sobraba tanta personalización del avatar en este juego porque al final ni me he fijado en mi avatar mientras jugaba porque el juego intenta hacer que la historia te interese y a mi por lo menos no ha sido así. Si hubiera habido diálogos pues a lo mejor otro gallo cantaría.

    Además el reciclaje de escenarios es abusivo porque he llegado a visitar las mismas zonas hasta 3 veces en menos de 25 horas. Hay algunas zonas mejores que otras lógicamente por la narrativa.

    Conclusión, no esperes un Nier Automata o que se te caigan los huevos al suelo porque todo lo ves venir.

    SONIDO 8
    Hasta la mitad del juego la banda sonora me ha parecido pasable, aceptable; nada que ver con Nier Automata que es un orgasmo auditivo constantemente. Con esto quiero decir que las canciones buenas de verdad las puedes contar con los dedos de la mano. Por otro lado, los efectos de sonido son bastante buenos.

    GRÁFICOS 6
    Me han decepcionado bastante. Esperaba muchos mejores gráficos. Me ha recordado a los juegos de Telltale Games por lo raro que se veían los personajes. Las legiones se ven bastante bien eso si. No se ve mal en absoluto pero esperaba mucho más después de todo el hype que rodeaba el juego. En portátil tiene un bajón de calidad que se aprecia fácilmente. Los 720p y los 30 fps lastran la experiencia que podría haber brindado los 60 fps que he reiterado que le hacen falta en mi mini análisis. El diseño artístico es bueno, aunque reciclan diseños de jefes con un reskin de color en muchas ocasiones.

    NOTA FINAL: 6.75 ≈ 7

    A Nier Automata por ejemplo le daría un 9,5 para que comparéis y veáis mi vara de medir. Si me he dejado algo preguntádmelo y os lo contaré en base a mi experiencia.    … Expand
  8. EdwardG
    Oct 20, 2020
    7
    Astral Chain is a cool linear action game with a unique combat system and strong presentation.

    The game is made up of 11 story files and it took getting through a few of these before I really started to enjoy myself. The first chapter is a stylish opening but your combat options are quite limited at first and it initially feels like the gameplay lacks depth. After you progress though    Astral Chain is a cool linear action game with a unique combat system and strong presentation.

    The game is made up of 11 story files and it took getting through a few of these before I really started to enjoy myself. The first chapter is a stylish opening but your combat options are quite limited at first and it initially feels like the gameplay lacks depth. After you progress though it's clear that there's more to the combat, and after a couple files of getting used to it, and getting better at it, I enjoyed it a fair bit.

    The bulk of the gameplay is solid. The combat has enough depth to be engaging, and although some encounters were a little frustrating, the action always looks really cool and feels different from other games in the genre. You control a Legion attached to you by a chain, and this presents some interesting and unique opportunities in combat. Where the combat falters slightly is in the ranking system which incentivises treating enemy encounters as checklists of things you've got to do. If you want to get an S+ rank you don't necessarily have to play brilliantly, but you do have to tick off a number of boxes. This means you can get a good rank without needing brilliant reflexes or needing to completely avoid taking damage, but it also means you've gotta treat all encounters quite similarly. So, my opinion on it is quite mixed.

    On the other hand, visuals and music are definitely a positive in Astral Chain. Environments are well designed, and there's some really nice fine details in the futuristic cities and in the Astral Plane, the alien realm that you frequent during the game. There are some colourful and impressive effects too. The UI is also really pleasing, and it, like your character and Legions, can even be customised. Characters faces aren't great however and in comparison to other great visual aspects certainly seemed to be of lower quality. There are some really catchy and enjoyable tracks in the OST, including the one in the main base of operations, Neuron HQ.

    The worldbuilding is pretty good but the story is nothing special. There aren't any fleshed out characters or anyone to get really attached to, and the villains aren't that compelling either.

    Another thing that may have needed some work is the mission structure. A lot of files suffer from bad pacing - there's sometimes too many side objectives that just aren't compelling at all. Many are thinly written and others are just mindless combat encounters. I much preferred the main objectives which felt more focused. File 08 in particular felt like a drag as there was no sense of urgency for most of it. There might be a bit too much padding in Astral Chain, and some of it is annoying to play through.

    Overall though, I liked Astral Chain. It's a good game with a cool world and flashy combat, but it suffers from bad pacing and a lack of a compelling story. There's some really interesting worldbuilding going on in Astral Chain, but the story just never does enough with it. It's quite silly and is stuffed with flat characters. It's a shame too, because this could have been a really great game if it had a gripping narrative, and it seems like one wasn't too far out of reach. As it is, this is still a solid game with tons of style that's worth checking out.

    This is just about a 7/10 for me.    … Expand
  9. WillTheWise
    Sep 1, 2019
    7
    An action game with innovative combat that doesn't let you fight for more than 15 minutes because you need to solve crimes.
    And the toughest enemy is the camera.
  10. Ryijun
    Jul 11, 2020
    7
    Dynamic and cool action. The combat system is unusual and difficult to master. Bosses are good. But the chosen anime style and overall created story limp on one and a half legs. Characters are not registered almost in any way. I mean, the game seems to have a good plot and light drama, but it turns out that all this is not supported by anything interesting. As a result, we only get action.Dynamic and cool action. The combat system is unusual and difficult to master. Bosses are good. But the chosen anime style and overall created story limp on one and a half legs. Characters are not registered almost in any way. I mean, the game seems to have a good plot and light drama, but it turns out that all this is not supported by anything interesting. As a result, we only get action. Well, OK, so that's what the developer intended.)… Expand
  11. pdecou
    Aug 31, 2019
    7
    le jeu ne fonctionne pas bien, les phases d'action sont sympas mais elles ont des problèmes:
    - trop de frénésie de combat
    - la caméra ne vous fait rien comprendre - Après quelques heures, vous devenez si fort que vous n'avez plus besoin de vous enchaîner ni de tactique, c'est très facile. le reste offre de bonnes choses mais aussi des choses laides, de nombreuses quêtes de    le jeu ne fonctionne pas bien, les phases d'action sont sympas mais elles ont des problèmes:
    - trop de frénésie de combat
    - la caméra ne vous fait rien comprendre
    - Après quelques heures, vous devenez si fort que vous n'avez plus besoin de vous enchaîner ni de tactique, c'est très facile.

    le reste offre de bonnes choses mais aussi des choses laides, de nombreuses quêtes de récupération, de nombreuses tâches identiques, et certains niveaux ne sont que des corridors ... dommage pour les 30 images par seconde même s'ils ne se sentent pas beaucoup

    Je pensais mieux    … Expand
  12. Starward
    Oct 1, 2021
    7
    Astral Chain is a mix between Bayonetta and JoJo, and it works out amazing. The combat is very unique and I love the aesthetic of the world. However, the story is boring and the framerate drops make the combat worse than it could be.
  13. caronte69
    Sep 2, 2019
    7
    Parece que los seguidores de la alopecia borraron mi comentario, bueno aqui va otra vez.
    Muy decepcionado que el juego vaya a 30 fps, me esperaba un poco mas de este juego, he visto muchos youtubers y medios de prensa decir que este juego es una maravilla, incluso antes de que salga el juego y bueno, es un buen juego, pero vamos, no es el mejor hack and slash del mundo, devil may cry 5 o    Parece que los seguidores de la alopecia borraron mi comentario, bueno aqui va otra vez.
    Muy decepcionado que el juego vaya a 30 fps, me esperaba un poco mas de este juego, he visto muchos youtubers y medios de prensa decir que este juego es una maravilla, incluso antes de que salga el juego y bueno, es un buen juego, pero vamos, no es el mejor hack and slash del mundo, devil may cry 5 o nier automata mil veces mejores que astral chain,
    les doy un 7 porque los medios me lo pintaron como el juegazo y no lo es.    … Expand
  14. Xplocion
    Nov 8, 2019
    7
    The good: a competent Slash Hack. Character design was done by the mangaka Mazakatsu Katsura (creator of Video Girl Ai / Lehn and Shadow Lady). A lot of action. Dizzying actions Links

    The bad: there is no jump button (it is a skill or consequence of a chained attack). Design of manga characters the Mazakatsu Katsura (creator of Video Girl Ai / Lehn and Shadow Lady), so that several of    The good: a competent Slash Hack. Character design was done by the mangaka Mazakatsu Katsura (creator of Video Girl Ai / Lehn and Shadow Lady). A lot of action. Dizzying actions Links

    The bad: there is no jump button (it is a skill or consequence of a chained attack). Design of manga characters the Mazakatsu Katsura (creator of Video Girl Ai / Lehn and Shadow Lady), so that several of his characters from his manga works seem to be in the video game with other names and attitudes. The novelty and surprises do not last long, the game becomes repetitive. Scenarios reduced to corridors and guided action and scripted by corridors.

    Lo Meh: you are trying to sell this game as the eighth wonder of the world and it is not. It is a regular game. It seems that Mazakatsu Katsura cannot draw more than 7 different faces.    … Expand
  15. Allme223
    Aug 30, 2019
    7
    Story is great but the controls hold it back in so many ways. Never felt like I was truly in control, almost as if i would play and hope that the camera would center since the R stick was used for targeting. Just wasnt as fun as the reviews stated in my opinion.
  16. Timnor
    Aug 30, 2019
    7
    Very average rpg,short,gets clunky at times,not worth full price,would pick up at the 40 dollar range.
  17. NintendanGX
    Sep 1, 2019
    7
    Astrai Chain is a solid Switch exclusive that offers plenty of new and exciting gameplay ideas and mechanics to the character-action genre. I have no gripes with the story so far, or the likeable characters, or the setting, or the way it integrates law enforcement into a character-action game.
    However, it's a heavily flawed example of its subgenre, for just two reasons. I'll be focusing    Astrai Chain is a solid Switch exclusive that offers plenty of new and exciting gameplay ideas and mechanics to the character-action genre. I have no gripes with the story so far, or the likeable characters, or the setting, or the way it integrates law enforcement into a character-action game.
    However, it's a heavily flawed example of its subgenre, for just two reasons. I'll be focusing on these two broad reasons for this review, as I think they're far more important than the pros that have most likely already been discussed.

    1. The game doesn't run at 60fps. You might not care, and you might not "notice it" (which is code for "I don't know what to look for so I'll deflect a criticism I don't understand"), but 60fps has been, and should always be, the standard in these games.

    In a skill-intensive, mission-based action game that encourages you to get the best rank possible during combat, every single frame counts. The controls need to be as responsive as possible with as little input delay as possible, and 30fps makes that so much harder to achieve. What baffles me the most is that this is Platinum, the guys who always target 60fps with these types of games. In a day and age when Devil May Cry 5 exists, there's literally no excuse.

    So what if the Switch isn't as powerful as a base PS4 or Xbox One, don't focus so heavily on visuals if it's going to be a detriment to the overall gameplay when it truly matters This isn't an open-world or sandbox game, this is a linear action game with branching secrets and an emphasis on combat. And if they really wanted people to experience pretty visuals over responsive and gratifying gameplay with minimum input delay, then why not give us the option? Plenty of games now allow you to choose between performance and visual fidelity, even Fire Emblem Warriors on the Switch.

    If someone at Platinum sees this, please include this in an update. In many cases, it can make the difference between an okay game and a great game.

    2. Souls-like elements do not work in a character-action game. For those who don't know, the lock-on is done by pressing the right-stick in, like a Souls game, and attacking is done with the trigger buttons. This is fine in a souls-like, but not a character-action game akin to Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden and Bayonetta. It makes it harder to switch focus between enemies when that type of control scheme is geared towards a slower-paced, more methodical kind of game, but implemented in a faster-paced game that demands the most ergonomic control scheme.

    The game does have different input options, but the way lock-on is implemented by nature makes it a pultry amendment at best.

    Oh, but that's not the only souls-like element in the game. While this issue is less noticable than the framerate problem, it's worth noting that you cannot jump into the air by normal means. A feature in DMC, Ninja Gaiden, Bayonetta, The Wonderful 101, and Metal Gear Rising, is done away with in Astral Chain. I wouldn't have minded so much if they hadn't thrown pace-breaking obstacles at you that could've been dealt with in a number of ways given the player was fast enough. But there's even souls-like gimmicks and hazards that make their way into this game, like sticky floors in the 4th mission, which stop the player dead in their tracks. It's an unfair disadvantage that doesn't add a worthy challenge, but rather hinders the player in a game that expects them to play at their best and make precise dodges. The pace of the fight comes to a crashing halt when you transition from a dodge to an unskippable stumbling animation after landing in said sticky substance, and it can cost you a perfect S+ rank. And the worst part is that it would've been a passable feature if you were able to jump more easily to attack in mid-air, much like Nero from DMC5 when things get dicy on the ground.

    These two subjects and the problems inherent within them do not prevent the game from having worthwhile, enjoyable content within it, nor should they deter you from getting the game at £40. They are, however, easy enough problems to fix given Platinum's calibre. If they did update the game and provide an option for people to weaken the visuals for a smooth 60fps, then my score would likely go from a 7 to a 9. but as things currently stand, it is a severely disappointing aspect of what could've been a new rival to DMC5 and its threshold of the best character-action gameplay.    … Expand
  18. MrSpiffy
    Sep 5, 2019
    7
    After finally finishing the game I found the game to have certain issues that most highly rated games should not have. Firstly, I believe the games most redeeming quality is its combat which should come to no surprise since it was developed by Platimum games; but its animation, voice acting, and story is pretty subpar. The faces of the main characters look off putting, the voice acting isAfter finally finishing the game I found the game to have certain issues that most highly rated games should not have. Firstly, I believe the games most redeeming quality is its combat which should come to no surprise since it was developed by Platimum games; but its animation, voice acting, and story is pretty subpar. The faces of the main characters look off putting, the voice acting is pretty poorly done and takes some Tim to get used to, the story reminds me off some cheesy anime plot lines, and there are quite a few graphical glitches and frame drops when in combat with your legion. The out of combat gameplay within the world also posses its own problems with its bland side missions and graphical issues all of which aren't really saved by the combat when moving through the main storyline. Finally, the biggest issue from the game is its pacing, many say the game gets better as you move forward (which is undoubtedly tru for the combat aspect of it) but the rate at which you reach those points is quite slow. With games only real redeeming quality being its combat, the games other issues stands out heavily within its beginning and middle portions of the game and become tolerable when the game finally reaches its later portions. Overall, with the removal of all the review bombing (and right fully so its a pretty crappy thing to do) the perfect scores that were placed to counteract the review bombing are still there and are in my opinion over inflating its score. The game is fun yes, but it still holds a slew of problems that should be discussed and not dismissed solely because it's a Nintendo game that was review bombed.… Expand
  19. MassSpecFella
    Sep 6, 2019
    7
    I'm very disappointed. I don't enjoy any of the non-combat aspects of Astral Chain. The platforming is awful. Mini games are tedious and get in the way of the action and cutscene story which I do enjoy. However even then the combat is chaotic. Its difficult to see and time incoming attacks. I feel like the game could have been a lot more fun for me personally had it focused on action likeI'm very disappointed. I don't enjoy any of the non-combat aspects of Astral Chain. The platforming is awful. Mini games are tedious and get in the way of the action and cutscene story which I do enjoy. However even then the combat is chaotic. Its difficult to see and time incoming attacks. I feel like the game could have been a lot more fun for me personally had it focused on action like DMC5 or Bayonetta 2.… Expand
  20. Meeleepit
    Oct 10, 2019
    7
    So in my experience the combination of fighting and detective work makes this game super fun.

    What i don't like is the super complex combat system. it might be because i am a old school gamer and not used to bashing millions of buttons but it feels over complex ed. Graphics is superb considering this game runs on the switch. Sound track is epic . Best enjoyed with the pro    So in my experience the combination of fighting and detective work makes this game super fun.

    What i don't like is the super complex combat system. it might be because i am a old school gamer and not used to bashing millions of buttons but it feels over complex ed.

    Graphics is superb considering this game runs on the switch.

    Sound track is epic .

    Best enjoyed with the pro controller and not with the joycons at all.

    Unfortunately this games is not worth the full retail price.    … Expand
  21. proffk
    Nov 9, 2019
    7
    Below average game from Platinum Games. The combat is good but you fight the same enemies over and over again. Confusing story with many plotholes. Not much replay value.
  22. Craigjeffery
    Feb 25, 2020
    7
    Astral chain was not for me. While playing i found myself mindlessly mashing right trigger (right trigger is your combat button) while my legion did whatever he wanted. You auto lock into an enemy, and just spam right trigger. that’s about it. My total play time after beating the game was 20 hours, and what a drag those 20 hours were. I couldn’t wait to beat every level just so i could getAstral chain was not for me. While playing i found myself mindlessly mashing right trigger (right trigger is your combat button) while my legion did whatever he wanted. You auto lock into an enemy, and just spam right trigger. that’s about it. My total play time after beating the game was 20 hours, and what a drag those 20 hours were. I couldn’t wait to beat every level just so i could get it over with. There are lots of collectible items located in the few sections of the game, some which require a bit of back tracking. while easter egg hunting can be fun, in astral chain it gets old and tedious. There are many different styles to play and attributes to give your legion, but i just couldn’t get into it. The game in my opinion was underwhelming, tedious, and boring. These are just my opinions, overall this is a very solid game, but all i can recall of playing this game was that i couldn’t wait for it to be over just so i could say i played it. Watch some gameplay, do your research to see if this game is for you. I wish there were more motorcycle levels, as those were the best parts of the game. Also pretty good music, the main hub music is still stuck in my head. (uwuuuuuuu naniiiiii)… Expand
  23. Alberto_Rahl
    Mar 4, 2020
    7
    Un buen inicio para una franquicia nueva aunque una llegué a adaptarme del todo a los controles.
    También lo encontré un tanto corto. Creo que lo terminé en unas 35 horas. Me hubiera gustado que hubieran explorado más la parte de investigación del juego, que al final se quedó bastante corta.
  24. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    7
    Excellent game in almost all its aspects, artistic design, visual section, good soundtrack, a good story, great customization of your character with a lot of movements, in general, everything is outstanding. Now, that in the middle of 2019 we are playing a hack and slash at 30 fps when we come from gems such as nier automata, bayonetta or devil may cry 5 is sacrilege and it really becomesExcellent game in almost all its aspects, artistic design, visual section, good soundtrack, a good story, great customization of your character with a lot of movements, in general, everything is outstanding. Now, that in the middle of 2019 we are playing a hack and slash at 30 fps when we come from gems such as nier automata, bayonetta or devil may cry 5 is sacrilege and it really becomes rare to play with this performance. The performance of this game on switch is unforgivable despite the fact that it is surely an achievement that moves at 30 fps stable, but it is something that I value a lot in this type of games. Removing this insignificant detail for many and important for others, the game is excellent. I look forward to it on PC.… Expand
  25. Luxox412
    Sep 25, 2020
    7
    Although it is a very innovative game, with its own characteristics, it is a very predictable game, the levels become tedious over time, the main and secondary missions become very repetitive, so it does not become very replayable when finishing it, despite that it has an operations selector, in addition the secondary characters are not very influential in the story so empathy with them is lost.
  26. Mordgesr
    Jul 21, 2020
    7
    The main disadvantage of the game is the unusual control of two heroes at once. More precisely, one hero and his "weapon".

    What is the disadvantage? If you are playing with breaks, then it is difficult for you to get involved in management again.

    If you do not take this moment into account, then the idea itself is simply excellent.
  27. TealMudbro
    Jun 23, 2020
    7
    Extremely fluid and exciting although convoluted action, let down by an overly anime clichéd plot that should've been left in the 90's.
  28. gabeams
    Jul 12, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well, I got a lot of hype for this game. It's a good Nintendo exclusive, but I don't know if worth the actual price. The gameplay mechanics are good, there is a nice design for characters and a good soundtrack, but that's it. The history's very predictable, there is bad character development, the side missions are not attractive and some times the camera goes wild. After the mid-game, I was running to end because of the poor history, and in the end, we got that "epic" boss fight(well-done design btw) and the final cliche anime act. For me, the game remembers a lot from animes that I watched when a child, with nonsense reactions, unnecessary mysteries, and some bad conversations.

    For closure. Worth play, it's a good exclusive, but now it's expensive for what delivers.    … Expand
  29. DaVinciGhost
    Sep 7, 2020
    7
    The game as a whole is interesting enough. The graphics are good and the story is interesting. My biggest issue is with it feeling so repetitive. Every mission follows the same formula. The combat isn't very great. Yes if you take the time to learn every bit of it you can do better combos but ultimately feels pointless. Most of the game can be played with one legion. As a whole it's worthThe game as a whole is interesting enough. The graphics are good and the story is interesting. My biggest issue is with it feeling so repetitive. Every mission follows the same formula. The combat isn't very great. Yes if you take the time to learn every bit of it you can do better combos but ultimately feels pointless. Most of the game can be played with one legion. As a whole it's worth a playthrough but I couldn't sit with it longer than an hour before I got bored.… Expand
  30. Zski
    Jul 1, 2022
    7
    This game does a lot exceptionally well, but sometimes it feels like it’s doing too much to the point where it seems to have an identity crisis. To start with the strengths: the graphics are fantastic, especially considering it’s on the Switch. The art design is really cool, and everything in the game has a truly unique feeling that it’s hard to compare anything else to it. TheThis game does a lot exceptionally well, but sometimes it feels like it’s doing too much to the point where it seems to have an identity crisis. To start with the strengths: the graphics are fantastic, especially considering it’s on the Switch. The art design is really cool, and everything in the game has a truly unique feeling that it’s hard to compare anything else to it. The environments look good, the aesthetics look good, and while the enemies look good, they feel a little bit like random/generic. The music is fantastic and very creative use of a soundtrack. I would have never considered to use all of these styles of songs on one soundtrack, but they pulled it off perfectly. Everything from the smooth techno of the precinct, to the low tuned background guitar while exploring the city, to the hard rock during combat. The sound design is one of the things that stand out the most about this game. The overarching plot isn’t anything special, but the setting of the world is extremely cool. Playing as a supernatural police officer who uses astral ghosts as weapons that are not observable to most others - super awesome concept.

    The gameplay is good and engaging while in combat. It starts slow, but as you unlock more summons and more abilities, it really makes it very involved. It’s pretty unique controlling both your character and your summon at once, especially in a twin stick control layout. It works well, despite it being a bit overwhelming sometimes. However, the detective part of the game is where I found it to be very weak. It’s nice because it gracefully adds context to what is happening, but it completely ruins the pacing. 15 minutes of action hack and slash immediately followed up by 30 minutes of walking around and talking to witnesses, trying to find the one clue that is tucked away in the one spot you didn’t look. This is the identity crisis I was referring to. As much as I enjoyed it, I had a hard time really getting focused on the game because it would fluctuate between two vastly different play styles. That and it constantly tried to sneak in RPG elements, but they were so minor that I often forgot about them. For example after an hour long mission of rotating between detective gameplay, platforming gameplay, and combat gameplay, it takes you back to the precinct where you can level up - I completely forgot to do this between most missions because it felt like something that was an afterthought, rather than a core feature of the game. This is what kept me from scoring the game higher. Overall, it’s an extremely unique game that brings a lot of good features, but it suffers from a major identity crisis that makes it difficult to really fully engage with.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best Switch Game of 2019
2
#2 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019
70
#70 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 92 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 92
  3. Negative: 0 out of 92
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 28, 2020
    85
    This one is more of a crowd-pleaser than a game-changer. [Issue #42 – October 2019, p. 68]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 28, 2020
    100
    Astral Chain consists of varied genres, but is mostly an action game, which has great ideas and interesting, relaxed humour, that doesn´t spoil its serious plot. [Issue#298]
  3. ZTGD
    Nov 7, 2019
    85
    Despite the hardware limitations and a handful of odd design choices, Astral Chain is one of the best new IPs to hit in recent years and one deserving the attention of every Switch owner.
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