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. Drawnimo
    Sep 11, 2019
    8
    Astral Chain is not perfect. But if you're looking for an action game with solid mechanics, nice game-feel, a well-paced story, and stellar graphics? It's about as perfect as you can currently get.

    Pros: - The Legion mechanic is both creative and fun. The control scheme takes a decent while to get the hang of, but once you do, controlling two characters in tandem becomes second nature.    Astral Chain is not perfect. But if you're looking for an action game with solid mechanics, nice game-feel, a well-paced story, and stellar graphics? It's about as perfect as you can currently get.

    Pros:
    - The Legion mechanic is both creative and fun. The control scheme takes a decent while to get the hang of, but once you do, controlling two characters in tandem becomes second nature.
    - Unlike other action games, Astral Chain REALLY takes its time. If you're impatient and just want to beat things up, this might be an issue for you. But the investigation segments of the game provide a nice break from the combat and make the combat segments feel special.
    - The story is pretty decent. It won't blow your mind and it's nothing particularly masterful or flawless. However, it provides a reason to engage in combat and gives certain story segments heart-pumping tension when it needs it.
    - The game's soundtrack is absolutely amazing. No complaints, it fits the theme and general style of the game perfectly in my opinion.
    - The grading system found in other Platinum games is altered for the better. The damage you take isn't a factor, and you are graded on pure style. This encourages effective use of all your options and tools. Getting consistent S+ ranks is extremely satisfying, and switching between weapons/abilities is just as satisfying.
    - This game is both style and substance. Some areas honestly look like they belong on a Playstation 4. This isn't due to the texture quality or fidelity, but just the pure aesthetic these select scenes display.
    - (SLIGHT SPOILER) Post-game content is generous, as well. Not only are bonus missions provided, but you can play the game again on a new difficulty that offers a challenge, even with all your Legions fully leveled.

    Cons:
    - The game runs at 30fps. This isn't a glaring issue and is almost not even worth mentioning when playing through the calmer moments of the game, but it does become noticeable in combat. There were also a couple of dips from the time I played.
    - The duration of Astral Chain isn't as long as you'd expect. My first playthrough took roughly fourteen hours. Granted, I skipped some side missions and read some dialogue quickly. But even so, the game could have had one or two more areas without the game getting stale.
    - Enemy attacks are often hard to read (this is accentuated by the 30fps cap) and enemy stagger felt inconsistent when I played. Once you unlock the Perfect Call ability, this issue is less severe but is definitely noticeable. Doing no-hit runs on bosses or mob fights is more frustrating than its worth.
    - The Pt. Ultimate difficulty is not selectable when starting a new game. I thought I just had to unlock it by finishing the game once, but the Pt. Ultimate difficulty is accessible exclusively through a save file where you already beat the chapter you want to play. Pt. Standard isn't challenging enough for subsequent fresh playthroughs (personally), and a tough-as-nails challenge would have been greatly appreciated. However, I understand this decision due to the sheer difficulty of Ultimate, but it would've been fun to attempt regardless.
    - Dark Hero isn't played enough even though it's clearly one of the best soundtracks in the entire game (this is a half-joke half-serious point)

    As I mentioned before, Astral Chain is a wonderfully-crafted game. Even though it's short, every second of the experience is fun and rewarding. There's no fat here - just pure joy smacking monsters around and picking up cans around the city. :D    … Expand
  2. logan1087
    Sep 6, 2019
    2
    El juego es monotono y muy molesto, los colores pastel dan una apariencia extrana y tratan de ocultar la baja capacidad gráfica de la consola con movimientos de cámara extraños, es un intento desesperado por aparentar variedad en este sistema
  3. 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
  4. kamsu
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    innovador con mecánicas frescas y adictivas que serán relevantes para juegos futuros en mi opinión dando una vuelta de tuerca a los juegos de este tipo sobresaliendo en su género sin duda con valor de iniciar algo nuevo hack and slash más y con su propia personalidad
  5. MadBert91
    Dec 5, 2019
    9
    Puede que se trate de uno de los mejores juegos para Nintendo switch. En el apartado gráfico soberbio, en el apartado de jugabilidad, aunque un poquito difícil (no es malo, porque muchos precisamente buscan esa dificultad) es también genial si es verdad que lo que menos me ha gustado es el apartado musical del juego, esta es una opinión muy personal pero me parece un poquito taladrante dePuede que se trate de uno de los mejores juegos para Nintendo switch. En el apartado gráfico soberbio, en el apartado de jugabilidad, aunque un poquito difícil (no es malo, porque muchos precisamente buscan esa dificultad) es también genial si es verdad que lo que menos me ha gustado es el apartado musical del juego, esta es una opinión muy personal pero me parece un poquito taladrante de ahí que mi nota máxima sea un nueve, estar muchas horas jugando al juego con esa música a mi me da dolor de cabeza pero todo lo demás compensa con creces sin duda un gran juego eso si esperad que sea un poquito repetitivo aunque la mayoría de los juegos son los son, quizá mi nota sería más ocho con siete que un nueve pero redondeando se la dejo en nueve… Expand
  6. julian111
    Oct 18, 2019
    1
    I am sorry but it is just not a good game. I love Platinum games and for me Nier Automata is the best game i ever played, but this....NO. It has too many mechanics, too much to control
  7. joshbreviews
    Jun 13, 2021
    6
    I really, really, really, REALLY, wanted to like this game. I tried to with every fiber of my being. But every waking moment of this thing is begging you to hate it. I know this review will be downvoted to oblivion, but I can't just let this slide.

    PROS: -very unique and interesting legion system -music is over-the-top, but great ...and that's it. CONS -corny, campy, and    I really, really, really, REALLY, wanted to like this game. I tried to with every fiber of my being. But every waking moment of this thing is begging you to hate it. I know this review will be downvoted to oblivion, but I can't just let this slide.

    PROS:
    -very unique and interesting legion system
    -music is over-the-top, but great

    ...and that's it.

    CONS
    -corny, campy, and predictable story. you know who the final bad guy is the very moment he delivers his very first line.

    -atrocious, borderline ironic english voice acting and mocap

    -visual diarrhea of nauseating particle effects

    -no freaking reduced-graphics-60-fps option for such a fast-paced and demanding game

    -legion system is incredibly clunky and clumsy; you will spam legion abilities and ride your dog and axe, and that's it.

    -absolute chaos on screen all the time, resulting in devs having to dumb it down with constant slow-mo moments

    -horrible checkpoints, forcing you to replay cutscenes and battles you've already beaten. no, not all cutscenes can be skipped.

    -IRIS STARTING. IRIS SHUT OFF. INFORMATION DISPLAY. AD INFINITUM.

    -annoying time-wasting detective sequences.

    -incredibly insulting time-wasting blue quests

    -female faces look incredibly gross and alien, with overly large heads and bug-like eyes, meanwhile, the guy models, olivia, and brenda are normal-looking? why??? make them all normal!

    -incredibly overly long mission structure with truly awful time-wasting blue quests and red quests, making it an absolute chore to get S+ rank. it wasn't great in nier automata, it's not great here. (but nier is an infinitely superior game and story).

    -brain-dead gold slime encounters - you figured it out once, it's all the same per mission
    -awfully bloated with very little substance in terms of gameplay and story (cats and toilets? really??). blue and red quests are amazingly meaningless.

    -baffling time-wasting mini-tasks like healing red shift, catching running bad guys, picking up red matter, eavesdropping, etc.

    -absolutely annoying and clunky platforming with annoying "cool" recovery cutscene that is un-skippable; plus, recovery takes you to some random predetermined point instead of where you fell, making it super disorienting to retrace your steps, especially in the same-y astral plane

    -astral plane is just recycled red blocks, masquerading as new levels, like we wouldn't notice

    -mission progress resets every time you replay it, forcing you to do all the time-wasting activities all over again. why??? what???

    an incredibly poor showing by the devs. they only got away with it cause 3rd action rpgs are few in the Switch market.

    and yet, i'm in the minority...so, hurray for astral chain 2?    … Expand
  8. Phuz
    Oct 7, 2021
    2
    I started this game and it was really exciting but also so forgettable. I played about am hour and then forgot about it. I do this about every 6 months. I play it and then lose any interest to put it on again.

    It's very Hollywood. And Hollywood sucks balls.
  9. jsh710
    May 1, 2022
    3
    boring boring story. confusing colors moving so fast, can't recognize what I playing. waste my time and money. my worst game of nintendo switch.
  10. TheeLampshade
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    By far one of the best games I’ve been played. Sick of all this dumb people review bombing such a wonderful game.
  11. Airufino23
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    Es sin lugar a dudas la nueva y mejor ip que a sacado Platinum games.Todos aquelos que les gusta los videojuegos de ben jugarlo.Obra maestra
  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. 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
  14. avgjoeh
    Jun 12, 2020
    10
    masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece
  15. MantelloDiVong
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    Una maravilla, estoy sorprendido es mejor de lo que me esperaba tanto visualmente como historia y jugabilidad.
  16. GreenMenace
    Sep 28, 2022
    6
    Astral Chain delivers on a game that feels “different” from other games. I stuck by the game and beat it, and while I can say it’s a good game, I’ll also say it’s not the game for me. Platinum games does a very good job developing a system that rewards players for perfecting the game/combat. I’m not into fighting combat perfectly—I just want to fight. And the game had plenty of satisfyingAstral Chain delivers on a game that feels “different” from other games. I stuck by the game and beat it, and while I can say it’s a good game, I’ll also say it’s not the game for me. Platinum games does a very good job developing a system that rewards players for perfecting the game/combat. I’m not into fighting combat perfectly—I just want to fight. And the game had plenty of satisfying mechanics and fights in it. My biggest complaint is how the other dimension looked. The color hurt my eyes and there was little variation in color as I had to puzzle my way through an ugly dimension.

    I was slightly disappointed by the detective side of things since quests felt run of the mill. A good sort of standard, but nothing spectacular. Even then, I can’t hate it because it gave a nice change of pace from the action. This game was a well designed game, through and through—it just didn’t click with me.

    I highly recommend Platinum Games (which includes Astral Chain) if you like a beat em up game with a skill ceiling that rates your progress.    … Expand
  17. Zackott755
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    Buen jugabilidad, buenos gráficos, buena trama argumental y tiene una buena duración de juego que mas se puede pedir en un juego para una consola híbrida osea en otras palabras es magistral lo que se hizo con este juego y como exprime todo el potencian de la nintendo Switch. HERMOSO JODER!!!!
  18. refloresaguilar
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    Excelente gameplay, algo complejo al inicio pero luego de pasar el proceso de aprendizaje se hace muy divertido, la banda Sonora es soberbia, muy recomendable.
  19. Starlord87
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    Gioco sorprendente ... fuori dagli schemi di Nintendo .... consigliato ad un pubblico Hardcore e naturalmente a cui piace il genere.
    NINTENDO sempre in cerca di sperimentaziome ed innovazione e a cercare di innovare spesso si sbaglia ma stavolta ha fatto bingo
  20. Juanding56
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    El trabajo de platinum siempre es genial, nada más que decir solo jueguenlo
  21. JRico18
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    Este juego es una maravilla, la jugabilidad es una pasada, la historia es hermosa, y los gráficos son increíbles y mucha más por poderlo jugar en Nintendo swicht y en portatil
    Super recomendado
  22. Batracio
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    ¡¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  23. Antonio69
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    excelentevideojuego, buena dinamica y buenos graficos, lástima que arraste el odio de otros usuarios por ser exclusivo
  24. TheBox
    Sep 4, 2019
    6
    -Combat flow is good, (not great) but the enemies die toooooooo fast to really comprehend how they died.
    - Particle flashy effects from both Legion and Enemies are BRIGHT.. too bright for my taste.
    -Alot of Stop and Go action(Fight for like 10 seconds, roam for a bit after fight is done, fight again for like 10 seconds after roam, rinse and repeat) - Enemy Execution is the same no    -Combat flow is good, (not great) but the enemies die toooooooo fast to really comprehend how they died.
    - Particle flashy effects from both Legion and Enemies are BRIGHT.. too bright for my taste.
    -Alot of Stop and Go action(Fight for like 10 seconds, roam for a bit after fight is done, fight again for like 10 seconds after roam, rinse and repeat)
    - Enemy Execution is the same no matter what enemies you fight. Executes ONLY appear when enemies are **1 hit**(from anything) away from death so imo, no point in really adding in the execute
    -Using the Legion to collect those Red miasma things on the map doesn't feel right as it should be the player(Feels like you telling your little brother to get the pencil when you can easily do it yourself).
    -Humans on the verge on extinction but yet, city scales are huge, overflowing with human life. LOL! Didnt get the sense of urgency that Humans are really really gonna go extinct.
    -Platform levels are pointed out RGT 85's video on his channel.
    -Controls get clunky during a chaotic fight
    -Camera angle meh, at times it works but at times, the Legion eats the whole screen. Tight corridors really makes the Legion too much(Yes you can Make the Legion vanish but just a bit more roaming and you're back into fighting, just to recall the Legion back).
    -Legion AI can be stupid at times and not do what you'd want it to do but i guess that's just AI's being an AI.
    -BGMs aren't memorable compared to the likes of what Nier Automata had to offer.

    Highly subjective so take this with a grain of salt.    … Expand
  25. CrazyBlob
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    Bast game so far..
    Great graphic and combat system..
    Challenging to control your chimera
    But to hard that you don't wan to play any more
    Its just on the spectrum of just right.
  26. sleepless80
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    One of the best games of 2019, I played Bayonetta and other Platinum games, but Astral Chain gameplay is something new and fresh. Thanks to the design by Masakazu Katsura The visual result is really amazing on Nintendo Switch. Really addictive!
  27. Rugena
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    Its a GOTY. The best game I played. Incredible story. It's not in PlayStation because the console its bad, okno
  28. Kelvingame
    Dec 5, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Es un juego penoso muy aburrido la dificultad es muy fácil en fin un juego recomendable cuando cueste 2 dólares… Expand
  29. Manucoxp
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    Excelente juego, espero que tenga a un futuro cercano una secuela, me encanta su Soundtrack es muy celestial, la jugabilidad unica.
  30. SONNYFSG
    Sep 2, 2019
    9
    Overwhelming positive in 'User Reviews'.
    But huge amount of Negative in 'User Score'.
    So who are attacking this game?
  31. Sai_Asakura
    Sep 3, 2019
    8
    It's not the best platinum game, but it's really enjoyable to play, maybe a lot of people hate this game, but this game didn't deserve score below 5, just think about it, how bad can be the game that deserve 0-4, whoever give scores below 5, they hate it just because they can't play the game, either they're suck at playing game, or they didn't have Nintendo Switch.
  32. Lokia987
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    Great game, awesome graphics, great ost, amazing gameplay and story. Btw thanks to ps4 fanboys for being salty af lmao
  33. MSR
    Sep 4, 2019
    6
    Juego decente, pero con el hype que se había generado alrededor de él me decepcionó un poco. De todos modos no es un mal juego si te gusta el género.
  34. FrozenRain
    Sep 5, 2019
    5
    Having played through all the main story files on Pt Standard, I'm kinda dissapointed with the game. Visually stunning, the soundtrack is brilliant, but the gameplay feels pretty bad. Defensive options feel very limited, combos are dulled down in favour of the Legions and sync moves, many of which leave you wide open to damage. Enemies have numerous attacks, especially projectile ones,Having played through all the main story files on Pt Standard, I'm kinda dissapointed with the game. Visually stunning, the soundtrack is brilliant, but the gameplay feels pretty bad. Defensive options feel very limited, combos are dulled down in favour of the Legions and sync moves, many of which leave you wide open to damage. Enemies have numerous attacks, especially projectile ones, which often leave me wonder how on earth I'm meant to evade them aside from running away.

    The ranking system urks me most; unlike other platinum games where they employ the system, it seems to disregard usage of items and damage taken and encourages you to do as much as you can as quick as you can. On the last boss, which was a huge and frustrating difficulty spike from everything else in the game, I had to chug through all my healing items and revives and STILL got an S+ ranking despite feeling like I had just brute forced my way through without learning anything about the fight.

    The story is incredibly messy, and while I really don't care about it in actions games normally, the holes just really, really stood out to me. Character arcs feel unfulfilled, the backstory and lore feels very poorly explained, and the conclusion just doesn't make sense.

    I'll probably never play through it again, or finish the endgame cases for cosmetics, and it certainly wasn't worth the near £50 price tag. I hope Platinum steps up their game for whatever they make next. If you want a properly in-depth action game, pick up Devil May Cry 5 or Bayonetta 2 instead of this.    … Expand
  35. ScottPilgrim
    Sep 5, 2019
    10
    this game is a must own for switch owner. the combat is sharp and responsive and very satisfying. i enjoyed this game more than i did bayonet-ta 1&2 but not as much as Nier automata because (Nier is an all-time favorite of mine) so that doesn't take away from it. the story is interesting and the characters are great and likeable . I had a hard time putting this game down. i even bought newthis game is a must own for switch owner. the combat is sharp and responsive and very satisfying. i enjoyed this game more than i did bayonet-ta 1&2 but not as much as Nier automata because (Nier is an all-time favorite of mine) so that doesn't take away from it. the story is interesting and the characters are great and likeable . I had a hard time putting this game down. i even bought new joy cons for this game so it would feel even better playing. i will be doing another playtrhough on the harder difficulty that you unlock so im definatley getting my moneys worth. thanks platinum for making this game… Expand
  36. 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
  37. ItsATM
    Sep 6, 2019
    10
    Astral Chain is one of those rare games that you come across and enjoy every single stage of the experience from start to finish. Platinum Games are top-notch when it comes to creating a masterful piece of art in the Action RPG genre. Following up on Nier Automata's 4+ million sales, Astral Chain does not dissapoint.
  38. lucas31919
    Sep 8, 2019
    10
    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing
  39. Hateusernames
    Sep 10, 2019
    5
    Once again a game doesn't live up to the hype, or at least my own expectations. This game is dragged down hard by the slow sidequests and investigations. The more I play the more I don't care about collecting thinks or even attempting a lame sidequests. I wanted to like this. But it feels like work not fun.
  40. GustavoRubio
    Sep 10, 2019
    10
    Nier Automata es sin duda el mejor juego programado por PLATINUM GAMES pero Astral Chain es posiblemente el segundo mejor juego de esta compañia
  41. LenkaGodEater
    Sep 20, 2019
    4
    The character design is amazing and the game has a nice pace to it. Being mission based rather than open world is the better fit allowing levels to be replayed on higher difficulty while seeming out secrets or side quest at times. Overall a must own for switch
  42. LarxiGamer
    Sep 23, 2019
    6
    Juego que me ha decepcionado bastante debido a su lento inicio machacando en tutoriales obligatorios, el juego es una delicia visual y goza de un gran sistema de combate pero no me ha convencido lo suficiente como para ponerlo a la altura de bayonetta 2 por citar uno. Su banda sonora es buena y su jugabilidad aunque algo difícil al empezar gana enteros según se va adentrando en su universoJuego que me ha decepcionado bastante debido a su lento inicio machacando en tutoriales obligatorios, el juego es una delicia visual y goza de un gran sistema de combate pero no me ha convencido lo suficiente como para ponerlo a la altura de bayonetta 2 por citar uno. Su banda sonora es buena y su jugabilidad aunque algo difícil al empezar gana enteros según se va adentrando en su universo y vas desbloqueando a los diferentes tipos de legiones.
    Aunque a grandes rasgos es muy bueno no me ha conseguido divertir ni hacer que me interesase más por su historia, gráficamente es excelso pero su universo tecno noir no termina de casar teniendo estilos artísticos tan maravillosos como los vistos en bayonetta. Gran juego cuya compra recomiendo pero que a mí me ha dejado bastante frío.    … Expand
  43. Ulfrik88
    Sep 27, 2019
    10
    Nintendo tiene aquí un gran juego y de lo mejor del año puede no llegar al goty pero es maravilloso
  44. david_quaglia
    Sep 30, 2019
    6
    the game is beautiful and really funny, good made at all. but i gave a 6 because the final chapter destroy the entire game, story and gameplay. I'm very disappointed.
  45. 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
  46. happybear
    Oct 23, 2019
    3
    This game contains a lot of locations in the "parallel world" with extremely poor level design (like "organic levels" in DMC5).
  47. Hideyasus
    Oct 26, 2019
    6
    Esencia de platinum pero nada rejugable y misiones secundarias muy pesadas.
  48. alexturner381
    Oct 29, 2019
    5
    this game is kinda disappointing.
    Really bad writing (like...wow.), the camera is crazy aaaaand sometimes the gameplay is just borring (i'm speaking about puzzle with car...what an awful idea)

    not a bad game, but hell, not a master piece either !
  49. 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.
  50. Kazuya198
    Nov 14, 2019
    10
    Great game platinum have got me eagerly awaiting bayonetta 3 but this wws a great standalone game and beginning of a new franchise
  51. Crosi
    Nov 11, 2019
    6
    The gameplay is really the only redeeming feature of this game and it even manages to be an hassle sometimes: the camera will often get stuck in walls or usually in front of your character when in tight spaces and the whole "control your Legionis" thing is uncomfortable to say the least . It's just drawing in circles and will most of the time be a mess because of the camera.
    Story is    The gameplay is really the only redeeming feature of this game and it even manages to be an hassle sometimes: the camera will often get stuck in walls or usually in front of your character when in tight spaces and the whole "control your Legionis" thing is uncomfortable to say the least . It's just drawing in circles and will most of the time be a mess because of the camera.
    Story is bland, characters are bland, the only thing they had do make right was the relationship between the twins and they ruined it by making the MC completely silent (loud gasps ans grunts don't count as interacting).
    Not worth 60$, but fun.    … Expand
  52. Dynamind
    Dec 23, 2019
    10
    Platinum games are pure Gold what else is there to say they’ve done it again another modern day masterpiece
  53. nirik_prinz
    Mar 6, 2020
    10
    Excellent game-play, very dynamic combat system, Graphics and setting on top. But dialogues ... like in cheap drama!
  54. 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.
  55. lalahand
    Mar 6, 2021
    5
    I understand the story in action game may not be super interesting, but this game has a terrible story
  56. Delga
    Jul 6, 2020
    5
    The game was just fantastic. The combat system and the history that makes you keep on going.
  57. Mozart2000
    Jul 6, 2020
    0
    Poor story and boring game play. The game is too short. I don't know why the review score is too overate
  58. luouxmont
    Nov 11, 2021
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You either keep your character's family alive and be deemed awake yet imprisoned in police jail, or you kill your family and be cursed asleep but gain access to full functionality of the game mechanics. gtfoutta here platinum games. I'm reselling this game for 15 bucks.… Expand
  59. HeavyMachineGon
    Mar 16, 2022
    6
    不喜勿喷。
    玩了两三个章节再也没有打开的想法，不是我的菜，卡带直接挂网上卖了。
    主角可以从男女中选，选谁谁是哑巴，这是我最不能接受的设定，因为没有被选的性别会全程bb，而自己却是那个林克。 玩法上还是不错的，调查线索，收集证据，然后进入异界战斗，异界战斗有点重复度太高，而且游戏刚开始没多久就能猜到接下来的发展。 画面从来都不是评价一个游戏好坏的地方，但这个游戏的画面我不是很喜欢，想做真实但看着又很假。 背景音乐我直接关了，好吵。    不喜勿喷。
    玩了两三个章节再也没有打开的想法，不是我的菜，卡带直接挂网上卖了。
    主角可以从男女中选，选谁谁是哑巴，这是我最不能接受的设定，因为没有被选的性别会全程bb，而自己却是那个林克。
    玩法上还是不错的，调查线索，收集证据，然后进入异界战斗，异界战斗有点重复度太高，而且游戏刚开始没多久就能猜到接下来的发展。
    画面从来都不是评价一个游戏好坏的地方，但这个游戏的画面我不是很喜欢，想做真实但看着又很假。
    背景音乐我直接关了，好吵。
  60. Ingleberg
    Feb 1, 2021
    3
    boring, combat is a joke, music is awful and repetitive, designed to put you to sleep, just like the rest of the game. couldn't care less about any of the characters or their motivations, this just feels really half @$$ed honestly. i'm done after a couple hours. I can't believe how much money they're asking for this. unbelievable. I've never had a more boring gaming experience in my life.
  61. Virgin420
    Apr 8, 2021
    0
    `This game and I mean this with my heart, blows more than my ex wife when her boyfriend was over! Some Dicc named Nicc said this game was I dunno and I was like **** it's dumb anime stuff you weeb!" and he was like "I'll give you a copy dumb jewish human" and I was like "fine" then he came and kept his copy and then made a baby with my dog. Weird day but yk not bad still DNF was better.
  62. 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
  63. cemzan5
    Jul 10, 2021
    0
    I have no idea why or how this game is highly rated. I can't find a single good thing to write about the game.

    Story progression is so painfully slow that there is barely any story. Worse it feels completely disconnected. One character almost dies and gets hospitalized, when he returns there is barely any mention of him almost dying. We continue like nothing happened. Oh he also gets a    I have no idea why or how this game is highly rated. I can't find a single good thing to write about the game.

    Story progression is so painfully slow that there is barely any story. Worse it feels completely disconnected. One character almost dies and gets hospitalized, when he returns there is barely any mention of him almost dying. We continue like nothing happened. Oh he also gets a power up but we don't talk about how or why either.
    Graphics might be the only thing half good but then IRIS mode turns everything gray and destroys it.
    Game-play is very repetitive, you go to town, clear streets find chests to get items that most of which will disappear at the end of level. Do side quests that are completely pointless and boring like carrying boxes without dropping them(Hello I have a few Legions that can help with it). Find the dungeon entrance go into it to fight monsters and kill the boss . This will progress the story by mostly saying new monster gets sighted we should go check it out and repeat the process. If there was any character or combat progression it might not have been that bad but combat wise there is barely any difference between chapter 3 and chapter 8. You get a couple of more legions that you barely use, that is pretty much it.
    I must be around %75 of the game I wanted to push it to the end but it feels more like a torture at this point and I am not even curious about the ending so I gave up.    … Expand
  64. jlittrell03
    Jul 30, 2021
    3
    The only positive I can give this game is the developers ambition as well as there style. Everything else is either subpar or just straight up awful. This game is severely overhyped. Combat is interesting for about an hour then gets increasingly dull by the time you’ve finished. The story is just straight up bad. It’s the most generic rip off of a bad Shonen with a dash of Evangelion atThe only positive I can give this game is the developers ambition as well as there style. Everything else is either subpar or just straight up awful. This game is severely overhyped. Combat is interesting for about an hour then gets increasingly dull by the time you’ve finished. The story is just straight up bad. It’s the most generic rip off of a bad Shonen with a dash of Evangelion at the end and it handles it extremely poorly. Everything about it is extremely predictable and there really aren’t any likeable characters. Your protagonist that you pick doesn’t say a word the whole time and that severely holds it back. Some games like Zelda know how to do this right, but this is an option where it’s done poorly. On top of all that, the English voice dub acting is just not good. All the supposedly emotional moments are laughable. All of the detective files, which is about 40% of the game, all feel like filler just to pad the runtime and make it unnecessary long. Overall, terrible game and completely overhyped, don’t waste your money.… Expand
  65. Mr-Lecter
    Sep 10, 2021
    2
    I do not understand what is the hype around this game. Nowadays people become fanboys just because and true gaming experience is being lost. I must say that I absolutely love Nintendo and their exclusives, and Nier Automata is one of my favorite games ever and I'm a huge Bayonetta fan too, and Astral Chain, this piece of crap is SO FAR away from being half as good as previous PlatinumI do not understand what is the hype around this game. Nowadays people become fanboys just because and true gaming experience is being lost. I must say that I absolutely love Nintendo and their exclusives, and Nier Automata is one of my favorite games ever and I'm a huge Bayonetta fan too, and Astral Chain, this piece of crap is SO FAR away from being half as good as previous Platinum Games.

    PROS:
    - I personally like the combat system and gameplay, if there was enough action in the game
    - Graphically it looks very original and well presented (I just think it was a silly idea to make this around COPS, yes you are a cop)

    CONS:
    - I absolutely hated the endless and LAZY chores you have to go through, the side quests are not enjoyable or entertaining AT ALL.
    - The map system fails very often and you get to be lost very easily while doing stupid chores (not fun at all), on top of it the character cannot jump, or get through little babies obstacles, making it even more frustrating.
    - Most of the game you will be talking to NPC's and completing boring tasks and then all of the sudden you fight a boss for 3 minutes, then you start another stupid quest-chore that will take 30-60 minutes and then start another loop of silly quest, gathering clues and other stuff that really takes away the fun, to the point that it makes you regret the purchase. This game is freaking $59.99! I wouldn't even pay $5 to "play" this so called "gem"
    - I'm OK with linear games, but this one is linear and BORING, don't expect to have freedom at all.
    - Characters are not mesmerising not memorable at all, in fact, many of them are annoying, predictable and scripted.
    - You get to have limited customization but most of the items are useless, I completed perhaps half of the game, gotten all the legions and got a lot of items stored that really are not essential to fight battles like you did in Nier Automata or great games like The Witcher series. Besides the methods to use/equip items is very irritating.
    - It gets old VERY FAST, you may feel it is cool the first few days but you will get bored fast.
    - Oh boy the story is utterly predictable not memorable and 0% exciting.
    - NO REPLAYIBILITY - I came to the conclusion that I'm playing this crap just because, but definitely wouldn't play it again nor getting any expansion if there will be any.

    All in all, do yourself a favour and save $59.99, you can get like 5 better games in the Nintendo's Great Deals library. By the way, this is my first review here, to give you an idea of how much I hated it, maybe it helps someone save money and most importantly YOUR TIME. I still do not understand why and how this game gained such good scores, I would give it a generous 2 out of 10.

    Cheers!    … Expand
  66. Sensou
    Oct 10, 2022
    7
    The coolest animation on a game. Feels so weird that the game captivate me with its running animation. It's just an animation, come on.

    The combat moves also feels so slick and awesome. Although most of it is just smashing button but the game provide a more in-depth kind of move-set and combo that you can learn and make the combat more engaging(?) I guess. The exploration is decent,    The coolest animation on a game. Feels so weird that the game captivate me with its running animation. It's just an animation, come on.

    The combat moves also feels so slick and awesome. Although most of it is just smashing button but the game provide a more in-depth kind of move-set and combo that you can learn and make the combat more engaging(?) I guess.

    The exploration is decent, not really that great but good enough to make you attach with certain chapters. The game design is good so you won't get lost while exploring the area but you might miss out several side quests because some of them not live on the map.

    That being said, I understand why some people said its getting pretty tedious as I feel the same way. As you progress in the game, exploring feels more like a chore rather than you explore out of your own curiosity. When in combat, the game always throw you to red places (never pay attention to the naming of that place) which feels that you always keep repeating the combat again and again even thou you are fighting a different monsters in every chapters.

    The rest of it is fine but why every developers follow that kind of trend where the protagonist can't talk? Is it to make it feels like we are them so we can make our own reaction or response to certain situation in the game?

    Finish the game and I don't think I will replay or even revisit every chapter to complete it.    … Expand
  67. oggawain
    Apr 11, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A chaotic mess hamstrung by its own gimmick. The characters are dull and uninspired, lacking the flare of the influences they pull from. The combat as passable at the best, exasperating and chaotic at the worst. The game mechanics feel more "everything but the sink" than designed with any sense of intention or direction. Traversal is a hassle. The controls include motion controls that cannot be disabled from the in-game menus, which disrupts aiming on more than frequent occasions. The level-design is uninspired, and the dungeons suffer the same issue as Dragon Age 2. The script is weak, and the plot weaker, clearly clinging on hopes that players will be appeased by references and allusions to original (and far better) content.
    The concept behind this game has the potential to be great, but the execution leaves it a forgettable mess.    … Expand
  68. Jofe
    May 15, 2022
    3
    Could be fun, but his story is mediocre and the camera problems are unbearables.
  69. DolphinReviews
    Jul 20, 2022
    5
    It's an alright game. Doesn't do anything too great. The core gameplay is alright but the story is pretty generic. It's not worth $60.
  70. Mogus
    Aug 30, 2022
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Starts out great but gets boring really quick. The Story is basically about the character you don’t choose and because you’re character shows no emotion whatsoever er really ruins the few good story elements this game has one time the sibling of your character gets critically injured and is just completely unfazed even though the story tells you they care about each other. The combat can be fun but most of the time it isn’t especially on higher difficulties you the only thing you can do is spam the doge button and let your legion attack. The boss fights are mostly waiting for a boss to come out of his invincibility so you can stun him. The maps all look really similar except one,the final mission even reuses the opening of the game and makes it less fun. I wouldn’t recommend buying this game for full price 60€ is way to much , if it’s on sale and costs less then 15€ I would say go for it because the early game is kind of fun… Expand
  71. ELYS1UM
    Sep 20, 2022
    6
    I think this game had the potential to be great, but just ended up being mediocre. Great gameplay and music, and a very distinct visual style, but this is the kind of game that absolutely NEEDED to have the time to tell its story, which it just did not have. I wouldn't call my experience bad, but it was just completely... unremarkable as a whole. I think if this game got more time to fleshI think this game had the potential to be great, but just ended up being mediocre. Great gameplay and music, and a very distinct visual style, but this is the kind of game that absolutely NEEDED to have the time to tell its story, which it just did not have. I wouldn't call my experience bad, but it was just completely... unremarkable as a whole. I think if this game got more time to flesh itself out more, tell its story, develop its characters, and refine its gameplay, it would be a lot better for me.… Expand
  72. Ansb
    Dec 6, 2022
    4
    No invulnerability frames, sword mode unprecis, enemy who one shot in last levels, dodge useless, etc...
  73. D4rKNiGhT
    Apr 25, 2020
    10
    El mejor exclusivo de Switch a día de hoy. Gráficos excelentes, animaciones suaves, jugabilidad entretenida e historia bastante interesante aunque peque del tipico gliché anime. Un juego muy solido del cual no me esperaba tanta calidad y que la historia va desde algo muy normal a algo que realmente sorprende dado que las peleas de bosses son muy entretenidas y la historia que hay detrás daEl mejor exclusivo de Switch a día de hoy. Gráficos excelentes, animaciones suaves, jugabilidad entretenida e historia bastante interesante aunque peque del tipico gliché anime. Un juego muy solido del cual no me esperaba tanta calidad y que la historia va desde algo muy normal a algo que realmente sorprende dado que las peleas de bosses son muy entretenidas y la historia que hay detrás da para mucho juego, en especial por si quieren hacer una segunda parte.

    Las misiones secundarias son muy diferentes unas de otras, así que no te aburrian y la historia principal esta bien llevada a pesar de ser bastante normal al principio, pero los tiempos de las cinematicas y las misiones principales tienen un buen ritmo así que no te aburrira.

    Constar que el juego me ha durado unas 21 horas con secundarias hechas.    … Expand
  74. TheLittleMelo
    Nov 14, 2019
    10
    Clarísimo juego del año 2019 en Nintendo Switch y candidato a serlo en global, toda una sorpresa. PG vuelve a firmar un juego único dónde la jugabilidad y el frenetismo de los combates destacan por encima de todo, pero a su vez nos ofrece un juego variado que engloba multitud de mecánicas. Un action RPG (no os equivoquéis, aquí el H&S se huele a lo lejos y sólo en el combate) de corteClarísimo juego del año 2019 en Nintendo Switch y candidato a serlo en global, toda una sorpresa. PG vuelve a firmar un juego único dónde la jugabilidad y el frenetismo de los combates destacan por encima de todo, pero a su vez nos ofrece un juego variado que engloba multitud de mecánicas. Un action RPG (no os equivoquéis, aquí el H&S se huele a lo lejos y sólo en el combate) de corte policial, pausado, que requiere cierta dosis de exploración y recolección de objetos que nos ayudarán a mejorar las habilidades de nuestras Legiones. Quién busque un juego de acción lineal no lo encontrará (no al menos al 100%), este es un juego que se toma su tiempo, necesita reposo, como cualquier JRPG.
    Astral Chain nos ofrece los mejores combates de la generación y un producto global excelente. Mención especial al característico estilo artístico y apartado gráfico general, que muestra una vez más lo que puede llegar a ofrecer Switch con un poco de mimo.
    Una experiencia fascinante que sólo se ve ligeramente empañada por algunas misiones secundarias un tanto anodinas en algunos casos (algunas de ellas directamente desesperantes) que además merman la experiencia de la rejugabilidad, siendo este un título organizado en capítulos en los que puedes obtener una puntación y calificación, eso llega a afectarle negativamente.
    Las historia es ciertamente interesante, acompaña en todo momento, aunque es algo predecible y podría estar más desarrollada y explotada (quizás para un Astral Chain 2).
    En definitiva un juego soberbio que nadie se debería perder, mucho menos si eres poseedor de una Nintendo Switch.    … Expand
  75. rdekoch
    Sep 30, 2019
    9
    There are so many great indie titles on the Switch that I’ve managed to avoid buying many full-priced titles so far. I’m so glad I picked up a copy of Astral Chain. I would recommend this without hesitation to anyone who enjoys action games. It’s dazzling to look at. The controls are deep but everything is rolled out in stages so it never seems overwhelming. It’s awesome.
  76. dharma
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    Astral Chain is Platinum Games' at its finest. It is clear that the partnership with Nintendo has disciplined this studio, sharpen their instinct and allowed them to create their best work. Astral Chain features their typical hack and slash perfection, married with a police procedural. It is an eccentric yet addictive combination that will entertain you to no end. The Switch receivesAstral Chain is Platinum Games' at its finest. It is clear that the partnership with Nintendo has disciplined this studio, sharpen their instinct and allowed them to create their best work. Astral Chain features their typical hack and slash perfection, married with a police procedural. It is an eccentric yet addictive combination that will entertain you to no end. The Switch receives many great exclusive games and this, along with several this year, has made it the number one console of 2019. Bravo.… Expand
  77. titus619
    Sep 4, 2019
    9
    This game is fantastic. Those who played/are playing it know that. Idiots who trashed it for being Nintendo exclusive are just that. My one and only nitpick , is at times the camera can be wonky. This takes it from a 10 to a 9. It’s very difficult to give any game a 10 anyways. This is now up there with BOTW and Mario Odyssey as my top 3 games on the Switch. One of those games you justThis game is fantastic. Those who played/are playing it know that. Idiots who trashed it for being Nintendo exclusive are just that. My one and only nitpick , is at times the camera can be wonky. This takes it from a 10 to a 9. It’s very difficult to give any game a 10 anyways. This is now up there with BOTW and Mario Odyssey as my top 3 games on the Switch. One of those games you just need to buy and start playing to see how great it is. Don’t pass this one up. Here’s hoping for a series or sequel.… Expand
  78. Blackdog22
    Jul 11, 2023
    8
    Great game! I thought the combat was new and interesting. It is hard to get used too, but thats because it controls like no other game. It makes you relearn gaming. Thats kind of Platinums niche, they make you feel like a kid again learning new things.

    My only negative really is information overload and a very long early game process of tutorials and introducing something new and then    Great game! I thought the combat was new and interesting. It is hard to get used too, but thats because it controls like no other game. It makes you relearn gaming. Thats kind of Platinums niche, they make you feel like a kid again learning new things.

    My only negative really is information overload and a very long early game process of tutorials and introducing something new and then tutorials and then something new and then tutorials. It felt like I was barely playing and more learning new things before I had truly gotten down the initial mechanics and it kind of just keeps giving you new stuff constantly when you don't feel comfortable with the old stuff. Then going through the game it doesn't feel necessary to even do the new stuff outside of S Ranks.

    Very fun though, just pacing was bit too much. I kind of like to get the grasp of the game and just go about playing. Simple but hard to master is ideal. This felt a bit convoluted or overdone. Then again would I have had the same feeling of learning and playing a fresh game if it wasn't introducing tons of new things? Maybe not!    … Expand
  79. Denriquez
    Aug 30, 2020
    9
    It’s a fantastic hack and slash game. Very original and unique. I recommend this game
  80. Pippe
    Sep 3, 2019
    9
    Creo que es un buen juego, posee muy buena calidad de gráficos en modo portátil y en modo doc, la banda sonora acompaña cada momento y situación; solo creo que se deben mejorar algunos aspectos de la movilidad de la cámara y sus ángulos durante los diálogos, dado a que su movimiento se interrumpe al girarla, por lo que considero que eso y algunos elementos de la historia determinan mi notaCreo que es un buen juego, posee muy buena calidad de gráficos en modo portátil y en modo doc, la banda sonora acompaña cada momento y situación; solo creo que se deben mejorar algunos aspectos de la movilidad de la cámara y sus ángulos durante los diálogos, dado a que su movimiento se interrumpe al girarla, por lo que considero que eso y algunos elementos de la historia determinan mi nota sugerida.… Expand
  81. FreedomFighters
    Nov 10, 2019
    10
    I’m gonna be honest with you, 2019 has been a pretty underwhelming year in gaming for me. Sure, I haven’t gotten to play some of the year’s big games just yet (like the “Resident Evil 2” remake or “Devil May Cry 5”), but it feels like, for the most part, the year’s just been really unexciting. Well, unless you’re a Nintendo Switch fan, of course: outside of a few very minor misstepsI’m gonna be honest with you, 2019 has been a pretty underwhelming year in gaming for me. Sure, I haven’t gotten to play some of the year’s big games just yet (like the “Resident Evil 2” remake or “Devil May Cry 5”), but it feels like, for the most part, the year’s just been really unexciting. Well, unless you’re a Nintendo Switch fan, of course: outside of a few very minor missteps (“Yoshi’s Crafted World” was just okay, and I’ve heard mixed things about “Daemon X Machina”), Nintendo’s been consistently putting out well-received titles like “Super Mario Maker 2” (which, I can confirm, is fantastic), “Fire Emblem: Three Houses” (not my kind of game but I’ve heard nothing but amazing things), “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (haven’t started it yet, but I’ll get to it soon), “Luigi’s Mansion 3” (have started it and I’m definitely loving it), and of course this game, “Astral Chain.” Now, this was one I was really excited for: I may not be extremely invested in PlatinumGames’ entire library, but I love the “Bayonetta” games, and I’m one of the six people on the planet that like “Star Fox Zero,” and early looks at the gameplay impressed me a lot. Having played through the game, I can honestly say this may be one of the best games I’ve played this year.
    “Astral Chain” impressed me on all fronts. From a story perspective, I may not be an anime viewer (I know practically nothing about anime), but this game’s story feels like an anime lovingly crafted into a video game; the dramatic moments work perfectly, I love the game’s cast of characters (even if the protagonist is a silent one), and the game’s world is breathtakingly realized and absolutely incredible down to the tiniest details. The anime-like aesthetic not only affects the story, but the visual design as well, and even in the game’s darkest moments, the visuals spring to life with lush, beauty, and an incredible sense of wonder. Adding to the already-strong visual presentation, the music is incredibly varied and fits within the game’s tone perfectly. Gameplay, though, is where the game really stands out: the combat is deep and intricate, made even better by the vast majority of Legions the game gives you to use. The teamwork mechanic between you and your Legion is also well-crafted, and it feels like every Legion is important, making your use of each one incredibly gratifying. The campaign is also quite varied in its mission structure, strikes a perfect balance in regards to length, and features some very memorable boss fights and enemy encounters. It’s a game that checks every box, and not only establishes PlatinumGames’ strong grasp on action games, but also refines their formula and sees them reaching one of their biggest creative highs.
    If there’s one very minor criticism I can give the game, it’s that the AI of your Legion can be the tiniest bit wonky at first, but it doesn’t take long to get it down, and once you do, the game becomes a rip-roaring good time. I could gush about it even more, but I think you guys get the point, “Astral Chain” is breathtaking from start to finish. Not only is it one of the best games I’ve played this year, but this might honestly go down as one of the best games (perhaps even the best game, though it’s a tight race between this and “Bayonetta 2”) in PlatinumGames’ library of titles to date. If you haven’t gotten a chance to play it yet, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Go play this right now. PlatinumGames, thank you. I can’t wait to see where you take this franchise in the future!
    Final rating: 10 out of 10 “Fantastic”    … Expand
  82. Magnaxeon
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's like a lite versión of the investigation mechanics of arkham asylum batman's plus the figthing mechanics of metal gear rising! Its a dream game, you got pauses to enjoy the view and listen the wonderful bgm then the mid bosses kick the hell out of you hahaha its so GOOD! In all the stakes you can think of :)! A MUST have for the Nintendo Switch!… Expand
  83. n_dhruvo
    Jul 29, 2020
    9
    One of best games from platinum games. The combat is is somewhat hard at first because u have to control 2 characters simultaneously. But i got used to it. Once u get used to the combat system the game actually get fun. Keep switching ur legions and use their unique abilities and combos to finish off ur enemies and earn higher grade. Its like style points from dmc or baynetta. The gameOne of best games from platinum games. The combat is is somewhat hard at first because u have to control 2 characters simultaneously. But i got used to it. Once u get used to the combat system the game actually get fun. Keep switching ur legions and use their unique abilities and combos to finish off ur enemies and earn higher grade. Its like style points from dmc or baynetta. The game also borrows elements from platinum’s previous games like metal gear rising, bayonetta nier automata and turned it into a unique experience. There are 5 legions in Total and u get them the story progresses. Speaking of the story it reminds me Evangelion and it was a bit predictable. The game is not open world. Instead the game is divided in chapters. In the beginning of each chapter u get to free roam certain small sections of the city, conduct investigations and do side quests. The side quests are unique and sometime they are pretty funny. The best part of the game are the bosses. The fights are amazing, engaging and sometimes it gets emotional. After u beat the game a new optional chapter is unlocked. In here u can take optional cases from ur hq and Can grind for better chips. If u complete all the cases u can unlock a secret super boss which is pretty difficult. In short the game is amazing, worth every penny. It got review bombed because its a switch exclusive.… Expand
  84. ReviewLover1997
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    I was going in expecting gameplay similar or at least reminiscent of Bayonetta, but to my delightful surprise, Astral Chain is nothing like it. It's a completely original concept with unique gameplay you wouldn't find in Bayo. The graphics are more on the cartooney side but at the same time absolutely gorgeous. Haven't gotten that far into the story but my experience has definitely beenI was going in expecting gameplay similar or at least reminiscent of Bayonetta, but to my delightful surprise, Astral Chain is nothing like it. It's a completely original concept with unique gameplay you wouldn't find in Bayo. The graphics are more on the cartooney side but at the same time absolutely gorgeous. Haven't gotten that far into the story but my experience has definitely been positive so far. It uses the old "futuristic world on the brink of destruction by otherworldly monsters" troupe but it owns it by adding its own unique flair to it. 10/10 would recommend

    P.s. ignore the fanboys giving it bad scores because it's a Switch exclusive    … Expand
  85. wdnk
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    After i played Wonderful101, Nier:automata, Bayonetta 2, then i found Astral Chain is something new and very unique action gameplay. This game can not be compared to other hack and slash or action game. Yes, the based gameplay is action, but you will unlock something new (battle mechanism, JRPG element, etc) during the progress. This game is very recommended!
  86. Hack
    Jun 22, 2020
    5
    As a big fan of Bayonetta 2 I can't believe how much I disliked Astral Chain.

    One of the biggest issues with the game is the horrendous frame rate, for some reason the developers targeted 30fps instead of 60fps like with Bayonetta 2, and if that weren't bad enough the game doesn't even hit 30fps most of the time, almost all the boss fights lag massively, so if you're sensitive to    As a big fan of Bayonetta 2 I can't believe how much I disliked Astral Chain.

    One of the biggest issues with the game is the horrendous frame rate, for some reason the developers targeted 30fps instead of 60fps like with Bayonetta 2, and if that weren't bad enough the game doesn't even hit 30fps most of the time, almost all the boss fights lag massively, so if you're sensitive to performance issues you may want to skip the game on this basis alone.

    The game is also very busy visually, with over-the-top particle effects and camera shake galore, it is very easy to lose yourself amongst it all, and it no doubt attributed to the poor performance. There's just far too much going on.

    I found the gameplay to be quite fiddly and clunky, it's nowhere near as fluid as Bayonetta, and not just because of the poor frame rate which didn't help. Having to constantly switch legions just wasn't very fun, and the game overused their mechanics. The camera is terrible too, with it constantly losing lock and just facing completely the wrong way half the time.

    The final boss was also massively overtuned to ridiculous levels, nothing before him was any challenge whatsoever, but he's an 11-minute fight where you need to play perfectly and have tons of consumables (tough luck if you didn't stock up fully before him, and because the game was so easy up until him I personally didn't bother).

    Overall just a massive step back from their previous work, the only saving grace was the music.    … Expand
  87. IggyWiggy
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    The sound track is awesome.
    The art direction is one of the best on the Switch so far.
    I can't believe how great it looks.
  88. Testuser134
    Oct 4, 2019
    9
    At first I had some problems getting used to the controls and hardy got better rank in fight than C. Now, that I mostly hit S and started to understand the mechanics involved I have really great fun! It certainly requires a bit of patience at first, but the story is engaging and explains mechanics pretty well. The game looks great, even in handheld mode and the soundtrack makes it evenAt first I had some problems getting used to the controls and hardy got better rank in fight than C. Now, that I mostly hit S and started to understand the mechanics involved I have really great fun! It certainly requires a bit of patience at first, but the story is engaging and explains mechanics pretty well. The game looks great, even in handheld mode and the soundtrack makes it even better. It definitely feels more like Nier Automata than Bayonetta and I hope Nier will come to switch too at some point :). Astral Chain is definitely worth a buy!… Expand
  89. ll33ee
    Sep 3, 2019
    9
    Su estilo gráfico se ve un tanto extraño, pero lo demás, excelente. Ojo: no crítico gráficas si no la apariencia que tiene, parece tener un acabado que no encaja del todo.
  90. jelikey
    Jul 29, 2023
    8
    Here is my HONEST, 100% Non Biased review of The Game Called Astral Chain: “Astral Chain reminds me a lot of games like Nier, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, and much more. And with this game, I believe it takes all of that inspiration and evolves it into what we have now. This game is really good, The Characters, The Story, all pretty much flow very well. The Combat is pretty damn good, as wellHere is my HONEST, 100% Non Biased review of The Game Called Astral Chain: “Astral Chain reminds me a lot of games like Nier, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, and much more. And with this game, I believe it takes all of that inspiration and evolves it into what we have now. This game is really good, The Characters, The Story, all pretty much flow very well. The Combat is pretty damn good, as well as the graphics. Now I do want to point out that yes this game is 30 frames per second, but I believe that doesn’t diminish the overall picture for this game. I do also want to point out a couple of things: The legions and being to switch between each of them with ease is really awesome, u can call out your legion to perform pretty sick combos or use your legion to navigate places that are harder to reach on your own… Expand
  91. Lothandar
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    This game is a fun and comfortable throw back to good story telling and great gameplay with a really good variety of difficulty. It's definitely worth the buy.
  92. MatiFalsetta
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    Es simplemente PERFECTO! Es sin duda alguna mi GOTY, tiene unos gráficos increíbles y corre mejor todavía, es mágico ver con la fluidez que se puede jugar. En cuestión de gráficos es de lo mejor que se puede ver en la consola, y en tema de música tiene un soundtrack hermoso. Platinum junto con Katsura hicieron todo bien!
  93. Sandman83
    Sep 10, 2019
    10
    One of the best soundtracks of any game ever made. Easily one of the best looking games on the Switch. Solid action gameplay but also mixes in investigation parts that are an excellent way to giva a bit of a breather between the action heavy parts.
    Would say this is a must buy for any Switch owner.
  94. egm954
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    Absolutely gorgeous and fantastic game! I don't like beat-em-up and slasher games, but this one caught me very vell!! I play a lot "Astral chain" and will play a lot! Strongly reccomend! Cant say anything else about! You have to see it by yourself!
  95. Iznax
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    I keep it as simple as possible.
    Wonderful presentation, great story, and amazing gameplay!
    If there is something that might be a con about this game, this is the fact that there is not a great variety in terms of environments. This is perfectly fine with me considering the story and setting of the game, but i can see that it can be an issue for some.
    One of the best Action games ever!
  96. DeadsFortune
    Sep 5, 2019
    10
    Positives:

    Excellent enemy variety Good level design Good cast of characters Interesting lore/universe Amazing over the top stylish action The detective segments (which aren't bad) don't overstay their welcome The combat, while maybe not on the same level as DMC, has good depth and variety Cats Good boss design Negatives: No button mapping No prolonged i-frames like in    Positives:

    Excellent enemy variety
    Good level design
    Good cast of characters
    Interesting lore/universe
    Amazing over the top stylish action
    The detective segments (which aren't bad) don't overstay their welcome
    The combat, while maybe not on the same level as DMC, has good depth and variety
    Cats
    Good boss design

    Negatives:

    No button mapping
    No prolonged i-frames like in other Platinum games
    The story (while still good) can get really predictable
    Runs at 30 FPS
    The graphics are good but the Astral Plain [an in-game location] gets bland to look at after a while    … Expand
  97. v4vendetta
    Aug 26, 2020
    10
    This is my first game on a Nintendo console. And its mind-blowing. May be the Nintendo switch is a new platform to me or may be just the game is a Masterpiece, I have not feel satisfied like this in a long time after the Witcher 3.

    Well, witcher 3 should not be compared to Astral Chain as they chase quite different 'RPG element' approach but Astral is just PURE SATISFACTION. Played    This is my first game on a Nintendo console. And its mind-blowing. May be the Nintendo switch is a new platform to me or may be just the game is a Masterpiece, I have not feel satisfied like this in a long time after the Witcher 3.

    Well, witcher 3 should not be compared to Astral Chain as they chase quite different 'RPG element' approach but Astral is just PURE SATISFACTION.

    Played the first two chapters (or called files) in handheld mode and then went for DOCKED mode with a pro controller on a 32" monitor. And it was WOAH !!!

    The graphics do not look bad at all.

    Considering the well written story and the gameplay aspect, its a 10 on 10. One of my favorite games of the generation.    … Expand
  98. rekens
    Sep 4, 2019
    10
    Variado, combate divertido, historia típica pero que te puedes dejar llevar. Muy buen juego
  99. CDizzness
    Apr 12, 2020
    10
    This game is so flipping cool, awesome storyline, gorgeous graphics, flippin' sweet action, thumping mesmerizing soundtrack. Platinum games makes THE best games, and I am so glad they have a good reputation with Nintendo.
  100. Cougargames
    Apr 8, 2020
    9
    Imagine another game from platinum games with the amazing combat that you would expect but improved with an even more fun combat that forces you to pay even more attention to the game so that your mind never is bored.

    This is a must buy for any platinum games fan and switch owner considering what they are offering and the (little spoiler warning ahead) the long and fun endgame    Imagine another game from platinum games with the amazing combat that you would expect but improved with an even more fun combat that forces you to pay even more attention to the game so that your mind never is bored.

    This is a must buy for any platinum games fan and switch owner considering what they are offering and the (little spoiler warning ahead)

    the long and fun endgame content they are offering.    … Expand
Page:

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.
    Read full review
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