Astral Chain has one of the best cyberpunk environments I've seen in a long time

[Sakuyahime]

The world is so alive, with people walking around, eating, chatting with friends or family. Cars passing by, many neon lights everywhere, realistic reflections on the floor, futuristic traffic lights that automatically closes the street so you'll be safe to cross the street, and even drones keeping watch for any potential criminals.
The world was mostly influenced by Akira and Psycho-Pass.

Astral Chain is graphically beautiful, has an excellent soundtrack and the cyberpunkish futuristic world I wanted to see in a game for a very long time with the best artstyle complementing it. It's kinda hard to believe it's a Switch game sometimes, it looks amazing!
And yes, of course I know The Witcher 3, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild or Alien Isolation among many others can look even better, but the details in this one are my favorite.

Speaking in a new interview with Famitsu, Game Director Takahisa Taura said that "the team at PlatinumGames was very happy with the sales figures, which surpassed their initial expectations". Although the numbers themselves weren't actually revealed, Astral Chain shifted almost 50,000 units in Japan alone within its first three weeks and, as word of mouth spread in the west, more and more players took a chance on the chaotic action game. Source: https://www.destructoid.com/astral-...les-that-surpassed-expectations--577318.phtml

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Don't sleep on this game. Most games by PlatinumGames, despite being really awesome, don't sell all too well like with the first two Bayonetta games.
Let's give PlatinumGames some support! Even if according to the Game Director the game already surpassed his their expectations regarding sales, it'd be awesome to see more people playing this fantastic title and hopefully getting a new sequel!

This was my GOTY in 2019 as I've been waiting for something like this for a long time and it surpassed all of my expectations.
Here is the Launch Trailer for anyone that might be interested to check it out. And here is the Astral Chain's OT here in Resetera.

 

[Deleted member 37233]

It looks fantastic! It's on my backlog! One day I'll play this! But for now Animal Crossing will consume my life in the coming months. And I still need to play Luigis Mansion (probably in October) and TMS.

 

[KLoWn]

100% agree.

 

[Xavi]

It has a fantastic presentation and setting, the OST is great as you said but I couldn't get behind the combat. When I thought it had finally clicked they introduced a new mechanic that threw me off again. I think I dropped it around chapter 5 or 6

 

[Masagiwa]

I still haven't played this game, just listened to the music and it blew me away. It's high up on my list of have to plays.

 

[Big G]

I know the mundane activities aren't going to be for everyone, but the parts of the game where you can just leisurely explore those city areas for secrets and side missions were a highlight for me. These sequences kept me invested in the game until the combat really started to click for me (which admittedly took a little while, but I got there).

 

[Haze]

The game's only major weak point is the story.

Everything else is very good, including the world building and contextualization of its cyberpunk themes.

I know the mundane activities aren't going to be for everyone, but the parts of the game where you can just leisurely explore those city areas for secrets and side missions were a highlight for me. These sequences kept me invested in the game until the combat really started to click for me (which admittedly took a little while, but I got there).

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I think its all about the context in which mundane tasks exist. On the surface, they aren't much different than following a trail and fighting some dudes in The Witcher 3. But the Witcher 3 contextualizes them with gripping narratives. Games like Gravity Rush and Astral Chain do it by using the mundanity of normal activities to ground the world with slice-of-life gameplay. Something that Shenmue and Deadly Premonition have done prior as well.

In Astral Chain, these kept me invested in the world in a way that the narrative itself did not and for that, I'd say Astral Chain has good side content.

 

[brinstar]

I loved it

 

[Oregano]

No need to qualify the praise for its graphics.

It's easily one of the best looking Switch games.

 

[Kneefoil]

Game looks great! Probably the best looking Switch game I've seen. It's a fine game otherwise, too, but unfortunately my second least favourite Platinum game I've played, placing only above MadWorld - another game with a really cool visual style.

 

[StrangeRoboMemory]

Big budget open world Automata-tier sequel when

 

[Jawmuncher]

I wish there was more of it and more to do. Was so much more interesting than the Astral world or whatever that was called.

 

[Dphex]

The environments were downright claustrophobic and the whole game dragged on and was not very interesting. the detective scenes were padding at its best and the combat lackluster. the astral plane was also boring and samey and the story...near non existent.

one of the big disappointments of last year and definitely not what i want from Platinum games.

6/10

 

[MDSVeritas]

Yeah I love the world of this game. As much as I love a pure-combat game I *adore* that you got moments to just run around the city and talk to people. It amplified the sense of place so much and really lifted this game above the normal (already quite good) Platinum action tier of quality for me.

 

[Deleted member 31092]

Big budget open world Automata-tier sequel when

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Automata was anything but big budget tier tbf.

 

[Harpoon]

I know the mundane activities aren't going to be for everyone, but the parts of the game where you can just leisurely explore those city areas for secrets and side missions were a highlight for me. These sequences kept me invested in the game until the combat really started to click for me (which admittedly took a little while, but I got there).

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Yeah, I loved exploring every inch of the city, talking to people, finding secrets and new missions to do. I hope a sequel keeps those exploration and sleuthing elements.

 

[Mercador]

I think I would rather read a art book of the game than playing the game itself. I watched quite a few videos when it was released but the gameplay seems a tad shallow.

 

[dabri]

keep waiting for the game to go on sale.

 

[night814]

From the outside looking in it's definitely one of the things I like most about it, still waiting on picking it up though

 

[shaneo632]

I enjoyed it but felt it was ultimately a bit too repetitive.

 

[NotLiquid]

I loooove the world building of Astral Chain. I appreciate all the little details they put into everything.

Part of the reason I want a sequel is just so they can build more on that world. I'm curious about how the world outside of The Ark looks like.

 

[Siggy-P]

The environments are great and hopefully in a sequelae spend more time in the city in different locations.

The only thing about the world I didn"t like was that the redshift stuff looked kind crap. Staticy red cubes that look like holograms is surprisingly generic.

 

[SuperSah]

Game is fucking awesome

 

[catpurrcat]

I know the mundane activities aren't going to be for everyone, but the parts of the game where you can just leisurely explore those city areas for secrets and side missions were a highlight for me. These sequences kept me invested in the game until the combat really started to click for me (which admittedly took a little while, but I got there).

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Incredible art and environment but yes I agree, the mundane tasks are exactly that. No way I can defend the "pick up the red stuff" and hardy boys "talk to the NPC for clues" nonsense.

I hope we get a sequel with similar art.

 

[MP!]

presentation in this game is pretty good

got bored when doing the cop stuff ... but I really liked this game.

 

[Falchion]

Yeah it's definitely got some great environmental design.

 

[SiG]

I still remember that ice cream mission...

Stupid kid just had to bump into me!

But yes, I feel a combination of things make the game really sell its cyberpunk city aesthetic. I think it's made even more believable by showing you

Spoiler

the downtrotten cordoned-off shanty part of the city that was caused by the outbreak

.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

it does, I just wish there were more locations

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

I adored Astral Chain. The small selection of expansive, atmospheric environments really gave it a unique flavour.

 

[BizzyBum]

Yeah, it looked great. Kinda smallish in scope but probably better off.

I also really liked the slum look of Zone 09.

 

[Shoichi]

started playing it recently.
I fell in love with the atmosphere. Slowly working through it alongside finishing HZD lol

 

[Oregano]

I still remember that ice cream mission...

Stupid kid just had to bump into me!

But yes, I feel a combination of things make the game really sell its cyberpunk city aesthetic. I think it's made even more believable by showing you

Spoiler

the downtrotten cordoned-off shanty part of the city that was caused by the outbreak

.

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Yeah, it looked great. Kinda smallish in scope but probably better off.

I also really liked the slum look of Zone 09.

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My first thought at that section was that I hope Shin Megami Tensei V is able to capture a similar atmosphere.

 

[jonjonaug]

It has a fantastic presentation and setting, the OST is great as you said but I couldn't get behind the combat. When I thought it had finally clicked they introduced a new mechanic that threw me off again. I think I dropped it around chapter 5 or 6

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Astral Chain reminds me a lot of W101 in that the game is amazing when everything clicks, but the game is wildly experimental so the best/proper ways to play aren't always immediately apparent and there's no way you're going to get everything right the first time around.

Like W101 I'm sure it's fantastic when you really dig into it and replay levels, but sadly I haven't had the time to do so.

 

[AGoodODST]

Yep totally agree. It looks so good.

I'm actually about half way through a second play through right now. One of my favourite games of last year.

 

[SuperSah]

My favourite part about the game is the incredible art direction and enemy design.

The artbook is wonderful as is the in-game model viewer.

 

[Motorcycle Dork]

Absolutely, the world is awe-inspiring. It's amazing how the switch can pull it off as well.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

agreed. the style of the environments are really great and convey that cyberpunk vibe so well.
i hope there's a sequel that improves on the game but has the same cyberpunk style.

 

[medyej]

It's got a great world. I love that they are able to make a game like this to counter all the 'they just make combat arena' people.

 

[CloseTalker]

There are like two environments in the entire game lol. City, and red.

 

[Deleted member 42484]

I know the mundane activities aren't going to be for everyone, but the parts of the game where you can just leisurely explore those city areas for secrets and side missions were a highlight for me. These sequences kept me invested in the game until the combat really started to click for me (which admittedly took a little while, but I got there).

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I see the side activities complaint a lot, but I skipped 75% of it. It's fun once in a while and I love the idea that I can explore and find secret bosses and hidden storylines, but you really can just stick to the meat and potatoes action.

My GOTY (after RE4's Switch release)

 

[60fps]

Too bad they couldn't even be bothered to put surround sound into this lively Cyberpunk environment, and the audio quality of the game is very poor in general, like it was highly compressed. The music tracks completely lack oomph for example. Paired with stereo-only sound this game has the worst audio quality I've experienced in recent years.

 

[yap]

It was a nice to see a cyberpunk game that isn't steeped in 80's imagery and synthwave.

 

[TYRANITARR]

Great game.

It's been enjoyed in small bursts. Like many people said, it gets too reptitive and samey feeling for its own good. Playing through an entire chapter as once isn't probably the best way to digest the game. When you do a long-play of this game, you notice the flaws more clearly.

I spaced this game out over months and really just enjoyed it. Take it slow and do all those side missions and enjoy the area and combat in small pieces, it never feels too repetitive.

 

[HeRinger]

Awesome game but I wish they would do something about the excessive jaggies in portable mode. It's one of the few games that I played mostly docked because I couldn't stomach the image quality.