So... Astral Chain is GoTY

[Ocarina_117]

An absolute joy to play from start to finish.

Wonderful combat when everything clicks. An interesting approach to the character action game from Platinum, incorporating some detective work.

A lot of personality and the game looks stunning on the switch.

Also lord... that OST *chef kiss*

Also the best post game content in anything I've played this generation. Some wonderful combat missions that will kick your ass if you haven't learned to use every facet of the combat system.

 

[TheInfinityGauntlet]

If it was really that good wouldn't it be game of the decade, pathetic!

 

[SofNascimento]

It's the second best game of the week it was released.

 

[Noppie]

Not for me, great you like it so much though.

 

[Unkindled]

I loved the gameplay but last third of the story and dumb protagonist doesn't make it a goty for me.

 

[Mezati99]

that game did nothing for me personally

 

[Regiruler]

Not really.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Its a nice new IP but a few things hold it back for me, namely the camera, the framerate and some of the busywork

 

[NuclearCake]

Devil May Cry 5 came out so no.

 

[Dphex]

7/10 for me

 

[Brazil]

It's an absolute blast of a game, but it gets really repetitive after a while. Thankfully the post-game content is indeed very fun.

 

[Weiss]

I had a lot of issues but they were all kind of moot thanks to Dark Hero.

 

[Courage]

I thought it was extremely disappointing. Hamstrung by its repetitive structure and a story that is devoid of any emotional impact. It tried to be Nier Automata without understanding what made that game so great.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

I have little desire to return to it every time I put it down.

Marie's mascot antics are great though

 

[El-Suave]

If you have low GOTY standards, then yeah, sure, go for it.

 

[Ponchito]

I also thought it was GOTY material. Really enjoyed the combat, world, exploration and investigations. The music was phenomenal as you say.

My only critique is that it went a bit too long. I was a bit exhausted by it at the end to continue playing the post-game missions/challenges.

 

[TheMoon]

You just want me to post this again.



Best piece of video game music from this year.

 

[Deleted member 2791]

My personal GOTY so far as well, very closely tailed by RE2. Nothing else comes close.

 

[Ramsay]

Nah. The way I like to put it is that Astral Chain is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. In particular, the Bayonetta games have a far better combat system than it, and every other part of Astral Chain apart from the combat is middling.

It's a decent 7/10.

Personally, I thought that Luigi's Mansion 3 and Three Houses were far better than it, and that's only counting Switch games.

 

[Zedelima]

Is good, some crazy boss fights but...not a interesting story in my opnion, and i didnt wanted to do all the side stuff because to me was boring

a solid 8

 

[newmoneytrash]

I thought it was *fine*, but it never clicked with me

But it can't be the GOTY when we live in a world where Control exists

 

[Imitatio]

Maybe, didn't play FE3H yet. DQ XIS is a strong contender as well for me.

 

[megalowho]

Was a few chapters in before getting sidetracked, I should get back to it. Combat is a bit fiddly but fun when everything clicks, cool moments of spectacle and world building. Story is intriguing enough, even if the silent protag sticks out like a sore thumb. But there's something about the flow of the missions and the way downtime is structured, makes it tough to stick with for long sessions. Hard to put my finger on it.

 

[TheMoon]

If you have low GOTY standards, then yeah, sure, go for it.

Click to shrink...

You there's a thing called personal taste, right?

 

[Dr Pears]

Missions were kinda annoying, with the stupid ice cream and box balancing stuff.
Astral Plains were also super bland and platforming sections were more annoying than fun.

7/10 from me.

 

[LuisGarcia]

Didn't really like it.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

I loved the gameplay and music but the story goes nowhere and important characters are sidelined just a few chapters in to focus on your whiny sibling character's breakdowns.

 

[Bishop89]

Seems like it was mostly forgotten.

Doubt it'll win any awards from the big sites

 

[newmoneytrash]

You there's a thing called personal taste, right?

Click to shrink...

you know this thread isn't called "so astral chain is *my* goty", right?

 

[CloseTalker]

It was a 5/10 for me. Combat was great, but the 20 hour game was bloated with 10 hours of the most boring non-combat gameplay imaginable. I actively hated the parts of the game that weren't combat. And even combat got repetitive, with the Astral realm being so bland and carbon copy from beginning to end.

great combat mechanics, but not enough visual variety, and some of the controls were also wonky as hell (I lost count of the number of times I fell to my death when trying to yank myself across platforms or around corners).

it's honestly one of the more bafflingly high praised games of the year to me, I don't get how more people didn't take issue with what I saw as pretty fundamental design flaws. For all of its good qualities it is, and i mean this with no hyperbole, one of the worst-paced games I've ever played in my life

 

[SpokkX]

I thought it was barely ok

worst platinum large scale title by s mile anyway

 

[El-Suave]

You there's a thing called personal taste, right?

Click to shrink...

That's what my "good for you, but I don't really agree" post was supposed to be about.

 

[TheMoon]

you know this thread isn't called "so astral chain is *my* goty", right?

Click to shrink...

is that why we get free reign to trash talk the OP?

That's what my "good for you, but I don't really agree" post was supposed to be about.

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if it had said literally that I wouldn't have felt the need to comment on it^^

 

[Sawyer]

Yeah, I also thought it was just ok. Not top 10 for my year.

 

[Thequietone]

I love the game. Might be my 2nd favorite this year, some games I haven't finished or started yet but LM3 is definitely #1 right now. Pokemon might unseat it but I have to experience it myself.

 

[Dyle]

Definitely the soundtrack of the year at the very least

I wish I had a legion to eavesdrop on people

 

[Ocarina_117]

Mind if I bless your ears?

 

[Kandinsky]

So far for me, yes. Goty.

 

[Necromorph]

Not even the best game of the month, but is great.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

is that why we get free reign to trash talk the OP?

Click to shrink...

Yes.

 

[RockmanBN]

I didn't really like it much. Music was good though.

 

[Supermanisdead]

i gave up in chapter 8. fuck all the non combat shit in this game, who keeps asking for platinum to do platforming and investigation stuff? the silent protagonist honestly ruined this game too. platinum games with their amazing protagonists, decides to make a mute anime doll staring dopey eyed and open mouthed in boring ass cutscenes. far from a goty contender.

 

[Valcrist]

Not on the same year DMC5 came out.

 

[Forkball]

I really enjoyed it. I feel like everyone already kind of forgot about this game since Switch has been pumping out major releases one after another the past few months. The game has a lot of content so if you are looking for a 20-30 hour action adventure game I would definitely recommend Astral Chain.

 

[Thequietone]

i gave up in chapter 8. fuck all the non combat shit in this game, who keeps asking for platinum to do platforming and investigation stuff? the silent protagonist honestly ruined this game too. platinum games with their amazing protagonists, decides to make a mute anime doll staring dopey eyed and open mouthed in boring ass cutscenes. far from a goty contender.

Click to shrink...

Chapter 9 is the best part though.

 

[Courage]

i gave up in chapter 8. fuck all the non combat shit in this game, who keeps asking for platinum to do platforming and investigation stuff? the silent protagonist honestly ruined this game too. platinum games with their amazing protagonists, decides to make a mute anime doll staring dopey eyed and open mouthed in boring ass cutscenes. far from a goty contender.

Click to shrink...

💯

 

[Dec]

You just want me to post this again.



Best piece of video game music from this year.

Click to shrink...

Thankfully you only hear this for a small amount of time. I hate repetitive music so much.

 

[Robo]

I loved the game too OP. I feel like it's a really good year for games though so I don't think it's my #1 personally (maybe #3?)

Agreed that the combat really starts to shine in the postgame. You really gotta know your stuff to make it through the later missions in that, it's sublime. the OST is killer. Silent protagonist wasn't great though. And the story kind of falls flat near the end.

 

[Nephilim]

I also think it is a supergood game and actually my Goty so far. Haven't played DMC 5, Death Stranding and of course the new Star Wars game though, but it is very original in many ways.

The combat system not only is original and new, but also very satisfying once you pull of crazy things. The game has great enemy variety on top of that, so you are encouraged to swap between playstyles. Overall vibe, graphics and sound are stellar. I found the pacing to be great and some chapters were spectacular throughout. Oh, the last boss was epic.
Negatives are sidequest are not as good as i hoped and i wanted the cool lore to be presented better (through sidequests, which are too self contained for my tastes).

Astral Chain is a 9/10 for me.


Currently playing Luigis Mansion 3, that game also is Goty material. Switch is killing it for me this year.

 

[Le Dude]

I thought it was a solid 8.5/10.

For me personally, I enjoyed Fire Emblem far more, but it's my favorite game series.

There's been a ton of other games that I would put roughly on the same level as Astral Chain this year: Sekiro, Luigi's Mansion 3, Fire Emblem, The Outer Worlds, Devil May Cry V, Greedfall, and Total War Three Kingdoms.

RE2re was also good, but it was a remake. I haven't played Disco Elysium or some others yet.