Astor: Blade of the Monolith

A fairly interesting adventure but there’s one major flaw that dulls the edge.

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Astor: Blade of the Monolith is an action-packed RPG set on the vibrant planet of Gliese. As the Diokek warrior Astor, explore this ancient world and uncover the truth behind the disappearance of your creators while battling malevolent creatures. Upgrade your skills, unlock magical powers, and collect legendary weapons to defeat the source of Gliese's evil and save the planet in over 20 hours of gameplay.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

story6 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features a unique and beautiful art style that is visually appealing.
Combat mechanics are enjoyable, allowing for creative combos and upgrades as players progress.
The game offers a simple yet interesting story that is easy to follow, making it accessible for a wide audience.

The game suffers from a lack of polish, with issues such as stuttering combat, camera control problems, and numerous bugs.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, with enemies that are not challenging enough and a linear progression.
There are excessive cutscenes and handholding that disrupt the flow of gameplay and can become annoying.

story
22 mentions
27 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as simple and familiar, lacking depth and emotional engagement, making it suitable for players seeking a straightforward experience rather than a gripping narrative. While the storytelling is clear and the art style complements the plot, many reviewers noted that the character interactions and dialogue can be tedious or clichéd. Overall, it offers an interesting premise but may not satisfy those looking for a more profound or immersive story.
- “Starting with the good, the game's art style is very unique and the story, while something you've probably heard before, is actually interesting and easy to understand.”
- “Storytelling in games like this is often a convoluted mess, but this game actually tells its story in a very succinct manner.”
- “This game is absolutely incredible, really good story, fights are cool (kinda remind me of the Devil May Cry saga) and this is complemented with a fantastic soundtrack.”
- “Story is told in a coma-inducing way.”
- “The dialog and story parts were very annoying.”
- “Astor is a silent protagonist, and you have your usual tropes like the sweet sidekick best friend, a grumpy village chief, etc. If you're looking for an enthralling story that will make you reflect about it long after the credits have run, I don't think you're going to find it here.”
graphics
15 mentions
47 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their unique art style and aesthetic appeal, particularly on high-quality displays like OLED monitors. While the visuals are generally considered beautiful and fitting for the game's narrative, some players note inconsistencies and bugs that detract from the overall experience. The character designs and world aesthetics evoke nostalgia, though there is a desire for more variety in enemy designs.
- “The sound design is beautiful and the graphical style perfectly fits the game's story.”
- “Art style and story were good; the screenshots don't lie, it is a pretty game, especially on an OLED monitor.”
- “Beautiful art style and satisfying combat.”
- “I do not know where the comparisons to souls-like games or Zelda came from... but this is a great and fun character action game... think of it as your first steps into something like Devil May Cry or God of War or Bayonetta... it's easier than those games, and clearly not as polished or as deep... but for the price that's more than justified... graphics are pretty decent for what they are, and the OST is okay.”
- “Game sort of reminds me of Stray Blade with the artwork, attacks, level designs, and a bit of that jank.”
- “Character designs are simple but aesthetically pleasing, though I will say I could go for more variety in the enemy color palettes.”
gameplay
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by repetitive combat mechanics and enemy encounters, leading to a sense of monotony, particularly with boss fights. While the open-zone structure offers potential, it ultimately results in sparse gameplay experiences, making traversal feel unengaging and diluting the impact of combat and puzzles. However, the game does provide a helpful tutorial and introduces combat mechanics at a manageable pace, with some players appreciating the depth of these mechanics despite initial challenges.
- “Almost every room has some sort of meaningful gameplay in it.”
- “The depth of the combat mechanics was a pleasant surprise.”
- “The game introduces you to the main gameplay mechanics at a nice pace.”
- “Imagine the same combat mechanic, the same enemy types, always spawning every 5 steps.”
- “The attempt at a sort of 'open-zone' level structure was an interesting idea, but it ultimately falls flat because it winds up making the gameplay feel sparse.”
- “Action-adventure games like these ride or die on how quickly the player can access the next bit of gameplay, and while this game isn’t terrible in this regard, it could definitely still use some tightening up.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unenjoyable, as it involves repetitively defeating the same enemies to progress, leading to a lack of challenge and excitement.
- “The game has a 'kill all the enemies to progress' style of gameplay where you defeat a horde, only for more to spawn, which I find to be tedious and not enjoyable at all. I want to see what happens, not kill the same enemy five times.”
- “Wasn't challenging, just tedious.”
music
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for being fantastic and complementing the overall experience, enhancing the engaging story and action. While some reviewers find the original soundtrack to be merely "okay," it still contributes positively to the game's atmosphere. Overall, the music is seen as a strong aspect that elevates the gameplay, reminiscent of classic character action games.
- “This game is absolutely incredible, really good story, fights are cool (kinda remind me of Devil May Cry saga) and this is complemented with a fantastic soundtrack.”
- “I do not know where the comparisons to Souls-like games or Zelda came from... but this is a great and fun character action game... think of it as your first steps into something like Devil May Cry or God of War or Bayonetta... its easier than those games, and clearly not as polished or as deep... but for the price that's more than justified... graphics are pretty decent for what they are, and the OST is okay... you can play it spamming buttons, or learn a couple of moves for every one of the weapons, and string some really cool looking combos.”
- “The music is forgettable and doesn't add anything to the overall experience of the game.”
- “I found the soundtrack to be repetitive and uninspired, which detracted from the immersion.”
- “While the game has its strengths, the music feels like an afterthought and fails to enhance the atmosphere.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for issues such as stuttering during combat and poorly designed enemy behavior, leading to a lack of recommendation from users.
- “Between the stuttering in combat and the lazy enemies, I cannot recommend this game.”
- “The optimization is so poor that it feels like I'm playing a beta version rather than a finished product.”
- “Frequent frame drops and long loading times make the experience frustrating and unenjoyable.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is considered stable and polished, with only a few minor glitches reported by users.
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its simple yet aesthetically pleasing designs, though there is a desire for greater variety in enemy color palettes to enhance the overall experience.
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a strong emotional connection with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.”
- “The backstories are rich and well-crafted, adding layers to the characters that enhance the overall narrative experience.”
- “Character designs are simple but aesthetically pleasing; however, I would appreciate more variety in the enemy color palettes.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, which diminished my overall engagement with the story.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a simple story complemented by occasionally hilarious character dialogue, providing moments of levity that enhance the overall experience.
- “The story is simple, and the character dialogue can be hilarious at times.”
- “The humor is spot-on, with witty one-liners that had me laughing out loud.”
- “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create laugh-out-loud moments.”