Astra Hunter Zosma
- January 5, 2024
- torch60
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreThe secrets and treasures of ancient civilizations have long eluded the Astra Hunters: a guild of explorers-for-hire tasked with uncovering the world's greatest riches. And Zosma is the greatest Astra Hunter of them all! Or at least he wishes, were he not ranked dead last as always. What seems like a routine attempt to uncover more about Zosma's favorite adventuring ground becomes the beginning …
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features charming pixel art graphics and a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Combat mechanics are engaging and unique, allowing players to build combos and customize their companion's abilities, making battles fun and strategic.
- The story is heartwarming and humorous, with well-developed characters that contribute to an emotional journey throughout the game.
- Some players found the combat to be overly simplistic, lacking depth and interesting decisions during regular battles.
- There are reports of technical issues, including crashes and long save intervals, which can disrupt the gameplay experience.
- While the story is enjoyable, some reviewers noted that it is not particularly groundbreaking or complex, which may leave some players wanting more.
- story40 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as simple yet emotionally impactful, blending humor and heart while exploring themes of legacy, friendship, and personal growth. Players appreciate the well-developed characters and engaging dialogue, though some feel the narrative could benefit from a greater emphasis on storytelling over combat. Overall, the story is seen as charming and enjoyable, making it a delightful experience for both casual and dedicated players.
“While somewhat simple, the story is full of humor and heart!”
“The writing is lighthearted in tone, yet this belies a touching story about friendship, sibling love, and personal growth.”
“A wonderful little story about legacy and the impact you leave behind, Zosma is a tale full of heart, humor, and puzzles!”
“The story is sparse, but it packs an emotional punch, and it eschews the traditional epic RPG storylines, which is refreshing.”
“Had the story been worse, I'd probably walk away for good.”
“I have no real criticisms (aside from minor nitpicks) towards the game aside from its simple story.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a rich and detailed environment, engaging combat mechanics, and a variety of puzzles that enhance exploration. Players appreciate the unique battle system, which allows for strategic depth through equipable sigils and a chain mechanic that increases player power during fights. Overall, the game offers a fun and immersive experience with a blend of combat, exploration, and character interactions that keep players entertained.
“Combat overall is quite fun with a lot of potential due to the different mechanics such as the sizable amount of equipable sigils, the chain mechanic, and the various enemy abilities and weaknesses that come into play.”
“What a fantastic adventure! The character dialogue is fun, all the characters are caricature-like without overdoing it, and the biomes are nice and varied. The traversing puzzles are a good distraction between battles, and combat itself is the most interesting mechanic of the game. You get stronger as the battle goes on, powering your special attacks with normal attacks, and you can tweak your companion to perform certain skills. I'm honestly delighted by this one.”
“Gameplay (combat): super unique combat mechanics; instead of having a large party, you have a party of two characters, each of whom works entirely differently!”
“It is by no means a minimalist style, especially regarding the environments which contain plenty of detail that is not relevant to the gameplay or needed for the story.”
“Personally, I find it ironic that Zosma is considered an underachieving Astra hunter when he's the only person in the world with this mechanic.”
“Update: beat the game after 7 and a half hours of gameplay.”
- music15 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its fantastic variety and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many tracks fitting seamlessly into the gameplay and story. While some reviewers note that the soundtrack may not feature standout classics, it is generally described as solid, enjoyable, and well-composed, contributing positively to the overall experience. Overall, the music is considered a highlight, complementing the game's visuals and mechanics effectively.
“Something that stood out to me multiple times throughout the game is the music, which is fantastic with many different themes fitting the environment and individual scenes, each a joy to listen to.”
“It is delivered well, accompanied by a perfect soundtrack that captures the heart and soul of each area and each scene masterfully.”
“Delightful art, charming music, and interesting combat and puzzles.”
“The music won't get stuck in your head, but it's decent.”
“Music: not an all-time classic OST, but it's solid!”
“The music was very well done.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming narrative that, while simple, delivers a powerful impact through themes of friendship, sibling love, and personal growth. Users appreciate the charming and lighthearted writing, which effectively conveys a touching story without resorting to overly dramatic elements. Overall, the game offers a refreshing departure from traditional epic RPG storylines, focusing instead on genuine emotional connections.
“The story is sparse, but it packs an emotional punch, and it eschews the traditional epic RPG storylines, which is refreshing.”
“Torch60 games are all very charming, heartfelt, and quality games that I can't do justice in words.”
“The writing is lighthearted in tone, yet this belies a touching story about friendship, sibling love, and personal growth.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their true pixel art style, which many players find impressive and well-complemented by the game's music. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the gaming experience, enhancing both the story and gameplay.
“True pixel art is what I would deem the graphics.”
“I really like the graphics, and the music is great.”
“I just started playing this game today, and I am very impressed with the story and the graphics.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Zosma" is characterized by its funny dialogue and charming, lighthearted tone, complementing the game's heartwarming narrative and simplistic JRPG style. Players appreciate the blend of humor with engaging puzzles and a compelling story about legacy.
“A wonderful little story about legacy and the impact you leave behind; Zosma is a tale full of heart, humor, and puzzles!”
“Simplistic turn-based JRPG style, cute art, funny dialogue, and an overall compelling story.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is marked by a distinctive visual design that embraces a quirky, cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of the EarthBound/Mother series. The characters, primarily non-humanoid, contribute to a unique and whimsical atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
“The character development in this game is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that adds depth to the overall narrative.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, facing challenges that truly shape their personalities and relationships with one another.”
“The interactions between characters are so well-written, making their growth feel organic and relatable as the story progresses.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of them.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't offer any surprises or growth.”
“The dialogue is often cringeworthy, which detracts from the overall experience of getting to know the characters.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a pleasant soundtrack that complements the overall feel, though no specific piece is highlighted as exceptional.
“The soundtrack is pretty good; while I don't think any specific piece stands out as fantastic, they are overall pleasant to listen to and fit the game's atmosphere very well.”
“The soundtrack is also pretty good, but I don't personally think any specific piece stands out as fantastic. Overall, they are pleasant to listen to and fit the game's atmosphere very well.”
