Astral Ascension

About

"Astral Ascension" is a choice-heavy sci-fi visual novel where you join the mercenary ship of Aetos to support your ill sister and clear your name. Your decisions affect mission outcomes and relationships with party members, potentially leading to romance. With hundreds of decisions and branching paths, a unique personalized story unfolds.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

story10 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

PixelFade continues to set the gold standard for English voiced visual novels with stellar writing, great character design, and excellent voice acting.
The game features a compelling story with well-developed characters that players can become genuinely attached to, providing a mix of comedy and emotional moments.
There is significant replayability with multiple endings and choices that impact the story, making it an engaging experience for players.

The game struggles with some technical issues, such as frame rate drops in certain scenes and incomplete voice acting, as it is still in early access.
Some players feel that the animated sprites are stilted compared to previous titles, which detracts from the overall art quality.
While the game is enjoyable, it doesn't innovate much on PixelFade's established formula, leaving some fans wanting more exploration and creativity.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
32%
16%
The story in "Astral Ascension" is highly praised for its depth and complexity, featuring well-developed characters and multiple romance paths that enhance replayability. Players appreciate the engaging narrative, rich world-building, and the blend of humor and emotional depth, marking it as a significant evolution from previous titles by Pixelfade. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a compelling sci-fi universe filled with memorable characters and choices that impact the storyline.
- “The story is amazing, characters feel like they progress with or without you, and it makes the world feel so much better.”
- “Astral Ascension is shaping up to be Pixelfade's most complex game yet, with three distinct romance paths and many robust choices along the way that shape the story.”
- “There's a great cast of distinct, memorable characters with superb voiceover artists, multiple compelling love interests, an engaging storyline, and afterwards some dedicated time with your crew and love interest leading to a fitting closure.”
- “The story is so much more involved this time, reaching a level of replayability not reached since Ace Academy.”
- “Astral Ascension is shaping up to be Pixelfade's most complex game yet, with 3 distinct romance paths and many robust choices along the way that shape the story.”
- “With each new game Pixelfade successfully releases, it becomes easier to see how one day they will take everything they have learned and return to the Ace Academy story with a sequel that surpasses the first in depth, complexity, and technological prowess.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The music in the game is highly praised, featuring a unique blend that complements its sci-fi setting, with standout contributions from Eric Benaim and Liz Robinett. Reviewers highlight the stellar writing and character design, noting that the soundtrack enhances the overall experience and meets high expectations.
- “Stellar writing, good music, great character design, solid voice acting, and excellent romance.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic!”
- “What even would 'country' music be in a sci-fi universe, for example?”
- “And the music of Eric Benaim (the intro theme featuring the lovely Liz Robinett) lives up to the high expectations set in his previous work.”
- “- Heat soundtrack + OP”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization has received positive feedback, with users praising its performance and writing. However, some players have noted occasional frame rate issues, which may be attributed to personal hardware limitations rather than the game's optimization itself.
- “No complaints, you have optimized your work, outdone yourself greatly, and this game is the very essence of why I kept supporting you over the years!”
- “- Slightly frame-y in some scenes, but that may be a personal hardware issue due to my PC being 5 years old and heavily used or an optimization issue that's a work in progress.”
- “The game is slightly frame-y in some scenes, but that may be a personal hardware issue due to my PC being 5 years old and heavily used, or it could be an optimization issue that's a work in progress.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its blend of comedy and heartfelt moments, featuring believable characters that evoke genuine empathy. Players appreciate the wholesome storytelling and well-crafted character development, which create memorable experiences that resonate on an emotional level.
- “A perfect combination of comedy, emotional moments, and actually believable characters truly makes this an experience to remember.”
- “Along with that, there were even a couple of emotional moments that got to me.”
- “Their visual novels are wholesome (I actually discovered what 'waifu' meant due to Pixelfade!) with well-written characters that have the ability to make you smile and laugh while also inducing genuine empathy in you.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is skillfully woven into its storytelling, providing a balance of laughter and emotional depth that keeps players engaged. The clever twists and turns enhance the comedic elements, making for a dynamic and entertaining experience.
- “The twists and turns will have you laughing and crying within minutes of each other.”
- “They have the perfect combination of world-building, storytelling, feels, and humor.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its stellar writing and engaging storytelling, complemented by strong voice acting and appealing character design. The romance elements are particularly highlighted, contributing to a rich and immersive experience. Overall, the combination of these factors creates a memorable and well-rounded character development.
- “Stellar writing, good music, great character design, solid voice acting, and excellent romance.”
- “I'm not sure if it's the OST, the voice cast, the character design, storytelling, or maybe the fact that pangos exist in this universe!”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers significant replayability through multiple endings and diverse routes, with players finding the story deeply engaging and satisfying. Many reviewers note that it achieves a level of replayability reminiscent of previous titles like Ace Academy.
- “There is plenty of replayability, with multiple combinations of endings for each route you can take, all of which I have found satisfying.”
- “The story is so much more involved this time, reaching a level of replayability not seen since Ace Academy.”
- “There is plenty of replayability as well, with multiple combinations of endings for each route you can take, none of which I have found satisfying.”
- “The story is so much more involved this time, reaching a level of replayability not achieved since Ace Academy.”