Astral Ascent

Astral Ascent is a Roguelike that should be mentioned alongside genre greats like Hades and Spelunky, and simply demands to be played.

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In "Astral Ascent" , become a hero escaping from the astral prison, the Garden, while battling 12 powerful Zodiac bosses across 4 worlds. Choose from 4 distinct characters, each with unique weapons and playstyles, and unlock dozens of unique spells to optimize your build. Uncover backstories and face unique attacks of the Zodiacs, testing your skills and reactivity in this 2D platformer rogue-lite game.

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Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,708 reviews

gameplay214 positive mentions

grinding21 negative mentions

The game features stunning pixel art and fluid animations, creating a visually captivating experience.
Combat is fast-paced and engaging, with a unique spell system that allows for diverse builds and strategies.
The game offers a rich narrative with fully voiced characters, adding depth to the gameplay and enhancing player immersion.

The rotating spell system can be confusing, making it difficult to keep track of which spell is available during combat.
Some players find the dialogue and writing to be cringe-worthy and lacking depth, detracting from the overall experience.
The game can become visually cluttered during intense battles, making it hard to track character movements and enemy attacks.

gameplay
423 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Astral Ascent" is widely praised for its fluidity, engaging mechanics, and addictive loop, drawing comparisons to popular titles like "Hades" and "Dead Cells." Players appreciate the variety of characters and spells, which contribute to a dynamic combat experience, although some note that certain mechanics can feel repetitive or overly simplistic at times. Overall, the game offers a polished and enjoyable roguelite experience with a strong emphasis on skill and build diversity.
- “The gameplay loop is super addictive, and each character is fun to play with interesting spells and gameplay styles.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, fun, and varied.”
- “With a hyper satisfying gameplay loop, tight intrarun variance, perfect run duration, meta progression, and compelling 'just one more run' incentive, this nails most of what makes the roguelite genre so enjoyable.”
- “If the core gameplay mobs were changed in a way to not feel too repetitive and maybe somewhat interesting, I can see myself playing this again.”
- “The forced-spell rotation mechanic is not quite my cup of tea, but works fine in the game.”
- “Unfortunately, the actual gameplay is far too simplistic and way too floaty.”
graphics
236 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the beautiful pixel art style, fluid animations, and vibrant colors that enhance the overall aesthetic. While some players appreciate the minimalist design and find it charming, others criticize it for being too simplistic or cluttered, making it difficult to discern gameplay elements during intense action. Overall, the art style and visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal, despite some calls for more detailed graphics options.
- “Beautiful visuals, super crisp combat, and a rewarding upgrade system both in meta progression and per-run progression.”
- “The visuals are stunning, absolutely gorgeous.”
- “The art style is vibrant, bright, and colorful, which very much fits with the tone of 'magic!'”
- “In contrast, I'm not a fan of pixelized graphics in 2024... 40-50 years ago that was okay but now... could be so much more immersive if it had cartoon graphics instead.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “Visually, this is a hamfisted mess, a dog's breakfast of bad visuals, and this kind of laziness and poor quality should never be foisted on gamers.”
story
205 mentions
35 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story in "Astral Ascent" is generally regarded as simple and somewhat basic, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point. While it features engaging character interactions and well-executed voice acting, many players feel it lacks depth compared to other titles like "Hades." However, the non-linear storytelling approach, where lore unfolds gradually through gameplay, has been appreciated by some, making it an intriguing experience for those who enjoy piecing together narratives over multiple runs.
- “The storytelling and ability systems are nicely integrated with zodiac.”
- “The story is reasonably interesting without being too in your face, and most of the characters are really fun and endearing.”
- “The story is unique and leaves one wondering how it will unfold.”
- “The actual story is too simplistic, even for its own sake.”
- “It is absolutely possible to win runs and finish the story without ever really understanding most of the keywords and basic interactions.”
- “The story is there for the sake of having a story; basically, all characters want to kill the final boss because he is the bad guy.”
music
173 mentions
65 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players praising its relaxing and immersive qualities. While some found it occasionally out of sync with the gameplay's intensity, the majority highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature that complements the game's art style and atmosphere. Overall, the music is described as beautiful, engaging, and a significant factor in the game's appeal.
- “The music is phenomenal.”
- “The soundtrack is beautiful, the fights and movement fluid and snappy.”
- “The music, the NPCs, the (mini-)bosses... I don't want to give any more spoilers.”
- “Pretty much 95% of all games I play for this amount of time (at the time of first drafting this 10 hours), I have already muted at half the playing time because the music had gotten obnoxious fast.”
- “The music is fine on its own, but in the context of the gameplay it fares only marginally better than the writing; I was quickly getting tired of the first stage's track, and there's hardly any tonal shift in the second stage, despite the fact that I just went from a breezy plainsland to a desert volcano.”
- “One of my current issues is that many times during the run, the music does not match the pace of the gameplay. For example, sometimes when I'm massacring a wave of mobs the song is still in a chill and slow mood, which sets me off.”
replayability
52 mentions
50 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, driven by diverse character builds, extensive customization options, and a variety of gameplay mechanics that keep each run fresh and engaging. Frequent updates and a well-balanced difficulty system further enhance its replay value, making it appealing for both casual and hardcore players. Overall, players find the replayability to be one of the game's standout features, offering countless hours of enjoyment.
- “The different heroes all feel like their own characters, which gives the game immense replay value due to the different ways you can build each character throughout your runs.”
- “The game boasts extensive replayability with four characters, diverse spells, items, and the destiny mechanic.”
- “Amazing game, massive replayability, beautiful art, well balanced, local and online co-op; I can’t find one bad thing to say about it.”
- “I think it's an excellent pickup if you enjoy 2D action roguelites, but if you're someone that needs the game to set goals for you to keep progressing and wants it to be hundreds of hours of replayability, I don't think this is it.”
- “The other critical element that every rogue-lite should have is replayability.”
- “And replayability is almost endless due to the different quantity of the game.”
character development
26 mentions
73 % positive mentions
15 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its exceptional character designs and unique visual style, which many players find captivating. While the gameplay features distinct characters with varied abilities and enjoyable interactions, there is a consensus that the depth of character development through dialogue and story is somewhat limited. Overall, the game's strong emphasis on character design and aesthetics is a major draw, even if the narrative elements are not as robust.
- “Characters all feel different from each other, I like that they got different variants you could unlock for each character. The bosses all felt very different from each other, very addicting gameplay loop. I like the randomness but still some choice in how you progress by picking your next room to go in. Not a deep story but really good concept and character design.”
- “The character designs, from the main cast to the 12 zodiac bosses, are excellent and all super cool and full of personality.”
- “Character design is unique, dialogue is quick and funny, and the voice acting seems just perfect; I couldn't imagine a different voice on any of the characters that exist.”
- “Little character development in the dialogues with your characters and the zodiacs between first encounters and final runs.”
- “So I dislike Sova too, even if the voice acting/character design were consistent.”
- “It's all about meaningful decisions and how you progress in your character development.”
optimization
25 mentions
28 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
24 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players praising significant improvements in performance and stability after recent updates, while others continue to experience issues such as stuttering and low frame rates, particularly during dialogue and loading sequences. Many users express hope for further optimizations, especially given the game's early access status, but overall, the performance is seen as a critical area needing attention to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “There are a lot of spells, spell modifiers (gambit), and passives (aura/echo/weapon passive) that create a ton of builds and optimizations you can make during a run.”
- “High ceiling to optimization.”
- “The devs are on top of any and all issues impacting the experience and even pushed out a week-1 patch to increase performance after several complaints with more fixes on the horizon.”
- “More importantly, the performance was really poor, which in a fast-paced action game like this, could be really frustrating.”
- “I've got a GTX 3080 12GB and an Intel i9 11th gen... the only reason a pixel art game should be stuttering at all is just poor, poor optimization or the underlying game engine.”
- “The game could use some optimizations to let it frame lag less, as I've had to set my graphics to very low to make it run smoothly, which is strange considering that this is a 2D game and I've had less stylized 3D games run smoother with higher settings.”
grinding
24 mentions
8 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players appreciate the lack of excessive grind and find the progression rewarding, others feel that certain aspects, particularly end-game content and specific currencies, can become tedious and demotivating. Many highlight that while the game offers replayability and enjoyable mechanics, the grind for certain achievements and resources can detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration for some players. Overall, the balance of grind varies, with some enjoying it and others finding it excessive.
- “This does make each New Game+ run feel fresh and not tedious.”
- “Awesome 2D action platformer (90% action, 10% platformer) with a unique spells system, not very grindy meta progression, and still getting free updates after 1.0 that deserves more attention than this.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The end-game, especially if you want to 100% it, is really grindy.”
- “I really wanted to like it given the positive reviews and the beautiful art style, but after eight hours of grinding away on the same levels time and time again, I just can't recommend it.”
atmosphere
11 mentions
45 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beauty, with stunning art and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique character designs and engaging interactions, contributing to a dreamy and immersive environment. While some feel that enemy variety could be improved, the fluid gameplay and intense battles add to the game's atmospheric appeal.
- “The atmosphere of the game and the interaction between the characters is superb, the gameplay is fluid and captivating; in short, one of the best rogue-like games I've played.”
- “One of the most atmospheric games I've ever played - the art and sound are gorgeous, gameplay is fluid, overall an incredible game.”
- “The atmosphere feels really dreamy; this is a game made with love, and I love it.”
- “The atmosphere that the game puts you in, the visuals, and the character design are all amazing.”
- “The soundtrack features beautiful and chill music that fits well into the atmosphere of the game.”
humor
10 mentions
90 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever references to other roguelikes, quick and witty dialogue, and amusing character interactions, contributing to an engaging experience. Players appreciate the blend of funny moments with unexpected twists, although some unintended comedic elements arise from gameplay mechanics, such as boss AI targeting dead co-op players. Overall, the humor enhances the game's charm, making it enjoyable, especially when played with friends.
- “If you like roguelike games, action-based 2D action, co-op, cool abilities, hilarious and overpowered builds, this game could easily be my game of the year, no joke.”
- “The enemies are cool, the banter is funny, and there are a lot of things to unlock.”
- “Character design is unique, dialogue is quick and funny, and the voice acting seems just perfect; I couldn't imagine a different voice for any of the characters that exist.”
- “It's not funny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected more clever humor, but it just didn't deliver.”
emotional
7 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its engaging and touching storyline, enriched by well-developed characters and voice acting that evoke strong feelings. While some dialogue may come off as cringey and the home base feels overly wholesome, the overall experience is described as deeply moving, with players expressing a desire to connect with the narrative on a profound level. The soothing sound design further enhances the emotional atmosphere, making it a memorable experience.
- “Great rogue-like with one of my favorite themes implemented in an engaging and touching story line.”
- “The playable characters, NPCs, and bosses all have backstory, emotional stakes, and voice acting.”
- “Soooooo good I want to cry.”
stability
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, running well on platforms like the Steam Deck and Switch, with users reporting minimal glitches despite its early access status. However, some players have noted that it is still somewhat buggy, indicating room for improvement.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “I also own this game on Switch, where it runs great!”
- “A little buggy due to early access.”
- “Fun, but a bit buggy still.”
monetization
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-300 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization in Astral Ascent is perceived positively, as it allows players to enjoy endgame content reminiscent of classic MMOs like MapleStory and RuneScape without the extensive grinding or financial investment typically associated with microtransactions or subscriptions.
- “Astral Ascent scratches a very particular itch for me; both the progression and the environment's theming make me feel like I get to experience endgame raid/bossing party content in a classic lite MMO like MapleStory or RuneScape, without the hundreds of days of grinding (and paying for microtransactions or subscriptions) first.”
- “The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra money.”
- “I find the microtransactions to be intrusive, as they often disrupt the gameplay experience.”
- “It's frustrating that to fully enjoy the game, you have to pay for additional content that should have been included.”