Astronarch

About

"Astronarch" is a single-player Role Playing game with stunning graphics and soundtrack, offering a fusion of roguelike and auto-battler mechanics. Recruit a party of unique heroes, navigate dynamic terrain, and collect magical items to customize your strategy and vanquish new evils in each playthrough. Earn prestige and cosmetic auras for your heroes after victories, providing immense replayability.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,192 reviews

gameplay72 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Astronarch offers a unique blend of autobattler and roguelike mechanics, providing a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
The game features a diverse roster of characters and items, allowing for numerous strategic combinations and replayability.
The developer is actively involved in updates and community feedback, enhancing the game's quality and addressing player concerns.

The game's graphics and animations are simplistic and may not appeal to everyone, potentially detracting from the overall experience.
Some players find the progression system lacking, as it can feel repetitive once all characters are unlocked and there are no significant meta-progression elements.
Balance issues exist, with certain characters and items being significantly stronger than others, leading to a reliance on specific strategies.

gameplay
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The gameplay of Astronarch is characterized by its straightforward mechanics that are easy to grasp, yet offer significant strategic depth, keeping players engaged for extended periods. The game combines elements of auto-battlers and roguelikes, allowing for diverse builds and item synergies, although some players note a lack of content and balance issues that can lead to repetitive experiences. Overall, it is praised for its addictive gameplay loop and intuitive mechanics, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre.
- “The gameplay mechanics are straightforward, making it easy to pick up and play, but the depth of strategy required to master it kept me engaged for hours on end.”
- “This game has so much depth yet such simple mechanics, truly a joy for those quick sessions (it has that one more round mojo going on).”
- “The mechanics are fun to play with, the items feel different from each other, and you have much room to experiment with builds, synergies, etc. The mix between the 'auto battler' and the 'roguelike' aspects works really well too.”
- “The simple combat mechanics and small set of stats and effects may be appealing to some, but for others it may become repetitive and lack the excitement found in other games.”
- “The core game is there, the mechanics are excellent, but the lack of content borders on the game being incomplete.”
- “It has way too many win more/lose more mechanics, which are very frustrating.”
graphics
176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
7%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players describing them as simplistic, minimalistic, and at times, unattractive. While some appreciate the charming pixel art style and find it endearing, others criticize it for lacking detail and animation, suggesting it feels lazy or uninspired. Overall, players agree that despite the rough graphics, the engaging gameplay compensates for the visual shortcomings, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “Despite being super simple and pixelated, the visuals are incredibly charming and perfectly complement the game's whimsical tone.”
- “Its charming pixelated visuals and captivating gameplay make it a standout title that I wholeheartedly endorse.”
- “The art style is charming, the music is lovely, and the core gameplay is fun as heck!”
- “The graphics are ugly (obviously), and the class design is too weird, like it's trying too hard to stand out from the crowd.”
- “Graphics are extremely poor, animations are almost non-existent throughout.”
- “The graphical style here - I'm not sure whether it's trying to be deliberately naff, or is just unintentionally ugly, but this looks like something drawn in MS Paint, over the course of a few days.”
replayability
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
44%
4%
The game is generally praised for its high replayability, particularly due to its diverse team compositions, unique items, and frequent updates that introduce new content. While some players note balance issues and a lack of depth compared to more polished titles, many find it enjoyable and engaging enough to warrant multiple playthroughs. Overall, it offers a solid experience for those seeking a replayable auto-battler with roguelike elements.
- “Incredibly fun and replayable roguelike autobattler and the only roguelike I've bothered to climb the ascension ranks for (just beat the last one!).”
- “The replay value is insane, and feels especially rewarding considering you unlock more characters as you progress through the ascension system, giving you even more opportunities to try new teams, items, synergies, and combos.”
- “Tons of replayability and strategy, have to choose your classes, their position on the battlefield, what things they have equipped, as well as what things to upgrade.”
- “I wish it had more modes/content or even mods to have more replayability.”
- “Also, without meta-progression, unless you are really into trying to beat the next difficulty, it may hurt replayability.”
- “That being said, the amount of replayability in this game is an order of magnitude less than STS.”
music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
44%
6%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its charm and immersive quality, with many players highlighting specific tracks, such as the tavern music, as standout favorites. While some users noted a significant change in the soundtrack that detracted from their experience, the overall sentiment remains positive, emphasizing the music's ability to enhance gameplay and provide a relaxing atmosphere. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts by the developer to introduce a custom soundtrack, further indicating a commitment to the game's auditory experience.
- “The music, especially the tavern music (chef's kiss), is incredible.”
- “Excellent music, good vibe, not incredibly difficult to succeed at, but hard to always make the right choices.”
- “If you're looking for something you can just listen to some chill music and relax to, this game is awesome.”
- “I liked it a lot, then all of a sudden the entire OST changed and there's no going back.”
- “The game's not even in early access; a released game just wholesale swapped from good to boring music.”
- “Like Slay the Spire, the music fits well, but the art is a bit derpy.”
story
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
76%
7%
The story in Astronarch is generally perceived as linear and lacking depth, with many players finding it generic and unengaging, often feeling like a chore to progress through. While some appreciate the charm and light lore, the overarching narrative is described as simplistic, revolving around a typical "chosen ones" trope without substantial development. Overall, the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics over storytelling, which may not satisfy those seeking a rich narrative experience.
- “The story was robust enough to segment throughout the myriad of self-imposed trials.”
- “The story and characters are quite engaging for the amount there actually is.”
- “I appreciate that it's essentially an old-school RPG, and each playthrough you create a small story.”
- “The story never changes, the fights never change.”
- “If features a light, absurdly generic plot, that has some interesting concepts to flesh out the lore, but is ultimately a 'you're the chosen ones, save the universe' story.”
- “There isn't much story-wise, general fantasy stuff.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the game minimizes grinding, allowing for a more engaging experience without the need for excessive playthroughs to unlock characters and items. The mechanics and battle format are praised for their depth and variety, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting. Overall, the game strikes a balance between challenge and accessibility, appealing to those who prefer less grind-intensive gameplay.
- “I have no interest in grinding out more playthroughs just to challenge myself.”
- “You're either undefeated or you're slowly grinding down to the end.”
- “If you ever played Soda Dungeon and thought it needed more depth, or played Dragon Cliff and were looking for something less grindy, you'll have a good time with this one.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the fun and diverse build variations and class synergies, but note that effective optimization strategies become essential for success.
- “The build variations are fun, and the classes create a nice array of synergies, but optimized strategy really kicks in.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization strategy could benefit from increased visibility through bundles on platforms like Humble Bundle or Fanatical, as many potential players are unaware of its existence. They emphasize the importance of ongoing updates and new content to maintain interest and popularity.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is consistently described as both funny and addictive, highlighting its engaging humor that keeps players entertained.
- “Funny, addictive game.”
- “Funny, addictive game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that while the game is enjoyable, it suffers from some glitches that affect stability. Overall, it receives a score of 7/10, with a higher rating of 8.5/10 specifically for its rogue-like elements, indicating that improvements in stability and content could enhance the experience.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the graphics may not impress, the character design is well-received and adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.