AWAKEN - Astral Blade
- October 22, 2024
- Dark Pigeon Games
Awaken: Astral Blade has an engaging story and some very good combat and platforming to boast, but it fumbles the ball a couple times in the translation and it can be difficult to determine where to go sometimes.
Get on SteamSTORY Bionic girl Tania is assigned by her creator, Dr. Herveus to search and rescue a missing Investigation team in the rainforest of Horace Islands where mysterious Karpas energy turns local animals and plants into aggressive mutants. Weave your own story in this dark fairy tale. In the mysterious ancient ruins, you will embark on an adventure with Tania to reveal her origins and fate. Is there…
Reviews
- The game features beautiful art and graphics, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
- Combat is fast-paced and responsive, with a variety of weapons and combos that keep encounters engaging and fun.
- Exploration is rewarding, with a large world filled with hidden secrets, upgrades, and challenging multi-phase boss fights.
- The game suffers from bugs and technical issues, such as inconsistent controller functionality and auto text scrolling that disrupts the narrative experience.
- Some players find the combat system dull and repetitive, with a lack of enemy variety and uninspired attack patterns.
- The story and dialogue can feel disjointed and poorly translated, making it difficult for players to connect with the narrative.
- story23 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally regarded as solid and engaging, with some players appreciating its integration with gameplay and atmosphere. However, criticisms arise regarding the automatic text skipping feature, which can hinder comprehension and make the narrative feel fragmented. Overall, while the story may not be groundbreaking, it is considered enjoyable and worth experiencing, especially for fans of the genre.
“The story is interesting, also the soundtrack is relaxing and it's not bothering you even after ten hours.”
“I was especially impressed by how the game manages to integrate its narrative with the gameplay - the story is simple, but it’s compelling enough to keep you engaged throughout the journey.”
“A pleasant surprise - tight controls, fun combat, and a storyline that kept me hooked.”
“The game uses automatic text skipping for a lot of dialogs, which gives you no chance to even follow the story properly.”
“The few story fragments you can read are almost meaningless.”
“One could summarize the entire 'storyline' in a single sentence.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art style, which enhance the immersive experience. Players appreciate the fluidity of the gameplay, the beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds, and the overall aesthetic that complements the game's atmosphere. While the visuals are often described as gorgeous and well-executed, some reviews note that despite the impressive graphics, the game may still have areas needing improvement.
“The graphics, the background, the smooth gameplay... what an amazing beginning!”
“Visually, it’s a treat, with a unique art style that enhances the immersive world.”
“The art style complements the atmosphere perfectly, creating a world that is both immersive and aesthetically pleasing.”
“The graphics are subpar and feel outdated compared to other games in the genre.”
“The character models lack detail and the environments are bland and uninspired.”
“The overall visual presentation is disappointing, making it hard to get immersed in the game.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is well-received, featuring smooth mechanics, engaging boss fights, and a variety of weapon combinations that enhance the action-packed experience. Players appreciate the integration of narrative with gameplay, alongside impressive art and music, although some have noted frustrations with certain mechanics. The game offers a compelling exploration experience, making it a worthwhile pick for fans of the genre.
“The hand-drawn visuals are great and the gameplay is smooth; the boss fights are challenging, but fun.”
“If you enjoy action-packed gameplay combined with deep exploration, this game is definitely worth your time.”
“The game has a fantastic atmosphere with solid gameplay and story.”
“The implementation of gameplay mechanics is frustrating.”
“Overall, the game is honestly a decent pickup for the amount of gameplay you get.”
“You have 3 main weapons that you can use: a mechanical sword, a scythe, and darts. You can chain them to create a lot of combo possibilities.”
- music13 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in "Awaken Astral Blade" is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the relaxing and engaging soundtrack that complements the art style and gameplay. Players appreciate the variety and quality of the music, which remains enjoyable even after extended playtime. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“Awaken Astral Blade is a beautifully crafted game with gorgeous set pieces and a very nice soundtrack.”
“Gorgeous metroidvania with great music, art style, and combat.”
“The story is interesting, and the soundtrack is relaxing; it's not bothersome even after ten hours.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be engaging, as exploration and new abilities keep the experience fresh and enjoyable. However, some criticize the combat for being repetitive and visually overwhelming, leading to a sense of tedium during battles.
“Exploration is not tedious, and like other games in the genre, it opens up as you gain more abilities.”
“The grinding feels rewarding, as each level up brings new skills and opportunities.”
“I love how the grind leads to meaningful progression, making every hour spent feel worthwhile.”
“Farming is beyond a chore.”
“The combat is really boring and spammy with no feeling of impact on anything you do. It's also one of those games where there's so much VFX going on that you can't even see what hit you - it gets tedious really quick.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and aesthetically pleasing art style, complemented by beautiful music. Reviewers note that this combination enhances the overall experience, making the world feel rich and engaging alongside solid gameplay and storytelling.
“The art style complements the atmosphere perfectly, creating a world that is both immersive and aesthetically pleasing.”
“The game has a fantastic atmosphere with solid gameplay and story.”
“Beautiful atmosphere, art style, and music.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is reported to have no optimization issues, running smoothly on various systems, including the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme. Overall, players are satisfied with its performance.
“No optimization issues either.”
“The game runs smoothly; I play it on the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to have significant stability issues, with users frequently mentioning bugs that affect gameplay. While the overall experience is enjoyable, the presence of these bugs detracts from its overall stability.
“The game is super buggy.”
“The game is fun, but it's buggy.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing elements, particularly the presence of funny cats, which adds to the overall enjoyment of the gameplay and art style.
“I love the gameplay, art style, and the funny cats.”
“The humor in this game is absolutely delightful and keeps me laughing.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious situations make every moment enjoyable.”
Critic Reviews
Awaken – Astral Blade review
Awaken - Astral Blade is a decent if run-of-the-mill Metroidvania, but don’t go in expecting anything unique or particularly invigorating.
60%Awaken: Astral Blade Review – Awaken The Secrets Of The Past
Awaken: Astral Blade has an engaging story and some very good combat and platforming to boast, but it fumbles the ball a couple times in the translation and it can be difficult to determine where to go sometimes.
80%Awaken: Astral Blade Review — I’ll Rather be Sleeping, Astral Blade
Awaken: Astral Blade failed to wow me with passable combat, an underwhelming story, and art that simply didn’t impress. While not a game for me, other fans of the Metroidvania genre may find something worth playing in this seemingly generic title.
60%
