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AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
monetization, story
96% User Score Based on 28 reviews

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PCWindows
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AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact Game Cover

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AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Dark Pigeon Games and was released on October 11, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Bionic girl Tania is assigned by her creator, Dr. Herveus to search and rescue a missing Investigation Force in the rainforest of Horace Islands where mysterious Karpas energy turns local animals and plants into aggressive mutants. Slain your foes with a wide range of combos: from fastest to slowest. Parry enemy attacks to gain an advantage, use Quick Rise ability to get back into the fight a…

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AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact screenshot
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96%
Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews
graphics4 positive mentions
monetization11 negative mentions
  • The hand-drawn art is breathtaking and the atmosphere is immersive, making it appealing for Metroidvania fans.
  • Combat is fast, fluid, and responsive, with a satisfying parry mechanic and tactical depth from switching between weapons.
  • The game features a decent map system, frequent save points, and a variety of difficulties, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The game is criticized for being more of an advertisement than a full game, misleading players about its content.
  • There are issues with unclear directions, leading to confusion about where to go and how to progress, which can result in players getting lost.
  • Some technical problems exist, such as unskippable splash screens, camera issues, and abrupt transitions that detract from the overall experience.
  • monetization
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy for "awaken - astral blade" has been criticized as misleading, with users describing it as an advertisement rather than a legitimate game. The game is essentially a paid promotion, charging $20 for what is perceived as a demo or ad, which detracts from genuine game developers and misleads consumers. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as exploitative and detrimental to the gaming community.

    • “If you enjoy advertisements, you can consume them for free on the web or on YouTube without needing to add them to your game library, download them, and then launch the advertising.”
    • “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
    • “It's impossible for me to recommend this incorrectly published advertising spam to gamers; you deserve better than adverts.”
  • graphics
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Awaken - Astral Blade" receive mixed reviews; while some praise the immersive atmosphere and stunning artwork, others criticize the outdated 2D retro style and basic cutscenes. The combat visuals can be overwhelming, and although the background visuals are impressive, they often feel disconnected. Overall, the game showcases a blend of appealing art and modern graphics, but falls short in certain areas.

    • “The art style really pulls you in, and the atmosphere is immersive.”
    • “The atmosphere and artwork are amazing—really sets the mood for the game.”
    • “Art work is great and gameplay is very fresh.”
    • “Awaken - Astral Blade is a very mediocre 2D retro platformer that looks like it was designed for console peasants, and yet even console manufacturers have worked out 3D graphics where the developers behind Awaken have not... and it's the year 2025.”
    • “The only downside is that the cutscenes feel a bit basic compared to the rest of the game’s visuals.”
    • “Combat visuals can be blinding at times.”
  • gameplay
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is praised for its fresh mechanics, particularly the satisfying parry and unique slow-motion dodge features. However, some users noted that certain items and mechanics are not well explained, which could hinder the initial experience. Overall, the art design complements the engaging gameplay.

    • “Art work is great and gameplay is very fresh.”
    • “The slow motion dodge mechanic is neat.”
    • “Love the parry mechanic—it feels super satisfying when you time it just right.”
    • “Doesn't explain some items or mechanics well.”
  • story
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is described as interesting, particularly with the character Tania's dual nature as part AI and part human, but it suffers from predictability and a lack of high-quality cutscenes, which detracts from its impact. Additionally, while the graphics are unique, the gameplay feels repetitive due to limited weapon choices. Overall, the narrative has potential but could benefit from more engaging presentation.

    • “The story is really interesting, and Tania’s dual nature as part AI, part human is great.”
    • “The story appears to be predictable, even in the demo.”
    • “While the graphics and story are different, the main playstyle is very similar.”
    • “I get why most of the cutscenes are in-engine or feel like an old-school 90s anime, but I kind of wish there were more high-quality video scenes to really bring the story moments to life.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive art style and top-notch execution, effectively setting the mood and enhancing the overall experience, particularly during intense boss fights.

    • “The art style really pulls you in, and the atmosphere is immersive.”
    • “The game’s atmosphere is top-notch, and the boss fights are intense.”
    • “The atmosphere and artwork are amazing—really sets the mood for the game.”
  • music
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music and sound in the game are generally considered average, with some players noting that the transitions between screens and music can be abrupt and jarring.

    • “The music and sound are just okay.”
    • “Some screen and music transitions are abrupt and jarring.”
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Frequently Asked Questions

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact is a role playing game.

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact is available on PC and Windows.

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact was released on October 11, 2024.

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact was developed by Dark Pigeon Games.

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its monetization.

AWAKEN - Astral Blade: First Contact is a single player game.

Similar games include Legacy: Tears of Vanfell - Chapter 1, AWAKEN - Astral Blade, An Amazing Wizard: Prologue, Lord Ambermaze: Prologue, Swordcery: Prologue and others.