The Nintendo Switch has been a system full of amazing Nintendo published games. FromThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildtoSuper Mario OdysseytoSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, the bar of quality Nintendo Switch games must meet to be truly great keeps rising. That is why you should not take it lightly when I say that PlatinumGames’Astral Chainstands with those titles as one of the best games on the system and that it is one of the strongest action games of this generation.
From the momentAstral Chainbegan, it cements itself as one of the most technically impressive Nintendo Switch titles. Whether it be in docked or handheld mode, the neon-fused, colorful megacity known as The Ark always pops out of the screen and the frame rate barely ever drops. While the Switch might not be able to handle realistic graphics like the PS4 and Xbox One can,Astral Chainproves that there is a ton of potential for more stylized titles to look amazing on the system. Even games likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildcan struggle when it comes frame rate, so it is astounding thatAstral Chainruns as well and looks as good as it does.
[pullquote]"[Astral Chain] is one of the strongest action games of this generation."[/pullquote]
Those production values carry over to the game’s story and English localization, too. While the lip syncing does not always match up and the story is a bit melodramatic,Astral Chainstill tells a gripping tale with a surprisingly well voice acted cast. At the center of the story is silent protagonist who can control living weapons called Legions, though memorable characters like your sister Akira and others such as Hal, Brenda, and Olive keep things interesting. While not to the level ofNier: Automata,Astral Chaindoes touch on some more grandiose and meta concepts during its climax, so it’s worth keeping your eye on if you like anime or games that get into this territory.
Past PlatinumGames titles, despite truly excellent gameplay, could sometimes suffer from weird writing or voice acting, butAstral Chainbucks that trend. This is all well and good, but it wouldn’t be a PlatinumGames title without gameplay that is worthy of discussion. Fortunately,Astral Chain’scombat is definitely worth talking about as it features some of the most innovative mechanics for the action game genre in years.
At the center of things is the relationship between the player and their Legions. There are five different types - Sword, Axe, Beast, Arm, and Arrow - and they all have a variety of uses during and outside of battle. They are integral to the narrative, but also giveAstral Chainits unique gameplay twist of controlling two characters at once. Though the player character can fight with their own baton that can transform into a gun, the Legions typically deal more damage. Legions can be equipped with unique passive and combat abilities and have lengthy skill trees, so there is a ton of progression and customization for action game and RPG fans to sink their teeth into here.
The Legion may do some basic attacks on its own, but players are in full control of it for the most part. With a simple press of the right trigger, it can be controlled. Movement is key too, as you may lock enemies into place with the titular chain by circling them or alternatively slingshotting an enemy back where they came from if they charge right into the chain. As a player, your relationship with these Legions evolves over the course ofAstral Chainto a user/weapon dynamic I have not seen in many games. Using the Legions doesn’t feel like controlling a friend or a pet, it feels like an extension of oneself. Coupled with the level of polish that one should come to expect from an original PlatinumGames title,Astral Chainmanages to have one of the freshest combat systems in years.
Astral Chainis not as combo heavy as a title likeBayonetta, and at a first, this may seem like a downside. Once you take into account the additional control of the Legion though, the slower pace begins to make more sense. Especially when you are easing players into such an innovate way to fight with two characters, overwhelming players withBayonetta-levels of intricate combos could have been detrimental. Still, just because it isn’t as combo heavy doesn’t meanAstral Chainis boring. There are still plenty of moves to perform that should keep high-level play interesting, and controlling Legions consistently keeps players engrossed in the moment-to-moment gameplay.
I’d rather PlatinumGames tackle this new system too, rather than just copy what was already successful in their other games. From 2014 to 2016, PlatinumGames fell into a kind of a rut with licensed games likeTransformers DevastationandTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattanwhere all of their action games felt likeBayonetta-lite and did not stand on their own with enough interesting mechanics. The developer is seeing a bit of a renaissance right now withNier: AutomataandAstral Chain, and a big part of that is because they are taking risks with their action games again.Astral Chainmay be a bit different in how it plays when compared to most of their lineup, butBayonetta 3is still in the pipeline andAstral Chain’squality makes me more excited for that sequel than ever before.
Astral Chainalso differentiates itself with the amount of downtime between action heavy sections. In between fights with ever-raising stakes, sections of investigative police work fill out the game. Some of it is simple, like comically picking up litter and throwing it in trash cans. There is also an investigation system like that of theBatman: Arkhamgames where players investigate a crime scene with the help of their Legions and all-seeing I.R.I.S. to find out what happened. Other quests have players talking to NPCs to find keywords before stitching them together to conclude what happened in specific situations. All of this is much different than what PlatinumGames has done before, and it is surprisingly just as enjoyable as the combat.
[pullquote]“Astral Chain’scombat is definitely worth talking about as it features some of the most innovative mechanics for the action game genre in years."[/pullquote]
Legions have use both in and outside of combat, allowing that bond to grow while also adding some sci-fi flare to police work. These sections are spaced out pretty evenly, so just as I was getting tired of the police work’s slower pace I could usually dive right into some sort of fight. Interestingly, if you’d prefer to just focus on those story and police sections,Astral Chainhas an Unchained mode that will do the fighting for you. This may seem counter-intuitive on a surface level, but it has decent applications for both casual and hardcore action game players.
For casuals, it allows them to experience the game’s other strengths without progression grinding to a halt if they get stuck on a particularly difficult fight. Players still have to move their character around and activate finishing moves in this mode as well, so it isn’t completely hands off either. Unchained mode can be toggled off at any time, so it is truly great for introducing new players or younger kids to the action game genre. While hardcore players may scoff at the thought of using it, Unchained actually helped me discover some interesting combos that I did not know were possible in the few times I tested it out. If you are a player who likes to get really amazing at PlatinumGames' titles,Astral Chain’sUnchained mode is worth checking out in at least one fight to learn about some combos and strategies you didn’t know were possible.
[pullquote]“Astral Chainis one of the best action games I’ve ever played and is now my favorite title from PlatinumGames."[/pullquote]
Astral Chainis unlike anything else on Nintendo Switch, or even in the action game genre, right now. It’s a technical marvel on a system that usually struggles to get games looking this good, and managed to stay competent in other areas like writing and voice acting when doing so. The story plays around with fun sci-fi concepts and creates a world that is ripe for exploration in more than one game. Best of all, it manages to be innovative and approachable at the same time.
Simply put,Astral Chainis one of the best action games I’ve ever played and is now my favorite title from PlatinumGames because of how it manages to deliver solid action and be innovative at the same time. The investigative sections and unique relationship formed between player and Legion bring something fresh to the action genre as well. When PlatinumGames is able to branch out with interesting new ideas like with the firstBayonettaandThe Wonderful 101, they usually strike gold, andAstral Chaindoes nothing to stop that trend. It stands as a shining spot in both Nintendo and PlatinumGames' lineups, and is obviously one of the best and most innovative games to release in 2019.
