Astria Ascending Reviews
Astria Ascending is a game that reminds the golden era of JRPGs, with a modern twist tied to a brilliant combat system and a renewed job system. It is a must have for turn-based combat lovers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While Astria Ascending adds some flair to traditional turn-based combat, it has a lot of gaping flaws and too much going on for it.
For a game with so many valid criticisms, a recommendation might not seem forthcoming, but Astria Ascending rises above all of these issues as a total experience, with the art alone making worth the price of admission.
A sensory achievement for nostalgic JRPGs left without any enjoyable game under the hood and falls short of an already exceptional 2021 JRPG roster.
Built by talented designers of some of the most celebrated RPGs in history, Astria Ascending introduces a beautiful fantasy world and a cast of characters that promise to pull nostalgic players in. Will your adventure with the Fated Eight bring a fresh turn-based experience?
Astria Ascending checks off the proper JRPG boxes while adding enough unique twists to satisfy fans of the genre. It won't sit at the top of your "must complete" list, but it'll serve you well when you need a break from higher profile releases.
Review code provided by the publisher.
Astria Ascending has the makings of a unique RPG but never builds on its strengths to rise above average.
Overall, the game is fantastic. It works well on GamePass and the cloud gaming option for phones. The job system is greatly designed paired with a strong combat system and beautiful design. While the voice acting and difficulty jump take a bit away from the game, it’s definitely a great pick for turn-based JRPG fans who love the classics.
If you're ready to go all-in on Astria Ascending… well, you probably already have. If not, there's plenty of fish in the RPG sea on Switch and some more marlins coming before the year's out. You'll be able to get your fill.
Astria Ascending is heavily inspired by classic JRPGs. Its combat is its strongest suit, but its narrative fails to hold of the player as it should, which keeps it from recreating the elements that made its inspirations so special.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While Astria Ascending's gorgeous world has a basic gameplay loop that can satisfy for a while, it lacks the knowledge to challenge minds or the spirit further. With no strategy in the later battles, a story moving too quickly to be poignant, and severely unlikeable stereotypes as characters, the lessons are forced and the result is grating.
Astria Ascending is a JRPG with classic overtones where we must control eight heroes and prevent chaos from taking hold of Orcanon while enjoying an exceptional technical section that delights all fans of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It feels like a throwback to the PlayStation era in the best way, when there were always new JRPGs showing up in the hopes of getting the same sort of cult reception as Final Fantasy VII, always new titles to try out and new stories to experience, some of them winding up a bit generic but others turning into unexpected little gems along the way. Astria Ascending feels like one of those gems, except it’s a new game right now and benefits from all the hindsight that implies.
If you are a turn-based RPG fan looking for a new experience that brings fresh twists on classic elements of the genre, I cannot recommend Astria Ascending enough, just so long as you don’t need an overly engaging plot to pull you along.
Astria Ascending is a good RPG that is quite easy to recommend despite its obvious shortcomings. While you’re able to adjust the difficulty, including removing most of the challenge if you want, the game isn’t holding your hand when it comes to quests and exploration - and thus it may not be for everyone.
If you are a fan of classic JRPGs and customization in your characters, then you're going to have a great time with Astria's Ascending, however someone new to these types of games may find themselves overwhelmed. Accompanying it is a pretty solid story, which unfortunately doesn't stick the landing.
Overall, Astria Ascending is a great tribute to the classic JRPG’s from before. It has that classic feel but with a modern flair to make it relevant to the times. It’s JRPG with a heart, passion and an endless amount of entertainment. You wouldn’t want to put down this game once you have started playing it.
Astria Ascending is a JRPG of remarkable ideas and great visuals, but, unfortunately, its execution leaves much to be desired. The combat system that rewards exploiting enemies' weaknesses is promising, though the fact it's deeply unbalanced and the pattern repetition makes the battles frustrating. There are many options to customize and develop characters, nonetheless, a lot of grinding is necessary to make the most out of these resources. Orcanon's many activities and an elaborate minigame may satisfy eager players but it's a shame the plot, characters, dungeons and locales lack inspiration. At least, the universe has a really beautiful visual and quality music. In the end, its meager qualities aren't enough to save Astria Ascending.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An exciting battle system paired with gorgeous visuals will pull players in. Astria Ascending has the makings of a classic JRPG but falls short with forgettable storytelling and a bad English dub.