Asterigos Curse of the Stars Reviews
An action-RPG without unnecessary frills, perhaps a bit anonymous and derivative, but with ideas capable of creating sparkling and noteworthy gameplay.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is an excellent adventure game. It has a likeable protagonist, an interesting world, and satisfying combat.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a game composed of two different genres and not fully committing to either. Doing so makes it not reach the potential I think the game could have had by sticking to simply one. Still, with fun combat and an explorative world, it is a solid experience. One that many gamers will be satisfied with but forget after the holiday season.
While there are some notable flaws and shortcomings, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars does manage to entertain and provide the necessary thrills.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars had the potential of being one of the most exciting action role-playing games influenced by the Souls series, with its ancient Greek and Roman influences, cartoonish art style, unique approach to story choices, and a more gamey approach to combat and character customization, but it falls a little flat due to the bad level design that damages the entire experience. If one can look past this significant issue, however, one will find a decent enough game with an acceptable story and serviceable combat with some interesting twists.
Asterigos is a weird game in that it feels like it was so close to being excellent. The weird mix of mechanics do not gel well and parts of the game simply feel unfinished. Still it is a fun romp that could get much better with some patches and tweaks. I think the team behind it did a great job for their first game and hope they continue to get chances to make more. There are good ideas and characters here, it just feels like it needed more time or a bigger budget to reach their vision.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a great entry point to Soulslike games. Its accessible combat, difficulty options and pleasant atmosphere will entice many to the game. However, the unintuitive level design and lack of a detailed map can cause frustration and result in you aimlessly roaming the grounds. Although it may not do enough to appeal to veterans, those interested in dipping their toes into the genre should start here.
Very few indie games have quantity and quality that can match those of triple A titles, but Asterigos: Curse of the Stars definitely makes the cut. This is an outstanding first project from Acme Gamestudio and I can't wait to see what's next for them. What you'll find here is a polished narrative-driven Souls-like adventure held back only by some frustrating design choices.
Asterigos has a great world design and a combat system that is similar to the Souls series, while being faster and more action-oriented. It's just the exploration elements that let the game down, as the city of Aphes can sometimes feel a little too empty for its own good, and its residents a little too verbose. Those who don't mind backtracking and skipping dialogue should be able to see through the muddy parts and enjoy Asterigos' finer points.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars does everything discreetly, but nothing really well. It is a full-bodied production in practice, because it combines an extended narrative with a playful system full of interesting features.
Review in Italian | Read full review
At its core, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars pretty much accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is to deliver an indie Soulslike experience that does things differently, and for the better in most cases. The world is great to marvel at and explore, the combat system is utterly entertaining with room for experimentation, and all of the systems are seemingly designed to make the players’ lives more convenient but not easier. As a debut project, this game is definitely a great start, and I would be extremely excited to see more from Acme Gamestudio in the future.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars has launched at a point in time where I have too many other things going on to give it the attention it’d need for a full review. And yet, after spending some time with it, I really wanted to at least give it some attention. This is the type of release that a lot of you could easily miss, and it’s got enough quirks and rough edges that I think some who try it might give up before getting too far. The more I’ve played Asterigos, though, the more I’ve wanted to keep playing. It doesn’t get everything right, but it does craft a game that feels genuinely unique for everything else I’ve played this year. I might have first discovered Asterigos due to expectations of it being a Soulslike, but what I found was something a little more.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars doesn’t elevate the Action RPG genre that’s been birthed from the Souls franchise to new new heights, but for what it does, it does well. Maybe it’s not be the most challenging game amongst its peers but it does prove that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Despite its rough edges, Asterigos is a solid action RPG with a satisfying story and competent combat.
A stellar debut with intriguing story, beautiful visual style and satisfying action RPG combat systems.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a decent action RPG with a beginner-friendly take on the Souls formula, but noticeable shortcomings stop it from being as great as it could be.
The deep, rich world of Aphes is undermined by the illusion of choice and ultimately frustrating combat, deflating all of the potential Asterigos: Curse of the Stars could have lived up to.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars combines the style of traditional RPGs with a soulslike template, resulting in a challenging but more accessible game that's able to forge its own identity without hiding its influences.