AWAKEN - Astral Blade Reviews
Awaken - Astral Blade is a decent if run-of-the-mill Metroidvania, but don't go in expecting anything unique or particularly invigorating.
With a multitude of Metroidvanias out there, a prospective new entry in the genre must stand out from the pack to get attention. Awaken – Astral Blade certainly stands out, but not in a good way. A poor story, poor collision detection, and overly floaty platforming combine to provide an unforgettable experience, just for all the wrong reasons.
A very enjoyable metroidvania with an alluring heroine and an atmosphere like that of a dark sci-fi. The bionic Tania admittedly wouldn't win any recognition contest, nevertheless she's still an interesting enough character to follow. It's just a shame that the game's budget was small, which is strongly felt at several moments.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Awaken: Astral Blade has managed to grow as a satisfying game, but still with obvious limitations to its production ambitions. Thus, although it cannot stand out above the average of action metroidvanias, it also does not fall below this level and caters to those looking to explore an unknown world of sci-fi in command of an anime girl.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Awaken: Astral Blade offers an excellent Metroidvania experience, blending action and exploration in a captivating sci-fi world. Its visual presentation is a significant strength with beautifully crafted 2D environments and top-notch character designs.
AWAKEN - Astral Blade offers beautiful environments and engaging combat but lacks the polish to compete with genre leaders. For metroidvania enthusiasts seeking a new adventure, it provides satisfactory exploration and combat, despite its narrative and technical shortcomings.
Awaken: Astral Blade is a visually pleasing Metroidvania that has intense flashy combat, and an enjoyable world to explore, but it falls flat in areas that can get in the way of the experience. Its story and characters are immediately forgettable, and a constant slew of grammatical errors and painfully bad voice work really stand out in a bad way. There is a good foundation here for Dark Pigeon to work from and refine, especially as this is their first game. If you are the type to enjoy really any Metroidvania title and need a break from beating Hollow Knight for the twelfth time, then you could find some fun here if you don’t mind wading through its numerous flaws.
AWAKEN: Astral Blade is, quite simply, a great metroidvania.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
AWAKEN – Astral Blade is a game that has all the hallmarks of a quality Metroidvania set in a dark fantasy world.
AWAKEN: Astral Blade is visually stimulating, with solid Metroidvania gameplay, though it falls flat in some key areas. Too familiar of a plot with a lack of substance on character development and dialogue will occur. Fun boss fights and exploration come with repetitive enemies and fiddly combat mechanics that just leave so much to be desired.
AWAKEN – Astral Blade was a beautiful adventure that I’m glad I got the chance to enjoy. With its beautiful artwork, amazing storytelling, and fun mechanics, this entire game is a treat. I hope that Dark Pigeon will continue this pace and make another game that I can’t take my eyes off of. Take it all in when you start this exciting adventure. I give AWAKEN – Astral Blade the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
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.
AWAKEN - Astral Blade is a very good metroidvania, with gameplay that while derivative manages to be satisfying, all the more so if you are looking for a lighter experience than the standards to which the sub-genre has accustomed us. Most importantly, Dark Pigeon Games' title comes to market with perfect timing. Today, it is not just a science fiction adventure, but a profound meditation on freedom, identity and the meaning of humanity in a time where the line between real and artificial is becoming increasingly blurred.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Unfortunately, Awaken: Astral Blade is a rather mediocre title, lacking narrative punch and creative inspiration. It suffers from structural oversights in game design, alongside numerous minor issues that are hard to overlook, especially given the high standards set by the genre. That said, it’s not a total failure—its unique combo mechanics and smooth controls make for an exciting, spectacular combat system.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Awaken: Astral Blade impresses but doesn't amaze, presenting itself as a solid and well-constructed metroidvania, though far from a landmark in the genre. While the exploration of the vast game map is interesting and shows good progression, it is rather linear and predictable. The combat system, however, is its standout feature, along with the visual aspects, despite occasional slowdowns. Overall, Awaken: Astral Blade is a very good production, recommended for genre enthusiasts and those looking to try it for the first time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
PlayStation's China Hero Project worked this time. AWAKEN - Astral Blade is a fun and satisfying metroidvania that, at a more than affordable price, manages to deliver a streamlined and straightforward adventure that is also artistically valuable.
Review in Italian | Read full review
AWAKEN – Astral Blade was a mixed experience for me. Although I had a lot of fun with its combat and got involved in the narrative, I felt that the title missed out on a lot of good opportunities and, as a result, ended up not realizing its full potential.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review