Astral Chain Reviews
Far from being a little game while waiting for the main course, the new license for Platinum Games has a universe and original gameplay mechanics that we only ask to see again in another episode more balanced in its structure.
Review in French | Read full review
Astral Chain is the best new Nintendo franchise since Splatoon
Astral Chain is, without a doubt, one of the best games ever released by Platinum Games and one of the best Nintendo Switch exclusives to date.
Astral Chain is fun from start to finish, and gives the player plenty to chew on in terms of side missions and post-game content
With its amazing visuals, fantastic presentation, varied gameplay and deep, rewarding combat, Astral Chain could well be PlatinumGames' most accomplished game yet.
Astral Chain is loud, brash, exciting, and, in the end, a warning about the dangers of unquestioned loyalty. Its hyperkinetic action sequences and colorful characters might make the game seem like it isn't interested in offering more than intricately designed fights and a straightforward genre story, but stick around for its entirety and its cast of 2070s police officers show themselves to be more than just cartoon cut-outs of sci-fi cops.
Astral Chain represents PlatinumGames in top form, bringing a phenomenal action adventure game and engaging narrative to the Nintendo Switch.
Occuring in a beautiful anime setting, Astral Chain is a real treat for the players. The gameplay mechanics, focused on the link between the main character and its Legions, are really engaging, but only in solo mode unfortunately. With this game, PlatinumGames confirm their status as masters in Beat'em all games making.
Review in French | Read full review
Sprawling, varied and constantly stylish, Astral Chain is a very different breed of action game that ranks with Platinum's best.
Given your character's role as a police officer, I found the gradual de-emphasizing of the investigation mechanics to be a tad disappointing. A few areas of the visual design could also use work, but they'll hardly affect enjoyment of the game. Ultimately, what we're left with is one of the most exciting and original action games on Switch, if not the most.
Astral Chain is the directorial debut of Nier Automata designer Takahisa Taura, and it proves that he's a creator worth paying attention to. Part melodramatic anime, part overly complicated Tamagotchi, it's an eminently playable action role-playing game that delivers the pleasure of good teamwork in a way few singleplayer games accomplish. Building on action design ideas seeded in Nier, Astral Chain encourages you to bond with your beloved pet cybermonster both on and off the battlefield. Then, it teaches you how to fight as one.
Astral Chain may be a game that combines action and RPG elements in an excellent way but merely stating this would be a serious understatement. Nearly everything in Astral Chain drips with quality, labour and dedication, from its intense and frantic combats to the exquisite art style and wonderful soundtrack, this is without any doubt the finest new IP to reach the Nintendo Switch and another reminder of why Platinum Games deserves all the praise it can get.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Astral Chain is a brilliant action adventure game, with everything you could expect from a PlatinumGames title: fast and deep combat, rich visuals and a surprising story that reminds us of Nier Automata,
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Astral Chain combines all the best impulses of Platinum Games with a unique combat system and rich RPG mechanics. The world, story, and atmosphere are icing on the cake - this is one of the best overall packages from the studio and a remarkable directorial debut for Takahisa Taura.
While Astral Chain‘s storyline is filled with anime archetypes and familiar plot tropes, it all works well as an overall experience.
Astral Chain boasts the same winning elements of Platinum's finest work – exhilarating combat, characterful visuals, and a compelling story – but it loses a bit of personality. Where Bayonetta and 2B provided an emotional centre point for the fantastical storytelling, Astral Chain's unnecessarily silent protagonist is a charmless creation saved by an utterly charming world.
Stop what you're doing and play Astral Chain
Nintendo Switch exclusive Astral Chain elevates the stylish action genre with an inventive, gratifying combat system and an unrelenting sense of style.
Astral Chain is PlatinumGames newest adrenaline shot, that's clearly inspired by a lot of previous titles from the studio. It takes the best of out of all those games and delivers a kick-ass adventure that's a must play for the fans.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Astral Chain is an ambitious game that gives players almost too many options. Whether you decide to stick to the captivating storyline or want to fill up your photo album with pictures of your Neuron co-workers or decide to clean up the streets of all that pesky Red Shift (that only you can see), you'll easily lose yourself in the beautiful world of the game. Astral Chain pushes the boundaries of what an action game can be, but it doesn't get so experimental that it loses sight of its goal -- which is to present an intriguing and layered story while giving players lots of horrifying monsters to kill.