#Astria ascending tips full

These points are then used to boost your attack damage.Įnemies also have the focus system as well.

Fighting enemies then becomes about finding and exploiting their weaknesses to gain more focus points. Hitting them with something they are immune to, however, will take two points away. When you hit a weakness, it will give you two focus points, while hitting one of their resistances takes away a focus point. Enemies have weaknesses and resistances to certain forms of attacks. How it spices things up is the integration of the “Focus” system. You have a team of four going against numerous enemies on the other. Speaking of engaging, Astria Ascending has a unique and challenging spin on old-school JRPG combat. Even the puzzles present in each of the deity temples kept me engaged. All of this made my trips across Orcanon in service of its story, exciting. It is very basic, with just a boss at the end of them but it adds to an already refreshing adventure. But to go even further, the game has a shoot-em-up mini-game that is used to access certain late-game areas. These abilities and enhancements open the world up to even more exploration. Your abilities can be enhanced, for instance by making the fireball protect you from extreme heat in some of the levels when you use it. Novel abilities like a light that triggers switches, or a fireball to burn down walls are just the beginning. Basic platforming, like jumping, is enhanced by several powers you unlock throughout the game. The levels are laid out in typical Metroidvania fashion. The same can also be said for how you interact with them. The variety of locations and characters is a breath of fresh air. In particular, the Peyskas, like Eko small amphibians in suits of water, and the Arktans like Dagmar which are hulking animal-like beings. Each city you stop in to buy new equipment, accept hunting missions or side quests all have lovingly drawn and detailed characters. Rolling hills of green grass give way first to deserts with wood scaffolding and cacti, and then to nightmarish dark woods with webs and acid floors. From a basic city bathed in light and reflective surfaces to swamps with ruins covered in rain and wind. Every zone feels unique from its layout and, setting to its weather. As a result, the expanses of the world of Orcanon is wonderfully detailed. The Beautiful Sights of OrcanonĪstria Ascending boasts unique hand-drawn 2D environments and characters. This conflict aside the game had plenty of surprises to keep it from being boring. One moment can be about human behavior and long-standing prejudices, and the next is about where the demi-gods needed to go next and anguish over who they need to chase and fight. There are jarring tonal swings that will give you narrative whiplash. It is all very interesting, but the story lost impact, as the overarching plot began to drown out any emotional moments or messages in the writing. All this while having societies turn against the Harmony the demi-gods have protected for nearly a millennia after accepting it as the norm. Minor character traits become catalysts for irrational hatreds, Eko the “Peyska” demi-god who is made fun of for being short.

Dagmar the “Arktan” demi-god witnesses love blossom between races which he opposes, even when it occurs within his own family. For example, interracial romance is portrayed as controversial and those who practice it are shamed for it. But as you continue, you begin to see bits and pieces of societal biases and very real dynamics. It is more of a checklist as you go to each area and fight through enemies as events unfold. The story tells itself in a very basic, yet interesting format. There you will find the past sins of some of the demi-gods responsible for the events, and face the consequences of their actions head-on. This sends you on a journey across each of the realms and into the various temples of their deities. It is up to the demi-gods to stamp out the evil and find who is responsible for the attacks. However, in their final months, attacks from strange creatures called Noises spring up in each of the realms. In the canon of the game, demi-gods live for only three years, and during that time are charged with protecting Orcanon and its Harmony. In Astria Ascending, you play Ulan, commander of the 333rd Company of demi-gods. Even if they are not long for this world, they are duty-bound to find the source of the chaos and stop it once and for all. But when a string of random attacks occurs across the land, it is up to the 333rd Company of demi-gods to keep the peace.

#Astria ascending tips full

Orcanon is a peaceful realm, full of a slew of unique races and the demi-gods who protect them. Astria Ascending is a side-scrolling Metroidvania turn-based JRPG developed by Artisan Studios.