Artisan Studios·Released Sep 30, 2021·Single player
As one of the Fated Eight, explore the world of Orcanon where twelve ancient beasts dwell, and fight against your destiny to save the world in this hand-drawn, turn-based JRPG.
Astria Ascending may not be a flawless release but the solid combat system, spectacular visuals, deep character skill building, and wealth of content make for an experience that JRPG fans will feel right at home with. We'd give this one a recommendation to anybody looking for an original RPG to sink their teeth into; the writing and plot could have done with more development and attention, but there's lots to love about Astria Ascending and we're eagerly anticipating whatever Artisan Studios does next.
Astria Ascending’s turn-based combat is excellent, but its mediocre story and weak quest design drag it down.
Astria Ascending is a beautifully hand-drawn game with an old school JRPG feel. It tries to keep the experience modern with some much needed quality of life improvements, but annoying bugs hold it back. It's a bit of a shame that the story is fairly forgettable but the fun combat system does help alleviate this to an extent. With a very detailed job system and plenty of optional side content to get involved with, there is entertainment to be found here if don't mind the grind - but as an overall role-playing adventure, Astria Ascending has clear flaws.
There's no faulting its art, but underneath Astria Ascending is a tedious, repetitive RPG whose insipid story and cringey voice-acting make it difficult to bear
