Sometimes, despite best intentions and constant vigilance, a game manages to fly in under the radar. A quiet fan-base that’s actually trying to be as noisy as possible builds up around it, and eventually people start noticing. The phrase is supposed to be “sleeper hit” but honestly, the “hit” part is usually overselling things a bit. For every Katamari Damacy that spawns a much-loved series there are a dozen Gitaroo Man, loved by the people who played it and either forgotten or unknown by everyone else. Astlibra Revision actually did pretty ok for itself on PC but it’s still incredibly niche, but is more than good enough to deserve stronger recognition. With today’s launch on Switch a whole new audience has a shot at some of the fastest and most versatile side-view combat an action-RPG has to offer.
The basic plot of Astlibra Revision is that a young boy and his sister got lost from civilization but found a safe spot to live, until one day the sister disappeared. A magical talking crow shows up at the same time (hmmmm…!) and together, they set out to find people again. Eight years later they at last stumble on a small town at the edge of a cave holding a mysterious artifact, and from there the world keeps growing with new friends, mysteries, gods and monsters. As JRPG stories go it gets the job done, but the heart of the game is its combat system. The gameplay clip below may look like a lot but anyone who’s played the game can see exactly what the player is doing.
Starting off with little more than a wooden stick and the ability to bonk things with it, the nameless hero slowly grows into an incredibly powerful combat-god. Astlibra Revision is smart enough to introduce its systems at an approachable pace, with each new combat tool fitting in comfortably with the ever-expanding arsenal. Hold down to swing the weapon, tap-tap-tap for a combo, hold then release to throw the weapon like a boomerang. Down uses the shield, which fully blocks all damage for as long as the small meter beneath it holds out, while the right bumper is a back-step. Each weapon and piece of armor comes with a mastery level that, when filled up from being used in combat, can either add a new ability to the Karon menu or grant a crystal that affords the ability to use it. The crow also isn’t just a companion but transforms into elemental familiars, some of which perform damage, others acting as temporary helpers, and some giving temporary stat upgrades. These abilities are fueled by a gauge that rises with landing hits on the enemy, and they’re designed to be used as frequently as possible. The SP powering magic is easily gotten by staying on the offense, but even with all this power on the hero’s side enemies are more than strong enough to send you to the Game Over screen on a regular basis if you don’t stay on your toes. Combat is fast and responsive, and after a few hours of play you’ll have a hard time believing how simply it all started.
There’s a lot more to Astlibra Revision but the short version is this is not one to be missed. It’s got a good story, decent characters, and absolutely fantastic combat system that has you constantly switching up tactics and trying the newest weapon or skill to see how it fits in with your play style. The epic adventure justifies every one of the many, many hours it can take to find or buy all the weapons, master their skills, re-explore areas to find any missed hidden chests, and maybe replay on a higher difficulty level for the increased rewards that come with it. Astlibra Revision is available on Switch as of today, so check out the trailer below for a small hint of the adventure ahead.
