We feature writing from some of our faithful supporters from time-to-time. This article was sent in by CobaltHawk back during the Steam Next Fest in October. It may be a little late (some may say more than a little), but check out their thoughts on Astlibra Revision which you can pick up today. Without further delay, take it away CobaltHawk!
Astlibra Revision is a 2D side-scrolling action RPG developed by Keizo and published by WhisperGames. Set in a world full of monsters and demons, the art style and monster designs initially drew me towards the game. The scenery is beautiful and the monster designs, especially the giant, full screen sized bosses, remind me of designs from Vanillaware’s Odin Sphere Leifthrasir.
Astlibra Revision Brings the Action
I played the demo using a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. Both movement and combat are simple enough to understand. The joystick or D-pad can be used for inputting directions, pressing cross for jump, square for attack, circle for interactions, and holding triangle brings up 2 boxes asking you to input one or two directions which will be used to determine what type of magic you wish to cast.
Your character can equip various weapons. These range from small weapons which are generally faster, but lack the ability to break enemy stances to large weapons that are slow, but pack a powerful punch. You can freely choose which weapon type you want to use, but be aware that your choice will determine the timing for weapon combos. Armor and gear also play a role with some armor increasing HP and others increasing magical power while accessories can provide increases to various stats.
Show Off Your Flair
Astlibra Revision leaves room for character customization in the form of abilities. These include things like dashing to additional weapon skill. You unlock them by either progression or mastering the various weapons and gear. The game gives a limited amount of ability points, forcing you to make thoughtful decisions. For example, deciding between slowing your character’s fall speed or give your character the ability to dash which, in turn, also increases the jump distance. If you decide you want to revisit your choice, you can. You can swap abilities out at any point by going into the menu. So feel free to experiment at your leisure.
The combat becomes satisfying after you unlock more than the basic attacks and abilities. The combat dances between the spectacle of weapons hitting, skills activating, and magic casting as your hit counter skyrocket. It features six difficulties that can be changed in the menu at will. This allows for providing the right amount of challenge for the player’s skill.
Thanks CobaltHawk! Astlibra Revision released on October 13 and met with critical reception among Steam users. The game currently holds an Overwhelmingly Positive rating of 96 percent. Those interested can still download the game’s demo. The demo includes the full prologue and first chapter. The devs say it will take around one to two hours to complete. If it grabs your attention, its available for $24.99 USD.
