I was sent Astlibra Revision for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow my socials, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
What is Astlibra Revision
Astlibra Revision is an action RPG out now on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Demons invaded your village. You and your long-time friend try to escape, but something catches you and leaves you unconscious. You wake up in a strange new world with a hazy memory. A talking bird comes to your aid, and together, you make a quiet life there. But your past haunts you, and every day the nightmares get worse. Something is calling you to action until you can no longer deny it.
With the help of your new companion, you must travel back to the human world and help free it of the demons that now roam it. Will you be the hero this world needs? Will you find your friend after all this time?
Gameplay
I recommend you look up guides for this game because it can be a little complicated. You shouldn’t be scared off by the game’s complexity, but there are some recipes and builds that won’t be intuitive for the casual gamer.
You start the game off with basic attacks, and slowly build combos and learn magic. Like any game in the genre, you fight your way through mobs of monsters and face creative bosses at the end.
The game features a liberating leveling system that allows players to build their characters to fit their playstyle. Going up a level gives players skill points to allocate against the attributes of their choosing. Monsters will drop special materials that can be spent on permanent buffs to a character. This is a very cool system, but one that can make the game difficult if you aren’t building efficiently. There is an easy way to reset a character’s allocation, but it is important to be actively thinking about your build as you play.
I really like how the shops are run in this Astlibra Revision. Buying items requires gold and materials you farm throughout the game. This is a terrific flavor and it gives me something to work towards.
Thoughts
I absolutely love this game even though I am terrible at it. The art is beautiful, the gameplay is engaging, the soundtrack if phenomenal, and the game is fun. I recommend you check this game out just for the soundtrack. I’ll leave you with the playlist for your to get hyped!
This game is a fantastic Metroidvania, especially if you’re a fan of the classics. I struggled because I refused to use guides, but I appreciate the complexity. You’re going to obsess with your builds, farming locations, and combos so much that you might need a journal. I’ve never had such a rewarding experience with a game like I’ve had with Astlibra, nor have I ever gotten so technical. There is a grind to this game, but I didn’t notice because I was having fun.
My favorite part of this game is the story. I was hooked from the moment I booted it up until the moment I had to put it down. It has great characters, a solid pacing, and a fantastic flavor. If you have time for a well-developed narrative and complicated mechanics, you need to pick up Astlibra Revision. It is the modern Metroidvania that you should try at least once.
You can pick up Astlibra Revision on Steam and Switch for $24.99. It is currently on sale on the Nintendo eShop for $19.99. Everyone should at least give the Steam demo a shot. It includes the prologue and a solid sample of the end game mechanics.