Astral Chain will release exclusively on Nintendo Switch by the end of this month. Developed by Platinum Games and published by Nintendo, this is shaping up to be a very unique Switch exclusive. The action is high-paced, the graphics are top-notch, and the detective work will have you go looking for clues in the gorgeous city. I was a bit skeptical at first but after spending my first hours with Astral Chain, I’m convinced this has the potential to become another great exclusive and an instant Platinum Games classic.
Astral Chainetta
Right from the start, it’s clear that Astral Chain is a product of Platinum Games, the same developer that brought us Bayonetta (and more). The opening is highly action-packed and doesn’t give you the time to adjust to your new setting. This is Astral Chain, a game where you need to take down enemies as fast as possible while there’s no time to waste on a tutorial, at least, not during the first seconds of it all. During your first missions, you’ll shoot down enemies while maneuvering your motorcycle through a narrow tunnel, all the end up on the streets where you’ll face even more demons.
Chimera, the ones that overrun Earth years ago, are the demons you’ll face. Teleported from another dimension, they’re set to wipe out the entire human race. The special Neuron army accompanied by their Legion is Earth’s only hope. You’ll eventually play a crucial role in the story, carrying a lot of weight on your fragile shoulders. Although it’s a very thrilling story, the main part of my preview was spent in combat, and I must say, combat is extremely satisfying.
Just like Bayonetta, your character (male or female) favors strong melee attacks while falling back on a long-range secondary weapon when needed. The combat of Astral Chain is extremely high-paced, filled with explosions, and a constant stream of enemies. At first, it looks extremely similar to Bayonetta but the game quickly enters a different league when you get your hands on your first Legion.
Forger of chains
Your Legion is your most loyal partner in the game, at least when everything goes right. Legions are what make the Neuron forces so special. Somehow, humankind was smart enough to ‘capture’ Chimera and use it to their own benefit. The Astral Chain forms the bond between agent and Legion and once this bound is set, it’s hard to break. This also translates to a rather unique way of playing the game. Not only will you control your main character, but you’ll also control your Legion, which is invisible for pedestrians. Getting used to this unique control scheme was the biggest challenge to overcome but once you get the hang out of it, it’s very intuitive. With a press of the shoulder button, you’ll force the Legion to appear into the scenery, controlling it with the camera stick while you can still walk around freely using the left stick. Calling your Legion gives you a lot of advantages in combat since it will automatically attack the enemies unless you’re tasking it to deliver specific damage to a certain enemy. Outside combat the Legion is used to find tracks, eardrop on conversations, and a lot more.
You start the game with a Sword Legion, a strong and loyal soldier that easily attacks its opponents, while in perfect sync with your Legion, you can deliver the fatal blow yourself. As said before, this is a Platinum Games, meaning your enemies are strong and many. Combining your character’s attacks with the attacks of the Legion is crucial for your survival. The more you advance, the more techniques you’ll learn and master. After a couple of hours, I was slinging towards enemies with the help of my Legion only to switch to another Legion seconds after my initial strategy. The more you advance, the more Legions you’ll ‘capture’, revamping the way you play. There’s a big difference between a close combat Legion such as the Sword Legion and more long-range types. Due to the different types of Legions, Platinum Games managed to keep the action as fast and impressive as possible without ever getting boring.
Astral detective
Based on most screenshots or even or very own handheld video, you might think Astral Chain is a high-paced action game with a fun Legion twist, in reality, it’s a lot more than just that. Next to the action, Astral Chain also gives you the opportunity to become one of the best detectives the world ever witnessed. As part of the police force, you’ll have to investigate crime scenes before you can chase the one who caused all the trouble. This investigation reminded me of a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Detective Pikachu. With the help of your special IRIS scanner and the powers of your Legion, you’ll have to find clues in a smaller segment of the city. By finding everything there is to be found and by connecting the dots correctly, you’ll move closer to the truth and eventually kick off another impressive cutscene that will lead to more intense battling.
I must say, at this point, I’m a bit confused about what I think of these detective intermissions. One side of me really likes them and adores the change in pacing it offers while the other side of me finds it a bit too frustrating and even too easy to just repeat everything I found out before I can move on. I understand what Platinum Games is trying to pull off here and I’m really glad they offered this kind of variation in an action game but at some points, I wished they didn’t. I wasn’t convinced during my first cases but I must admit, the more I progressed, the more challenging these investigations got so I’m really looking forward to see where they’ll lead to.
Early conclusion:
Astral Chain is shaping up to become another great Nintendo Switch exclusive. The high-paced action in combination with its stellar graphics transforms this into one of the most impressive games on the system. I simply adore the combat and the way the simple story is brought with a lot of fanfare. At this point, I’m a bit concerned about the detective segments but I have high hopes those are moving in the right direction too. If you want to see the game in action for yourselves, check out this impressive handheld footage:
