Overall, I found the combat fun and engaging, if a bit demanding and sometimes too reliant on luck. Or, of course, you have the option of grinding your levels, skills, and trees – which will almost be necessary as the bosses hit very, very hard. Balancing your melee options and MP consumption as well as how each party member can be used in every fight is key to surviving dungeons. Other things that add to the difficulty is the fact that you start out with very low MP levels compared to how much each heavy-hitting skill/spell takes. The best way to take out the enemies is to find their weakness and exploit accordingly, which takes some trial-and-error.
You need to pay attention to the turns of the opponents and keep aware of the situation at all times – especially when they are quick to dish out an Omni-Stun move that will leave you helplessly staring at the screen for 12 turns. If you’re not careful, even typical random encounters in temples will wipe out your entire team. Unlock new Skills as you work your way through the Ascension TreeĪstria Ascending is not a game that takes combat lightly. Because of the possibilities, it’s really up to you to spec out each member according to your party balance, though I suspect in terms of power, you will have your favorites among the eight, and stick to that team when you can.
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Choosing how to spend points in the Ascension Tree also gives you another way to fine-tune your party. My favorite part is the amount of job classes and specialization that you have available makes for a customizable run. Having Astria Ascending in your hands will remind you of JRPG greats that have come before it. However, these are stunted by awkward dialogue and slow pacing. There was little development in the characters and their relationships with each other.ĭespite the middling story and character development, the narrative does have some powerful, emotional moments. However, their conversations were mostly about the immediate observations of the mission or environment, and their banter was almost always mean-spirited, particularly against the young Peyska warrior Eko. It’s pleasant to explore the overworld even when it’s just Ulan on screen and hear the rest of party banter on. One of the best parts of a traveling party RPG is the development that occurs between the characters. They’re all supposed to be overpowered individuals, so there’s some ludonarrative dissonance when I was just picking up the basics of the combat and getting served on a platter by the earlier bosses.
The game’s characters are beautiful and pique your interest, but your actual journey with them hardly reveals anything new to the player. And if you’re playing a party-based RPG, that is a big red flag. Yet, I did not find myself getting attached to any of them. I really enjoyed our party’s character designs. The “Fated Eight”, your Demigod party, has a sweet headquarters Each character has their own interpersonal relationships within the whole group, and you can see their pasts affecting who they are as current Demigods. It’s a bit overwhelming to start out with 8 different characters to try out and get the feel of, but the journey of trying each out was pretty intriguing.
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You start off with a team that is acknowledged as Demigods, the strongest in the realm and keepers of the peace – whom you have full control over customizing their build and job class. Your party, the cornerstone of every JRPG experience, is large and diverse. In exchange for your power, there’s a mere three months before your retirement (AKA your party’s deaths) – but evil never rests, and you journey across the land of Orcanon to stop it. You step in the shoes of Ulan, the captain of the 333rd Demigod squad. Its beautiful watercolor-esque landscapes and unique character designs promise an immersive tale JRPG lovers will dive head-first into. 3) Audio and Graphics – As Stellar as They Come Story – The Rule of ThirdsĪstria Ascending‘s world is fascinating enough to draw people in.