ASTRAL CHAIN REVIEW ROUNDUP

Sometimes the best is truly indeed last as the Nintendo Switch's stellar summer of exclusives ends with the release of Astral Chain. Developed by action game masters PlatinumGames (they developed both Bayonneta & Nier: Automata) and published by Nintendo, the game has you using both thumbsticks to control two characters to perform amazing hack & slash combos. Now, with the game's release date inching closer and closer, critics have already published their full reviews. Here's the review roundup from some of the industries' most respected publications: 

IGN 9/10
"Astral Chain is another excellent game from Platinum, and one of the best action games of this generation. Period. Fighting off alien invaders with a Legion robot by your side proves to be even more fun than it looks, which is saying a lot. Even outside of combat, the world and its characters brim with life – other than the main protagonist, that is. Excellent pacing artfully balances tense action with enticing exploration to create a deeply satisfying and charmingly quirky ride."

You can click here for the full review.

GAMEINFORMER 9/10
"I had a blast playing Astral Chain and didn’t want it to end. Platinum has created a wonderful new universe for players to dive into that I could see extending into anime, movies, and hopefully sequels. The dual-character gameplay is also brilliantly devised, and although not as difficult as PlatinumGames’ other titles, creates a duet that makes you feel like a powerful, unstoppable force. The story may be the weakest part of the experience, given just how much it changes trajectory, but it has some legitimately great moments, and a big twist I didn't see coming. All told, this is one hell of a game."

You can click here for the full review.

DESTRUCTOID 9/10
"Whatever criticism you can throw at Astral Chain, you can’t say it isn’t unique. In the first few hours, I was all over the place when it came to an assessment, as it can take some time to really turn it up. But when it does it just clicks, and I don't want to stop playing it."

You can click here for the full review.

GAMESPOT 8/10
"Astral Chain's shortcomings don't overshadow what it does best. It's an incredible execution of a fresh take on Platinum Games' foundation, standing among the stylish-action greats. And its own anime-inspired swagger makes fights all the more exhilarating. You'll come to appreciate the calmer moments in between that add variety and offer a second to relax before jumping back into the superb combat. After 40 hours with Astral Chain, I'm still eager to take on the tougher challenges, and I'll be grinning from ear to ear as I hit all the right moves, one after the other, while watching it all unfold."

​You can click here for the full review.

POLYGON 
"What begins as a dark meditation on collecting pocket monsters gradually becomes a blunt, but effective, soap opera about life in shitty times. Astral Chainis about the urge to inspire good, not just by hurting the enemy, but through helping those around you. It’s also wonderfully welcoming, an action game for everybody that provides an escape to a world on fire where good people can do right.Forget Game of the Year. Astral Chain is a game for this moment."

​You can click here for the full review.

GAMEXPLAIN (VIDEO REVIEW) 

Astral Chain currently has a meta score of 88 based on 48 critic scores over at Metacritic, placing it has one of Platinum Games' best work. It releases this Friday, August 30th and, I can hardly contain my excitement as Astral Chain is personally my most anticipated game of the year. For more gaming review roundups check out what critics had to say about the new RPG, Oninaki.