Astlibra Revision is a game that snuck up on a lot of people. The game was being celebrated as a mix of IGAvania-style gameplay and Final Fantasy, and that alone was enough to catch my attention. The game is a cacophony of action and excitement and may be one of the biggest surprises of the year.
The best comparison for Astlibra Revision is the classic game Ys III: Wandered from Ys, both in terms of gameplay and music. As you play, you will travel to self-contained locations and then head back to the main town, and this repeats for each chapter. While you can indeed go back to the older locations, there is not a real need to and as such Astlibra Revision is not actually an IGAvania-style game but is good in its own right.
Astlibra Revision feels like a throwback to classic RPGs such as the aforementioned Ys III but improves on these classics in many ways. The combat in Astlibra Revision feels natural and has a number of options that do indeed call to mind certain games that may remind some of the IGAvanias. Besides basic attacks, there are combo attack options, using a shield to guard against both melee and ranged attacks, and also a summon mechanic where your companion transforms into various creatures for different attacks that use SP points that are accrued by landing blows in combat. These are just some of the ways you can interact with enemies and more can be found and acquired as the game continues.
What makes Astlibra Revision so amazing is that you actually feel your character becoming more powerful and you have so many different options for how to go about things. Almost every aspect of the protagonist can be levelled up and more abilities and skills can be gained as a result of this, which is the most rewarding an RPG has been in this regard in years. One neat aspect is that levelling up and acquiring new skill points is not the only way to improve, as you can spend crystals gained from enemies to gain new upgrades to improve the experience.
Music-wise, Astlibra Revision stands with the best of the classic RPGs. The tunes quickly make you excited for the adventure and pumped for action, but not every one of them is a banger. Some of the music does feel a bit lacking, but that is the only issue with the game really.
Astlibra Revision manages to create a great sense of worldbuilding with its setting, and each area you go to feels unique and exciting in different ways. The characters all feel well thought out and the action is some of the best. I actually think the comparisons to IGA’s Castlevania games and Final Fantasy may have done this game a disservice due to how the style is different. This is a throwback and it does its job well.
Astlibra Revision was in the works for years, but its amazing gameplay was not something most people expected right away. Most were unsure what this was, due to the lack of marketing or any real push for the game and that is baffling. This is what classic side-scrolling RPG fans have been waiting for and should celebrate that they finally have.
In conclusion: Astlibra Revision is a game for fans by fans and is n absolute must-play. With great visuals and music and improvements on what hurt games of the past, there is something special here that cannot be overstated. This is highly recommended.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided