Astral Chain Was Platinum Games’ Best Title No One Noticed

In an industry that sometimes feels stagnant, Platinum Games continues to create stellar projects that continue to innovate the way games are played. The best part about most of these projects is just how much recognition they obtain from the gaming world. The Bayonetta series has been highly praised for its incredible depth and NieR Automata’s consistent correlation between gameplay and story make it one of the most engaging games ever created.

Apart from all of this well deserved praise, many fans of Platinum’s work have overlooked one of their most innovative and impressive titles. Astral Chain was released in August of 2019 for the Switch, and it took many departures from the traditional “hack and slash” format. Adopting a more anime-like appearance and a futuristic setting, Astral Chain tells the story of two siblings who join the police force to save the world from the threat of chimeras. To achieve this, they wield a chimera of their own attached to a chain called a “Legion”. 

Astral Chain certainly gives off a strong first impression. The adventure begins with the player obtaining their first Legion and the story progresses from there. One of the most apparent differences between this game and other Platinum titles is the overall aesthetic. Astral Chain is a Switch game, but it’s beautiful art direction and the incredible character design make it look more like something off of a PS4 or Xbox One. The art is heavily anime-inspired, and the same goes for the games opening theme “Savior”. The opening gives the viewer shots of characters, action, and cutscenes synced to an addicting beat and very good vocals. This intro serves as a precursor of the uniqueness to come.

Why Astral Chain Is So Unique

The soundtrack of Astral Chain is nothing short of incredible. The game provides many techno-rock tracks, oftentimes with heavy bass and percussion. The best part of this masterful music is how dynamically it contrasts with the action on the screen. Much like NieR Automata before it, different instruments and melodies are seamlessly inserted and removed from the track as the player moves around and engages in battle. Astral Chain’s presentation is full of small enhancements like this that set it above other games in its genre.

Much like Astral Chain’s aesthetics and presentation, its gameplay is also innovative and transformative. The player is in control of not only the main character but also the Legion they have shackled. This may sound complex at first, but the developers make sure to give the player ample time to adjust to managing two characters. On top of this, the Legion’s aren’t just used for combat, but also for exploration and solving puzzles. Once again, the game’s pacing in this regard is perfect. Astral Chain becomes the most fun in the final half of the game though, when the story ramps up in an interesting direction and the player is most comfortable with the control scheme.

Much like Platinum’s other ventures, Astral Chain becomes most fun when players truly master all the intricacies within its combat. Using each Legion effectively in combat is engaging as they all feel like they have a use. However, playstyle will impact which one users use most often. Interestingly enough, the combat in Astral Chain is a bit slower than other hack and slash games, but this makes sense given the player must monitor two characters. Much of the combat itself is about managing the player’s Legion well and positioning. The combat in Astral Chain is much different than expected, but its uniqueness and consistency in achieving its vision are admirable and transformative to the genre.

Overall, Astral Chain is simply one of the best games the Switch has to offer. It’s a must-play for literally anyone who enjoys action games. While a recommendation is easy to provide, even close to a year after its release, the game simply hasn’t been in the spotlight. This is a shame considering the innovative tendencies that make up Astral Chain’s identity. As it stands, it is easily Platinum’s most underrated game this console generation.

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