Astral Chain Critic Reviews

A one of a kind combat experience and Platinum’s most well-rounded adventure to date. A killer combo in every sense of the term.

Astral Chain is one of the most confident, stylish and satisfying third-person action games we've played in quite a while. While its narrative might be melodramatic, battles and enemy encounters always deliver a thrilling but balanced challenge.

Astral Chain is yet another addition to the Nintendo Switch library that will be fondly remembered for decades to come. Its yin-yang of chaos and carnage, fused with the calmer subtleties of investigation and exploration makes returning back to the action that little bit more special every time.

The entire game, really, is fully worthwhile, a lean 20ish hours of gameplay with nary an ounce of gaming fat, or a moment you won’t enjoy. That’s the beauty of tight battling: It never gets old, always feels brilliant.

Home to an incredibly immersive world and the best combat on the Nintendo Switch, Astral Chain is a must-play not only for fans of the genre, but the medium as a whole. It is a title that understands the importance of balancing gameplay, story, and style without ever sacrificing substance for anything else. It's more accessible than most PlatinumGames titles without ever having to compromise its core mechanics. The slower start may alienate potential fans but sticking with Astral Chain leads to a surprisingly thematic script, incredibly deep combat, and what might be Platinum's best game to date.

Astral Chain is one of the best action games I’ve ever played and is now my favorite title from PlatinumGames because of how it manages to deliver solid action and be innovative at the same time. The investigative sections and unique relationship formed between player and Legion bring something fresh to the action genre as well. When PlatinumGames is able to branch out with interesting new ideas like with the first Bayonetta and The Wonderful 101, they usually strike gold, and Astral Chain does nothing to stop that trend. It stands as a shining spot in both Nintendo and PlatinumGames’ lineups, and is obviously one of the best and most innovative games to release in 2019.

Astral Chain’s brilliant combat system is married with calm investigative activities, interesting platforming and clever puzzles. The world is fascinating, the soundtrack is amazing, the story is captivating. This is one of the very best games by PlatinumGames - and of the year.

Astral Chain consists of varied genres, but is mostly an action game, which has great ideas and interesting, relaxed humour, that doesn´t spoil its serious plot.

Astral Chain is the next step in the hack & slash genre. PlatinumGames created a true masterpiece that everyone should play. Another epic addition for the Nintendo Switch's exclusives library.

Astral Chain packs the punch you would expect from Platinum Games while simultaneously going above and beyond in all other areas. It’s great to see Platinum stepping even further out of its shell with expertly crafted titles like NieR: Automata and now Astral Chain. This marks another game in the studio’s catalog that is nothing short of amazing.

Astral Chain is a fantastic character action game that reimagines the subgenre at its core with a completely original and immensely satisfying combat system.

Astral Chain is one of the best experiences of the genre on Nintendo Switch. PlatinumGames has managed to revitalize the gameplay and take its complexity and sensations further than it has ever done before. The combination of character and legion implies having to take into account double the elements while fighting, which at the same time allows for better combos and a comforting sensation whilst carrying out whatever movements we want to.

Platinum Games shows its luster with an awesome hach 'n slash videogame that powers up the action genre with a great combination of elements: exploration, investigation, puzzles and even some platforming gameplay. A great exclusive title for Nintendo Switch owners.

Astral Chain brings together gameplay elements from all of Platinum’s best, from Bayonetta to Transformers Devastation, and adds the secret spice of detective work to tie it all together. It’s easy enough for newcomers to the genre, deep enough for veterans, and one of Platinum’s best.

Astral Chain is one of the best Hack 'n' Slash titles in recent years and a reliable asset for Nintendo to help them in the Console war.

Astral Chain is set in a somewhat boring and repetitive demon world you have to return to a bit too often, but that’s the only tiny downside to this daring and triumphant new Platinum adventure. It has everything that makes action adventures fun and adds exceptional detective phases that offer a welcome diversion from the wild action.

Astral Chain is, without a doubt, one of the best games ever released by Platinum Games and one of the best Nintendo Switch exclusives to date. With its combination of explosive action gameplay, which masterfully blends together mechanics taken from previous games developed by the studio, engaging investigation and exploration mechanics, an enjoyable story and huge amount of content, Astral Chain is a game that no fan of action games should pass on. That's even in spite of some issues here and there, such as the low challenge level and unbalanced evaluation system that makes it too easy to get S+ ranks.

Astral Chain is a brilliant action adventure game, with everything you could expect from a PlatinumGames title: fast and deep combat, rich visuals and a surprising story that reminds us of Nier Automata.

A great directorial debut for Takahisa Taura. If you love action games and own a Nintendo Switch, this brilliant jewel is definitely a must have.

Astral Chain is an excellent action game that uses the Switch’s unique hardware in creative ways. It fits handsomely in PlatinumGames’ excellent catalog and should satisfy anyone who likes Japanese action RPGs, or third-person action games. It is a wholly satisfying experience.