Astria Ascending - Review @ RPG Site

RPG Site has reviewed Astria Ascending - 5/10.

Not exactly the stairway to heaven.

2021 has been a very good year for JRPGs. In January, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legendsand the Secret Fairy built upon the strong foundation of its predecessor and delivered something extraordinary. By the end of the following month, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox and Bravely Default II both delivered addictive gameplay and memorable tunes. From sterling revisits like SaGa Frontier Remastered and NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 to an instant classic in a long-running franchise with Tales of Arise, we've all been spoiled by a veritable deluge of high-quality helpings.

On paper, Astria Ascending has all of the necessary ingredients to join this luscious list. Legendary Final Fantasy scribe Kazushige Nojima contributes his literary talents! Famously atmospheric composer Hitoshi Sakimoto is on board for the soundtrack! The 2D visuals are brimming with style! But ingredients alone cannot bake a cake. After spending over 50 hours with developer Artisan Studios' talent-packed title, I cannot say I'm satisfied.

[...]

Astria Ascending is not a great JRPG. I would hesitate to label it a good one. In a year of winners, it's not a complete outlier but it's no contemporary classic. Despite a few flirtations with intrigue, the story is generally vacant of anything compelling enough to stick around until the credits. Poor writing compounds the problem and unlikable characters can't overcome it. Gameplay ranges from strong to stale, with just enough gumption and innovation to keep things lively. Pound for pound and for all its pedigree, this is a disappointing experience I'm not inclined to recommend.