The Soul’s genre has grown exponentially over the past few years. There have been many companies who have attempted to market to the genre and have not done enough to stand on their own material. Acme Gamestudio is the latest to try and actually succeed with Asterigos: Curse of the Stars. From the game mechanics to the world itself, there is much to appreciate and enjoy.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is set in the Greco-Roman-inspired city of Aphes, and the player assumes control of Hilda, a warrior who is pursuing her father and his group of men who infiltrated the city but never left. She discovers upon arrival that the city has been under the aforementioned curse for the past 1000 years. The Aphesians have endured centuries of martial law and haven’t aged at all during that time. The Adherents, a group Hilda encounters right away, offer Hilda assistance in locating her father in return for Hilda helping them save the city.
There is a ton of world-building throughout dialogues and numerous finely detailed documents scattered about Aphes, a city rich in history. It’s not only in the writing, but the city is painstakingly researched and has genuinely excellent architecture. Like its model, Aphes is a sprawling map with numerous connected regions. Each of these locations is awe-inspiring in terms of its architecture and art. It looks remarkably similar to Immortals: Fenix Rising. It has a lot of charm, and the animation is stunning. In this aspect, Asterigos pays a ton of attention to detail; whether it is character models, environments, or its overall level design, it all comes together to create the impression that Aphes is a real place that has been disintegrating for a millennium.
The environment of Asterigos is fantastic for exploration and shares many characteristics with the Souls series. But there are many aspects of its gameplay that start to diverge from the Souls-like formula and distinguish it from a sea of games with a similar feel. Three varying degrees of difficulty are available to players: The three difficulty levels in this game are Story, Adventure, and Challenge. Story is the easiest setting. Challenge is suggested for players who want the typical Souls difficulty. Additionally, there is a new game plus that maintains player levels and some equipment/items while ratcheting up the difficulty to match. The mechanic of death is yet another idea that is altered by Asterigos. Players just lose 10% rather than passing away and leaving behind their stardust to be collected.
Leveling up is based on experience points rather than currency. Players only use Stardust to purchase goods or upgrade/craft gear (more on this coming soon), and they earn XP by simply defeating other players. When leveling up, players receive 1-2 attribute points to raise one of three attributes: precision, which increases damage, constitution, which increases maximum health, and arcane, which boosts skill damage and AP recovery rate. Additionally, each of the game’s six weapons includes a Talent point that can be used to buy skills, perks, and augments from the Talent tree. Players don’t have to wait to reach a conduit or a certain NPC because they can level up at any moment from the character menu.
The well-thought-out battle system in Asterigos is where other Souls-inspired games most noticeably diverge. All six varieties of weapons are supplied to players virtually right away. Each weapon begins with a special technique and a standard 3/4 hit combo: For those who desire a powerful defense, the sword and shield are available. For players that prefer high-mobility playstyles, the daggers feature an evasive move with a high level of invincibility. For players who want a more aggressive defense, the spear has a little more range and offers a parry. The hammer strikes opponents nearby Players with a powerful blow and a whirlwind swing. By laying down magical mines, the bracelets allow players to exert some area control during mid-range battles. The enemy AI is well done when playing on adventure or challenge. They respond quickly and seem to work as intended.
Each weapon can be improved up to +10 at The Shelter’s Blacksmith throughout the course of the game using various crafting materials, merely increasing the weapon’s damage output. The fact that players can equip up to two weapons at once and switch between them at any time is extremely astounding. Each and every one of these weapons is enjoyable to use right away. Each weapon’s special attack can be combined with the others in various ways. Players can also sprint and evade to launch an assault. Every weapon is highly useful, and it’s a lot of fun to try out different combos. Armor is strictly cosmetic and does not affect stats. Instead, players are given Trinkets, wearing items that add or subtract their various damage resistances. These are available as rewards for completing side-quests, or they can be made using blueprints that can be found everywhere across Aphes. A player may wear up to four Trinkets at once
The AP meter is an additional meter that players have. Any skills that players unlock via the Talent Disc can be used in this manner. Four talents are exclusive to each weapon, and another four are universal. Up to four skills can be assigned at once, and each will cost a different amount of AP. The Talent Disc contains toggleable bonuses and enhancements that will change how guns behave. Players can, for instance, change the fourth strike of the dagger into a move they can employ indefinitely or gain the ability to charge their staff shots at the expense of additional stamina.
There is a ton to enjoy with Asterigos as it is not a clone of the genre. From giving you tons of weapons right off the bat, to how the death mechanic works, the combat system and the environment are the highlights of doing something different and it pays off. The camera giving trouble is probably my only complaint, but it does not cause any major issues. I would highly recommend picking up a copy and giving it a try!
