Asterigos: Curse of the Stars

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is an action RPG set in a fantasy world where players take on the role of a young warrior named Hilda, who embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of a cursed city. The game features a mix of combat, exploration, and storytelling, with a focus on uncovering the mysteries of the city and its inhabitants.

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars – A Soulslike with Heart, but Not Without Flaws

Introduction

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a third-person action RPG that blends the punishing combat of Soulslike games with a lighter, more accessible approach. Developed by Taiwanese indie studio Acme Gamestudio and published by TinyBuild, the game follows Hilda, a young warrior from the Northwind Legion, as she ventures into the cursed city of Aphes to find her missing father. With its vibrant art style, fluid combat, and a world steeped in Greek and Roman mythology, Asterigos carves out its own niche in a crowded genre. However, while it shines in many areas, it also stumbles in others, leaving it as a game that is greater than the sum of its parts but not without its shortcomings.

Development History & Context

Acme Gamestudio, a team of passionate developers with an average of over a decade of experience in the industry, set out to create an action RPG that would stand out in a genre dominated by titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. The studio’s vision was to craft a game that retained the depth and challenge of Soulslike combat while making it more approachable for a broader audience. Using Unreal Engine 4, the team leveraged the engine’s flexibility to create a visually stunning world inspired by classical Greek and Roman architecture, mythology, and aesthetics.

The game’s development was not without its challenges. The team had to balance the demands of creating a rich, interconnected world with the constraints of a smaller budget and team size. This led to some compromises, such as the lack of a detailed map system and occasional technical hiccups like pop-in textures and loading issues. Despite these challenges, the team’s dedication to their vision is evident in the final product, which offers a unique blend of accessibility and depth.

Asterigos was released on October 11, 2022, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. The game entered a market already saturated with Soulslike titles, but its distinct art style, lighter tone, and emphasis on player choice helped it stand out. The game’s reception was generally positive, with critics praising its combat, visuals, and narrative while noting its lack of polish and occasional design flaws.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars tells the story of Hilda, a young warrior from the Northwind Legion, who travels to the cursed city of Aphes to find her missing father and his soldiers. The city, once a thriving metropolis inspired by ancient Greek and Roman cultures, is now trapped in a timeless curse that has twisted its inhabitants and their society. Hilda’s journey is one of discovery, as she uncovers the truth behind the curse and the city’s dark history.

The narrative is delivered primarily through in-game dialogue, environmental storytelling, and “memory projections” that offer glimpses into the past. While the game’s story is engaging, it is not without its flaws. The dialogue can be excessive and occasionally awkward, with some critics noting that the voice acting, while generally strong, lacks the polish of bigger-budget titles. The game’s translation also suffers from occasional oddities, which can detract from the overall experience.

Thematically, Asterigos explores the consequences of immortality, the corruption of power, and the struggle for survival in a society divided by caste. Hilda’s journey is not just about finding her father but also about understanding the city’s curse and the impact it has had on its people. The game’s narrative is enriched by its side quests, which offer additional insights into the city’s history and its inhabitants. However, the lack of a detailed map or quest log can make these side quests frustrating to navigate, as players often have to rely on memory to find their way.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a third-person action RPG with Soulslike combat mechanics. Players take on the role of Hilda, who can wield a variety of weapons, each with its own unique playstyle. The game’s combat system is fluid and dynamic, allowing players to switch between two equipped weapons on the fly. This flexibility encourages experimentation and allows players to adapt their playstyle to different enemies and situations.

The game features six weapon types: sword and shield, dual blades, spear, hammer, staff, and magic bracelets. Each weapon has its own set of light and heavy attacks, as well as special abilities that can be unlocked and upgraded as Hilda levels up. The combat is fast-paced and emphasizes combos, dodging, and parrying, with a focus on precision and timing. Enemies are varied and require different strategies to defeat, adding depth to the combat system.

Character progression in Asterigos is handled through a skill tree system, where players can allocate attribute points to improve Hilda’s health, attack power, and skill power. Talent points are used to unlock and upgrade special abilities for each weapon, allowing for further customization. The game also features a crafting system, where players can use materials scavenged from enemies and the environment to upgrade their weapons and equipment.

One of the game’s most notable features is its difficulty settings, which allow players to adjust the challenge to their preference. This makes Asterigos more accessible than many Soulslike titles, as players can tailor the experience to their skill level. However, some critics have noted that the game’s bosses can be overly easy, particularly as Hilda levels up and becomes more powerful.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is set in the city of Aphes, a sprawling metropolis inspired by classical Greek and Roman architecture. The city is divided into distinct districts, each with its own unique aesthetic and challenges. From the mist-covered bazaar streets to the gloomy sewers and the glittering crystal chasms, Aphes is a world full of beauty and danger.

The game’s art style is vibrant and colorful, with a cartoon-like aesthetic that sets it apart from the darker, more gritty visuals of many Soulslike titles. The character designs are expressive and detailed, and the environments are richly textured and atmospheric. The game’s use of lighting and color helps to create a sense of place and mood, enhancing the overall immersion.

The sound design in Asterigos is equally impressive, with a soothing musical score that complements the game’s visuals and narrative. The soundtrack, composed by WeiFan Chang, is a blend of orchestral and electronic elements, creating a unique and memorable audio experience. The game’s sound effects are also well-crafted, with the clashing of weapons, the crackling of fire, and the ambient noises of the city all contributing to the game’s immersive atmosphere.

Reception & Legacy

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars received generally favorable reviews from critics, with praise for its combat, visuals, and narrative. However, the game was also criticized for its lack of polish, with some reviewers noting issues with the game’s voice acting, translation, and level design. The game’s reception was mixed on the PC platform, where it received a Metacritic score of 71, while the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions scored slightly higher, with 76 and 75, respectively.

Despite its flaws, Asterigos has been praised for its accessibility and its unique blend of Soulslike combat and a lighter, more approachable tone. The game’s emphasis on player choice and its vibrant art style have also been highlighted as strengths. While it may not have achieved the same level of acclaim as some of its contemporaries, Asterigos has carved out a niche for itself as a solid and enjoyable action RPG.

The game’s legacy is still being written, but its reception suggests that it has the potential to become a cult classic among fans of the genre. The game’s developers have also expressed interest in expanding the Asterigos universe, with plans for DLC and potential sequels. If the game’s reception is any indication, there is certainly an audience for more adventures in the world of Aphes.

Conclusion

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a game that defies easy categorization. It is a Soulslike title that is more accessible than many of its peers, with a vibrant art style and a lighter tone that sets it apart from the darker, more punishing games in the genre. While it is not without its flaws, including occasional technical issues and a lack of polish in some areas, the game’s strengths—its fluid combat, rich world-building, and engaging narrative—make it a worthwhile experience for fans of action RPGs.

The game’s emphasis on player choice and its unique blend of accessibility and depth make it a standout title in a crowded genre. While it may not be a perfect game, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a testament to the creativity and passion of its developers, and it deserves to be recognized as a solid and enjoyable addition to the action RPG landscape. For those looking for a game that offers a fresh take on the Soulslike formula, Asterigos is well worth a look.