Astoria: The Holders of Power Saga

Astoria: The Holders of Power Saga is a classic JRPG set in the fantasy world of Astoria, where a century ago King Romulus defeated the invading Supreme Demon Buul using the Stone of Power, later shattering it into five pieces entrusted to the Holders of Power to safeguard against misuse. Players control Prince Nolan, a young envoy from a distant land seeking reinforcements, who becomes embroiled in a shadowy conspiracy to reassemble the stone through assassination plots, featuring approximately 30 hours of story-driven gameplay with intricate characters, strategic magic combat, deep lore, and cinematic 90s-style cutscenes.

Astoria: The Holders of Power Saga: Review

Introduction

In an era dominated by sprawling open-world epics and live-service behemoths, Astoria: The Holders of Power Saga (ATHOPS) emerges as a defiant love letter to the golden age of 90s JRPGs—a 35+ hour odyssey crafted in RPG Maker VX Ace that punches far above its indie weight class. Released in 2017 by the one-person powerhouse Golden Unicorn Gaming, this fantasy tale of shattered artifacts, demonic invasions, and personal vendettas has quietly amassed a “Very Positive” 92% Steam rating from 75 reviewers, earning cult status among retro RPG enthusiasts. Its legacy lies not in blockbuster sales (estimated at around 4,000 units) but in its unyielding commitment to narrative depth, strategic combat, and player agency amid technological humility. Thesis: ATHOPS is a masterclass in solo-dev ambition, proving that heartfelt storytelling and meticulous systems design can forge an enduring gem in the RPG Maker landscape, rivaling classics like Final Fantasy VI in spirit if not in scope.

Development History & Context

Golden Unicorn Gaming, led by visionary designer Lucas Sopcak, poured four grueling years into ATHOPS, transforming a Kickstarter-backed passion project into a polished Steam release on August 2, 2017. Self-published after Greenlight success, the game exemplifies the mid-2010s indie RPG Maker renaissance, where tools like VX Ace democratized JRPG creation amid a gaming landscape craving nostalgia. Studios like ConcernedApe (Stardew Valley, 2016) and Toby Fox (Undertale, 2015) had elevated the engine’s profile, but ATHOPS stood out for its scope: 220+ maps, 175+ spells/skills, and nearly an hour of custom cutscenes.

Sopcak’s vision was uncompromisingly retro—emulating Chrono Trigger‘s party dynamics and Final Fantasy‘s epic lore—while navigating VX Ace’s constraints: fixed 2D sprites, menu-driven interfaces, and script-heavy enhancements from Yanfly, Moghunter, and others. Technological limits forced ingenuity; real-time stealth bypassed turn-based rigidity via custom events, and a dynamic party system (16 members swapping per plot beats) maximized the engine’s multi-character controls. Released during Steam’s Summer Sale era, ATHOPS launched at $4.99 (quickly discounted to $0.99), capitalizing on the post-Undertale hunger for pixel-art RPGs. Sopcak’s hands-on support—emailing save fixes, patching bugs like visual glitches in stealth sections—fostered a tight-knit community, echoing the dev-player bonds of early RPG Maker titles.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

ATHOPS weaves a tapestry of political intrigue, personal tragedy, and cosmic horror around the Stone of Power, a blue artifact ripped from the Supreme Demon Buul’s armor by King Romulus a century prior. Shattered into five pieces entrusted to the Holders—noble knight Garreth chief among them—the Stone promises omnipotence, but a shadowy cabal seeks to reassemble it, summoning Buul’s vengeful kin. Protagonist Nolan, a foreign prince begging reinforcements for his invaded homeland, stumbles into this maelstrom, his envoy spiraling into a continent-spanning saga.

The plot masterfully intertwines macro and micro arcs: Nolan’s heroism clashes with Petra’s raw vengeance (avenging her parents’ murder via goblin raids and village massacres), Calista’s clairvoyant quests for her brother Loras, and the enigmatic Cheshire Cat (revealed as mage Ari)’s soul-liberation odyssey. Supporting cast—pirate Piggy, enchanter Decannon with his taunting Golem, werewolf Grazz, fairy Simonee—enter/exit dynamically, their dialogues (tons of branching, context-rich exchanges) evolving via cutscenes totaling ~1 hour. Themes probe power’s corruption (Holders’ “opposing politics” fracture unity), revenge’s cycle (Petra’s assassin training yields “Miracle” magic but emotional scars), and unlikely alliances (filthy pirates aid nobility). Dialogue shines in character-driven moments—like Petra’s stealth assassinations or Ari’s elemental tower trials—blending Shakespearean gravitas with 90s melodrama. Subtle lore (books hinting troll weaknesses) rewards exploration, culminating in an epilogue affirming sacrifice’s nobility. Flaws? Occasional exposition dumps, but the twisting plot—assassinations, undead hordes, dragon-slaying—rivals Suikoden‘s ensemble depth.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

ATHOPS’ core loop—explore overworld (hidden foes), delve dungeons (visible, chasing enemies), grind bestiary entries, customize party—delivers addictive progression across 35+ hours. Turn-based combat innovates with affinities: characters memorize limited spells (Nolan: 3 slots; mages: 8 from 175+ options), forcing environmental analysis (fire melts regenerating trolls; poison whittles ogres). Party size (1-6) demands swaps: Nolan taunts with “Heroism,” Petra dual-wields for “Fury Strikes,” Calista buffs via “Aura III,” Ari unleashes “Meteor Shower.”

Progression layers equipment (130+ weapons/armor), blacksmith upgrades (8 epic drops like Spider Chitin → Chitin Layer), dragon kills (9 total, distributing stat points), and side quests (20+, e.g., “Hi Ho” buried treasures via Magic Shovel). UI is menu-heavy but intuitive—ALT+Enter fullscreen, F5/F6 resizing—though RPG Maker defaults occasionally clunk (no autosave). Standouts: real-time stealth (2 events: Petra assassinates orc leaders, dodging line-of-sight), 1v1 “challenger” duels (no items), “hero vs. hero” bragging rights, bestiary (255+ entries logging weaknesses). Flaws include random encounters (annoying per reviews), inventory loss in plot twists (e.g., Gideon’s betrayal), and grind spikes (e.g., Spider Queen sans fire). Replayability soars via builds—elemental nukers vs. debuff tanks—yielding ~40-hour completions.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Astoria’s lore-rich expanse—Innisfree’s farmlands, Silverdale’s castles, Cruxis’ black markets, Gray Waste undead lairs, Black Tower finale—immerses via 220+ maps blending overworld freedom with dungeon tension. Atmosphere thrives on contrast: verdant Fey Islands vs. scorpion-infested Pirate Coves, evoking Breath of Fire‘s biomes. Visible dungeon foes (chasing guards) heighten peril; hidden overworld ambushes reward caution.

Visuals embrace RPG Maker charm: pixel sprites (custom characters by MUG Kaburi; tiles from Soramani Kagome et al.) mimic 90s SNES, though RTP assets draw minor flak. Cinematic cutscenes (dramatic pans, event-driven) elevate key beats like Romulus’ hammer-smashing. Sound design impresses—Jewelbeat/Gyrowolf scores swell epically; Eric Matyas effects punctuate fireballs/stealth stabs. No voice acting, but ambient loops (tundra winds, desert howls) forge mood. Collectively, they craft a cohesive, nostalgic haze where lore books (e.g., elemental affinities) deepen immersion.

Reception & Legacy

Launching to niche acclaim—no Metacritic score, zero MobyGames critics—ATHOPS exploded via word-of-mouth: Steam’s 92% (87 total reviews), itch.io’s 4.5/5 (11 ratings). Players laud “engaging story,” “balanced combat,” “insane value” ($0.99 sales); detractors note RTP assets, random encounters. Dev responsiveness (save fixes, patches like EXP/gold tweaks) boosted loyalty—forums brim with Sopcak aiding stuck players (e.g., Orc Champ visuals).

Commercially modest (~4k units), its legacy endures as RPG Maker pinnacle: comprehensive Steam guide (77 pages by Firefly130984/Sopcak-endorsed), RPG Maker Web praise (“amazing work-to-value”), ongoing plays (2025 forum queries). Influences echo in post-2017 indies—Eastward‘s pixel epics, Sea of Stars‘ turn-based strategy—proving solo devs can sustain 90s purity amid AAA excess.

Conclusion

Astoria: The Holders of Power Saga distills JRPG essence—twisted plots, affinity-driven tactics, dynamic ensembles—into a VX Ace triumph, flaws (RTP, grinds) mere blemishes on its heartfelt polish. For 35+ hours of dragon-slaying, stealth-stabbing, Stone-reclaiming glory at pocket change, it’s unbeatable value. Verdict: An essential cult classic securing Golden Unicorn’s niche in video game history, a beacon for aspiring makers craving classic soul over graphical flash. 9/10 – Play it, bestiary-complete it, cherish it.