Astral Chain places you in the role of a detective in a special police task force known as "Neuron" and your goal is to protect the futuristic city known as "The Ark" from mysterious creatures known as Chimeras. Using the Astral Chain, you tie yourself together with different Chimeras of your own known as Legions and take control of yourself and your Legion simultaneously throughout the game. Astral Chain's presentation is gorgeous and the game is easily one of the best looking games on Nintendo Switch. The sci-fi anime art style is striking and while the game runs at 30 FPS, it doesn't detract from the visuals or get in the way of the game's combat. The music amplifies the action even more with its high energy hard rock soundtrack; the few vocal tracks within the game are great as well.
The game's plot takes a larger precedent within the game than in past Platinum projects and while it is enjoyable, it doesn't leave a lasting impression for a variety of reasons. The central protagonists of the story are two twins with the player choosing between either the male or the female at the beginning of the game. The chosen twin becomes a customizable silent protagonist while the other one becomes a fully voiced character of their own. The silent protagonist is unnecessary and actively hinders the plot due to it having such a focus on the bond between the two siblings. Having characters actively talk to you while you blankly stare at them makes it a lot harder to become invested in what's an engaging world and cast of characters. The story also starts several different plot points and abruptly jumps between them without giving any a proper conclusion. Astral Chain was clearly a game where the plot came secondary to the core gameplay which makes the heavy story focus feel even stranger. While the story was entertaining at the moment, the gameplay is far more memorable and is what kept me coming back.
Astral Chain tasks the player with controlling two characters simultaneously in combat. The player only has one attack button with the option to switch between three different weapon types while the Legion attacks automatically on its own after being positioned by the player. Astral Chain's combat focuses more on timing and positioning rather than executing long strings of combos. Enemies have weak points behind them and on their head, requiring the player to move themselves and their Legion in an optimal spot to deal the most damage. Controlling two characters with both control sticks feels awkward at first and it may seem like the Legion is doing most of the work but as the game progresses and more Legions are introduced, the combat becomes just as fluid and complex as past Platinum titles.
Players can unlock up to five different Legions with their own unique abilities and playstyles. With each Legion having a limit for how long they can be summoned, the complexity in combat comes from effectively knowing which Legion to call out at what time. For example, the Arrow Legion great at taking down out of reach enemies while the Axe Legion can form a barrier to protect itself and the player for up-close combat. By executing timed button presses throughout combat, players can sync up their attacks with their Legions and perform incredibly flashy strings of attacks. The Astral Chain connecting you to your Legion can also be used in combat by moving the chain around enemies with your Legion to bind them or using the chain to launch charging enemies backward. Each Legion also has its own individual skill tree which provides them with both stat buffs and new abilities as well. The passive abilities aren't incredibly noticeable but the extra abilities drastically change how you utilize specific Legions. Astral Chain manages to take the daunting task of controlling two characters at once and creates a deeply engaging and flashy combat system around it.
Astral Chain's noncombat sections are surprisingly engaging and serve as not only a welcome breather between the intense combat sections but are also fun in their own right. The Legions are just as vital outside of combat as they are inside and they assist you while performing investigative work throughout the game. Each Legion has a unique function that involves more than just pressing a button to execute an action. The Beast Legion, for example, can be used to track scents and dig for clues while the Arm Legion can lift and move around large objects. I was also surprised at how involved I became with the game's many sidequests. These side missions are some of the most creative I've seen such as trying to carry a tall stack of ice cream while using the Switch's gyro controls to prevent it from falling over or wearing a dog mascot suit to cheer up staff in a police station. I would find myself actively taking time to do these sidequests before taking on the rest of the campaign because of how enjoyable they are.
Astral Chain is an unforgettable experience on Nintendo Switch. Controlling two characters at once feels fantastic and leads to a combat system that rewards timing and positioning. While the messy story isn't as good as it could have been, the world and characters still shine through the game's surprisingly enjoyable sidequests. Astral Chain is one of the standout exclusives on Nintendo Switch and is a must-play for fans of action games.
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