More Thoughts From Me #205: Never Break the (Astral) Chain

If it was still 2019, Astral Chain would be one of my favorite games of 2019. The game came out that year but I didn’t get the game until this year (2020). So I guess it’ll probably end up on my best of 2020 list instead. Why do I like Astral Chain so much? Let me tell you about it!

I have to admit I’m not a big fan of Platinuum Games. Bayonetta 1 and 2 are good games but not my type of games. And I didn’t care for The Wonderful 101. So when Astral Chain was revealed and shown, I was very skeptical. It wasn’t until later when I started reading more about it and seeing more footage that I got interested in it. Still, it wasn’t until this year that I finally bought it. So what do I think about Astral Chain?

I think Astral Chain rocks! Its just a fantastic game.

Let’s start with the graphics. Astral Chain is the best looking game on the Nintendo Switch hands down. This is the type of game that you typically would see on the PS4/Xbox One and not the Switch. The graphics are so detailed, the environments feel rich and alive, the characters look great, and the game’s framerate never noticeably dips even when the action is fast. Which it often is! I should note that I’m just talking about handheld mode here. I still haven’t played the game on the TV. I really should!

But Astral Chain isn’t just a wonderful looking game. It has a lot more to it than just looks.

The gameplay in Astral Chain is a mix of action and adventure. The combat is fast, furious and often unrelenting. You can get the game to actually play itself and help you out if its too much for you. Thats the mode called Unchained and I admit I have used it on occasion. There are some really hard battles in this game!

That said, Astral Chain isn’t just about the action. There is a lot of investigating in this game. You play as a cop in a Blade Runner-like world and the game actually has you solving crimes. There is a investigation mode that you can go into that’ll highlight people’s age, weight, even blood type. Not only that but you can hack into video footage and replay events to figure out what happened. The investigating in Astral Chain is just as addictive as its action.

None of this, however, would fully work unless Astral Chain had a good story. And the story in Astral Chain is very good. It is pretty complex and a bit head scratching at times, but its always interesting and you’ll want to know what happens. I love the characters in this game too. If you don’t care about Lappy at all, than you have no heart whatsoever.

Astral Chain, from its graphics to its gameplay to its story, is unlike anything else you’ll find on the Switch. The game is completely original, gripping, and you just never want to leave its world. Here’s hoping we see a sequel to Astral Chain on the Nintendo Switch!

What do you think of Astral Chain? Let us know in the comments!

Next week: Nintendo Direct, where art thou?

More Thoughts From Me is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed here are mine and mine alone. Lappy is our friend!