AWAKEN - Astral Blade

“Awaken: Astral Blade is a beautifully designed Metroidvania with fast-paced combat. Exploring is fun, but the storytelling and some gameplay mechanics could use some additional work. Still, it’s good enough to show Father who’s boss.”

“Awaken: Astral Blade is an action game with elements reminiscent of Souls-like games, featuring an anime theme. Despite its weak level design, it can still be appealing to players.”

“AWAKEN - Astral Blade offers beautiful environments and engaging combat but lacks the polish to compete with genre leaders. For metroidvania enthusiasts seeking a new adventure, it provides satisfactory exploration and combat, despite its narrative and technical shortcomings.”

“Awaken: Astral Blade is a visually pleasing Metroidvania that has intense flashy combat, and an enjoyable world to explore, but it falls flat in areas that can get in the way of the experience. Its story and characters are immediately forgettable, and a constant slew of grammatical errors and painfully bad voice work really stand out in a bad way. There is a good foundation here for Dark Pigeon to work from and refine, especially as this is their first game. If you are the type to enjoy really any Metroidvania title and need a break from beating Hollow Knight for the twelfth time, then you could find some fun here if you don’t mind wading through its numerous flaws.”

“AWAKEN: Astral Blade is, quite simply, a great metroidvania.”

“AWAKEN – Astral Blade is a game that has all the hallmarks of a quality Metroidvania set in a dark fantasy world.”

“AWAKEN: Astral Blade is a fun Metroidvania. Is it perfect? No. Does it reinvent the genre in any way? Not really. But did it need to? Of course not! It is a great game for both newcomers and long time fans of the genre alike, but there's no denying that there are better ones out there. Even so, I still recommend it.”

“With a multitude of Metroidvanias out there, a prospective new entry in the genre must stand out from the pack to get attention. Awaken – Astral Blade certainly stands out, but not in a good way. A poor story, poor collision detection, and overly floaty platforming combine to provide an unforgettable experience, just for all the wrong reasons.”

“Awaken - Astral Blade is a decent if run-of-the-mill Metroidvania, but don't go in expecting anything unique or particularly invigorating.”

“Awaken: Astral Blade has an engaging story and some very good combat and platforming to boast, but it fumbles the ball a couple times in the translation and it can be difficult to determine where to go sometimes.”

“A very enjoyable metroidvania with an alluring heroine and an atmosphere like that of a dark sci-fi. The bionic Tania admittedly wouldn't win any recognition contest, nevertheless she's still an interesting enough character to follow. It's just a shame that the game's budget was small, which is strongly felt at several moments.”

“AWAKEN - Astral Blade is a very good metroidvania, with gameplay that while derivative manages to be satisfying, all the more so if you are looking for a lighter experience than the standards to which the sub-genre has accustomed us. Most importantly, Dark Pigeon Games' title comes to market with perfect timing. Today, it is not just a science fiction adventure, but a profound meditation on freedom, identity and the meaning of humanity in a time where the line between real and artificial is becoming increasingly blurred.”

“Unfortunately, Awaken: Astral Blade is a rather mediocre title, lacking narrative punch and creative inspiration. It suffers from structural oversights in game design, alongside numerous minor issues that are hard to overlook, especially given the high standards set by the genre. That said, it’s not a total failure—its unique combo mechanics and smooth controls make for an exciting, spectacular combat system.”

“Awaken: Astral Blade offers an excellent Metroidvania experience, blending action and exploration in a captivating sci-fi world. Its visual presentation is a significant strength with beautifully crafted 2D environments and top-notch character designs.”

“Awaken: Astral Blade has managed to grow as a satisfying game, but still with obvious limitations to its production ambitions. Thus, although it cannot stand out above the average of action metroidvanias, it also does not fall below this level and caters to those looking to explore an unknown world of sci-fi in command of an anime girl.”

“Awaken: Astral Blade impresses but doesn't amaze, presenting itself as a solid and well-constructed metroidvania, though far from a landmark in the genre. While the exploration of the vast game map is interesting and shows good progression, it is rather linear and predictable. The combat system, however, is its standout feature, along with the visual aspects, despite occasional slowdowns. Overall, Awaken: Astral Blade is a very good production, recommended for genre enthusiasts and those looking to try it for the first time.”

“AWAKEN: Astral Blade is visually stimulating, with solid Metroidvania gameplay, though it falls flat in some key areas. Too familiar of a plot with a lack of substance on character development and dialogue will occur. Fun boss fights and exploration come with repetitive enemies and fiddly combat mechanics that just leave so much to be desired.”

“AWAKEN - Astral Blade is an excellent metroidvania that will surely turn heads upon its release. Not only does it look great, but it also plays incredibly well and has a very engaging story to boot. It’s the kind of game that’s hard to drop once you start playing, as it maintains its captivating pace consistently, leaving only very few moments to rest at very opportune moments.”