Sleeper Hit Action-RPG Astilbra Revision Sets Forth on Switch - Hardcore Gamer

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Sometimes, despite best intentions and constant vigilance, a game manages to fly in under the radar.  A quiet fan-base that’s actually trying to be as noisy as possible builds up around it, and eventually people start noticing.  The phrase is supposed to be “sleeper hit” but honestly, the “hit” part is usually overselling things a bit.  For every Katamari Damacy that spawns a much-loved series there are a dozen Gitaroo Man, loved by the people who played it and either forgotten or unknown by everyone else.  Astlibra Revision actually did pretty ok for itself on PC but it’s still incredibly niche, but is more than good enough to deserve stronger recognition.  With today’s launch on Switch a whole new audience has a shot at some of the fastest and most versatile side-view combat an action-RPG has to offer.

The basic plot of Astlibra Revision is that a young boy and his sister got lost from civilization but found a safe spot to live, until one day the sister disappeared.  A magical talking crow shows up at the same time (hmmmm…!) and together, they set out to find people again.  Eight years later they at last stumble on a small town at the edge of a cave holding a mysterious artifact, and from there the world keeps growing with new friends, mysteries, gods and monsters.  As JRPG stories go it gets the job done, but the heart of the game is its combat system.  The gameplay clip below may look like a lot but anyone who’s played the game can see exactly what the player is doing.

Starting off with little more than a wooden stick and the ability to bonk things with it, the nameless hero slowly grows into an incredibly powerful combat-god.  Astlibra Revision is smart enough to introduce its systems at an approachable pace, with