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[curl-6]

RolStoppable said:

curl-6 said:

Combat in Astral Chain has finally clicked; my mistake was that I was focusing too much on micro-managing my legion early on and getting overwhelmed by that. Now I have a fairly good feel for things; I'm still having a trouble with perfect dodges but that's not the game's fault, I just don't have great reflexes. Those finishers where you rip out a Chimera's core feel great.

The part that's surprised me the most so far is how extensive the non-combat segments are compared to other games by Platinum. The policework is quite fun and even picking up and binning empty cans is strangely addictive. The more I play, the more the art style is, well, not growing on me per se but it doesn't put me off any more.

I won't know for sure until I finish but so far, it's definitely on track to be a strong addition to Switch's shortlist of either great games or honourable mentions.

The flaw in Astral Chain's combat is that it's one of those games where certain moves are mandatory to be unlocked in order to allow a good flow of battle. It isn't until sometime during chapter 3 that they can be unlocked, so the first few hours are rather unsatisfying. But once you are able to initiate fluid counterattacks after dodging, it begins to work.

Yeah Xenoblade 2 was kinda similar in that regard.

I'm up to chapter 6 now. The main issue is less a problem with the game and more myself; I simply don't have the right kind of reflexes and brain wiring to be able to get the most out of the combat system in the way a better player would. The more advanced stuff is just too complicated for me to process at once in the heat of battle. Thankfully, I can get by on casual difficulty. I may not be able to maximise the combat system myself but I can still appreciate its brilliance.