Awaken: Astral Blade | PS5 Review

With "Awaken: Astral Blade" we enter a world of science fiction and fantasy that melds advanced ancient technologies with emerging futuristic tech. Through Tania, a bionic female, we do the bidding of her father Dr. Herveus as she delves deep into a rainforest searching for the enigmatic Karpas energy and an Altar of high importance. 

Utilizing her combat skills, and various weapons she deals death to the mutant inhabitants stealing from them aether all while forwarding her main and side quest objectives. With chance encounters involving known, and unexpected acquaintances Tania will be met with the realization of her role as her father's creation. Awakening in her the reality of the situation regarding the quest for Karpas energy.

In this metrodivania and soulsborne hybrid you play as Tania, an energy blade wielding bionic protagonist with an upgradeable skill tree and weapon/armor options. In true metroidvania fashion you'll progress the story by reaching certain points of interest within the game's mazelike world. It is in this world that you'll not only make your way to an end, but also fight off mutants, and their boss variants. Solving puzzles as well as learning new abilities meant for getting past previously barred entry/exit points. 

Your combat will net you aether points, collectively, which can be spent on both combat and passive skill tree upgrades. Leaving further health, defense, and flask upgrades to helpful NPCs or totems as well as key single use items hidden along the way. Save points, in particular, act as a soulsborne campfire and allow for the application of aether to the skill trees.

Combat, in "Awaken: Astral Blade", is heavily combo focused with both aerial, and ground based combos that result in damage dealing special attacks. It is with these combos that you'll strike enemy weak points while using a dodge mechanic to evade any attack that might come your way. Alongside the combo strings comes a finishing move that can be dealt on bosses when they reach a certain weakened state. This nets you aether in a similar fashion as to harvesting it from plant life, and the other mutant creatures of lesser kinds.

Staving off death in this endeavor means minding your limited stock of health that is mainly refilled through flasks that can be filled at save nests along the way. These flasks can also be upgraded by backtracking, and giving your R9 companion bot key items. Upgrades include increased healing capability or more flasks.

For progress sake you'll find the usual metroidvania map for reference. In most instances though you are subtly pushed in certain directions to collect what needs to be collected, and to do what needs doing. As far as the storytelling goes there's voice-overs and textual conversations triggered when you reach certain areas, interact with NPCs, or kill bosses. There's those instances and lightly animated cutscenes with panel art that telegraphs certain events like bosses entering the location. 

The Presentation ...

Awaken: Astral Blade, has a parallax 2.5D visual presentation with characters, and scenery reminiscent of that of Vanillaware's games. It is a sometimes light, and sometimes dark experience that is very atmospheric filled with somber symphonic music that mirrors the mood of the plot points, and look of the various biomes. Though the story is told mostly through voice-overs and matching textual dialogue there are inserted instances of art that break up the more traditional metroidvania features.  

The Verdict ...

If you fancy a new soulsborne/metroidvania hybrid with an interesting plot and world, "Awaken: Astral Blade" might be something worth buying into. Everything from combat to traversal is streamlined leaving the puzzles, and boss fights to be the more trying aspects of gameplay. It is not overly complicated like some soulsborne and metroidvania titles, and it is not as difficult by comparison. The plot also has some twists in it, and keeps you invested to see where it's going. Though you can kind of predict some of it early on the twist near the end does seal the deal quite effectively. 

Overall, "Awaken: Astral Blade" is a nice addition to the growing library of soulsborne/metroidvania hybrids. While it adheres to the base formulas of each genre it's world and lore building separate it from the competition. The combat is fast and fluid as well. It's a game that earns my recommendation for it's more streamlined approach!!!