Astronomy looks like it’s coming from the ZX Spectrum, and that’s exactly what it’s about. Billed as “Metroidvania 1-bit,” it is rendered entirely in black and white, with thin brushstrokes and all the hallmarks of a bygone era of PC gaming. It even has little floppy icons at save points and old-fashioned phones at teleporters, allowing you to jump from one side of the map to the other.
Astronite’s difficulty is also another flashback to the early years of video games. A good kind of challenge, sure, it starts digging into the Abandoned Cave with a nasty set mario world-Like a rock, spike and water plunger to impede your movement.
It looks and sounds, in theory, very similar to Devolver Digital’s robot gato, but Astronite is different in that it is simpler on the one hand and completely harder on the other. While its structure is typical MetroidvaniaWho’s new to the game? Deedlit in the magic labyrinth will be able to easily spot the difference. Where Deedlit emphasizes crushing enemies to level up and drop important items, pinning your campaign hopes on weapons, powers, and combat skills, Astronite goes in a different direction.
You start from your crashed spaceship, squat and adorable like anything else in the dark world of Neplea, and after using the jet set, map module, and gun to navigate the set initial screen, you will quickly be stripped of all. . While the quest to restore and fortify your gear is familiar enough, in Astronite you don’t level up by killing enemies, but sending them in for Neplea’s elusive currency, ‘Shpirtis’, can be used in the shop to upgrade. These include range-based weapon and fire rate improvements, jetpack accessories that increase your time in the air, a useful dash function, and even the ability to see how many shots your enemies need. to destroy. But, in a nod to Dark soulsone death will deprive you of all Shpirti you are carrying unless you have purchased “Shpirti Insurance” which will retain 25% of your shares.
To get your bonus back, you need to go back to the dead position, venturing back from whatever save slot you were in before. It’s a system that works surprisingly well for this type of adventure format, and encourages you to return to the store to make sure you’re done spending when given the opportunity. This can be frustrating if you’ve accumulated a large amount of Shpirti, die, and go back to where you died only to die again before you get there, because – as you’d expect – the death stockpile The most recent death will supersede the previous one, which means you could end up losing a lot of money if you’re not pragmatic about saving and taking a step back.
However, there are places where you can take advantage of exotic honing. An area near the save point in the Daedelus Cave offers an opportunity to clear the busy screen, save, and then respawn enemies (and they won’t respawn unless a death or save occurs). It’s also located right next to a teleportation hub, which means you can return to the store to spend at your leisure. However, some items need to be found first, including the console module and your jet pack, which indicates your first purchase should best be spent on the relative map module cheap to get an idea of your location. Searching the far corners of the map also yields coins from hidden chests and other secrets, some of which will save money on spending.
Astronite’s clear visuals are accompanied by nicely weighted, responsive controls, and everything works seamlessly. While it resembles a 1-bit game, it takes advantage of modern hardware with beautiful animations, atmosphere, and massive boss battles. It’s a very well designed title: fun to play from the start, simple to set up, and a title that becomes less confusing the more maps you explore. Boss fights are usually great, with the one where you’re up against a machine gunnery spaceship atop a bridge particularly memorable. This is a game that focuses on negotiating gritty platforming pieces and using your increasingly advanced skills, rather than slaying large, roaming monsters.
At the same time, it can be hard enough to dent some people’s spirits early on. Meanwhile, Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is just child’s play. Here, certain screens are designed to challenge your reflexes, make your timing and approach critical, and sometimes gnashingly repetitive. Whether the jet pack enhances tunnels dotted with roaming saw blades or finds a strategy for tough boss battles, Astronite likes to put a lot of pressure on.
However, it’s also designed to be smart enough to get you through your steps in the early stages, encouraging you to collect Shpirtis and then helping you turn the tide. Eventually, when your health increases, when you have a double hit and can stay airborne longer, things start to fall into place. It then simply executes the rudimentary skill until locked doors can be opened and new locations revealed. The campaign is of good length and the map eventually starts to come together as you uncover hidden items and areas, the worlds getting smaller and smaller as you speed things up. It’s been a very enjoyable process, and in many ways the loss of hit points and spells, the mountains of items and weapons, and the focus on platform-wise is commendable. It also has a lovely atmosphere, occasionally interspersed with musical captions noting your plunge into the depths, or the dripping, cobwebs of the underground cave webs. Add enough detail to let your imagination do the rest.
There are downsides. Some objects appear as spiky hazards that will have you avoiding them like the plague until you realize they’re actually meant for background. The old PC Monitor filters weren’t particularly good, and the sweep line filter was a bit messy. The vibration feature is really overused, especially when it runs the risk of popping the screws out of your pad by repeatedly shutting down on your last health bar, but you can disable the feature this at any time from the pause screen settings. The soundtrack is a bit sparse at times, though the silent nature of things adds to the mood. And yes, some people might have trouble with its old-school level of difficulty. Sticking with it, however, is worth it.
Inference
Astronite is an old game in the modern Metroidvania mold, and thanks to its sharp design, map layout, currency system, and ability upgrades, is an enjoyable experience. Its simple emphasis on platform pitfalls and cave negotiations feels more Metroid than ‘Vania, and refreshing in a genre that often follows the path of Japanese level honing and magic. With a little bit of effort, it shows itself as a well-thought-out and expertly executed action adventure, with a few magical moments in the boss battles and NPC characters. Its black and white look may not appeal to everyone, but it is easily recommended for the curious and a great companion for Gato Roboto fans looking for a tough challenge. more difficult.
