Plus, meet the motley crew of eight demigod heroes in the new character trailer
Montpellier, June 15th 2021 – Developer Artisan Studios unveiled a new character trailer for their gorgeous hand-drawn JRPG Astria Ascending at today’s Nintendo Direct. They also unveiled the planned release date: the game will arrive on PC, Switch, PlayStation 5 and 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Game Pass on September 30th 2021.
As well as introducing each of the eight playable heroes – from stoical team leader Ulan to the elderly but cunning thief Arpajo – the character trailer also shows off some of the turn-based battle mechanics, such as using focus points to upgrade certain skills and the ability to target an enemy’s weakness. The ‘Fated Eight’ trailer also drops a hint about Astria Ascending’s unique job system, which will allow each hero to flex their individual skills.
An epic adventure with the charm and pedigree of a classic JRPG, Astria Ascending tells an expansive story of fate, sacrifice, and new beginnings. The game was developed in partnership with publisher Dear Villagers and boasts contributions from world-class JRPG developers, with a narrative written by Kazushige Nojima (Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy VII Remake), score by Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy XII, Vagrant Story), and art from CyDesignation (Akihiko Yoshida and Hideo Minaba).
In a world where chaos looms, players take control of the Demigods – a motley crew of eight heroes charged with the fate of the world. Each character has their own story, explored across five cities, twenty-five dungeons, and thirty hours of gameplay up to fifty for 100% of completion. Along with the finely tuned turn-based combat, players can try out a range of side quests and mini-games, including an original fantasy-themed token game.
‘The Demi-gods are at the very heart of Astria Ascending,’ said game director Julien Bourgeois. ‘Each has their own past, their own reasons to be there beyond wanting to save the world. It’s something we really dig into over the course of the story.’
Featuring:
- Epic tales
Fight for the future while you reckon with the past; sacrifice everything, relinquish nothing. The story of Astria Ascending was developed in part by writer Kazushige Nojima, known for his work on Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII Remake.
- Living landscapes
Travel the world of Orcanon, a richly imagined and fully animated 2D landscape with five cities and a dynamic weather system.
- Unforgettable characters
Pick from eight customizable player characters spanning a range of fantastical races and skills, and assemble a diverse team of heroes.
- Rewarding combat
Work together to save the world, waging strategic turn-based battles using the innovative focus point system.
- A treat for the ears
With music and SFX from composer Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy XII, Valkyria Chronicles), Astria Ascending is a heart-swelling joy to listen to.
About Artisan Studios
Founded in 2016 and based in Québec and south of France (Montpellier), Artisan Studios is the developer of Super Neptunia RPG (勇者ネプテューヌ) and currently working on the gorgeous JRPG Astria Ascending. The studio is specialised in the creation of beautiful and moving 2D RPGs.
About Dear Villagers
Dear Villagers is a publishing label of Plug In Digital. It’s a warm-hearted invitation to join us in the little unusual neighborhood we are building within the gaming industry, a place where talented studios can unleash their creativity and where players enjoy distinctive and audacious games on PC and consoles, such as Edge of Eternity, ScourgeBringer, and The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos.