Steam Look - Astrolancer

As I type up this review on software that demands more CPU power than the entirety of the 16-bit generation combined, I can't help but be on-my-knees grateful that games like Astrolancer are still being made. Whoa! Slow down! It's a little too early to heap on the praise, isn't it? I guess there's just something strangely wonderful about playing a game while not having any nostalgia tied to the NES classic it's inspired by. Normally, these throwbacks are plain as day about their inspiration, and the inevitable comparisons end up burying the lede. The Guardian Legend is one of very NES games that I didn't get around to finishing until last year. I'm older than dirt and obsess over cult titles, yet I never got around to one of Compile's all-timers. I didn't have 30 years to build my identity around a single piece of media, causing me to launch into a tirade whenever the new game isn't like the old game. For once, I can look at the flourishes when Lancer Two transforms or her damage animation and just think, "Cool references!" 

More to the point, Astrolancer is a tribute to the days when two entirely different developers could release Adventure/Shmup hybrids in the same year. Studio Hexeye shows a lot of love for both the past as well as the present through this remarkable game. Whether intentional or not, the lack of achievements is a lowkey appreciable feature. It allows players to decide the terms and not be judged because they opted for modernized controls or even cheats. Let's be real for a minute, everyone back in the day was using guides & codes to get through games. It was, at least publicly, an acceptable practice. Nowadays though, you can't do that sort of thing because it'll disable the achievements. Try to ignore it and next thing you know, your Steam profile has some weird completion percentage. They're all meaningless stats yet also designed to be inescapable, as if every second spent on a game must be tracked, documented, and scrutinized forever. Social media exasperates the problem by cultivating an endless parade of freakmonsters that'll shout "skill issue" from the rooftops, ruining what's supposed to be a personal journey about creating challenges and overcoming them. I know I'm way off topic, but escapism doesn't feel like escapism anymore. We've gotten so wrapped up in developer's intent or whatever that we've forgotten that there's no wrong way to play a video game*. 

Now that I've dug a fine hole to bury this review in, let's move on to actually talking Astrolancer.

The Galactic Council has tasked Lancer Two with eliminating the Formatroid menace. Out in the furthest reaches of space, these shapeshifting bots have taken over a mining colony. To ensure a successful mission, Lancer Two's internal Black Hole Bomb is primed to detonate the instant she falls in battle. The blast will eliminate the Formatroids as well as the planet they're occupying. Exploding a planet sounds like an extreme measure, but whoever said that the Galactic Council had to be concerned about preserving the galaxy? As sketchy as it all sounds, our heroine must survive seven stages of overhead-shooting-action to save the planet and herself. 

Very unlike its inspiration, this game opts for a straightforward adventure. The first half of the stage - the on-foot portion - has the protagonist walk from point A to point B, whilst occasionally seeking hidden rooms and the E.C.s contained within. Most of the time however, she'll be accosted by enemy robots. As threatening as they are practical, the shape of a Formatroid provides a subtle hint about their capabilities. If one is shaped like a cross / plus sign, then it's going to fire in four different directions. Cone-shaped bots drill their way to the surface and throw projectiles. If you see a robot that has a humanoid form with a big gun in their hands, then it should be pretty obvious what they're going to do next. The one constant shared by robots of all shapes and sizes is the desire to shoot bullets. Their capabilities range from shots aimed directly at Lancer Two all the way to huge patterns designed to cause a beautiful death. I hate making assumptions, but anyone that develops a Touhou farming sim must be a big fan of bullet-hells.

Now, let's pretend for a moment that I was worried about how an overhead-shooter with danmaku-tendencies would turn out. I mean *cough* there's potentially so much that could go wrong when the player has to micro-dodge around an arena that's salted & peppered with bullets. Furthermore, unless modern controls are chosen, Lancer Two doesn't have any strafing functionality. Players would have to constantly reorient themselves to ensure the boss is being targeted. I say all this, knowing full well that Astrolancer 100% nailed what they were aiming for. Fighting bosses is a seamless and pleasurable feat. Their patterns are appropriately spaced out, giving players more than enough time to aim and shoot. Also, on normal difficult at least, there are enough moments where the heroine can stand in betwixt the chaos, pummeling her opponent all the while. The sooner you understand the pattern, the faster you can get to the safe spots. It's natural, gratifying, and quite fun. 

Lancer Two can strike mine carts with her sword to send them rolling through enemies. Also, this might be one of the only times I like seeing a mine cart in a video game.

The second half of each stage is a full-on shmup; pure as a mountain breeze. Lancer Two pursues the boss she had just fought on the ground, blasting any approaching formatroids into space-dust. I have no complaints whatsoever. Each STG stage moves quickly, plays fair, and ends with a very nice boss battle. These multi-phase fights are all well-executed. Bullet-patterns are diverse, interesting, and appropriate for the difficulty setting I went with. Actually, now that I think about it, there are over 25 bosses in the game. I can't think of a single one that made me go "Hm... I don't know..." That's awfully impressive! Although, I suppose if I wanted to get really nitpicky, I'd point out the three or four boss phases that go for 10 or 15 seconds longer than they should. This is nowhere near enough to warrant the docking of points from my review-score, but it is a nitpicky thought that somehow survived long enough to appear in this write-up. Before you scroll ahead thinking that I've finally gotten with the times. No, there isn't going to be a review-score. All scores remained locked in the vault until the heat death of the universe. 

Alongside its plethora of kick-butt bosses, Astrolancer features a very nice selection of weapons and abilities to try out. Lancer Two is equipped with a cannon that fires straight ahead. It's good enough for any situation, and the alternate firing mode is great for close-quarter-encounters (though ECs are required to unlock it). Her secondary weapon can be anything from a shotgun to a bazooka to homing rockets. Depending on one's playstyle they can be niche, or more dependable than even the main cannon. Whichever secondary she decides to use is up to the player, and they can swap it out at checkpoints or prior to a shmup stage. If the Lancer is feeling boxed-in by a surplus of bullets, they can break out of immediate danger with the dash attack. It's also handy for flying through crowded corridors. One neat aspect is that its recharge time is dependent on whether the player taps the button or holds it down. 

Rounding out Lancer Two's arsenal is a wide assortment of auxiliary weapons. She starts with a sword, and depending on the player's loadout, can either be just another weapon or the core of one's gameplan. With enough upgrades, the sword will siphon energy from formatroids and add it L2's reserves. Auxiliaries won't function without energy, so choose weapons that suit the range you're most comfortable in and make every shot count. While I'm on the subject, choice is a big part of the game. Located in almost every stage is an armory, wherein the player can choose one of three auxiliaries. The other two can be purchased in-between stages, but ECs are hard to come by and thus should be spent on permanent upgrades. Honestly, there isn't a wrong way to play the game. Weapons - secondary and auxiliary alike - are designed with purpose and value, yet none aside from the default are required to save the planet. Since they can't have it all, the player's choices make each playthrough unique. If you're still intent on having it all, then don't fret, because there's a New Game+ option.

I don't know how else to say it; this is just a good-ass game. I like the speed at which the protagonist walks. I love that the harder difficulty settings don't increase the enemy's damage output. Bullets are faster, more plentiful, and non-boss encounters up the intensity. These are all great ways to make a game harder to win instead of easier to lose. Aesthetics are all on point. Charming character-designs with a good usage of color and a creative UI really uplift the experience. Astrolancer is exactly what I want to see in a throwback. I admire how this future cult-classic respects its inspiration and has the confidence to try fresh ideas. Instant recommendation.

*Yes, I know there are exceptions, but did you want me to get to the actual game review or not?