2026 Special - Astalon: Tears of the Earth

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is yet another story in my strange relationship with video games. I heard the rave recommendations, read the glowing reviews, saw the game was heavily discounted, and gave it a purchase. "Wow! This seems pretty neat." I'd mutter to myself while acclimating to the controls. After that, let's just say that my whims got the better of me. The new game I just bought was immediately abandoned and forgotten. It'll be years before those whims that led me away from LABS Works Metroidvania would bring me back again. Well, better years than decades, right? At least there's still the illusion of a functioning society that might be interested in hearing about why this is a great game. Let's get on with the discussion before I get distracted by a spot on my bedroom wall that's less off-white than the rest.

In the year 21XX, a devastated planet Earth and its few survivors witnessed a bizarre calamity. Ancient ruins housing incomparable evils rose from the wastes. It didn't take long for more problems to occur. One of the few remaining sources of fresh water has been poisoned. Three heroes have taken it upon themselves to explore a nearby tower, intent on stopping the scourge that threatens to wipe out their village. One of them, a wizard named Algus, holds a secret. Due to his pact with Epimetheus, the Titan of Death, dying is little more than an inconvenience. If Algus falls on too many beds of spikes, or one of his allies eats too much fire, then they're merely kicked back to the Tower's entrance. Think of it as a split in the timeline and not the reversal of time itself. In terms of game mechanics, it means that all progress is retained when you die. 

Believe me, I'm not knocking your gaming skills. It's just that even if I ignored the death that's forced upon the heroes in the first five minutes of the game, there's no escaping the crushing jaws of inevitability. One of the gutsy design decisions that Astalon: Tears of the Earth makes is forgoing practically every traditional method of recovering health. There are no healing fountains or comfy beds. Unless it comes with a hot meal, a warm fire isn't going to do anything. Oh, and before you ask, Algus only cooks after specific events, so gorging is out of the question. If you want to feel the loving embrace of maximum HP, then... you have to die. That's just the way it is.

You might not be comfortable with such an arrangement, and that's fair. Video games have a tendency to create this "anything less than 100% HP is unforgivable" mindset. Speaking for myself, I'm the kind of gamer that would spend 4 MP to heal 3 HP. Perhaps it's because maintaining perfect health in a game is one of the only things I seem to have any control over in my life. This game exists, it's taken away something that brings me comfort, yet I'm okay. Algus and his friends have entered an entirely new area with less than 10 HP between them, but I'm managing. Now they've just entered a room that's filled with spikes and mini-bosses, and I'm feeling a little comfy. Let me say it right now: it's brilliant game design.

A lot of what makes Astalon: Tears of the Earth's approach to health work is found in the mechanics surrounding it. Inside the Tower are many fiendish creatures, all of which drop souls when they're slain. Epimetheus has a great interest in souls, almost as if they were currency. What if these souls could be exchanged for boons such as upgraded stats or new abilities? Makes sense, right? There is a slight catch, and its death. This is not a store you can just walk into. First, you die, then you shop. Think of it more as break, an opportunity to reflect on everything that led to yet another untimely demise. If Algus, Kyuli the archer, or Agrias the knight died to a boss, then perhaps they need more defense or attack power. Maybe it's a problem that doesn't have a clear solution, like the party entered a place that was overwhelming in its architecture, had too many locked doors, whatever. Sometimes, all you can do is rest, regroup, and go someplace else.

Level-design might be one of the toughest elements of a game to get right, but the pay-off is astounding. The Tower is a complex but never bewildering labyrinth. There aren't brick walls or convoluted puzzles, just the constant sensation of progress. Every room has value, because every room feels earned. Going the single-screen route works wonderfully because it creates a self-contained series of obstacles that's bolstered by the whatever condition the heroes are in. Each area is connected by a wealth of shortcuts, and discovering an elevator is like swapping saliva with an angel. Everything works in concert to take all of the sting out of death. I mean, I can't guarantee everyone'll feel the same, but not once did I ever grumble "Goddammit. Now I gotta do that part again! Goddamned son of a fucker shit ass-" after getting kicked back to the Tower's entrance. The fact that all of the rewards are useful shouldn't be overlooked either. Everyone can use a +1 attack, a +5 health, or a bell that switches heroes with the press of a button.

Oh, ohhh... Yeah, that's another potential sticking point I could've discussed sooner. The heroes all have strengths, weaknesses, and specialized talents. You weigh the strengths and weaknesses before confronting enemies, but you need the talents in order to overcome particular obstacles. Astalon makes it clear that you'll be spending a significant portion of the adventure without a convenient means of switching the player-character. If there's a location that Algus can't reach, then run to the nearest camp and switch with Kyuli or Agrias. At least a third of the game's runtime is played under this limitation. It just works. Dead serious. Mainly it's because each hero has a different playstyle, but not to the point that it feels like relearning how to play. Agrias swings his sword like he's Adol in Ys III and Kyuli is a demon at long-range. They're designed to fit specific playstyles in combat, but the rigors of running and jumping remain the same. Their similarities in movement make getting around a breeze. Of course, that all changes when most of the traversal powers have been unlocked, but you've (hopefully) found the bell by then. 

I will say however that most players are going to lean on Algus for boss-slaying duties. Each hero is more than capable of handling themselves in a climactic battle. However, the wizard, already devastating at mid-range, will discover a "main character" buff that gives him an edge over his compatriots. It might just be easier for him to realize his full potential, and replays would unearth some boss-obliterating tech available only to knights or archers. Testing that theory probably won't happen until at least New Game+ though. Maxing out stats requires a ton of souls, and the best grinding location is found after almost every big bad is big dead. I'm not even going to bother discussing the other two characters. They aren't weak, but they are late. Still, it's definitely worth the trouble to seek them out, and not just because it's required to finish the game. Exploring the tower is so much fun that I welcomed everything and everyone that allowed me to see more of it. 

Above all though, I'll say that the way Astalon: Tears of the Earth approaches death is something worth studying. Death is... freeing in a way. When opportunities to recover are practically nonexistent, what can one do except embrace inevitability. Now I'm not saying dying is good. It's more about making the most of the remaining life. Maybe I'll get a little bit further: Unlock a shortcut. Collect a valuable item. I might even shock myself by defeating a boss! Well, a mini boss, at least. I can't work miracles. By taking away what has comforted me through so many other games, this has given me reason to rely on myself. Sometimes I forget that I'm capable of doing a lot with very little... as long as it involves playing video games.