Astor Blade of the Monolith looks like a solid action RPG hack-and-slash game on paper but does it actually deliver on its promises and is it worth checking out? The answer to this question is a mixed bag but one that you should take some time to consider fully before you dive right in.
So what exactly is Astor Blade of the Monolith from Versus Evil, tinyBuild and C2 Game Studio ?
Astor Blade of the Monolith is an action-adventure hack-and-slash third-person title that puts you in the shoes of Astor, the “Chosen One”. Yes yes, this is extremely cliché but gaming is all about living a fantasy right? Players will take on the role of Astor as he and his friend Zan enter a temple. He ends up falling down onto a lower level and suddenly gets gifted the power of a Runic Blade. Zulfiqar, the legendary runic blade appears in Astor’s hands and after a brief tutorial, you’ll be wielding it against enemies with impunity.
Astor and his friend venture out towards a hidden Diokek village and this is where they learn that he is part of a prophecy to bring salvation to the world of Gliese. Again, super cliché but it works as a plot device especially since the game seems to be aimed at a younger audience. There’s even a narrator who tends to over-explain some story aspects as they play out which lends more credence to the fact that this is a title aimed at younger gamers. Apart from her though, there isn’t much voice acting in the game.
Gameplay in Astor Blade of the Monolith involves combo-ing light and heavy attacks together using 4 weapons that are unlocked as you progress throughout the game. It’s very Legend of Zelda-esque and formulaic. Where Astor falters however lies with the fact that the game has a thick layer of jank to it.
From the fact that there’s no real usable in-game map to the fact that the camera control can be unwieldy during some intense fights, to the writing being rather generic, Astor Blade of the Monolith just feels like a game that could have immensely benefited from some more development time to truly polish it.
Where the game does excel lies with its combat which is rather fun. Astor is able to combo light and heavy attacks very effectively against enemies and is also able to call upon his Runic powers to inflict massive damage on foes in an extremely flashy manner. It honestly reminded me of how Darksiders had finishers back in the day complete with slow motion being activated for maximum cinematic points.
Astor can also summon powerful constructs along his journey though for the most part, combat will just be you hacking and slashing your way through enemies while you explore an open world and collect items and complete objectives.
The game’s difficulty is a tad hit and miss with some enemies being able to wipe the floor with you if you’re not careful about dodging or blocking. Astor also cannot swim so if you have a mishap when platforming, you’re going to drown and will respawn elsewhere. Astor also has the ability to enter the Spirit World which significantly cuts down his health bar and lets him see things that aren’t there in the normal world.
If you get hit while using the spirit worldview, you’re going to end up dying in no time flat since your health bar was cut down so much. Players should therefore be very careful about using this ability unless they want to make their lives incredibly difficult in-game.
Graphically, Astor Blade of the Monolith is a very visually appealing game. It’s Unreal Engine-powered and has a vibrant cartoony aesthetic that immediately draws you in. Attacks are also very flashy and quite enjoyable to pull off but the game’s thick layer of jank again detracts from what would be quite an enjoyable title. The art style is really appealing which makes the game’s negative aspects hurt so much more. There’s so much potential here that was definitely squandered and it’s incredibly disappointing to say the least.
Oh, and the sound mixing in the game is definitely off too with some attacks sounding way too loud compared to others. And the music in-game itself is quite forgettable.
Younger gamers might be more forgiving towards Astor Blade of the Monolith but if you’re a seasoned veteran of action-adventure hack-and-slash titles like The Legend of Zelda or Darksiders 1 and 2, Astor Blade of the Monolith will just leave you wanting to go back to a game that’s actually polished and less of a pain to get through. Especially when you realise that most of the open-world areas are just devoid of anything to do and are empty with you running around for ages before encountering an enemy or a hidden collectable that could be missable.
Strangely enough, Astor Blade of the Monolith felt like I was playing a janky game from the very early PS2 era. The type of game that would eventually spawn a sequel, get refined and would become a cult classic. Alas, there just isn’t much to recommend here when other games in the genre have done an excellent job and far outmatch what Astor Blade of the Monolith attempted to do. This is also worsened by the fact that on PC, the game suddenly crashed numerous times throughout my playthrough.
It’s by no means a terrible game. It’s just a title that could have been so much more with a little bit more love and attention paid to it. Give it a try and see for yourself. This is the equivalent of a bland cup of coffee. It will maybe satiate you but it’s not going to do much else for you. Again though, younger gamers might have been the target market and may be willing to forgive this title’s shortcomings whereas I find them incredibly disappointing in 2024.
Astor Blade of the Monolith Review
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