Astalon: Tears Of The Earth is a riveting 2D action platform game set in a dying world filled with cruel enemies and imminent doom! Astalon was developed by LABS Works and Published by DANGEN Entertainment, officially released in June 2021.

Astalon stays true to a classical Metroidvania style and exhibits popularly beloved gameplay in which players’ main missions are to collect items in a 2D setting. It is available for download on PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Linux, Macintosh operating systems, Classic Mac OS, and Xbox One.

You get to relive the early video game days of 8-bit action and adventure through this carefully crafted but wildly beautiful pixelated world. As you explore this dark, whimsical world in the quick but engaging flow of a room-by-room platform game. Astalon allows you to slowly but surely build your characters and their unique abilities as you fight and slash your way through to the very top of a tower. 

Astalon gives you a taste of nearly everything to the best of its abilities! You also get to switch between various characters when you need their specific skills and fighting abilities while changing the very course of destiny. While you have a constant army of vicious enemies, gigantic monsters, and super powerful bosses, you can find solace in the ever-evolving skills and fighting abilities that your characters possess. 

Gameplay 

With the wave of retro-inspired video games on the rise, Astalon is a warmly welcomed revisit to the old platform game models. It tells the tale of an unnamed planet that is on the verge of doom, waiting to be rescued by chosen heroes. The planet is under a strange curse and suffers from a great and widespread disease. The chosen heroes, in this case, are, of course, your three characters, Arias, Algus, and Kyuli. Each of these heroes is a fighter who has incredible powers unique to each of them.

Using the trio’s extensive skill set, you embark on a mission to save your planet from damnation. Along the way, you discover that you must make and uphold a heavy pact with the Titan of Death named Epimetheus. Epimetheus’s power and the pact you make are both crucial to your mission despite his steep price. 

With your arsenal of Titan power, fighting skills, and magic, your characters fight, climb, and solve puzzles on their way up a twisted tower that seemingly holds the solution to their planet’s ailment.

Astlaon’s gameplay is impressively immersive as you slay the big bad monsters, discover powerful totems, and solve challenging puzzles. Most importantly, the power of friendship and teamwork ties it all up together with a nice bow, giving the game a heartwarming factor.

Save The Day With The Power of Friendship!

Astalon beautifully chronicles the challenging journey of three fighters who are doing their best to save their home from succumbing to a mysterious disease. This unlikely mission leads the fighters to a twisted tower filled with all sorts of evil creatures that will test their skills in many ways.

As the game goes on, you will be shocked to find that death is not a reality that Asalon shies from. Your first of many inevitable deaths comes fairly early into the game and rather than permanently dying, you discover a shocking secret. One of the fighters, Algus, apparently struck a deal with the Titan of Death. The terms of this contract extract a high toll – Algus’s soul in exchange for never dying and having endless tries to climb the twisted tower until you finally secure the cure at the very top of the tower. Algus and his two companions also get the chance to purchase upgrades and abilities, all thanks to this contract with the Titan of Death.

While I thoroughly appreciated this 8-bit masterpiece, I did not like the backtracking at all. Astalon works with an unending loop of fighting tower creatures and trying to get as far as you can before dying. When you do die, you are sent back to the very beginning of your journey through the tower – a feature I did not appreciate at all.

Pose A Deadly Triple Threat

 In Astalon, the three characters are all special and useful in different ways. The first fighter, Arias, is an excellent hand-to-hand combat fighter who can hold his own against the most challenging of foes. Arias is quick and light on his feet and always ready to jump headfirst into a fight as he uses his sword to slash through enemies and obstacles. 

Algus is a stern wizard who wields powerful magic. With his powers, he can shoot strong magic bolts at enemies and even right through walls! After striking his deal with Epimetheus, this stoic wizard should be deeply appreciated for his selfless sacrifice. The third of this terrific trio is none other than the rebellious Kyuli. Although more suited for long-range fighting, she uses her bow and arrows in a riveting manner. Her lightweight and agile movements allow her to jump off of walls easily while using her bow to take out enemies. 

As you play through this terrifying tower, you start to understand which characters are best for different scenarios such as puzzles to be solved, platforming situations, a swarm of approaching enemies, and fighting ultimate tower bosses. Underneath this foolproof gameplay and truly interesting story, the action is right there and thriving! Despite the pesky backtracking, this game teaches you quite a lot: patience, talent, and a true sense of wonder! For any Metroidvania lover out there, this 2D wonder will have you reminiscing the good old days while appreciating this refreshing take on the genre!