A gorgeous hand-drawn JRPG, developed with the help of genre veterans
Montpellier – At the ID@Xbox Twitch gaming showcase, Artisan Studios revealed the trailer for their newest project: gorgeous hand-drawn JRPG Astria Ascending, coming to PC, Switch, PlayStation 5 and 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Game Pass in 2021.
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 score by Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy XII, Vagrant Story), narrative by Kazushige Nojima (Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy VII Remake) 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.
‘In Astria Ascending we wanted to explore how people cope in extraordinary times’, said Artisan Studio’s game director Julien Bourgeois. ‘Each hero has their own perspective, but it’s the relationships they form with one another that truly brings the story to life.’
‘Seeing this world come together has been a delight,’ Guillaume Jamet, Head of Publishing for Dear Villagers. ‘And it’s an honour to have so many legends on the team helping out – like a childhood dream come true. Astria Ascending is more than a homage to the classics. It’s the perfect next step in our publishing line of ambitious JRPGs.’
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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.
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Living landscapes: Travel the world of Orcanon, a richly imagined and fully animated 2D landscape with five cities and a dynamic weather system.
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Unforgettable characters: Pick from eight customisable player characters spanning a range of fantastical races and skills, and assemble a diverse team of heroes.
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Rewarding combat: Work together to save the world, waging strategic turn-based battles using the innovative focus point system.
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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 neighbourhood 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.
