PlatinumGames is working with Nintendo on a brand-new IP for Switch called Astral Chain, it was revealed today.
One of the shock announcements of the February Nintendo Direct, Astral Chain is set in the near-future, with monsters and cool-looking police officers battling it out for the sake of humanity.
Masakazu Katsura of Zetman fame is responsible for the character design and Takahisa Taura (NieR: Automata) is directing, but perhaps the most exciting news is that the one and only Hideki Kamiya is supervising the project, which bodes well for its overall quality.
Beyond the footage shown above, little else was given away on Astral Chain, but it appears to focus on inventive combat with two characters combining their moves to take down demon-like foes. There also appears to be some overworld navigation to be done, with possible interaction with NPCs.
It's all looking rather swell, but let us know what you think with a comment.
PlatinumGames Is Bringing Astral Chain To Switch This August
Under the watchful eye of Hideki Kamiya
Comments 105
Not a fan of the stylish action game genre (or whatever people like to call games like Devil May Cry/Bayonetta nowadays) but the music sounded pretty cool, I might check out the soundtrack for this game once it comes out.
This was one of the most pleasant surprises of the Direct. Between Mario Maker 2 in June, Fire Emblem in July, and this in August, Switch is going to be absolutely KILLER in summer!
It looks awesome! And now Wonderful 101 pls, platinum!
Definitely looked like a Platinum game. It looks really interesting.
Looks great! Really impressed with the quality of the announcement this time! No kingdom hearts though
This looks really cool!
I was sold since the gameplay started. And with Kamiya's name in it, there's no doubt this is gonna be amazing. Can't wait for it.
I'll happily check out anything a Nier: Automata dev is heading and that style they are going for so far looks fantastic.
I like the art style of this game. It is supposed to be an exclusive?
@Cloudsurfertom I was really hoping for a 1.5/2.5 announcement
@belmont I thought so..?
So is the art style from the same guy who worked on xenoblade chronicles x?
Bayonetta 3 and now this coming to Switch? PlatinumGames and Nintendo are really after my money here. Sold
I am so excited for this game! I am buying this day one!!
@tillyboo yeah me too, overall I'm impressed with the announcements. Will be all over ff9 later haha 1.5 2.5 would've been so cool though
I need Platinum games to break up me only playing RPGs for 2019.
Getting the feeling Bayonetta 3 is next year now, but this will do!
@tillyboo It seems that it is exclusive but I didn't hear them saying it. I may be mistaken though.
This was a surprising pay off, since most of the direct was disappointing. I think this, Mario Maker 2 and Fire Emblem were the only decent announcements.
For a minute there I thought this was Xenoblade, but a Platinum game is just as good. Looks nice.
This one definitely got my attention and is looking like a lot of fun
@TJWorks how good did FE look though! I am so excited for it now
This game was a nice surprise for me, looking forward to hearing more about it.
Didn't really like NieR and PlatinumGames is a hit or miss for me most of the time, so I'll just wait it out. Love new games (IP's!) though.
In some point, I thought that this game was a "reboot", "remake", or "continuation" of Jet Force Gemini,, specially for the characters and their outfits; really, XD
Ok, this game looks very interesting, to wait for more info.
The music was so Xenoblade! But wow, I utterly love the look of this game. Should go nicely with DXM too
Also, you just know the two characters have something to do with the joycon, don’t you?
@Cloudsurfertom Looked like Fire Emblem: Teaching Simulator., hehe.
Seriously, it looks gorgeous and real step up from the 3DS games. I hope the story will be more exciting though 'cos I don't want to spend the whole game playing school teacher.
@misterMike really, urghhh.......... I'm still all over it! Hahaha
JUST HOOK IT TO MY VEINS
This was the most interesting part of the Direct for me. Didn't know what I was looking at first... A new Xeno game? Naah! SMTV? No... A brand-new IP? Friggin awesome!
This looks really good. I don't know where I'm going to come up with the money for all these games.
Sighs
All grumbling aside, I really like the art direction on this one. And Platinum's games are always a joy to play.
THIS LOOKS AWESOME!
Money is in hand, just need the game to exchange it with. Looking forward to it!
This looks very interesting.. at first I thought of xenoblade + touch of sin & punishment 😁
@TJWorks haha yeah I'm sure teaching simulator mixed with epic battle scenes still beats farming sim haha
I wasn't all that bothered about it before but now... The hype is real! I hope you get to free roam when you aren't schooling some youngsters....
Absolutely LOVE the look of this game, day one buy !!
Looks real cool, but if it is a game that really needs to be co-op, I will be passing. Just too hard for me to consistently get someone to play with. Time zones, and such.
At first I thought this was a new Xenoblade X game (esp with the guns vs melee + 2 characters controlled a la Xenoblade 2), but I realised it was playing more and more like Bayonetta as the video continued.
Happy to hear it's a Kamiya game. Looks great!
I thought this was Sin & Punishment remastered or a sequel when it started, then I thought it was a Sega game from the Vanquish guys, excited to see it was Platinum. I wonder if the Scalebound failure morphed into any of this?
You still out there @sinalefa it's your boy Kamiya.
Best reveal for me. Can't wait!
I am pre-ordering this this weekend.
They've definitely got my attention, especially considering their other games. But now I need more info on the gameplay, before I'm completely sold on it.
Heck yeah! New IP from Platinum, with Nier AutoTomatoes’ director and Kamiya involved? Sounds (and looks) good. Will it be anything more than Bayonetta in a sci-fi skin? Who knows - doesn’t look like it. But it certainly seems worth getting excited about.
Preordering ASAP!!! Folks, beautiful Platinum game that looks badass, exclusive for switch and coming in AUGUST!
SOLD!... It looks amazing - I'll try any PlatinumGames on day 1.
First I was "interesting." Then I was "Riding Mecha-Cat into the battle, yup, gonna buy this game."
Looks stunning.
Bayo 3 had better step up her game.
This made me sit up in my seat, I was like "what....is this?" Then I saw the name Hideki Kamiya and after that? Sold... To add to that, did anyone see this coming?
Wow...
Astral Chain looks SUPER fresh. Alongside Bayonetta 3, and the Wonderful 101 port we all know is coming, and the masterpieces of Bayonetta 1 and 2 that are already on Switch... that’s one heckuva Platinum Games lineup
This looks really great.
This looked amazing , but seriously thought it was xenoblade at first
@yuwarite
The only thing Platinum has ever made that wasn’t good was the B grade IP spinoff games doled out to their sub-teams (Ninja Turtles, Transformers, Legend of Kora).
Meanwhile, everything Kamiya makes is a masterpiece. He’s like the original King Midas. Not to mention the guy who made Nier is collaborating with him too? That’s like... their top top top brass. I’ll eat my shorts if this game isn’t good 🤫
Oh boy howdy I want this game.
Looks very interesting, hope it's an exclusive! ... Wasn't a bad direct for the first time in a year lol
This one looked incredible. Day one for me.
TAKE MY MONEY! and that MUSIC! @NintyNate, it's a Switch Exclusive! This is what I'm talking about Nintendo!
This gave me Pandora’s Tower vibes; must have been the chains.
Anyways looks like an overly dramatic Japanese action game with anime vibes. Which I LOVE! Defo on the radar with likely Day 1 purchase.
@JaxonH We'll see, but based on the trailer, it wasn't resonating with me. For me, it comes down to how good the story is; if they can craft a narrative nearly as good as NieR: Automata's then the game will have my full attention.
This looks fun. I still would like some updates on Bayonetta 3.
Now this looks cool! Needed some Switch games to look forward to!
@TJWorks What about the tetris battle royale
They never actually stated it was an exclusive did they?
Now this was a very nice surprise. Very interesting indeed.
@Mossii
They have on Twitter, yes
https://twitter.com/nintendoamerica/status/1095813447344771072?s=21
@Abeedo Ehhhh, could be fun. Could be a game I'll play now and then but I'm not super stoked for another Tetris game.
@electrolite77 Great news. Thank you for sharing.
@Mossii
No worries
Day 1 don’t need to see anything else
Epic day one buy for me too.
Probably the most impressive thing in the direct for me. New IP is where it's at. I don't need another remaster of something I've already played.
This and Mario Maker 2 were the standout announcements for me. Very excited for this.
This looks like my kind of game.
Day 1! This looks amazing.
Under the watchful eye of the guy who somehow squandered scalebound!
@Reignmaker oninaki looks great
This isn't normally a game id be interested in but it looks awesome
Looks right up my street. Day one purchase for me I'm sure
Nice, have to check when it comes out maybe if the Physical comes out that might change things a bit.
@belmont Hard to tell if exclusive
@rjejr
Who awakens me from my slumber? Is it Kamiya? And Rjejr?
goes back to sleep
Bob, you are the one I miss the most here. This looks fine but still Bayo 3 excites me more.
@Damo @Antraxx777 @belmont It looks to me like this game is exclusive to Nintendo Switch!
https://www.platinumgames.com/games/ASTRAL-CHAIN
This surprised me. It looks cool.
I'm definitely intrigued by this one, particularly the combat and premise. I'd like a little more info on it before I completely commit to it though.
Was hoping for Bayonetta 3 news but I'm starting to think that's a 2020 game. Which I'm fine with if this turns out as awesome as it looks. The people working on it have a great track record so I'm confident. This was a nice surprise announcement.
This and Dragon Quest were the best of the Direct for me personally.
@sinalefa You can't miss me the most here, you're never here.
Well, sorry to wake you. At least you aren't forced into hibernation, have you seen the weather Jax has been having? shiver
Yeah, Bayonetta 3 will certainly be better, man I still need to replay 2, but this looked new and good. Nothing looks good and new to me any more so I was excited and needed someone to share it with. That someone being you of course.
@rjejr
That is why I miss you, because I am never here. Good to see someone still remembers me
Indeed it looks good and new and being my boy Kamiya I am confident. For me it does not beat Bayo but it sure beats Scalebound.
Yeah... looks like another purchase 🤔
I don’t care what this is...I am buying it day one.
Already sold on this, looks incredible.
Definitely interested in this, trailer really sold me.
At first I thought this is Xenoblade Chronicles X2.
This game jumped straight to my number one spot!
I was surprised to find out it's something new from Nintendo and Platinum Games. Looks so damn good I wanna play it right now.
OMG this looks amazing! Instabuy!
I want this game so badly
@TJWorks Man you should be. It's not just going to be game of the year, its gonna be game of the century
I can't believe I'm going to play a game with character design by Katsura ;_; He's one of the greatest mangaka! I screamed a bit when I saw his name on the screen.
I thought it was Xenoblade Chronicles X 2 from the first couple of seconds of footage I ALMOST PASSED OUT
Cool looking game, awesome studio which mastered Nintendo hardware... Don't care which genre it is, I want it
Day one. purchased.
Looks pretty sweet.
@sinalefa I'm still waiting for Scalebound to become a Switch exclusive. Why not, it looked interesting to me. But what do I know, I have really odd tastes as you know.
BTW remembering you is easy, remembering to type sinalefa instead of sinafela is hard. 🤣 jk
This looks spectacular, that's how you go from nowhere to instabuy in a matter of seconds.
This game looks sooo beautiful!
Already the best game of the direct. Love it!
cant wait to play this gem.
This was a big surprise and one of the best the Direct had to offer.
Totally out of nowhere comes a great looking, new IP, complete with a releasedate and all. Platinum and Nintendo kept this well hidden, didn't they?
@Fake-E-Lee I don't hate it at all, but if a game is really really meant to be played co-op, I will ususally pass on it just because I rarely if ever have the consistent ability to play a game with a friend. Jobs, time zones, game preferences, life etc... all get in the way.
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