Hibernian Workshop's ace roguelike Astral Ascent has done a fair amount of growing since it first launched on Switch back in 2023. The release of the ver. 2.0 update and 'Outer Reaches' DLC mean the game is almost twice as big as it was to begin with, and it will soon be getting even bigger... and cuter.
That's because the dev has revealed a new DLC, 'Celestial Haven', which will be coming to Steam later this month, with a Switch release following "shortly after", and it is packed (we mean packed) with adorable little pets.
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Celestial Haven adds a brand-new 'Shelter' area to the game's hub world, where you can house a troop of cute little critters to assist you on your runs. There are cat-like Lupo, doggy Vulpo, chinchilla-esque Pantero, and mythical Grifo and Draketo, all of whom will dig up rewards as you play and cheer you on whenever you level up.
We know you're thinking it too, and yes, you can pet all of them in the Shelter. Thank god.
The DLC will be listed for a minimum price of $1.99 on Steam, with all proceeds going to the French animal charity One Voice. Come on, there's something particularly sweet about protecting both virtual and real animals, right?
Here's a handful of screenshots and the official DLC rundown from the Celestial Haven Steam page:
The Celestial Haven DLC creates a cozy new spot in main hub where your lovely companions will get together, play and rest.
But they're not just cute: they're valuable companions you can bring along on your explorations. They’ll assist you during the runs by using its instincts to sniff out and dig up special rewards across the rooms. As good pets, they’ll follow you everywhere and celebrate your victories — from defeating a tough Zodiac to perfecting a room.
We had a wonderful time with Astral Ascent when it launched on Switch a few years back, calling it "probably the best roguelike since Hades" in our review. Throw in some pettable animals for good measure, and we'd say you're onto a winner.