Astra And The New Constellation Reviews

A cute and charming precision platformer, Astra and the New Constellation is relatively short (you can beat the game including all collectibles in less than an hour) but a fun diversion. The controls are simple but solid, and despite the game's adorable visuals it offers some challenging platforming (although there are accessibility features to make the game easier). Death is not very punishing and there are checkpoints to prevent having to do long stretches over and over again. Some levels have unique mechanics (such as angled springboards or auto-scrolling or switch blocks) that keep everything from feeling too samey. The highlight of AATNC is the pixel art, which is delightful. The graphics are simple but colorful and endearing, with a couple of fun details (like a level where a light source orbiting around a pyramid in the background causes your playfield to alternate between light and dark). I have two main gripes about the game, though. One is the music, which is absolutely terrible. The other is a lack of achievements, or really rewards of any kind. There isn't really even an ending, or a reason to collect all the "dust" in each level. Still, I had fun with AATNC and it was easily worth the pocket change I paid for it (with an 80% discount).