Astal
AMG AllGame Guide:
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Astal
- Release Date: 1995
- Genre: Action
- Style: Side-Scrolling Platform
- Similar Games: Johnny Bazookatone (IBM PC Compatible), Earthworm Jim 2 (Sega Genesis), Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Genesis), Bug! (Sega Saturn), Bug Too! (Sega Saturn), Earthworm Jim 2 (Sega Saturn), Gex (Sega Saturn), Johnny Bazookatone (Sega Saturn), Rayman (Sega Saturn), Sonic 3D Blast (Sega Saturn), Gex (PlayStation), Johnny Bazookatone (PlayStation), Rayman (PlayStation), Johnny Bazookatone (3DO), Earthworm Jim 2 (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), Bug! (IBM PC Compatible), Earthworm Jim 2 (IBM PC Compatible), Rayman (IBM PC Compatible), Sonic 3D Blast (IBM PC Compatible), Gex (IBM PC Compatible), Rayman (Atari Jaguar), Gex (3DO), Earthworm Jim 2 (PlayStation), Rayman (Game Boy Color)
Game Description
Astal is a 2D side-scrolling platform game in which players traverse ten levels of forests, volcanoes, plateaus in the clouds, and ice glaciers. Astal must rescue his girlfriend, Leda, from the evil god, Jerado. Astal can jump on enemies in order to stun them, perform a midair, overhead fist attack, and a super-breath attack. The game supports two-player cooperative play as well, with the second player controlling Astal's avian friend. Standard attacks for the bird are beak and wing strikes, while special moves include arrows and a high-speed dash attack. Working together, two players can execute an attack that will damage all enemies on the screen.~ Ishmael Aaron Benoliel, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
Like a Norman Rockwell painting in the age of pop art, Astal was dismissed upon its initial release as reactionary and old-fashioned. It was a platform game with a cartoony, sword-wielding hero, out to save the princess. Oh yeah, and it was 2D. At a time when the PlayStation was wowing gamers by freeing the z-axis for all to plunder, the Saturn was still making games that were more evolutionary than revolutionary. Astal is a shining example of such a game, and such a game we're unlikely to see again.Understand this first: Astal is a fairly by-the-numbers approach to platform gaming. It isn't Tomb Raider, Super Mario 64 or Spyro the Dragon. So, before I begin singing my praises for Astal, know that I have really come to bury Caesar instead.
Astal represents what Sega should've done all along with the Saturn. Instead of mimicking the PlayStation's 3D titles, Sega and its licensees should've concentrated on what they had set out to do when the Saturn had begun development: namely, to create the ultimate 2D gaming machine. Astal has everything a really good 2D Arcade game needs to have. It has memorable characters, it has a gorgeous hand-drawn look that suggested the imagery from a Tolkein novel, it has Saturday morning cartoon-style animation, bright and colorful levels that featured giant and forbidding boss characters, and some very lush CD-quality background music.
That said, Astal has as much depth as a Saturday matinee western flick. The story is predictable and chock full of the kind of cartoon mythos that borrows liberally from all kinds of ancient storytelling to synthesize a new and barely original whole. There is a goddess. She creates a world. She creates a guy and a girl in her image. The girl makes life possible. The guy protects the girl. A fallen angel comes to take over the world and sends out his henchmen. He kidnaps girl. Was 90% of this ripped straight out of Genesis?
But the story is not the star here, nor is Astal, or even the little bird, the star. What's attractive about the game is how gameplay-plus-graphics-plus-sound-plus-level and character design add up to a harmonious sum when the player takes controller in hand. When the screen fades in, and you find yourself facing to the right, somewhere in a dimly-lit cavern, with bats of all shapes and sizes flitting about; or when you're lost in a deep green forest of epic size, bounding from branch to branch, cutting spiders down from their sinister webs, it's very hard not to think of Genesis classics like Castle of Illusion. Astal just improves upon that game's basic formula by adding a more complicated control scheme, and a (somewhat) more mature look that mimics the style of many fantasy-themed anime movies.
Astal is that old brand of action game: the kind where you can pick up and play immediately without any kind of briefing on the controls or the story. You can play in short bursts, or you can play all day. Play alone or with a friend. In short, Astal deserves to be a real crowd-pleaser. A silver medal videogame classic, if there ever was one.
~ Christian Huey, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
Spot on controls and great visual style make Astal a blast.~ Christian Huey, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
Smooth, lush 2D animation and crisp, colorful backgrounds showcase the Saturn.~ Christian Huey, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
Nicely orchestrated tunes and good sound effects featuring voice samples that don't annoy.~ Christian Huey, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
The sort of game you'll unearth from your closet years from now, instantly thrilled when you fire it up to find it's as much fun as ever.~ Christian Huey, All Game Guide
Review: Documentation
Documentation explains the story well, but more importantly, it explores the more intricate aspects of game controls.~ Christian Huey, All Game Guide
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Astal
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| Astal | |
|---|---|
 North American cover art |
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| Developer(s) | Sega |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Platform(s) | Sega Saturn |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) |
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Astal, known in Japan as Kisuishou Densetsu Asutaru (輝水晶伝説 アスタル, lit. "Shining Crystal Legend Astal"), is a 2D side scrolling platformer game for the Sega Saturn. Astal was released early in the Sega Saturn's life and used hand-drawn graphics.
At the time of Astal's release, the video game market saw the release of new, increasingly popular genres, and 3D games were in high demand. This factor is a possible cause resulting in Astal's poor sales, despite positive reviews. Also, the North American release has the oddity that the game's title does not appear on the side of the case, which is blank apart from the Sega Saturn logo. This meant that gamers would be unlikely to notice the game on the shelves unless their specific retailer chose to display it with front cover out. Regardless of the reasons behind why Astal sold poorly, the game is now considered a minor rarity.
It should also be noted[why?] that Astal never received a PAL release.
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Contents
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Story
Somewhere in the universe, The Goddess Antowas created a world from a single jewel. On this world, Quartilia, she created the sky, earth, and air. To inhabit this world, she created two humans - from a green jewel, a girl: Leda, who has the power to make things live on Quartilia. And from a red Jewel, a boy: Astal, whose purpose was to protect Leda. Content with her creation, Antowas slept.
While she slept, the evil Jerado tried to take over Quartilia. To ensure victory, Jerado created a warrior: Geist. Geist kidnapped Leda, and held her at the bottom of the ocean. In an effort to get her back, Astal tore Quartilia apart, awakening Antowas. As punishment, Antowas banished Astal to Quartilia's moon. Leda took pity on Astal, and gave him her jewel. Once Astal and Jerado were dealt with, Antowas went back to sleep.
However, Geist was still free, and Quartilia was not restored from the changes Jerado wrought. From his prison on the moon, Astal witnessed Geist kidnap Leda again. Consumed with the need to protect her, he freed himself and returned to Quartilia. Now Astal journeys in search of Leda through a Quartilia transformed by Jerado's dark design, along with a strange bird who for some reason just won't leave him alone...
Gameplay
The player controls Astal through a side-scrolling world.
Controlling Astal
Astal's primary mode of attacking is using the B Button on the Gamepad. Pressed without direction, or with left or right held down, Astal will grab and throw enemies or objects over his shoulder. Pressed while holding down, Astal will punch the ground, stunning enemies. Pressed while jumping (via using the C button), he will punch down with both fists. The B Button is also used to lift certain pieces of scenery, such as trees or boulders, and throw them. Astal's final method of attack is blowing. Pressing up on the D-pad will allow him to inhale air, and holding forward and pressing B immediately after will blow this air out, literally blowing away all enemies directly in front of him.
Controlling the Bird
Within each level are a number of glowing enemies. Defeating them will charge a meter in Astal's HUD located at the bottom of the screen. When A, X, Y or Z is pressed the bird will pinball around the screen, retrieving items and killing enemies.
Astal also includes a 2-Player Co-Operative mode, with a second player controlling the bird. The bird can strike at the enemy with wings and beak using the B button, launch an arrow attack by holding down and then releasing the B button, or dive bomb the enemy by pressing and holding the C button while using left and right on the D-pad to control direction. The bird can also dash across the screen by pressing left or right twice and holding.
In literature
Astal often makes cameo appearances (usually in background shots, architecture, or large group shots) in the Sonic The Hedgehog comic book series by Archie Comics, courtesy of artist Patrick Spaziante (who, given the frequency that Astal appears in this series, is more than likely an avid fan of the game). Astal (and the bird) have a one panel cameo in Sonic the Hedgehog issue #50. They appear alongside Bark the Polarbear, Bean the Dynamite, Ray the Flying Squirrel, Ristar, and Deku from Fighters Megamix fighting against the Overlanders (Humans) in a flashback/dream sequence of Dr. Robotnik. On the cover of #51, Astal appears in the audience, looking up to Sonic, Tails, and Princess Sally standing on the podium and celebrating their victory over Dr. Robotnik. On the cover of #125, he is behind the "5" card held by Mighty the Armadillo. He is on the cover of Sonic Super Special No.9, as a doll of Tails.
Differences between USA and Japanese Versions
In the Japanese version, the song "Let Me Try Again" that plays during the game's intro movie includes vocals. The North American version is instrumental. However, the vocal version can be heard by playing the game's CD in a standard CD player.
All voices in the U.S. version are performed by Lani Minella, who has voiced many different video game characters in her career, with her voice appearing in such games as Diablo II, Half-Life, Soul Calibur III, Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake, and more. Her most well-recognized roles, however, are Rouge the Bat & Omochao in Sonic Adventure 2, and Sonic Heroes.
Trivia
- A sprite of Mario was hidden in one of the graphic files, this was likely used as early test graphics. Astal sprite sheet
External links
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