Astal
Sega Saturn
Developer: SEGA Enterprises
Publisher: SEGA of America
Release Date: 1995
Completed 03 January 2015
Rated: K-A
When one thinks of classic SEGA characters, they immediately think of Sonic the Hedgehog, Vectorman, Ecco the Dolphin, and of course, Astal.
No? Nobody remembers that last one? Lucky you.
Astal is a game best left forgotten. There are those who will tell you it's a hidden Saturn gem, though I would argue that most Saturn games are hidden gems as the whole console is underrated and overlooked. Those people are morons. I think the best way to epitomize it is to point out that the game's title wasn't even printed on the spine. It's completely forgettable, often frustrating, and fun is at a premium. At least it's blissfully short.
The game starts off with promise. There's a pretty nice semi-animated intro, complete with typical 90s voiceovers (read: terrible). The first thing you'll notice about the game is that it's quite attractive. Backgrounds are lush, colors are vibrant, and there's nice sprite layers to give a three dimensional appearance. The first few levels are even mildly enjoyable, if extremely simplistic. Then, somewhere along the line, it just all goes off the rails.
The first problem stems from the utterly unlikable main character. It was typical of 90s video game heroes to have 'tude, but Astal is so obnoxious you'll find yourself willingly jumping into the abyss just to see him die. Early in the game you'll rescue a bird who can perform multiple functions, such as retrieving off-screen items like health restoring fruit and even extra lives. It can also attack enemies and often perform special stage-specific functions. Seems helpful, right?
Being the ungrateful brat he is, Astal spends the majority of the game telling the "stupid bird" to stop following him. That bird just saved your life by bringing you fruit, you little shit! Show some gratitude! He comes across like a petulant child who thinks he's a badass, and he anachronistically incorporates American attitude and Japanese phrases such as "yatta!" (translation: "I did it!"). He's like the original weeaboo!
The game is functional enough. Astal responds to your controls, but he moves likes he's mired in quicksand and jumps don't feel as precise as those of Mario or Sonic. You can change direction mid-air, but they feel so floaty you'll often still miss whatever you were aiming at. He has multiple attacks, including an over-the-shoulder throw, a ground pound that stuns enemies, a gust of air he can blow enemies away with, and even the standard head-hop, and the game gives you plenty of situations to make use of all your powers.
It also gives you plenty of frustrating deaths because of its imprecise jumping and cheap enemy hits - most notably during boss battles. Most of the latter are decent enough, and a few are even high points in an otherwise trash game, but in a later battle you'll take control of Astal's bird and, suddenly, you'll start to hate the thing as much as he does. There are also numerous times when the bird simply does nothing. You'll send him off to find a fruit, and he returns empty handed. Then you die and have to restart the stage from the beginning. Thanks for nothing, bird.
There is a story, but I'll be damned if I remember it and I literally finished playing thirty minutes ago. I assume it's the usual video game claptrap about rescuing a princess or something. Given his attitude towards the bird, Astal seems like he would be a wife-beater. Mario isn't an asshole to all his friends, and the rest of us may hate Tails, but Sonic seems to like him!
There is also music, I think. I couldn't really tell you, because despite the BGM being turned all the way up in the options menu, I remember nothing of it. The best thing I can say about it is it's there, but it was all white noise to me. Admittedly, I may have missed in whilst shouting obscenities at my TV after dying twenty-five times during the stupid boss battle where you play as the bird.
Astal may look pretty, but as the old saying goes, you can't polish a turd. Though it was a 2D powerhouse, the Saturn was not known for its platformers. Astal looks beautiful at the bottom of the barrel where it resides.
Astal was completed on a real Sega Saturn using the 99 lives code.
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