Asdivine Cross Review

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Fast Facts

Introduction

Recently I’ve gone through a bit of a renaissance with playing a lot of old-school RPGs. What started as a replay of Final Fantasy VIII, has spiralled into the world of Y’s, Collection of Mana, and now Asdivine Cross.

Much like other titles from developer KEMCO, Asdivine Cross started off life as a mobile game that has been ported to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and even the 3DS. There’s also quite a few titles released under the Asdivine banner – 6 in total. Thankfully you don’t need to have played any of them to understand the story that plays out here in Cross.

Dial H For Harvey

Asdivine Cross tells the story of Harvey, a somewhat Robin Hood-style of character. He’s a ‘bad guy’ but for good reasons. During a robbery gone wrong, Harvey ends up imprisoned which is where he meets Amelia. Amelia comes from a completely different world compared to Harvey’s somewhat roguish lifestyle. As in any RPG, we learn that Ameilia is the local princess who’s been accused of being an imposter. What starts as a simple plot against the ruling monarchy, soon turns into something far more than either Harvey or Amelia can imagine.

The Cross world is ruled by the beliefs of two powerful Deities – Light & Dark. Both Deities gain their strength from their continued belief from the citizens of the world. As such, if this belief falters then the harmony between light and dark will signal the end of the world. Joining Harvey and Amelia are Lucile – Amelia’s younger sister, and Olivia – a Priestess of the Dark Deity.

Character Select

While the story to Asdivine Cross is generic, it makes up for it with the personality building of the central characters – albeit they also fall into the generic RPG traits. Aside from the dizzy/clumsy behaviour of Amelia, and the somewhat mysterious visage of Lucile and Olivia. Each of the three female characters is written with a degree of strength. The same can’t be said for Harvey. Harvey fills the role of the angsty team leader who loves to demean his fellow party members. He’s a bit of an idiot who feels very much like a mixture between Han Solo and a piece of wood. Whilst there is a pretence of charm there, it’s soon replaced with the dull repetitiveness that many RPG protagonists fall into. Harvey’s somewhat poor character makes the three female leads much more enthralling and powerful as a result. It’s a little strange, yet works…

Asdivine Gameplay

Asdivine Cross plays out similarly to many other RPG titles. It’s a top-down RPG that’s filled with plenty of equipment management, magic, random encounters, and plenty of quests. Combat is also played out via a simple command list which also has an auto function if you fancy the A.I. to battle for you.

As the game progresses you’re able to customise your party in some very in-depth ways. Unused weapons can be disassembled to upgrade your favourites and abilities can be transferred between weapons too. Aside from the more traditional RPG techniques, Lucile can learn and utilise enemy skills. This makes her quite an effective character – if set up correctly.

Another pretty cool element is the ‘Beat Combo’. These act as the group’s strongest attacks (much like a Final Fantasy limit break) and can swing the battle in your favour. What makes a ‘Beat Combo’ fun is that is also customisable. While they need quite a long charge time, the right skills set up within can end battles in a flash.

Visual Sounds

Visuals are generally quite good. Character designs are great and each has an impressive degree of detail. Every character and enemy feel of a unique design and there aren’t many recycled assets. Animations are smooth which gives an almost fluid look when it comes to movement and combat. The game world is also pretty impressive with some great looking battlegrounds and scenery.

For the majority, the soundtrack is fairly competent and is a mix of that traditional RPG sound. The game doesn’t have any voice-over so the soundtrack needs to convey the character’s feelings as much as the onscreen speech – which it accomplishes fairly well. The only problem I had with the soundtrack is that it periodically seeps into the sound effects. This made it feel a bit “janky” at times and diminished the overall experience.

The Good, The Bad, & Everything In Between

Where Asdivine Cross gets a lot of its game right, it does also have its unsuccessful points. Where combat is generally satisfying it occasionally feels a little lacking. There’s plenty of actions that hint towards a relatively tactical combat technique, yet it’s never acted upon. For the bulk of the game, I was able to steamroll opponents, with the occasional hiccup happening during a couple of boss fights. Of course, this will appeal to a lot of players, yet it makes the game feel more about your equipment than player tactics and character skills.

There is also a small degree of grinding involved. Whilst it’s entirely optional, increasing a few extra levels can swing a potentially difficult fight into your side of the court. This isn’t anything new to veteran RPG players and is the perfect time to listen to your favourite podcast 😉.

End Of Line

Asdivine Cross is a moderately competent RPG. Its world is incredibly detailed and has a lot to see and do. The story isn’t extraordinary, but it comes across in a steady and consistent flow. Characters are also well built with each offering different reasons to fight. Combat is potentially the game’s softer point and those of you looking for a more hard-core experience may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re after something to pick-up-and-play then Asdivine Cross is for you.

Rapid Reviews Rating

Asdivine Cross is available now and can be purchased from the Nintendo Switch eShop by clicking here.