Technical Information
Developer: Irondales Entertainment
Distributor: Irondales Entertainment
Release Date: September 15, 2021
Astro Ace is a reinterpretation of the classic Asteroids, which was released in arcades in 1979.
Destroy ships and meteorites, keep yourself alive as long as possible, and accumulate points!
Final Thoughts – Analyzing the Game as a Whole
Graphics and UI
Simple graphics, but beautiful!
The lighting, shading, brightness, and contrast are well-balanced, bringing an art style that flirts with realism but doesn’t lose its retro influences.
Animations were well-crafted and prove that you don’t need complexity to have an attractive visual set.
I liked the font choice, which brought a totally sci-fi feel, fitting well with the game’s concept.
The logo of the game, filled with a subtle white-gray gradient, gave a professional touch to the game’s identity. I liked it!
Menus are super easy to understand, just like switching between ships and equipment.
Soundtrack and Sound Effects
The menu music is quite charming, bringing a style that’s somewhat cartoonish.
The music during gameplay brings a more serious tone and a strong sense of mission.
Sound effects are okay, nothing extraordinary, but they fit the game’s atmosphere.
Gameplay
This game is a reinterpretation of Asteroids. It’s the third indie game I’ve played that follows this line (the others were Super Asteroids and Nova Drift).
All the points you earn during games accumulate. This progression unlocks new ships, skins, weapons, and abilities.
To increase your desire to score higher, there are rankings among friends and online.
After level 15, the accumulation of points becomes increasingly difficult in terms of progression. It requires players to achieve higher scores to have faster progression.
A clever way to “force” players to get better and unlock more powerful/strategic items.
It’s a game that’s hard to adapt to, the controls aren’t friendly. It’s easy to lose a game in less than 30 seconds.
But don’t give up! As you unlock new weapons, you’ll be able to go further. It’s challenging and addictive.
I played using a PlayStation 4 joystick and didn’t have any issues with detection.
It’s also worth noting that I didn’t find any bugs during my playthrough. This shows that there was great care taken during development.
Astro Ace runs smoothly on any computer, bringing an inclusive experience for those without a high-performance PC.
Replayability and Game Retention
I think the concept of these reinterpretations is quite cool, offering a casual experience.
You can play for 10 minutes or an hour, one day or daily for a month. Regardless of your choice, the game will please and doesn’t require attention to the storyline, history, etc.
Even with fast game overs, I felt motivated to try again each time to get a better score.
Due to its difficulty, I don’t think it’s suitable for all audiences. However, for those who enjoy the genre, it’s a full plate!
