• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Surprisingly... I think Astral Chain is the best looking switch game

Wise

Wise

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,228
I have a few nitpicks with the game but the one thing that amazed me were the visuals. In my opinion Breath of the wild was the best looking switch game followed by Super Mario Odyssey but I honestly think Astral chain has greatly surpassed both of them.

The cutscenes are insane and the particles are incredible. The gameplay is really flashy and nice looking. I'm talking about TV mode by the way.

I barely use the screenshot feature on the switch but I've taken a lot of beautiful screenshots. It's the best looking switch game imo
 

Deleted member 15428

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,464
It's one of the ugliest notable Switch releases I've ever seen. The art direction, character design, UI... what the fuck were they thinking?
 
Moara

Moara

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,923
not with those character models it aint lol

I'm surprised it hasn't been brought up more. Every character looks like a creepy anime sex doll, they look awful. The art direction otherwise is pretty solid though.
 
Theswweet

Theswweet

RPG Site
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
6,464
California
Birdseye said:
It's one of the ugliest notable Switch releases I've ever seen. The art direction, character design, UI... what the fuck were they thinking?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

15428.jpg
 
Chackan

Chackan

Member
Oct 31, 2017
5,110
Not really that surprisingly. The game is a real looker!

Artstyle is amazing, graphics are great! All that neon and cyberpunky stuff!
 
-shadow-

-shadow-

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,110
I think a lot of it looks amazing, it has some issues, but overall it really looks stellar. Extremely curious about Bayonetta 3 now!
 
Vex

Vex

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,213
DrakenAstro said:
I barely use the screenshot feature on the switch but I've taken a lot of beautiful screenshots.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
As someone who doesn't own a switch I am wondering why you didn't post said screenshots in this very thread? Can the switch not upload pics or something?

Usually when people make threads like this they start the OP off with a collage of photos taken in game of scenery they like.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
 
Tailzo

Tailzo

Fallen Guardian
Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,015
I haven't played it myself, but it has a good use of colours and a flashy and cool art direction.
 

Deleted member 249

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
28,828
I think more than the tech what has won me over is the art style. For example
When we first step into the Chimera Dimension
I was taken aback at how stunning and strikingly singular the art style was. What really helped sell it all was, as you have pointed out, how technically proficient the game ended up being at executing that vision as well.
 
-shadow-

-shadow-

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,110
Vex said:
As someone who doesn't own a switch I am wondering why you didn't post said screenshots in this very thread? Can the switch not upload pics or something?

Usually when people make threads like this they start the OP off with a collage of photos taken in game of scenery they like.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You can upload directly to Twitter or Facebook, otherwise you need to remove the SD Card and upload using your PC. I'm still waiting for Nintendo to update for uncompressed support and direct upload online.
 
SuperSah

SuperSah

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,079
One of the best looking games for sure.

Three Houses looks hideous, for a game so well accomplished, it's fucking ugly.
 
ara

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,040
I would've traded the visuals for a stable 60fps in a heartbeat, but sure, what we did get does look good.
 
Braaier

Braaier

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
13,237
It's absolutely gorgeous. A true stunner. Need to play more but wow is it nice to look ar
 
Oregano

Oregano

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,878
Vex said:
As someone who doesn't own a switch I am wondering why you didn't post said screenshots in this very thread? Can the switch not upload pics or something?

Usually when people make threads like this they start the OP off with a collage of photos taken in game of scenery they like.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Nah you can upload screens, here's some posted by srtrestre

srtrestre said:
Astral Chain handheld mode. This might just be the most striking-looking game this year on any platform.

V120ADY.jpg


1O7zHuV.jpg


p1aSQkF.jpg


b5d9vaf.jpg


PoSDaZ8.jpg
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
 
Arta

Arta

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,445
Birdseye said:
It's one of the ugliest notable Switch releases I've ever seen. The art direction, character design, UI... what the fuck were they thinking?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
On this forum, sometimes I wonder if the first reply to an OP's opinion is deliberately and wildly contrarian just to get the "this is Era" tag. :p
 
Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,378
Barcelona
I'm impressed with how the game looks, both the art and the tech are amazing (for a Switch game).

I prefer the art in BotW, and Splatoon 2 and Mario Odyssey look great considering that the games are 60 fps, but yeah, Astral Chain is one of the best looking Switch games, and during some sections it's the best looking game on the system no doubts.
 
neilyadig

neilyadig

Member
Nov 13, 2017
588
DrakenAstro said:
I have a few nitpicks with the game but the one thing that amazed me were the visuals. In my opinion Breath of the wild was the best looking switch game followed by Super Mario Odyssey but I honestly think Astral chain has greatly surpassed both of them.

The cutscenes are insane and the particles are incredible. The gameplay is really flashy and nice looking. I'm talking about TV mode by the way.

I barely use the screenshot feature on the switch but I've taken a lot of beautiful screenshots. It's the best looking switch game imo
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Birdseye said:
It's one of the ugliest notable Switch releases I've ever seen. The art direction, character design, UI... what the fuck were they thinking?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Both of you, post some screenshots...
 
Mendrox

Mendrox

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
9,439
The artstyle is one of the ugliest I've seen this year, but what is there looks or tries to look pretty. But the characters oh fucking lord, why the fuck?
 
qssm

qssm

Member
Oct 26, 2017
452
It can look awesome at times, but generally the artstyle is kinda messy looking and the characters are just bad looking.
 
Papercuts

Papercuts

Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,127
I agree. The artsyle works damn well for what they're trying to achieve here, I'm impressed by how much I like the little hub areas you investigate visually.
 
Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,378
Barcelona
It's also interesting to see how Platinum's projects based on their own ideas have stellar art direction (Madworld, Bayonetta 1 and 2, Wonderful 101, Astral Chain) while their "collaboration" projects usually have bad environmental art, and I'm not talking about the low budget small projects.

Revengeance has good looking action but the areas you traverse are ugly and boring most of the times, and while Automata has some beautiful areas (that look even more beautiful as they contrast with most of the game, which seems an intentional thing) most of them are really boring, I understand the idea of showing a destroyed world but the execution is quite poor IMO.
 
Kanann

Kanann

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,170
When I step in another world or goof around map, I thought...

"Modern Shin Megami Tensei games should look like this"

They nailed atmosphere.
 
Aleh

Aleh

Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,350
It really is the best looking game released so far. And it's even 720p in handheld mode, crazy
 
ara

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,040
Tibarn said:
It's also interesting to see how Platinum's projects based on their own ideas have stellar art direction (Madworld, Bayonetta 1 and 2, Wonderful 101, Astral Chain) while their "collaboration" projects usually have bad environmental art, and I'm not talking about the low budget small projects.

Revengeance has good looking action but the areas you traverse are ugly and boring most of the times, and while Automata has some beautiful areas (that look even more beautiful as they contrast with most of the game, which seems an intentional thing) most of them are really boring, I understand the idea of showing a destroyed world but the execution is quite poor IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

There's a fair amount of this going on with AC's Astral Plane too, though. The sharp, noisy, red-and-black matrix look of it gets old during the first couple of chapters and so far (chapter 6) it's showing no signs of evolving at all.

But the real world locations have looked fantastic for sure.
 
Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,378
Barcelona
ara said:
There's a fair amount of this going on with AC's Astral Plane too, though. The sharp, noisy, red-and-black matrix look of it gets old during the first couple of chapters and so far (chapter 6) it's showing no signs of evolving at all.

But the real world locations have looked fantastic for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yep, I agree that the Astral Plane is the most boring area (and the way the area has lots of sharp edges works really bad with the AA solution, the Astral Plane's IQ is the worst in the game), but it has some "mystical appeal" to it. I prefer this alien area to the grey buildings in Revengeance or the post-apocalliptic desert/city from Automata. In Nier's case, the main reason is that you visit these places a lot, so maybe when I will have played more AC chapters (currently starting Ch 4) I feel the same way about the Astral Plane.
 
noyram23

noyram23

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,372
Yeah I think so too, I think this should be the artstyle Xenoblade went too with X and especially 2
 
Barn

Barn

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,137
Los Angeles
Yeah, this game has really floored me with its whole audiovisual package. If you're at all into '90s anime or cyberpunk -- and I'm only just casually into those things -- I think it's pretty easy to be as enamored of it as I am. The level of environmental detail is superb, and it's all wrapped up in hyper-stylish art direction, great texture work and a whole ton of nice effects.

It's been a really long time since I've just felt compelled to take in every last detail of a video game environment, but for some reason, the HQ and city areas of Astral Chain give me that feeling. I'm constantly taking out the camera (fantastic photo mode, by the way) to zoom in on characters and pockets of the environment. Would like to fill this thread and the screenshot thread with captures if I get the time.

The catch, though, is that I'm so into the visuals that I don't like to play this one in handheld mode, because it loses its anti-aliasing.
 
NoblesseOblige

NoblesseOblige

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,231
that is surprising. I would say it looks fine at best. Potentially good if the character design wasn't some of the worst in recent memory.
 

sanstesy

Banned
Nov 16, 2017
2,471
It has way too much aliasing to be the best looking.

EDX3fvkVUAEgtf7


Breath of the Wild still is the best.
 
ara

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,040
DiK4

DiK4

Banned
Nov 4, 2017
1,085
Its really pretty, intro bike scene was a stunner. I love the neo-punk vibe. Character models are touchy though. Its definitely up there as a contender for best looking Switch game. Wouldn't say it's number 1 yet.
 
LazyLain

LazyLain

Member
Jan 17, 2019
6,538
From a technical standpoint, it's pretty high up there for sure.

From an aesthetic standpoint, I can appreciate how it might not be everybody's cup of tea... though I personally think it's great.
 
cyba89

cyba89

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,648
I think the color palette being 90% different shades of blue and red so far combined with the fast action gameplay at 30fps makes it really hard to see shit sometimes.

Just finished chapter 3 btw.
 

Deleted member 4976

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,246
I think the artstyle holds it back (specially those hideous character models) , but I love the usage of color and how sharp it looks.
 
shinken

shinken

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,921
I don't understand the aliasing problem on most Switch games. Why don't they use some simple FXAA? That will barely use any processing power if any.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.