Folks, we may have a last-minute GOTY contender on our hands. Astlibra Revision, an ambitious 2D JRPG 15 years in the making, launched on Steam last month and has since become the 55th highest-rated 2022 release on the storefront, according to Steam Top 250.
Astlibra Revision has been pitched as Final Fantasy meets Castlevania, and somehow it actually seems to deliver on that wild promise – based on its 2,919 "Overwhelmingly Positive" Steam reviews, at least. It also seems to have more than a spot of Vanillaware to it. I'm definitely getting some Dragon's Crown and Odin Sphere vibes here.
You play as a young hero who wakes up in a world devoid of humans, and you'll be battling through a staggering variety of monsters both gorgeous and grotesque on your journey to return home – a journey that can take 60 to 80 hours based on the developer's description and some Steam review stats.
This being a side-scroller, you've got a massive arsenal of attacks available to you. The Steam page shows off piles of melee and ranged weapons with gorgeous armor to match, and its magic system seems to pack a hell of a punch too. We're looking at six difficulty settings, post-game challenges in an ominous Final Chapter said to stress-test your best builds, and even a talking bird companion who breathes lasers.
I don't know if I've fallen in love with a game so quickly all year. Astlibra Revision came out of nowhere and it has some of the best 2D art I have ever seen (with some rough-looking environments and menus mixed in, but with an RPG Maker charm to them). I am frothing at the mouth over here. Look at this freaking game:
Astlibra Revision's Steam page says developer Keizo "gave his all into this work" for "14 years in development and more than one year for revision," and I believe it. If you're still on the fence over this $24.99 game, you can always try the free demo which offers up the first hour or two.
We might have to make room on our list of the best JRPGs to play in 2022.
