Welcome to Asterigos: Curse of the Stars, where you play as Hilda, not to be confused with your school friend who 'totally' plays video games. Brought to you by Acme Gamestudio, a name as reassuring as ‘Acme Anvils’ (get it?), this game is your typical third-person hack and slash action RPG mixed with a sprinkle of the Soulslike magic fairy dust. You know, for added frustration.
The gameplay is a blend of intense combat, beautiful (yet sometimes glitchy) visuals, and a story about searching for Hilda's dad because apparently that’s what every young person in a video game is doing these days. Picture this: Hilda dashes through a cursed city, hacking and slashing her way through enemies that appear to have a personal vendetta against her - or maybe they just really, really need a hug. The combat system is robust, and while it’s often described as ‘challenging’, I’d say it’s more like a slight irritant rather than smashing your game controller against your wall level of frustration. You can level up and make some bosses feel like they went on a diet suddenly, which might make you feel a little overpowered. But you'll take that victory, won’t you?
Now let’s talk about the graphics because they deserve a round of applause, or at least a mildly enthusiastic nod. The environments are lively, colorful, and beautiful, almost like a vacation brochure for a fantasy world that’s eerily plagued by a curse - typical tourist trap, eh? However, don’t expect flawless performance. Sometimes the frame rates decide to play hide and seek or the dialogues look like they were patched up with a little too much tape. Yes, it can be a bit jarring, especially when the characters' mouths move like they’re auditioning for a mute film.
In summary, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars serves up a delightful mix of engaging combat, pretty visuals, and the charm of being slightly rough around the edges like a hipster café in a gentrified area. With its combat and rich story, it received a general thumbs-up from critics, who also mentioned slight hiccups in polish and pacing - but isn't that all part of the journey? If you enjoy battling through tough opponents while looking for your daddy issues amidst star curses and the occasional glitch, this game might just be your cup of tea. Just remember, in Asterigos: every curse comes with a couple of laughs, or at least an awkward chuckle.