Astral Ascent

PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch • 2023

2023

Quick resume

Choose one of four heroes and explore the Garden, an astral prison guarded by 12 powerful mystical bosses: the Zodiacs. Challenge them with dozens of unique spells and faithful friends by your side to unfold the story of this platform roguelite with lightning fast combat.

Global score

95/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie, Platform

buy on steam

Similar games

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

Outsiders

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

Pros

Fluid and satisfying combat
Beautiful pixel art and animations
Deep build customization and synergies
Engaging boss fights and variety
Frequent developer updates and support

Cons

Some performance issues and frame drops reported
Spell rotation system can feel clunky
Story and dialogue can be cheesy or weak
Some rng elements affect run balance
Screen clutter in multiplayer can be confusing

Analysis

A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Fantasy. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Leadership.

How to use the graph

Similar games map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

Purple star: the game you are viewing on this page.
Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
Hover a dot for a quick preview; click to compare it in the panel on the right.
Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

Motivations

Autonomy

Game with the same Autonomy vibe

4

"Players have meaningful choices in character progression, level paths, and skill upgrades, allowing control over playstyle."

Our Darker Purpose
"Players have meaningful choices about routes, spell upgrades, and build customization, allowing personal control over playstyle and progression."
Competence

Game with the same Competence vibe

4

"Combat is skill-based with timing, stamina management, and learning enemy patterns; players feel rewarded for mastering mechanics."

Devil Slayer - Raksasi
"Combat is skill-based with a high skill ceiling; players learn enemy patterns and improve through repeated runs and mastery of mechanics."
Competition

Game with the same Competition vibe

-3

"Focus is on personal challenge and self-improvement rather than competing against others; no mention of leaderboards or ranked modes."

Golfing Over It with Alva Majo
"Focus is primarily on personal progression and self-improvement; no mention of ranked modes or leaderboards, though some challenge elements exist."
Continuation

Game with the same Continuation vibe

5

"Players report hundreds of hours invested with high replayability and ongoing content updates encouraging habitual play."

Erannorth Chronicles
"High replayability with long sessions and habitual play; players report spending dozens to hundreds of hours and eagerly awaiting updates."
Cooperation

Game with the same Cooperation vibe

3

"Supports local co-op play with shared screen and cooperative gameplay, though some reviews note limited depth in co-op."

Lenna's Inception
"Supports local and online co-op play with shared progression and cooperative combat, though some players note screen clutter in multiplayer."
Creativity

Game with the same Creativity vibe

4

"Players create custom builds from a large pool of moves and abilities, experimenting with synergies and different playstyles."

Stick It to the Stickman
"Extensive build customization through spells, gambits, auras, and weapons; players experiment with synergies and unique combinations."
Domination

Game with the same Domination vibe

-4

"Interactions emphasize shared experiences and mutual respect; no evidence of power imposition or trash talk."

Knuckle Sandwich
"Interactions emphasize shared experiences and mutual respect; no evidence of power imposition or trash talk."
Escapism

Game with the same Escapism vibe

4

"Players use the game for immersive fantasy adventure and stress relief through engaging combat and story."

Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim
"Players use the game for immersive fantasy and stress relief, enjoying the vibrant world, story, and intense combat."
Expectation

Game with the same Expectation vibe

-4

"Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment; no indication of obligation or external pressure."

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN
"Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment; no indication of obligation or external pressure."
Experimenting

Game with the same Experimenting vibe

4

"Players frequently try new builds, spells, and modifiers; the game encourages exploration of mechanics and creative experimentation."

Vellum
"Players try new builds, spells, and synergies; the game encourages exploration of mechanics and creative problem solving."
Exploration

Game with the same Exploration vibe

3

"Players discover new areas, secrets, and story elements through progression and exploration."

Picayune Dreams
"Players discover new areas, secrets, and lore through multiple runs; the world and story unfold gradually with exploration."
Expression

Game with the same Expression vibe

3

"Customization of character abilities and morph forms allows some self-expression, though no cosmetic personalization noted."

BIOMORPH
"Character customization through spells and weapons allows some self-expression, though no mention of cosmetic personalization."
Fantasy

Game with the same Fantasy vibe

5

"Strong fantasy elements with magic, mythical creatures, and an imaginative fictional world."

Sands of Salzaar
"Strong fantasy elements with imaginative characters, spells, and mythological zodiac bosses; immersive fictional world."
Fellowship

Game with the same Fellowship vibe

3

"Community and multiplayer co-op foster social connection; some players enjoy shared experiences."

RuneScape: Dragonwilds
"Community and social interaction are present through co-op and shared experiences; players form connections around the game."
Growth

Game with the same Growth vibe

4

"Players develop skills and knowledge of builds, and meta progression provides personal development."

Spellbook Demonslayers
"Players develop skills, learn enemy patterns, and improve build strategies; meta-progression supports personal development."
Health

Game with the same Health vibe

-4

"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity; some players note long sessions and potential for fatigue."

DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT
"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity; some players note long sessions and potential for fatigue."
Idle

Game with the same Idle vibe

-4

"Requires constant attention and focus due to fast-paced combat and dodging; not suitable for passive or background play."

Windblown
"Requires constant attention and focus due to fast-paced combat and complex mechanics; not suited for passive play."
Intimacy

Game with the same Intimacy vibe

2

"Some social interaction in co-op but limited evidence of deep emotional connections."

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon® Wildlands
"Some social interaction through co-op and character relationships, but limited evidence of deep emotional connections."
Leadership

Game with the same Leadership vibe

-3

"Players mostly engage individually or cooperatively without clear leadership or authoritative roles."

Nobody Saves the World
"Players mostly engage in individual or cooperative roles without explicit leadership or authoritative control."
Progression

Game with the same Progression vibe

5

"Heavy emphasis on accumulating upgrades, unlocks, and meta progression to enhance power."

Army of Ruin
"Strong emphasis on accumulating upgrades, spells, and meta-progression; players unlock new content and improve power over time."
Relaxation

Game with the same Relaxation vibe

2

"Some players find the combat flow satisfying and enjoyable, though combat can be intense."

Immortals of Aveum™
"While combat is intense and challenging, some players find the game flow satisfying and cathartic; mixed experience."
Sensation

Game with the same Sensation vibe

4

"Vibrant visuals, fluid animations, and dynamic music create strong sensory stimulation and emotional engagement."

Rayman® Origins
"Vibrant visuals, fluid animations, and dynamic audio provide strong sensory stimulation and emotional engagement."
Status

Game with the same Status vibe

-3

"No evidence of social status or recognition systems; focus is on personal achievement and exploration."

Nobody Saves the World
"No evidence of social status or recognition systems; focus is on individual achievement and personal mastery."
Story

Game with the same Story vibe

3

"Narrative is lighthearted with interconnected lore across the series; story is engaging but not deeply complex."

Cat Quest III
"Narrative unfolds through character interactions, lore fragments, and boss encounters; story is engaging but not central."
Strategy

Game with the same Strategy vibe

4

"Players use tactics, positioning, and team coordination; strategic thinking is rewarded."

Infinite Tournament Paintball
"Players plan builds, manage resources, and adapt tactics to enemy patterns; strategic thinking is rewarded."
Thrill

Game with the same Thrill vibe

3

"Combat provides suspense and challenge, especially in boss fights, creating moments of tension and relief."

Stellar Blade™
"Combat provides moments of suspense and challenge, especially in boss fights and higher difficulty levels."
Value

Game with the same Value vibe

4

"Players perceive strong value for time and money with deep gameplay and frequent updates."

Tavern Keeper 🍻
"Players perceive strong value for time and money due to frequent updates, deep gameplay, and extensive content."
Violence

Game with the same Violence vibe

4

"Combat involves attacking enemies with weapons and magic; destruction and combat are central gameplay elements."

Weird RPG
"Combat involves defeating enemies and bosses with spells and weapons; destruction and combat are central gameplay elements."
Survival

Game with the same Survival vibe

3

"Players manage health, resources, and strategic defense to avoid failure and progress through challenging battles."

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE
"Players manage health and resources to avoid failure; difficulty scaling and enemy attacks require strategic defense."

Come talk about it on Discord!

Last update: 15/05/2026

Astral Ascent similar games & best alternatives