GamesRPGThis sci-fantasy RPG came out of nowhere and had pretty much everything stacked against it, but somehow I ended up loving it anywayWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRPGThis sci-fantasy RPG came out of nowhere and had pretty much everything stacked against it, but somehow I ended up loving it anywayWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Hypergryph)
I do not like mobile games, nor do I really play many of them. I’ve got nothing inherently against the platform; I know from experience that some mobile games play great elsewhere, especially on PC. But if I’m in a game-playing mood, I’m sure to have access to more powerful devices with bigger screens, so I generally just don’t play games on my phone. It also doesn’t help that my stupid defective eyeballs get all starburst-y and migraine-y if I look at small screens for too long, which is frankly the bigger reason I avoid mobile gaming.
I say all of this not just because I love to complain, but to put into perspective just how good Ex Astris, a new mobile-only RPG, had to be in order to get me on board. And to be clear up front, I amveryon board. I’m on board like a skateboarding sailor. It’s a new turn-based game from Arknights studio and gacha powerhouse Hypergryph, and in what can only be described as a miracle, it’s completely microtransaction-free, billed as the first “premium 3D RPG” from the publisher. (I now hope it’s the first of many.) Not only that, it’s just $10 onAndroidandiOS, no strings attached. Hypergryph chiseled a hunk out of its mountain of gacha money and spent it on an honest-to-goodness, no-nonsense RPG, and it absolutely whips.
All in on Allindo
(Image credit: Hypergryph)
Ex Astris begins with stoic, Earth-born investigator Yan exploring the fantastical, ever-sunny planet Allindo with a blue-eyed cinnamon roll named Vi3 (pronounced Vee) and her mystical dragon owl named Manganese. These characters become the default party of three, but you can sub in what looks like several others as you meet them throughout the story, which whisks you around Allindo in a futuristic RV where you can rest up between excursions and cook meals for combat buffs using gathered ingredients. The load times between areas are a bit long, but I do love the homey vibe of the RV.
(Image credit: Hypergryph)
Taptical
(Image credit: Hypergryph)
I was a little unclear when Hypergryph called this a hybrid turn-based action RPG, but now I see exactly what it meant. It’s a turn-based game where you reactively dodge enemy attacks and combo your own, and both sides of this exchange feel great.
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My current favorite combo can turn just one AP into a string of five attacks
My current favorite combo can turn just one AP into a string of five attacks
(Image credit: Hypergryph)
My current favorite combo can turn just one AP into a string of five attacks – often enough to stagger weak enemies and enable an all-out attack where you just tap everyone as much as you can to spam attacks freely, easily racking up 50 or 60 hits. There’s a Xenoblade Chronicles 2-type system of launching and downing enemies, and landing aerial strikes or downed attacks will grant bonus AP to keep your combo going. Starting skills, when used first in a combo, also refund one AP, which adds another wrinkle to how you order your attacks. All of these things combine to form combos like this: use a starting skill with Yan that lifts the target, aerial and drop them with Manganese, tap Vi for a downed strike that lifts again, add in another aerial with Manganese, and then drop them one more time with Yan for bonus damage.
I don’t even have all of the skills unlocked for the few party members I have – their mostly linear skill trees have 28 items, and I have about a third of them – yet it’s already engrossing to create combos like this. You’re directly encouraged to go nuts with it, too, because overkilling enemies nets bonus rewards. I’ve taken to using a lift-focused Wave combo on smaller targets, with Particle stance skills bringing downed and AoE hits for bosses and groups. There are also modifiers that affect how you approach fights, with some enemies taking defensive positions that you can shatter with collectible, upgradable, and customizable gadgets called Entropiths. On top of that, characters like Yan can generate bonus AP every few turns, further extending your plays and letting you go beyond the same familiar combos. It’s remarkably dynamic for such a simple-looking system (which has somecleanUI).
(Image credit: Hypergryph)
I went into Ex Astris with high hopes, in no small part because I would love to see more companies like Hypergryph make more premium games like this, whether they’re mobile-exclusive or (preferably) not. There are more than enough free-to-play and gacha games in this space, and far too few self-contained, extremely fairly priced games like this. At $10, Ex Astris feels like a steal. It’s just a cool game that I want to finish now (after Hypergryph provided a code), and which happens to be on mobile – a welcome surprise inwhat’s fast becoming the year of JRPGs.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”