Astal

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NTSC-U NTSC-J
Astal
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega CS2,
Supporting companies: Tokyo Movie Shinsha (animation), Sega Digital Media (audio)
Distributor: Tec Toy (BR)
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (1 track)
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code JP 1995-04-28 ¥5,8005,800 GS-9019 US 1995-08-15 $59.9959.99 81019 BR 199x

Astal, known in Japan as Kisuishou Densetsu Astal (輝水晶伝説アスタル), is a Sega Saturn action platform game developed by Sega CS and published by Sega. First released in Japan in April 1995, it was later brought to the United States the following August. Notable for its high production values, hand-drawn visuals, and well-received soundtrack, Astal has since gained a reputation as a cult classic.

Story

Cutscene

Somewhere in the universe, the Goddess Antowas created a world from a single jewel. On this world, Quartalia, she created the sky, earth, and air. To inhabit this world, she created two humans: from a green jewel, a girl, Leda, who has the power to make things live on Quartalia; and from a red Jewel, a boy, Astal, whose purpose was to protect Leda. Content with her creation, Antowas slept.

While she slept, the evil Jerado tried to take over Quartalia. To ensure victory, Jerado created a warrior: Geist. Geist kidnapped Leda, and held her at the bottom of the ocean. In an effort to get her back, Astal tore Quartalia apart, awakening Antowas. As punishment, Antowas banished Astal to Quartalia's moon. Leda took pity on Astal, and gave him her jewel. Once Astal and Jerado were dealt with, Antowas went back to sleep.

However, Geist was still free, and Quartalia was not restored from the changes Jerado wrought. From his prison on the moon, Astal witnessed Geist kidnap Leda again. Consumed with the need to protect her, he freed himself and returned to Quartalia. Now Astal journeys in search of Leda through a Quartalia transformed by Jerado's dark design.

“	One day, from my prison on the moon, I saw him capture Leda again! This was too much! I destroyed my prison, broke my chains and headed back to Quartalia. Nothing in the world means more to me than Leda—nothing! I will find her. I will find the one who took her, and I will deal with him! It's only a matter of time. Quartalia has changed. The demon Jerado has transformed it somehow, and none of the creatures who now live here are friendly. Except for this bird I rescued, who for some reason, just won't leave me alone....	„
— US manual

Gameplay

Astal is a 2D platform game where the player controls Astal, who is followed by a bird companion. Astal can walk with and and run with and . He can crouch with and jump with . He can jump farther while running. He can jump on enemies to stun them and to use as platforms for crossing gaps. He can grab enemies and objects with when adjacent to them and throw them by pressing again. He can also strike enemies by pressing while in the air or while running. He can strike the ground with +, which can stun enemies or reveal hidden items. He can perform a breath attack by pressing to take a deep breath and then pressing , which can be used to blow enemies and obstacles away from Astal or to counter enemies with harmful defenses such as flames or spikes.

His bird companion can perform a context-sensitive default action with . This action is shown by an icon in the bottom-right corner of the display. The action is usually attacking enemies or bringing Astal an item, but there are sometimes stage-specific special actions that the bird can perform. The player can cycle through the icons with and to change the behavior of or directly tell the bird to fetch an item with , perform a special action with , or attack with . However, not all actions are always possible; for instance, there is not always an item nearby for the bird to retrieve. There are three colored crystals in the center of the game interface that signal which actions are currently possible. Bird moves expend a resource called Karma, which is indicated by a gauge below the action crystals. Karma is collected by defeating enemies carrying Karma Balls. If the player has no Karma, the bird rests on Astal's shoulder.

Astal has a health meter with five fruits in the Japanese release and three fruits in the North American release. He loses one fruit each time he is injured by an enemy or by the environment. If he loses all of his fruits, he loses a life. His health can be replenished by finding fruits in the levels. If he loses all of his lives, the game ends, but it can be continued. The game has unlimited continues in the Japanese release but only one in the North American release.

The game supports two-player cooperative play. At any point during gameplay, another player can start controlling the bird with a second controller. The bird reverts to computer control if the player goes idle. When being controlled by a human, the bird has a health bar and can no longer be controlled by Astal. The bird can move in any direction with the D-Pad and dash with or . The bird can strike enemies with , hold and release for a charge attack, or hold and release for a dive attack (which can be steered with the D-Pad). These attacks do not cost Karma. If injured, the bird can rest on Astal's shoulder with ; Astal gives the bird one of the fruits from his health meter. Both players can perform a combination attack if Astal does his breath attack with and while the bird does a dive attack with the D-Pad in the direction of Astal and . This causes the bird to do a ricochet attack against all enemies on screen. This attack costs Karma.

The story is progressed by cutscene interludes between the stages, which have scrolling artwork and voice acting, or sometimes by in-game events. There is an introduction cutscene that explains the plot as well as an animated opening cinematic that contains hints on how to defeat the bosses.

Bird icons

In single-player games, instead of the bird's health gauge, the game shows an icon indicating which action the bird will perform if the player presses .

	Rest
	The bird is out of Karma and resting on Astal's shoulder.
	Attack
	The bird can attack enemies.
	!
	The bird is delivering a warning or can perform a special ability.
	Item Search
	The bird can deliver an item to Astal. Press again when the bird returns to drop the item.
	X
	This icon replaces Astal's health gauge rather than the bird's. It means that Astal is incapacitated and the bird must save him. Either player can control the bird when this happens.

Items

	Red Fruit
	Replenishes one fruit on Astal's health gauge.
	Green Fruit
	Fully replenishes Astal's health gauge.
	1-Up
	Gives the player an extra life in addition to fully replenishing Astal's health and Karma gauges.
	Power Star
	Fills Astal's Karma gauge.

Stages

	The Journey Begins
	Into the Darkness
	The Evil Eye
	The Deep Forest
	The River of Dreams
	The Forest Fiend
	Volcanic Valley
	Guardian of Fire
	Sea of Clouds
	The Behemoth
	Glacial Rift
	The Crystal Palace
	Frostbite!
	The Plains of Destiny
	Destiny Unfolds
	The Fight for the Future

History

Astal was originally released in April 1995 in Japan before subsequently seeing a release in North America and Brazil. Curiously the game was never released in Europe, despite initial plans.

The game was not a launch title in western regions, though was brought to the Saturn in its "software drought" period, created when Sega of America unexpectedly brought the console's launch several months forward. Though reviews of the game were not stellar, it became a common and relatively well-known Saturn title in the regions it was sold in due to a lack of alternative software. Astal has yet to be brought to any other platforms or see any sequels since release.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English (US)	Astal	Astal
Japanese	輝水晶伝説アスタル	Kisuishou Densetsu Astal

Comparisons

Main article: Astal/Comparisons.

Development

Main article: Astal/Development.

Production credits

Main article: Astal/Production credits.

Magazine articles

Main article: Astal/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source Sega Pro (UK) 92

	92
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Alaab Alcomputtar (SA) 92 CD Consoles (FR) 72 Consoles + (FR) 90 Computer & Video Games (UK) NTSC 62 Edge (UK) NTSC-J 50 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 60 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 66 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 80 Game Informer (US) NTSC-U 75 HiTech (ES) NTSC-J 60 MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J 70 Mega (UK) NTSC 72 Magazina Igrushek (RU) 80 Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J 53 Players (BR) 94 Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J 67 Sega Power (UK) NTSC 63 Sega Megazone (AU) 80 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 73 Ultimate Future Games (UK) 50 Última Generación (ES) 80 Videogame Advisor (US) NTSC-U 75 Video Games (DE) NTSC-J 64 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 90

	72
Based on 24 reviews

Astal

Saturn, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc

Saturn, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Saturn, BR
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Astal/Technical information.

External links

• Sega of America webpage: Saturn
• Sega of Japan catalogue page (Japanese): Saturn