Mythology has served as the inspiration for countless games. While some use mythological imagery but don't go much deeper than that, others use mythological stories and themes to drive their worlds and give their characters purpose. The result is often games that, in addition to being fun, feel like they have something to say.
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Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is an action RPG that draws upon Greek and Roman mythology, giving players powerful elemental abilities with which to take down enemies, solve puzzles, and explore the world. With a friendlier version of the Soulslike formula, the game gives players a challenge without overwhelming them. Just because the game isn't trying to crush players doesn't mean it's easy, but these tips can make the journey much better for beginners.
6 Explore Thoroughly
Asterigos: Curse Of The Stars encourages players to explore every nook and cranny of its world. There are many hidden collectibles as well as story fragments that the player will only find if they're investigating off the beaten trail. To make the character as strong as possible and understand the deeper nuances of this Rome-inspired story, the player will need to do some real investigating.
Another good reason to explore thoroughly is that the player's actions will sometimes open up new paths or otherwise alter the environment. If the player isn't diligent about looking around - both when they explore new areas and when they backtrack through previous areas - plenty of things will go unseen, slowing down progress through the game. Curse of the Stars also happens to be a beautiful game with some great environmental storytelling, so it's worth exploring for the scenery alone.
5 Pay Attention To Surroundings
In most games, progress through the world is conveniently tracked via a map. Where the player has been, where they are, and where they should go next are all obvious. This makes getting from one objective to the next easy, but it does tend to cut down on the raw mystery of exploration. Asterigos goes in another direction. There is no map.
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Players are left to their own devices when it comes to navigating this beautiful world and tracking their progress. This makes looking out for environmental cues and landmarks particularly important. One of the most common such cues is the set of strange blue markings that can often be found on walls and other surfaces. Attentive players can use these markings to map the area in their head, preventing unnecessary backtracking and helping get them where they need to go.
The shop in the shelter opens up early in the game. From then on the player will have access to the variety of useful items it provides, as long as they have enough money. It's a good idea to always keep a Salve or two on hand with which to heal in emergency situations. Healing items are far from the shop's only offerings, however.
Whether it's Etherite Silver or Charged Bombs, the shop probably has something to meet whatever needs the player may have. The shopkeeper also sells materials that the player can use to upgrade their weapons and equipment. The player can also sell items here if they find themselves short of money. It's often a bad idea to do so though, because most items that the player could sell are actually better to use as crafting materials.
3 Master The Elements
Elemental damage is a common feature in RPGs. Determining the elemental weakness of one's enemies and then using attacks and abilities that take advantage of that is a common way to lend depth to battles. Asterigos: Curse Of The Stars follows that same line of thinking but goes a bit further than some other games.
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One of the major differences is that in Asterigos the player can use Elemental Enchantites to change their character's damage type, infusing their weapon attacks as well as their spells with the desired element. This system gives players the freedom to change their entire kit on the fly, letting them take on fire enemies one minute and ice enemies the next without having to change out individual pieces of gear. In addition to being a welcome QoL change, this system also introduces a good amount of tactical variety, since the player's elemental options aren't restricted.
2 Teleport As Necessary
Few things in a great RPG are more frustrating than having to trudge across a giant map when all one wants to do is get on with the action. There's a reason that fast travel and teleportation are so commonly used in the genre, and Asterigos gives players multiple options on that front.
The shopkeeper sells several teleportation items, including the Momento, Etherite Silver, and Rhodos Symbol. The Memento teleports the player back to the last Conduit they used but consumes 10% of their Stardust. The Etherite Silver does the same thing, except instead of consuming Stardust it consumes the Silver itself. The Rhodos Symbol teleports the player back to the Shelter Conduit instead, which is particularly useful in the early game when crossing a large distance to get back to the Shelter is quite burdensome.
1 Hunt For Attribute Points
Beating up adorable creatures that don't even put up a fight isn't very sporting, but that's exactly what the player wants to do in Asterigos. The cute bunny-like creatures scattered throughout the game can be attacked, and when beaten they will retreat into the ground, rewarding the player with a Morning Star Elixir. This Elixir grants the player a free Attribute Point, making it quite valuable.
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A free increase in Damage, Health, or Ability Damage is too much to pass up in any great action RPG, so the player should always have their eye out for these cuddly bunnies and take them down as soon as possible. Which Attribute the player wishes to increase is a matter of personal preference, and no matter what the player chooses they will be making themselves stronger.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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