Astral Ascension

Leaving a review for this great last game made by this company even if no one will see it they deserve a positive review for this

Best visual novel I have ever played. (I love PixelFade games! and I am sad this company is closing down)

I rarely give out reviews on steam, but for this one I had to make an exception. A little fish named Norbert had some influence in this review as well- Tldr. The game is full of impactfull choices, beautifull visuals and meaningfull character connections. The game allows you to have fun with choices and be just you in the most fun ways imaginable. Highly recommend. So. I have followed Pixelfade for a long time, but so far I have only finished Ace Academy. This being the second game. And oh boy, did this game and the characters HOOK ME. It is evident how much fun it was to make this game as I am enjoying my time and every conversation I come upon. The character dynamics, the dialogue options (from shy to batshait unhinged), are all scenarios that are super fun to go through. It is satisfying to see the impact of your choices hours into the game. It really immerses you into the game. I also appreciate how you can literally destroy all romance options by being a slimy guy by choice. I really felt I had the power to affect the story and the relationships all along the journey. The story has many scenarios, and I have to say, not one felt out of place or boring. All of the scenarios offered more lore, ability to deepen character connections and grow up as the main character. All good stuff. Maybe few came a bit late in the game to flesh out certain main characters out of the blue, but not really a negative thing as the developers made the game chapter by chapter. I also have to say, a videogame has never had me change a locked in waifu choice as fast as this one!?! When a certain music genre related scenario came up with an absolutelly BASED, absolutelly GODLY, absolutelly NO Fluffing Way, EUROBEAT Dialogue Option, I knew the stars had aligned and there was no other for me after choosing that dialogue option. Did I already say, BASED? Or, "Killing my (other) love"? Also, for the writers, "nobody ever likes licorice, much less black licorice" Excuse you but me and my Finnish Salmiakki heritage must disagree!! (hah, maybe Canada and Finland ain't so far-) To end this, An absolute blast. Fun. Not just entertaining, but engaging. Characters true to life, something I could truly connect with on almost personal level, something unbelievable for an indie game of this scale. Absolutely stunning. 9,5/10. So, not perfect, but damn close if you ask me. A huge recommendation for anyone interested in visual novels or "dating sims". Fun. Deep. Beautifull. Thank you for this experience 🔥

I don't write a huge amount of reviews but like many fans of PixelFade, I need to express my love for their games while they're still up and the huge amount of respect for the studio I have. If you are considering getting this game before it's delisted, I highly recommend it. As with their other games, the writing is extremely well done and entertaining with well written characters and a story that will definitely hook you and keep you playing for a long time. Whether you choose the cute and bubbly engineer, the flirtatious and kind doctor or the cool captain, it's guaranteed that you'll have a fun time with this game. Be prepared for well written characters that just seem to get more detailed the more you play, some fun adventures in the story and more as you live through your life as a mercenary while possibly trying to clear your sullied name. If anyone from PixelFade reads this, know that your company and your games have brought me hours of joy. Thank you for all your work and I wish all of you good luck in whatever you decide to do after the company retires.

I guess it's a little late for a review... for an unlisted game. i have a bias for sci-fi vn, a rarity these day. This game is in my top 5 vn personal list and my favorite compared to their previous games. The 3 routes were nice and each characters just made you want to learn more about them. A shame it seem to not have sold well. That "Ace Academy 2" reference at the end of Vaela route... sad. Thanks for the great games over the years.

Ive been following this group of devs since their first game, Ace Academy, and theyve improved over time more and more. This is in the top 3 of their best games, along with crystalline Ace Academy (needs an expansion!) lol! Keep it up Pixelfade, your fans enjoy everything you make! but seriously, go back and flesh out Ace Academy xD

Mannnn why did pixel fade dicided to retireeeee I want to see more peak games from them:(

Opening song is such a banger. Plot is good, couple meh moments. Voice acting is great, would be even better if this had full narration. Route rating: Luna > Iris > Alone Skipping already read parts is a bit chore as there is so many choice promts which slows replaying bit too much. My first PixelFade game and it's a shame they shutted down.

First the negatives: It has some visual imperfections in the animation of characters (elbow rotation is restricted to 2d plane which makes hand movements look unrealistic) and the Skip function is very finicky, making exploration of alternative routes a bit of a chore. Also there was at least two instances of the game making a self reference and that just felt a bit to narcissistic of the authors. But overall I really enjoyed the experience. Even my least favorite girl's route was very nice. I especially liked how most of the choices are ways for you to role-play your protagonist the way you prefer, ranging from overly enthusiastic to stoic and almost cold.