Today Publisher Hybe IM and developer Flint announced the release date of the upcoming free-to-play RPG Astra: Knights of Veda.
The game will launch worldwide for PC via Steam, iOS, and Android on April 2, 2024.
Pre-registration is available now on the official site for those who want to signal their interest in the game and have a chance to earn a bunch of rewards when the game launches, including additional ones if pre-registrations pass 1 million.
If you're unfamiliar with Astra: Knights of Veda, it's a free-to-play RPG that has been in development at Flint for six years. It mixes RPG mechanics with classic beat ’em-up side-scrolling combat in a way similar to Dragon's Crown. Fans of Vanillaware's games will also likely feel right at home thanks to the gorgeous 2D art.
Players can either fight alone or in co-op multiplayer to free the world of Planis from the evil king Magnus. The game is also very story-heavy, promising 1,800 high-quality cutscenes.
You can check out a trailer below and take a look at plenty of gameplay in the launch showcase livestream aired earlier today.
Another interesting aspect of Astra: Knights of Veda is the music. Hybe Interactive Media is the gaming arm of HYBE Corporation, one of the biggest music production companies in South Korea. Under its umbrella are gathered some of the most famous K-pop groups in the world.
In fact, Hoshi from the popular boy band Seventeen performed the theme song for the game, titled Goddess of Despair. Below you can check out the song and a making-of video.
To celebrate the upcoming release, Hybe also published a video with many of its artists encouraging their fans to try out Astra: Knights of Veda. Among them we see Seventeen, Fromis 9, Tomorrow X Together, Enhypen, Le Sserafim (who recently collaborated with Overwatch 2), NewJeans, BoyNextDoor, and TWS.
While the participation of other artists besides Hoshi has not been revealed yet, there's certainly the potential for a game that K-pop fans around the world may be interested in trying out.
