In a new tweet on Nintendo of America's Twitter account, Astral Chain game director Takahisa Taura talks about how Pokemon was an influence on the upcoming game.

"In Astral Chain, the player summons & fights alongside a Legion," says Taura. "I really love Pokemon, so maybe the idea of calling on another character to fight alongside with was greatly influenced by my childhood gaming experiences of growing up alongside my Pokemon."

In addition to Pokemon's influence, Takura says science fiction anime and Japanese police procedurals have been an inspiration on Astral Chain's story. "The game is split into chapters with their own specific objectives, like the Bayonetta series," Taura says in another tweet, "but players also have the freedom to choose among a variety of sub-missions scattered around, like NieR: Automata."

Recently, Nintendo has released new footage of the game that shows off the game's combat and characters. Additionally, Astral Chain's lead composer has discussed the game's music and shared some music tracks. As someone who's loved games like Bayonetta and NieR: Automata, my excitement for Astral Chain is up there. The combat looks fun and knowing that each story mission has sub-missions similar to NieR: Automata increases my anticipation of the game. With other major titles such as Pokemon Sword and Shield, Luigi's Mansion 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening launching this year, there hasn't been a better time to own a Switch.

Astral Chain launches on August 30 for the Nintendo Switch. The game is available for preorder on Amazon now.