Asterix & Obelix: Mission Babylon brings the Gauls eastward in a brand-new co-op adventure

Microids has officially lifted the lid on Asterix & Obelix: Mission Babylon, a fresh, punch-happy adventure based on the well-known French comic duo. What’s more, it’s available right now on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Instead of keeping to their usual Armorican stomping grounds, the Gauls are shipped eastward, right to the fringes of the Parthian Empire, where Caesar’s ambitions are starting to cause trouble.

A poisoned king, a power-hungry Caesar

The premise leans straight into classic Asterix storytelling. Caesar is pushing his campaigns further east, a villainous sorcerer by the name of Bahmbuhzeli has concocted a lethal poison, and King Monipehni is left on the brink.

Asterix and Obelix are sent on a “straightforward” rescue mission that, as you would expect, quickly becomes anything but. You’ll be tracking down the ingredients for an antidote, journeying through unfamiliar territories, and decking every Roman who so much as raises a shield. Combat, unsurprisingly, is still the headline act.

You’ll get to travel through four brand-new regions designed specifically for this entry, each with its own visuals, hazards, and nods to the original comics. If you’re a long-time fan, you can expect plenty of winks in the background art, props, and enemy types.

Co-op built in from the start

Mission Babylon also doubles down on co-op play. Local two-player lets one player control Asterix, the naturally quick and agile character, while the other takes on Obelix, whose whole toolkit is “immovable object.”

Even if you’re playing solo, though, the game is built to be approachable with forgiving platforming, readable traps, and the brawling is that elastic, comic-book style the series has leaned on for years.

There are more than 20 levels to sink your teeth into, with boss encounters, replayable stages, and hidden collectibles to sweep up, giving the game a structure that encourages repeat runs.

If you enjoy yourself the first time around, you’ll likely either want to go for one-hundred percenting areas or get back into the ever-fun combat to send another wave of Romans cartwheeling off-screen.

Still unmistakably Asterix

What’s most reassuring for those of you familiar with previous entries is the tone. Mission Babylon doesn’t try to modernize the Gauls out of existence by keeping the dry humour, the playful jabs at Rome, and the joyful absurdity of two heroes who can solve most political problems with their fists.

As previously stated, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Babylon is out now on Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to make Romans airborne again, this is it.