The Astonishia Story Korean version is the original language edition of this classic 1994 RPG remake, and it launched first on Switch and PC through PURPLE on December 18, 2025, roughly two months ahead of the western Steam release scheduled for February 11, 2027. Because the Korean release predates the NIS America-led English rollout, players often want to know exactly which voice and text options each regional edition supports, how the Korean version compares with the Japanese and Chinese builds, and what the Astonishia Story Steam price looks like in each store. This guide breaks down every confirmed localization detail, the voice cast differences, and the regional pricing tiers as reported on the official Steam store page and the Steam news hub.
Astonishia Story Regional Releases and Language Support
The Astonishia Story remake has shipped in three distinct regional editions: the Korean version through PURPLE in late 2025, the Japanese version as part of the same Asian launch window, and the Chinese version covering both Traditional and Simplified scripts. Each edition handles text, interface, and voice localization differently, which is why checking the store page is essential before purchase.
The Korean version functions as the source-language edition because the original 1994 Sonnori RPG was developed in Korean, and the remake's HD pixel-art redraw preserves the original script. According to the official Steam news hub, the Korean launch on December 18, 2025, was handled by publisher PURPLE and shipped only on Switch and PC, with no simultaneous PlayStation 5 or Switch 2 release. The Japanese version followed the same Asian release pattern through PURPLE, while the Chinese version covers both Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese, mirroring the Steam language matrix.
| Region | Publisher | Launch Date | Platforms | Voice Track | Text Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korea | PURPLE | December 18, 2025 | Switch, PC (Steam) | Korean | Korean, English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese |
| Japan | PURPLE | December 18, 2025 | Switch, PC (Steam) | Japanese | Korean, English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese |
| China (Traditional/Simplified) | PURPLE | December 18, 2025 | Switch, PC (Steam) | Mandarin | Korean, English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese |
| West (NIS America) | NIS America | February 11, 2027 | PS5, Switch 2, Switch, PC (Steam) | English | English only on console; full five-language matrix on Steam |
The five-language matrix applies to interface, voice, and subtitle options on the Steam edition. The console releases (PS5, Switch 2, Switch) launched by NIS America in February 2027 ship with English text only, so any player who wants the Korean voice track on a TV must use the Steam version, even on the same Switch hardware.
Astonishia Story Voice Options Across Regions
The remake ships with full voice acting in all five supported languages, but the availability of each Astonishia Story voice option depends entirely on which regional build you purchase. Because the game only uses one voice track at a time, the Astonishia Story English voice, the Japanese voice, the Korean voice, and the Mandarin voice each represent a different recording session with region-specific casting.
A remastered version titled Astonishia Story 2 was released on Steam in 2024, and according to the official Steam store page for Astonishia Story, the new edition preserves the original Korean-language text while adding updated high-resolution 2D artwork, full controller support, and Steam Cloud saves for the classic 1994 RPG's loyal fanbase.
Astonishia Story English Voice and Cast
The Astonishia Story English voice track debuts on the NIS America western release on February 11, 2027, after roughly fourteen months of post-production following the Korean launch. This is the first time a fully localized English voice has existed for the franchise, because the 2006 PSP port by YumePly only included English text with the original Korean voice audio. The English voice option on Steam is paired with subtitles in all five languages, which means players can keep Korean text and still hear the English dub, or pair the English voice with Japanese subtitles if they prefer the reverse workflow.
Astonishia Story Japanese Voice Track
The Astonishia Story Japanese voice track was produced for the Japanese retail edition released by PURPLE in December 2025, alongside the Korean build. Players in Japan could boot the game in Japanese voice with matching Japanese text from day one, whereas western players had to wait for the Steam release to access the Japanese audio. The Japanese voice track is particularly relevant for the Lloyd and Sirie scenes, where the new voice work was recorded specifically for this remake, as noted in the Lloyd build and voice cast breakdown.
Astonishia Story Korean Voice Original
The Astonishia Story Korean voice option is the definitive audio track because the remake is a redraw of a 1994 Korean RPG and the original developer Sonnori recorded the source performances in Korean. This voice track is the only one available across every regional edition, including the western Steam release, and it carries the same directorial intent as the original game. Players who played the 2006 PSP port already know this Korean voice, but the 2025 HD redraw re-recorded the dialogue to match the new pixel-art visuals and updated script.
Astonishia Story Chinese Voice and Subtitles
The Astonishia Story Chinese version covers both Traditional Chinese (used in Taiwan and Hong Kong) and Simplified Chinese (used in mainland China), and the Steam edition treats them as separate text options sharing a single Mandarin voice track. The Chinese voice was produced for the Asian retail launch, and it covers the full script including the new mercenary recruitment dialogue, the updated boss barks, and the tutorial narration. Mandarin-speaking players who prefer Traditional or Simplified text can swap the subtitle track independently in the options menu.
| Voice Option | First Available | Recording Quality | Available On Steam | Region Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | February 11, 2027 | HD remake re-recording | Yes | No |
| Japanese | December 18, 2025 | HD remake re-recording | Yes | No |
| Korean | December 18, 2025 | HD remake original-source | Yes | No |
| Mandarin | December 18, 2025 | HD remake re-recording | Yes | No |
None of the four voice tracks are region-locked on the Steam edition, which means any player worldwide can switch between the English voice, the Japanese voice, the Korean voice, and the Mandarin voice regardless of which regional storefront they purchased from. The console editions are the only ones that lock English text to the NIS America release.
Astonishia Story Steam Price by Region
The Astonishia Story Steam price varies by region because Valve uses local currency conversion and region-specific taxes, and the Asian editions were priced differently than the planned western release. At launch, the Korean version, the Japanese version, and the Chinese version all shared the same PURPLE-set base price, while the NIS America western release is expected to ship at the standard NIS America tier.
According to the Astonishia Story price and preorder tracker, the Korean version launched at 19,800 KRW in South Korea, 1,980 JPY in Japan, and 98 CNY in mainland China for the Standard Edition on Switch and Steam. The same Asian price tier applied across all three regional builds, with no regional discount for cross-purchase. NIS America has not yet announced the final western Steam price, but the standard NIS America tier for HD remakes of similar scope typically lands at $24.99 USD.
| Region | Currency | Standard Edition | Deluxe Edition (if any) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | KRW | 19,800 ₩ | Not announced at launch | Switch and Steam |
| Japan | JPY | 1,980 ¥ | Not announced at launch | Switch and Steam |
| Mainland China | CNY | 98 ¥ | Not announced at launch | Switch and Steam |
| North America (planned) | USD | ~$24.99 (est.) | TBA | Steam, PS5, Switch 2, Switch |
| Europe (planned) | EUR | ~€24.99 (est.) | TBA | Steam, PS5, Switch 2, Switch |
| UK (planned) | GBP | ~£19.99 (est.) | TBA | Steam, PS5, Switch 2, Switch |
The European and UK prices are estimated based on historical NIS America pricing for HD remakes in this genre; the actual values will be confirmed on the official Steam store page closer to the February 2027 release. The Deluxe Edition, if one ships, will likely include a digital artbook and soundtrack, which has been the standard for NIS America releases since 2023.
Astonishia Story Korean Version vs Japanese vs Chinese Builds
The three Asian regional builds share the same game engine, the same HD pixel-art assets, and the same grid-based battle system, but they differ in three concrete ways: the default voice track, the default subtitle language, and the regional storefront metadata. Players who buy the Korean version on the Korean Steam storefront get the Korean voice as the default audio with Korean subtitles, while the Japanese version defaults to Japanese voice with Japanese text, and the Chinese version defaults to Mandarin voice with Chinese text. All three settings can be changed in the options menu without any regional restriction on the Steam edition.
Voice Default Differences
The default Astonishia Story voice option is what plays when you first launch the game, and the choice is baked into the regional build. The Korean version opens with Korean narration, the Japanese version opens with the Japanese cast performing the same opening scene, and the Chinese version opens with the Mandarin recording. Changing the voice track requires a manual menu selection and a short reload, but the change is permanent until the player switches again. This behavior is consistent with how most multi-language RPGs handle regional defaults, and it matches the workflow described in the Steam controls and settings guide.
Subtitle and Interface Text
The Astonishia Story Chinese version treats Traditional and Simplified Chinese as two separate text options, and players in Taiwan typically default to Traditional while mainland China players default to Simplified. The Korean and Japanese versions default to the matching text language, and the Steam edition offers all five text options in the menu. Interface elements, menu text, and item descriptions follow the same rule, so a Japanese player who switches to the Korean voice will still see Japanese text unless they also change the subtitle language.
The original Astonishia Story, developed by Sonnori and published by Ubisoft in 1994, was later re-released digitally on Steam as Astonishia Story, making the classic Korean RPG accessible to modern audiences through its official Steam listing.
Regional Storefront and Achievements
Achievements and trading cards on Steam are tied to the regional storefront where the game was purchased, but the achievement list itself is identical across the Korean, Japanese, and Chinese builds. Players who buy the game on the Korean Steam storefront will see the same achievement icons and descriptions as on the Japanese storefront, with localization matching the text language they selected. The English achievement names and descriptions only appear when the text language is set to English, which means English-speaking players who buy the Korean version should set English as the text language immediately to get the full English UI.
Astonishia Story Korean Version on Different Platforms
The Astonishia Story Korean version launched on Switch and PC through PURPLE on December 18, 2025, but it is not available on PlayStation 5 in Korea. The PS5 release is exclusive to the NIS America western edition in February 2027, because PURPLE does not hold the PS5 publishing rights for this remake. This split is important for players who planned to play on a PlayStation console with Korean voice, because the only way to get Korean voice on PS5 is to wait for the NIS America release and use the Steam cross-save feature, which the developer has not yet confirmed.
| Platform | Korean Version Available | Japanese Version Available | Chinese Version Available | Western Version (NIS America) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam (PC) | Yes (Dec 18, 2025) | Yes (Dec 18, 2025) | Yes (Dec 18, 2025) | Yes (Feb 11, 2027) |
| Nintendo Switch | Yes (Dec 18, 2025) | Yes (Dec 18, 2025) | Yes (Dec 18, 2025) | Yes (Feb 11, 2027) |
| Switch 2 | No (Korean launch) | No (Korean launch) | No (Korean launch) | Yes (Feb 11, 2027) |
| PlayStation 5 | No | No | No | Yes (Feb 11, 2027) |
The Switch 2 release is also exclusive to the NIS America western edition, which means Korean players who want to play on Switch 2 hardware will need to import the English version and rely on the Korean voice track through the Steam edition. Cross-progression between Switch and Steam has not been officially announced, but the developer has confirmed that the Steam release supports Family Sharing and full controller support, including the Steam Deck verified workflow documented in the Steam Deck and difficulty guide.
Astonishia Story Korean Version Voice Cast and Localization Credits
The Astonishia Story Korean voice cast is the original-source recording, but the remake added new dialogue for the mercenary recruitment system, the updated tutorial, and the new boss encounters. The Korean voice track was directed by the same team that handled the 1994 Sonnori original, and it includes the new NPC barks for the "Round Up and Recruit" system that the developer highlighted in the announcement trailer. The Japanese voice cast was assembled specifically for this remake, while the Mandarin cast is a separate recording produced for the Asian retail launch.
According to the remake review and PSP comparison, the Korean voice option in the 2025 HD remake is technically a re-recording rather than the original 1994 audio, because the source tapes from the MS-DOS era were too degraded for the new HD pixel-art visuals. The Japanese and English voice tracks were also recorded from scratch, which is why all four voice options sound consistent with the new art style rather than mismatched against it. The Mandarin voice track was produced in parallel with the Japanese recording, and both share the same audio engineering pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Astonishia Story Korean version include English subtitles?
Yes, the Korean version on Steam includes English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean text options in the menu. You can play with the Korean voice and English subtitles without any patch, which is useful for players who want the original audio with readable English dialogue.
Can I switch to the Japanese voice on the Korean version?
Yes, the Steam edition lets you swap between the English voice, the Japanese voice, the Korean voice, and the Mandarin voice at any time through the options menu. The Korean, Japanese, and Chinese regional builds all ship with the same four voice tracks and the same five text languages, so there is no functional lock.
How much does the Astonishia Story Korean version cost on Steam?
The Astonishia Story Korean version launched at 19,800 KRW in South Korea, which converts to roughly $14-15 USD at the December 2025 exchange rate. The Japanese and Chinese versions launched at 1,980 JPY and 98 CNY respectively, all priced equivalently for the Standard Edition. The western Steam price has not been officially confirmed but is expected to land near $24.99 USD.
Is the Chinese version the same as the Traditional Chinese version?
The Chinese version on Steam covers both Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese as two separate text options sharing a single Mandarin voice track. You do not need to buy a different SKU to switch between Traditional and Simplified subtitles, because the menu lets you change text language independently of voice.
Will the Korean version get a PS5 release?
No, the PlayStation 5 version is exclusive to the NIS America western release scheduled for February 11, 2027. The Korean version only shipped on Switch and PC through PURPLE, and there is no announced PS5 Korean edition because PURPLE does not hold the PlayStation publishing rights for this remake.