AereA Review – What a musical let-down
AereA is a music-themed ARPG where players are sent on a mission to save the school. It’s certainly an interesting game but is it actually worth a purchase? Well, that depends on a few things. Especially, the age of the player.
Developer: Triangle Studios
Publisher: SOEDESCO Publishing
Release date: June 2nd 2017
Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac OS and Linux), PS4, Xbox One
Reviewed on: PC (Windows)
Well, that will most likely depend on the age of the person. It’s pretty clear that AereA lacks challenging gameplay to keep an older audience entertained, however, this type of straightforward gameplay is perfect for younger gamers. Where the game struggles to be fun for older gamers, it recovers itself by being more suitable for a younger audience. Clearly then, this game is better suited to younger gamers and those looking for a game to breeze through without a huge amount of effort.
This is a game with a lot of potentials but it’s sadly squandered in quite a few areas. The plot of AereA is very weak and takes a while be fully explained but if you enjoy ARPG gameplay then you might be able to forgive this. Additionally, the world feels a little lifeless and the NPCs aren’t very interesting to talk to. This game had a lot of potential here but it seems to struggle in making it’s mark as a game with a strong story and dynamic world.
Certain characters in the game are clearly designed to work better with a controller. For example, the ranged character has trouble aiming due to the movement controls in the game. Changing direction is awkward using the “WASD” keys but using the “Shift” key to stay in one place does help slightly. As a result, those playing with a controller should have much better control over the ranged character and the others in the game. On the plus side, there are several different characters to select from which all come with a unique fighting style which can be levelled up as the game progresses. As a huge bonus, the game has the potential for 4-player co-op in a single instance using local systems. This is very nice to see.
Sadly, the levels and combat also leave a lot to be desired. The biggest issue is the fact that the minimap is almost useless at showing the player where they are in the level. As a result, players are left wandering around in circles looking for the next room. This could be easily fixed with a larger map of each level which would make the levels more enjoyable. Another noteworthy issue is the fact that enemies only require one or two hits to kill. There is no real challenge to the game and even the boss battles are quite weak also. It’s a shame considering the game has a lot of potential and most enemies react well to the player once the player enters their attack radius.
There is a nice game mechanic in the levels however. There are boxes that need to be moved to a special square in order to open up more of the maps. Doing these can be the most challenging and interesting aspect of the game. In one level I had to walk the box across an array of spike traps which would cause you to drop the block and send you back to the start. Doing these little activities is quite entertaining but there’s not enough of them to keep each level entertaining for long.
One this that needs to be said is the fact that the music in this game is astonishing. It suits the game perfectly and helps to build atmosphere well. To make things even better, there’s lots of references to music and musical notes in the game itself which fits nicely with the theme of the game. The graphics for the AereA are also amazing and some of the enemies look so cute it’s easy to forget they actually want to kill you.
This is a game with a lot of issues which may be fixed over time. For now, however, it’s certainly more of a game for a younger audience and ARPG fans may struggle to get into this game.
Pros
- Astonishing music
- Graphics are great
- Decent range of characters
- Musical themed weapons and attacks are great
- Single player and 4-player local co-op
Cons
- Poor story development
- Lacks a challenge / Very easy
- The controls are awkward on a keyboard
- Minimap needs work
- Enemies are too easy to kill
Lunawolf Gaming 
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