Aaero

Aaero was certainly an enjoyable game providing a solid set of levels to play with gorgeous scenes and intense music to drive it all together. The ship handles well and there was a good mix of creative enemies with intense bosses to battle. I never felt like progress was halted by the star system in place and there are many more difficult levels present if you'd like extra time with it. If you like rhythm based games then this is a solid title and a really exciting one that creates a constant desire to keep playing. It might seem difficult at times, but plays itself right along that ledge of frustration quite well.

81%Game Brain Score

music, gameplay

story, grinding

80% User Score Based on 611 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

Aaero is a single player shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Mad Fellows and was released on April 11, 2017. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Aaero" is a single-player sci-fi shooter game with fantastic mechanics and stunning visuals, driven by a marvelous licensed soundtrack from artists such as Noisia, Flux Pavilion, and Katy B. Players trace ribbons of light and battle enemies in sync with the music, requiring a controller with dual analogue sticks for gameplay. Experience unique and innovative gameplay in this micro-studio's standout 'rhythm shooter' game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+11

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 611 reviews

music192 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Unique blend of rhythm and shooting mechanics that keeps gameplay engaging.
Visually stunning with a great electronic soundtrack that enhances the experience.
Challenging yet rewarding, with a satisfying sense of progression as players improve their skills.

Requires a controller to play, limiting accessibility for some players.
Shooting mechanics can feel unintuitive and frustrating, especially when timing shots to the beat.
Limited song selection and some levels can feel repetitive, reducing long-term replayability.

music
599 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
7%
The music in Aaero is a defining feature, primarily consisting of a curated selection of electronic tracks, particularly from the dubstep and drum and bass genres, which enhances the gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the energetic soundtrack and its seamless integration with the game's visuals and mechanics, opinions vary widely; some find the music exhilarating, while others criticize it as repetitive or unappealing. Overall, the enjoyment of the game heavily depends on one's affinity for electronic music, as the limited song selection and genre focus may not cater to all tastes.
- “An insanely fun rhythm-shooter with good visuals and a great electronic soundtrack that really pulls you in.”
- “Flying through neon worlds while following the beat feels amazing, and taking down enemies in sync with the music never gets old.”
- “The music isn't just background noise—it's the framework around which the entire game is built.”
- “The very first song that it forces you to play (you can't choose a different one) has to be one of the worst songs I've ever heard.”
- “Worst of all, it's centered around horrendous music choices such as 'I can't stop.'”
- “The music just isn't that good for me; the gameplay is not intuitive like the other rhythm games.”
gameplay
176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
The gameplay of *aaero* is a unique blend of rhythm and rail shooter mechanics, where players pilot a spacecraft along light ribbons that sync with an engaging electronic soundtrack. While the core mechanics of following the ribbon and targeting enemies are intuitive, some players find the shooting mechanics challenging and occasionally frustrating due to their reliance on timing and precision. Overall, the game is praised for its stunning visuals and immersive audiovisual experience, though it may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who are not fans of the techno/dubstep music genre.
- “The gameplay involves precise controls: the left analog stick moves the ship along a circular path to stay on the music ribbon, while the right analog stick targets enemies for homing missile attacks.”
- “Aaero combines rhythm game mechanics with a rail shooter that feels fresh and intuitive.”
- “The gameplay is fun and feels fresh, visuals are really beautiful and the songs are really well chosen and implemented.”
- “Boring OST, boring gameplay; some mechanics are not explained fully.”
- “I love rhythm games, but this one misses the mark - the combat mechanics ruin all the fun.”
- “The gameplay feels clunky and quite disconnected from the amazing music.”
graphics
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning neon visuals and unique low-poly aesthetic that complement the energetic soundtrack. While some appreciate the clean design and immersive environments, others criticize the graphics as lacking depth and detail, suggesting a need for more graphical options. Overall, the visuals are often described as vibrant and engaging, enhancing the rhythm-based gameplay experience.
- “Players appreciate the game's stunning neon visuals and highly praised soundtrack, which includes 15 tracks that blend well with gameplay and contribute to an addictive experience.”
- “The visuals and music are really cool and it's a very unique idea, and I love rhythm games.”
- “Absolutely stunning graphics which utilize the full potential of the Unity engine.”
- “The graphics here are some of the worst, laziest attempts at video game 'art' I've ever seen.”
- “It's hard to suggest this game even has graphics.”
- “It's clear the developer didn't even try to produce any real graphics for the game and just phoned it in (in fact, I suspect some of the assets may be uncredited stock assets... plagiarism is bad).”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The game's story is described as minimal and often abstract, with some players appreciating the implicit storytelling through aesthetics and boss fights, while others note a lack of a clear narrative. Although it serves as a prequel in the series, many reviews indicate that the gameplay takes precedence over story, with some players finding it challenging to engage with the narrative at all. Overall, the consensus is that the game is not story-driven, focusing more on gameplay mechanics than a cohesive plot.
- “I like the implicit storytelling with the aesthetics and the boss fights, just enough to build a stage for the levels.”
- “Though this title bears the number four, its story lies at the very beginning of the saga.”
- “Gameplay is reasonably intuitive, background storytelling is light but very present.”
- “While the gameplay design is unique and fun, the world of aaero is more abstract than story-driven.”
- “This genre is not story oriented, therefore there is no story.”
- “There is no apparent story at all.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The game's replayability is highly variable, with some players finding it immensely satisfying and engaging, particularly for those who enjoy score chasing and leaderboard competition. However, others feel it lacks depth, citing limited new content and a reliance on difficulty variations rather than fresh tracks. Overall, while it offers high replay value for dedicated players, casual gamers may find it less appealing.
- “It’s a game that asks a lot from the player, but for those who are willing to engage with it deeply, it offers a great deal of satisfaction and replayability.”
- “The music is good, the charting is great, it's gorgeous, and if you're into score chasing, it's infinitely replayable.”
- “Replayability is dependent on the player; if you're a big fan of leaderboards, then you'll enjoy beating your own scores.”
- “Boring game with no replay value.”
- “Other than that awesome, no replay value (like Guitar Hero, only trans music with spaceships).”
- “Replayability is kind of small, as there's only the harder difficulties but no new songs in addition to the harder difficulties.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed experience; while the rhythmic gameplay and fitting soundtrack enhance the enjoyment for some, others find it tedious and repetitive, especially if they are not fans of the music genre. The combination of flying, shooting, and railgrinding mechanics can be engaging, but the overall enjoyment heavily depends on personal taste in music and the challenge presented by enemies.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I mean, the bar isn't exactly low, and I have no intentions of grinding.”
- “If you like this type of music, I'd highly recommend this game, but if you don't care for it, the game could become a tedious chore.”
- “Not the songs themselves, many of them are decent and they're certainly popular tracks in their genre, but holding my control stick in a direction to a grinding bass tone is just not exciting.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
Overall, "aaero" is well-optimized, running smoothly on most platforms, including modest PC hardware. However, performance can vary between maps, with some experiencing unexpected drops. The game also features excellent controller optimization, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- “From a technical perspective, the game runs smoothly on most platforms.”
- “On PC, it’s well-optimized and works great even on modest hardware.”
- “Best controller optimization I have ever seen.”
- “Progression in Aaero is tied to your performance.”
- “Performance varies from map to map, with some maps, like Alpha Centauri, experiencing drops for no reason whatsoever.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is described as unique and calming, with a beautiful aesthetic that enhances the experience, despite some limitations due to licensed music and the absence of user-imported tracks. While some players feel the game lacks the depth of atmosphere found in similar titles, others appreciate its distinct vibe and find it enjoyable. Overall, the atmosphere contributes positively to the gameplay experience, making it a highlight for many players.
- “But while playing, I really started to like the atmosphere of the music.”
- “This game is so beautiful, runs out of the box with Proton, the atmosphere that this game generates is unique; you will calm down and enjoy every second of the level.”
- “Needless to say, a concept like this, which doesn't let you import your own music the way Audiosurf does, because this time levels are actually unique with their own aesthetic and atmosphere, has inherent limitations.”
- “I don't think the game necessarily needs it (Audiosurf doesn't have any atmosphere either), but others may wish it was present.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The monetization of Aaero has been criticized as aggressive and indicative of a cash grab, particularly given its pricing and the lack of keyboard and mouse support on PC, which many players find frustrating. Overall, the game is perceived as a lazy port from its original platform, further fueling dissatisfaction with its monetization strategy.
- “Aaero is a very simple arcade-like Nintendo Switch game that got dumped on Steam as a cash grab (don't believe me, look at the price!).”
- “Aggressive monetization for an indie game.”
- “Looks like a lazy cash grab port to me.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is inconsistent, with some users reporting frequent sound cutouts, freezes, and crashes, while others note a lack of significant bugs or glitches. Overall, experiences vary widely, with some players expressing frustration over control issues and stability, while others find the game well-constructed.
- “For a music-based game, the sound cuts out randomly. I checked, and I know it's the game and not my speakers. It also freezes constantly and crashes frequently.”
- “Controls are buggy.”
- “I didn't experience any bugs or glitches, but did experience many episodes of nearly breaking my computer in frustration.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle and often tied to its presentation and gameplay mechanics, with players finding amusement in its quirky design and the naming of its difficulty modes, which suggest a depth that may not be fully realized. While the humor may not be the main draw, it adds a lighthearted touch that complements the overall experience, especially for fans of EDM.
- “First impression: funny little thing, looks nice, the game runs smoothly, and you follow the rules of the game to follow the shining lines on your screen.”
- “It's funny that there are 2 different modes after normal called 'advanced' and 'master' as though there's more content to this game than meets the eye.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a mixed emotional response, noting that while the game evokes strong feelings, there are minor elements that detract from overall satisfaction.