Aaru's Awakening

50%
Game Brain Score Based on 25 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Aaru's Awakening Game Cover
Aaru’s Awakening is a beautiful frolic into a world of nightmares and imbalance: championed by its hand-drawn art style, compulsive level of difficulty and thrilling sense of achievement.
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Aaru's Awakening is a hand-drawn 2D action platformer, where you play as a mythical creature named Aaru. Using Aaru's abilities of teleportation and charging, navigate through the dangerous world of Lumenox to defeat an evil entity. Expect fast-paced puzzles and challenging level design that requires quick decision-making.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

50%
Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
atmosphere3 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning hand-drawn graphics and a unique art style that captivates players.
  • The teleportation mechanic adds a fresh and innovative twist to the platforming genre, allowing for creative level navigation.
  • The gameplay is fast-paced and offers a fair challenge, with a built-in timer and leaderboards for competitive players.
  • The controls are frustrating and can feel unresponsive, particularly for players using a joypad, making the game difficult to enjoy.
  • The difficulty curve can be inconsistent, with some levels feeling overly punishing and tedious rather than challenging.
  • The level design sometimes suffers from visual clutter, making it hard to distinguish between platforms and hazards.
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a unique teleportation mechanic that adds depth and creativity to the platforming experience, complemented by clever level design and a steady increase in difficulty. While the game features a built-in timer and leaderboards for speedrunning, some players have noted issues with controls that can hinder the overall experience. Overall, it offers an innovative and visually appealing take on the platforming genre, though it may not be the best in its class.

    • “The gameplay is original, and the level design is amazing.”
    • “Gameplay is fair and consistent, which enables the speedrun elements of the game with a built-in timer and global/friends leaderboards.”
    • “Teleportation mechanics open so many possibilities, and the game does a great job implementing sections of a level to seem like mini puzzles as one tries to clear each level as quickly as possible.”
    • “Nice art, sound and gameplay, but the controls are garbage and make the game almost unplayable.”
    • “Gameplay wise it's probably not the best 2D platformer on Steam, but its teleport gimmicks make it quite unique.”
    • “It's an ok platforming game with a focus on a niche mechanic of teleporting to a ball you shoot.”
  • story11 mentions

    The game's story features a simple yet beautiful narrative, enhanced by stunning hand-drawn graphics and an atmospheric soundtrack, though some players find its depth lacking. While the tale of four gods is intriguing and presented through storybook cut-scenes, many reviewers feel that the storytelling does not significantly enhance the gameplay experience and leaves a sense of emptiness. Overall, the story is seen as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a driving force, with some players wishing for additional lore elements to increase replayability.

    • “Stunning hand-drawn graphics, a simple yet beautiful storyline full of symbolic elements, and an awesome soundtrack.”
    • “The story of Aaru's Awakening is a tale of four gods.”
    • “This makes for a pretty interesting story which is narrated through storybook cut-scenes between each realm.”
    • “The game consists of levels, within chapters, and a story in the passenger seat.”
    • “The story didn't appeal to me.”
    • “I should mention the game is basically story-driven, but can be replayable. I just wish there were some form of collectibles or hidden items, as I enjoyed getting 100%. It would increase the replayability of the game for me.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The graphics of Aaru's Awakening are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn visuals and unique art style, which contribute to an engaging atmosphere and storyline. However, some players note that the blending of background and foreground elements can make it difficult to identify obstacles, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the artwork is generally considered a highlight of the game.

    • “Stunning hand-drawn graphics, a simple yet beautiful storyline full of symbolic elements, and an awesome soundtrack.”
    • “Absolutely beautiful graphics.”
    • “It's artwork and visuals are amazing, and the music goes nicely with them.”
    • “I'm giving this game 1/10 because of the art style and I still feel like a generous god.”
    • “The art style is unique and okay, but it also makes spotting certain obstacles really difficult, like lava or tar pits that are drawn in the same colors as the surroundings, so you mistake them for solid ground.”
    • “Well put together visuals, though the background and foreground can blend in places.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game is praised for its ability to complement the stunning hand-drawn graphics and atmospheric storytelling, though some players felt it took a back seat to gameplay. While the original soundtrack is appreciated, many found themselves too focused on survival to fully enjoy it. Overall, the music enhances the experience but may not stand out for all players.

    • “Stunning hand-drawn graphics, a simple yet beautiful storyline full of symbolic elements, and an awesome soundtrack.”
    • “My favorite part is still the wonderful art and original soundtrack.”
    • “Its artwork and visuals are amazing, and the music goes nicely with them.”
    • “The music takes a back seat, much like the story, but it still does its job of setting the atmosphere well.”
    • “The soundtrack is forgettable and lacks any memorable tunes.”
    • “The music feels repetitive and doesn't add much to the overall experience.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is effectively supported by the sound design, with music playing a subtle yet impactful role in enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers generally appreciate the atmospheric elements, rating it positively.

    • “The sound, much like the story, takes a back seat, but it effectively sets the atmosphere well.”
    • “Atmosphere: B+”
    • “The atmosphere is lacking; much like the story, the music takes a back seat. Still, it does its job of setting the atmosphere well.”
    • “The atmosphere is mediocre at best.”
    • “The overall atmosphere fails to engage, leaving the experience feeling flat.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game is primarily story-driven, which allows for some replayability; however, players express a desire for additional collectibles or hidden items to enhance this aspect. Optional lore items or monster encyclopedia pages could provide more incentive for players seeking to achieve 100% completion, though opinions on such features vary among the player base.

    • “The game is primarily story-driven, but it offers replayability. I wish there were some form of collectibles or hidden items, as I enjoy achieving 100%. This would enhance the game's replayability for me. However, I understand that some players may not appreciate these features, so optional items like lore notes or monster encyclopedia pages could be a great addition.”
    • “The game is primarily story-driven, which limits its replayability. I wish there were some form of collectibles or hidden items, as I enjoy achieving 100%. This would enhance the replayability for me, although I know some players dislike that kind of content. Optional items, like lore notes or monster encyclopedia pages, could have added depth.”
    • “The game is mostly focused on its narrative, making it less replayable. I would have appreciated the inclusion of collectibles or hidden items to pursue, as I enjoy completing everything. This could have significantly boosted the game's replay value, even if it was just optional lore or monster entries.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find that while the game is designed to be challenging, certain aspects, particularly boss fights, can shift from being engaging to feeling tedious, leading to a frustrating grinding experience.

    • “The game is intended to be challenging, but at some points it stops being challenging and simply becomes tedious, with the boss fights being the main culprits.”
    • “Grinding feels like a chore rather than an engaging part of the game, making it hard to stay motivated.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall experience, turning what could be exciting gameplay into a monotonous task.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

52% average critic score

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