Aery - Sky Castle
- October 8, 2020
- EpiXR Games UG
Get on Steam"Aery - Sky Castle" is a serene flight game where you play as a little bird discovering a beautiful, dreamlike world filled with environmental puzzles and hidden treasures. With intuitive flight controls and a vibrant art style, explore ten unique landscapes, collect feathers to unlock new areas, and follow a charming story of discovery and rescue. The game encourages a relaxing pace, perfect for winding down after a long day.
Reviews
- The game offers a relaxing experience with beautiful graphics and calming music, making it ideal for unwinding after a long day.
- Exploring diverse and colorful landscapes while collecting feathers provides a sense of discovery and enjoyment.
- The controls are generally easy to master, allowing players to focus on the exploration aspect without the pressure of time limits or enemies.
- The game suffers from frustrating controls, including a lack of camera control and a single speed, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Collision mechanics are overly punishing, as players are instantly teleported back to the start of a level upon any collision, disrupting the flow of gameplay.
- The narrative is thin and often difficult to hear, with sound mixing issues that detract from the overall immersion.
- music15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players find it calming and enjoyable, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety, with only a few tracks that can overshadow in-game dialogue. Some users recommend turning off the in-game music to enjoy their own soundtracks instead, suggesting that the music may not be memorable or impactful enough to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is described as relaxing but not particularly noteworthy.
“The background music was entertaining by itself and added enjoyment to the game.”
“Now, the music is really nice.”
“I will not say that the soundtrack was very memorable to me, but the music itself was quite calm and perfectly harmonized with the game itself.”
“The music is one level and drowns out the voice.”
“Music is only 3 tracks repeating itself.”
“Also, this music could just be some obscure royalty-free stuff they found.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their quality and artistic style, often compared to those of more serious projects. Reviewers highlight the vibrant visuals, appealing art style, and effective use of lighting, contributing to an overall enjoyable aesthetic experience. Many agree that the graphics enhance the gameplay, making it visually pleasing and engaging.
“An excellent indie game with decent graphics at the level of serious projects; I really liked the views that you can see, especially if you look closely.”
“Quite excellent graphics; it does not hurt the eyes.”
“The graphics are very cool; I would say funky, and the gameplay is convenient.”
“All three are basically exactly the same game with slightly different graphics.”
“Art style is great, levels are engaging, but the lighting is a little too bright.”
“Special attention is required for the graphics!”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a collect-a-thon that some players find frustrating due to control issues, while others appreciate its simplicity and unique mechanics. Although the visuals are praised, there are calls for more content and levels to enhance the experience. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some enjoying the gameplay and others feeling it falls short.
“The gameplay itself is pretty simple, and mastering the controls doesn't take long.”
“And I can recommend this game to anyone who wants new feelings and an unusual gameplay for a bird.”
“The graphics are very cool, I would say funky, and the gameplay is convenient.”
“The gameplay boils down to a collect-a-thon, which again would be fine, if the controls were not so frustrating.”
“Tldr: pretty game, broken gameplay.”
“The gameplay itself is pretty simple, and mastering the controls doesn't take long.”
- story9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as thin and fragmented, lacking depth and a strong narrative foundation, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players find the plot interesting and engaging, they feel that the gameplay is too short and could benefit from expansion or a sequel. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a mixed bag, with potential that remains largely unfulfilled.
“The plot is interesting and does not let the player get bored.”
“Great storyline, good music (it's relaxing).”
“Story is good but overall gameplay seemed too short; throw in a sequel as a bonus or expand this game to have more levels & you have a great game here :)”
“I love the idea of a flying style 'walking sim' that tells a story as you progress and collect items or something, but this just isn't it.”
“This game doesn't hold a candle to Aer; it lacks the good controls, the ability to land, fine-tuned music to fit the levels, actual story, etc. The only thing it does better is adding collectibles.”
“During the game, we will be told a story in small fragments.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for being beautiful and immersive, effectively enhancing the overall experience. However, there are mixed opinions on the music, with some players feeling it doesn't always align with the level's ambiance, while others find it adds to the relaxing quality of the game. Overall, the atmosphere is described as intriguing and well-crafted, making it a suitable choice for unwinding.
“Before you start playing, I highly recommend brewing some tea and grabbing some biscuits to get a feel for the atmosphere that has been very well portrayed here.”
“Atmospheric, beautiful and attractive game!”
“Amazing and intriguing atmosphere.”
“Before you start playing, I highly recommend brewing some tea and grabbing some biscuits to get a feel for the atmosphere that has been very well portrayed here.”
“But there ain't no atmosphere with that song. Gonna be honest, lads, I couldn't play more of it listening to the feather collection noise; my eardrums are done.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization appears to be inconsistent, with some users noting that it seems to be a port from Xbox that hasn't been fully optimized, while others report smooth performance even on lower-end hardware. Overall, performance issues are not widespread, suggesting that optimization may vary depending on the system used.
“There were no problems with a drop in performance, although I played on a rather weak video card for our time.”
“Great performance”
“The game was likely ported from Xbox and hasn't been properly optimized, and it probably won't be.”
“There were no problems with a drop in performance, although I played on a rather weak video card for the time.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game's replayability could be significantly improved with enhanced camera movement and a more forgiving life system, such as allowing multiple attempts before being reset. These changes could make the gameplay feel more accessible and enjoyable, encouraging players to return.
“If there were camera movement and a more forgiving 'life' system (maybe allow three bumps before teleporting you back), I feel like this would be a lot more playable.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that the game's stability is compromised by numerous bugs, particularly affecting achievements, which may prevent players from unlocking them as intended.
“Achievements are buggy, so you probably won't get any of them if that's a goal you have.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress.”
“I experienced constant lag and disconnections, which ruined the overall experience.”
