Aeterna Noctis

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 934 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Aeterna Noctis Game Cover
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"Aeterna Noctis" is an upcoming 2D Metroidvania-style platformer with hand-drawn graphics and challenging gameplay. As the King of Darkness, players must explore 16 connected areas to regain powers and defeat enemies in thrilling combat. The game features a rich universe created by the Supreme God Chaos, whose creations have rebelled against him.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 934 reviews
gameplay102 positive mentions
grinding63 negative mentions
  • Aeterna Noctis features challenging and rewarding platforming mechanics that will test players' skills.
  • The game boasts beautiful hand-drawn graphics and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The world is vast and filled with secrets, providing a sense of exploration and discovery that is satisfying.
  • The game can be excessively difficult, with some platforming sections feeling punishing and frustrating rather than enjoyable.
  • Visual clutter and poor hitbox design can obscure important gameplay elements, making it hard to see hazards and enemies.
  • The story and character development are often seen as generic and not engaging enough to keep players invested.
  • gameplay320 mentions

    The gameplay of "Aeterna Noctis" is a mixed bag, featuring challenging platforming and combat mechanics reminiscent of metroidvania classics like "Hollow Knight." While many players appreciate the depth and variety of mechanics, including unique abilities and a vast world to explore, others criticize the precision required for certain mechanics, such as the teleporting arrow, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a lengthy and engaging experience, but its difficulty and some design choices may deter casual players.

    • “The gameplay is smooth, it has a ton of content (50+ hours for completionists), satisfying and unique bosses, and good customization (different skill builds, gems), while not being overly complex.”
    • “Aeterna Noctis surprises you with its high difficulty and enchants you with its addictive gameplay.”
    • “The precision platforming is great, and they do some truly unique things with the gameplay mechanics that are explored thoroughly without overstaying their welcome.”
    • “The level design, mechanics, and abilities to evolve are without even.”
    • “The platforming mechanics expand later on in the game, very satisfying to play.”
    • “The movement/platforming mechanics in this game are absolute trash.”
  • story250 mentions

    The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its depth, intriguing twists, and character development, while others find it generic or poorly executed. Many appreciate the quest log feature that helps track progress, although some quests can feel vague or frustrating. Overall, while the narrative may not be the primary draw for everyone, it offers enough engagement to keep players invested throughout their journey.

    • “The emotional story, non-linear gameplay, and immersive soundtrack left me enthralled.”
    • “Aeterna noctis offers captivating hand-drawn visuals, smooth gameplay, and an engaging story in a masterfully crafted metroidvania experience.”
    • “The story is interesting, I am genuinely invested in the characters, and the boss designs / encounters are actually very good.”
    • “This game officially crossed the line of 'not enough story to put up with the rapidly escalating difficulty'.”
    • “The story is mostly an excuse to move you from place to place.”
    • “Also, the story is absolutely wretched beyond comprehension; there should not have even been a story in this game if it was going to be this bad.”
  • graphics224 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning hand-drawn visuals and artistic design that create a captivating atmosphere. However, some players have noted issues with clarity, such as difficulty in discerning obstacles and hitboxes due to a cluttered aesthetic and inconsistent art styles across different elements. Overall, while the visuals are often described as beautiful and immersive, they can detract from gameplay by obscuring important details.

    • “The graphics are stunning, the game world is huge, and the music is atmospheric.”
    • “Astounding visuals, fluid and responsive controls, and challenging platform sections are the main elements that stand out in Aeterna Noctis, elements that come together in one of the most memorable experiences I've had lately.”
    • “The aesthetics of this game are truly stunning; there is so much detail in the different environments.”
    • “The visuals of this game are all aesthetic, no practicality.”
    • “The art style is such that it's often impossible to differentiate what is a platform and what isn't, what can actually damage me and what I don't need to avoid, or even where I am on the screen.”
    • “The main negative with the graphics is that one or two areas can be very graphically noisy, which can make it hard to tell what is part of the foreground and what is part of the background.”
  • music200 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting specific tracks that stand out, such as the forge and phoenix themes. While some players found the soundtrack to be repetitive during extended play, the majority appreciated its emotional depth and how well it complements the game's art and narrative. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its immersive atmosphere.

    • “The soundtrack is epic.”
    • “The music perfectly captures the game's dark and atmospheric tone, adding to the overall immersive experience.”
    • “The music is very high quality and matches the vibe of the game well.”
    • “The great atmosphere turns unbearably depressing after 15-20 minutes - switching off the music helps.”
    • “Everything is dark, music is gross, controls are horrible, there's nothing here to have fun with or look forward to.”
    • “The only thing I didn't like about the game was the music.”
  • grinding64 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, with players noting excessive backtracking, unclear quest design, and slow character progression. Many feel that the game's vast world is filled with unnecessary obstacles and dead ends, making exploration a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. Overall, while some appreciate the potential for grinding and farming, the overwhelming sentiment is that it detracts from the game's enjoyment due to its repetitive and laborious nature.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game is simply too long and it's hard to justify spending so much time in tedious situations over and over again.”
    • “This makes exploration a tedious chore, especially when backtracking around zones looking for secrets.”
    • “Character leveling is extremely slow and grindy.”
  • atmosphere48 mentions

    The atmosphere of Aeterna Noctis is widely praised for its dark, melancholic tone, enhanced by atmospheric music and stunning visuals that create a deeply immersive experience. While many players appreciate the unique ambiance of each area, some note technical issues like loading times and framerate drops that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's art, sound design, and level design contribute to a captivating atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre.

    • “The enchanting atmosphere and top-notch sound design make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
    • “Each area has a meticulously-crafted atmosphere, from detailed assets to beautiful soundtracks.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game world is melancholic and mystical.”
    • “The issue is that there are areas in the corners and edges of the arena where the foreground details used to create atmosphere actually obscure the view of the character and sprites.”
    • “The story is a bit basic, technically ends on a cliffhanger, and even what did happen I'm not sure quite how to parse... the attempts at lore are alright but the game never really feels like a 'world' so much as a sequence of platforming levels, every area 'feels' different but I wouldn't say they have much 'atmosphere'?”
    • “(Light boxes that look very out of place.) It's like the devs got lazy, or maybe they were just trying to relay an atmosphere that I just don't see.”
  • optimization26 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on the Steam Deck and Switch, where frame rates can drop to around 20 fps in certain areas. While a few users reported smooth performance and no crashes, others noted that recent updates failed to resolve ongoing issues, particularly related to background elements and specific mechanics that hinder gameplay. Overall, while some players appreciated the graphics and optimization, many expressed frustration over the inconsistent performance across different platforms.

    • “The game's performance was perfect; there were no crashes during my playtime, and I only ran into maybe two or three bugs.”
    • “Well optimized and translated into several languages.”
    • “An interesting 2D game with very good optimization and graphics.”
    • “Had to put most of the options to performance and still the game couldn't keep a locked FPS.”
    • “There are areas where performance plummets to 20 FPS or less, all because of background elements and details.”
    • “Update (10/30/24): a performance update hit today and the performance issues are the exact same, so I'll be shelving this one.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its immersive storytelling and impactful gameplay that evokes feelings of both hope and frustration. The combination of a heartfelt narrative, challenging mechanics, and stunning visuals creates a deeply engaging experience, often leading to moments of vulnerability and investment in the game's outcome. However, some players also note that the difficulty can lead to emotional distress, particularly when faced with challenging obstacles.

    • “The emotional story, non-linear gameplay, and immersive soundtrack left me enthralled.”
    • “Explore the 16 realms of the Eterna universe, complete quests and challenges, and discover a heartfelt and unpredictable story where every event has a second bottom.”
    • “Rarely have I been so enthralled by a game and emotionally invested in its success.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, freezes, and frame drops that can make it unplayable at times, particularly during challenging boss encounters. However, some users noted improvements and responsiveness from the developers, indicating that stability issues may be addressed in future updates. Overall, while the game is visually appealing and offers good value, its current state is marred by persistent glitches.

    • “All in all, it's wonderful and very hard to put down. I'm so looking forward to Aeterna Lucis (which I don't think is too far away now ^_^) Great work on this game, devs! It's beautiful and runs great even on my bad computer; plus there's a lot of game for your money, which I find hard to say about most games that I play.”
    • “It is really pretty and runs great though.”
    • “I have to say that the obstacles are nice and fun, but this game is so extremely buggy.”
    • “Why does a game with 128 players, tanks, planes, and explosions everywhere run perfectly fine, and this game, which is more akin to Super Mario Bros on Super Nintendo, has freezes, frame drops, and random hiccups all the time?”
    • “The game's buggy, absolutely unplayable at parts, especially with the harder 'advanced' version of the bosses.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its cleverness and timing, with players finding amusement in both the game's challenges and its dialogue. While some aspects may feel frustrating, the humor often shines through in the writing and design, making for a lighthearted experience amidst the gameplay. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging mechanics and visuals.

    • “Some of the platforming sections are hilariously cruel.”
    • “The soundtrack is decent and while the story isn't anything special, I found the dialogue pretty well written and funny at times.”
    • “Well, the most important thing in the game is a lot of humor.”
  • character development6 mentions

    While the character designs received mixed reviews, with some feeling they don't fit the environment, the overall character development in the game is praised as outstanding, adding depth and engaging gameplay that keeps players entertained. The variety in character appearances, particularly for key figures like the guardian and the kings, is noted positively, despite some comparisons to other franchises.

    • “The game's character development is also outstanding.”
    • “You can add infinitely interesting gameplay with character development, which will not let you get bored for a minute.”
    • “The character designs vary a lot; the guardian and the guy in the library look good, and the kings are also good looking.”
    • “The character designs vary a lot; the guardian and the guy in the library look good, while the kings are also well-designed. However, the King of Darkness reminds me a little too much of Alucard, which is a bit of a mixed bag.”
    • “Character design doesn't really fit the environment, and in some cases, it looks really out of place.”
    • “The character designs aren't my favorite ever, but overall the art is solid.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Reviewers note that the game has limited replayability, despite featuring 16 unique regions (14 of which are playable). While the "easy" mode offers some additional playability, it does not significantly enhance the overall replay value.

    • “One of the only criticisms I have is that there isn't much replay value.”
    • “The game includes 16 unique regions, of which 14 are playable.”
    • “I checked out the 'easy' mode; it's more playable, yes.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is highlighted by its reliance on advertisements, as users have noted seeing promotional content for the game frequently on platforms like YouTube.

    • “The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending money.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases makes it feel like the developers care more about profit than player satisfaction.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

17hMedian play time
24hAverage play time
5-43hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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