Aeternum Vale
- October 5, 2022
- Boris Cerdan
Get on SteamIn "Aeternum Vale," players must save their soul after falling into unknown limbos, facing challenges and upgrading skills to navigate the intricate maze-like world. With a pixel-art open-world and original orchestral soundtrack, players explore, encounter weird locals, and uncover the story in this retro-inspired indie adventure. Overcoming obstacles and forging your own path is key to saving your soul in this bittersweet afterlife exploration.
Reviews
- The game features great art and a nostalgic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- It offers a variety of game modes and missions, providing many hours of gameplay and exploration.
- The developers have paid attention to small details, making even minor tasks enjoyable.
- The game suffers from major bugs, including collision glitches and janky combat, which can lead to frustrating gameplay.
- It is not well optimized and requires a graphic card, making it inaccessible for some players.
- The platforming design can be unfair and challenging, potentially alienating casual players.
- music7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its beauty, originality, and ability to evoke nostalgia, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience. Players appreciate the combination of the soundtrack with the game's art, although some express a desire for more unique soundtracks for different areas. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm.
“The background music and sound effects are a great addition to the experience; try to enjoy the small details and you will love the game.”
“Plus, the soundtrack and ambiance are beautiful and original.”
“The music combined with the artwork gives it a really nostalgic feel; since it's still in early access, I can't imagine how much more fun content is going to be added in the future.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics require a dedicated graphic card, as performance issues can arise during intense gameplay, making fights challenging. However, the combination of music and artwork creates a nostalgic atmosphere, and with the game still in early access, there is potential for further visual enhancements in future updates.
“The music combined with the artwork gives it a really nostalgic feel. Since it's still in early access, I can't imagine how much more fun content will be added in the future.”
“You cannot play without a graphics card (unlike Hollow Knight, for instance, which one would expect to be more demanding): I got to the point where fights become completely impossible due to slowness.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story of Aeternum Vale is described as interesting and dramatic, enhancing the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the variety of game modes and missions, which contribute to an engaging narrative while allowing for character progression and item collection.
“It's an interesting game and dramatic in the story.”
“Aeternum Vale is a game that caught me by surprise; I wasn't expecting this much from it at first, but the game feels so smooth and natural. It has many game modes and missions that guarantee many hours of gameplay.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged with the characters.”
“I found the plot to be predictable and uninspired, which really detracted from my overall experience.”
“The narrative is poorly executed, with many plot holes that left me confused and unsatisfied.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, highlighting major collision glitches and poor platforming design within the starting zone, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
“I didn't even play for half an hour and all the main rooms in the starting zone have major collision glitches or just plain awful platforming design.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, featuring excellent level design, captivating music, and strong narration that collectively enhance the overall experience.
“A nice game with many of the great metroidvania aspects, particularly excellent level design, great music, narration, and an immersive atmosphere.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues that detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The gameplay is straightforward and lacks complexity, with limited fighting mechanics and few enemy combat patterns, which may not satisfy players seeking a more intricate combat experience.
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging, with a perfect balance of challenge and fun.”
“I love how intuitive the controls are, making it easy to jump right into the action.”
“The variety of gameplay mechanics keeps each session fresh and exciting.”
“Don't expect elaborate fighting gameplay with diverse enemy combat patterns.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The controls are clunky, which detracts from the overall experience.”
