Airoheart

56%
Game Brain Score Based on 40 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Airoheart Game Cover
If you’re a fan of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Airoheart should probably pique your interest.
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"Airoheart is an action-adventure game set in the retro-inspired world of Engard. As the hero Airoheart, you must stop your brother's plan to unleash an ancient evil and trigger a war using the Draoidh Stone. Explore an enchanting open world, engage in real-time combat, and uncover the truth in this epic journey."

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

56%
Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
story6 negative mentions
  • The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic Zelda titles, particularly 'A Link to the Past', with engaging exploration and charming pixel art.
  • Players appreciate the fun puzzles and side quests that enhance the gameplay, providing a sense of discovery and rewarding exploration.
  • The music and visuals are generally well-received, contributing to an enjoyable atmosphere that evokes fond memories of retro gaming.
  • The game suffers from significant design flaws, including a lack of dungeon maps, poor lighting in dungeons, and clunky combat mechanics that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Many players report issues with soft-locking in dungeons, inconsistent hitboxes, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • The story is considered weak and unoriginal, failing to engage players and often feeling like a collection of clichés rather than a compelling narrative.
  • story35 mentions

    The story in the game is generally viewed as simplistic and unoriginal, often revolving around classic themes of good versus evil and political intrigue between two factions. While some players appreciate the charm and modest intrigue it offers, many find it lacking depth and coherence, with side quests and dialogues failing to elevate the overall narrative experience. Overall, the story serves its purpose in providing motivation for gameplay but is not a standout feature, with many reviewers suggesting it is not a primary reason to engage with the game.

    • “The story is a political intrigue about two races, the Elmer and the Breton, on the brink of war; the Breton villain of old was defeated, and his essence was sealed away in stones that were then scattered and hidden, and the Breton of today appear to be trying to find these stones to revive him.”
    • “This is a classic sort of story for, say, a tactical RPG, where you assemble a party of individuals from many walks of life, sometimes from both sides where the narrative justifies it, to set the world on the path to peace.”
    • “My commendations: great atmosphere, very familiar gameplay once you change the controls to match your SNES controller the way you remember it, the scenes and characters look nice, the story isn't another 'save the princess', it just feels good.”
    • “The story is like this: bad guys are bad, you good, go fight evil.”
    • “The writing in Airoheart was obviously attempting a more sophisticated, refined story, but without the vision to tie the game to it.”
    • “There are tons of design flaws in this game so far, badly crafted dungeons, clunky combat and magic systems, and a very boring and unoriginal plot that seems to assume the player has knowledge of past character development and interactions.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay of Airoheart draws heavily from classic Zelda titles, offering exploration and power-up mechanics reminiscent of the genre. However, it suffers from poor navigation guidance, lack of dungeon maps, and glitchy mechanics, which can frustrate players, especially those unfamiliar with the genre. While it provides a nostalgic experience, it requires several improvements to reach its full potential.

    • “The gameplay from Airoheart, just like the graphics, largely relies on the well-known concept we know from the Zelda games.”
    • “If you have played A Link to the Past or other Legend of Zelda games with similar gameplay, Airoheart is played just like that: you explore areas and dungeons to find a power-up that allows you to explore more areas.”
    • “My commendations: great atmosphere, very familiar gameplay once you change the controls to match your SNES controller the way you remember it, the scenes and characters look nice, and the story isn't another 'save the princess'; it just feels good.”
    • “The core gameplay features of the game are sorely lacking; end game in the dark platform elements with terrible hitboxes is a terrible idea, and platform elements with subpar control is a terrible idea.”
    • “The world map and the gameplay aren't very original, but I think it was the dev's intention to make players of 'A Link to the Past' feel at home.”
    • “Despite its similarity in gameplay, it still has some minor differences. This doesn't retract my enjoyment as a whole, but it can discourage people who are not familiar with the genre, especially since they need to figure out the mechanic first, which will require a lot of retries.”
  • music19 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its nostalgic charm reminiscent of classic titles like "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past," while others criticize it for being repetitive, poorly looping, and at times dissonant. Many users noted that the music resets when transitioning between areas, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while some find the music enjoyable, a significant number of players consider it a weak point in the game.

    • “The visuals are a feast for the eyes and the music is fun - I immediately remembered how I felt playing Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as a kid.”
    • “Excellent pixel art graphics, good music, and good sound.”
    • “To be fair: I like the graphics and music, and whilst the story is bland, it is still charming and passable.”
    • “The music resets when entering a new cell, even if it uses the same music track as the area you came from.”
    • “The music doesn't properly loop in a true manner.”
    • “The music is really annoying and repetitive.”
  • graphics10 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their nostalgic pixel art style, reminiscent of "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past," evoking fond memories for players. While some reviewers note that the visuals may not be as simple or attractive as the original, they still appreciate the charming aesthetic and accompanying music, despite some calls for improved visual options. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's nostalgic appeal.

    • “The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the music is fun - I immediately remembered how I felt playing 'The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past' as a kid.”
    • “Excellent pixel art graphics, good music, and good sound.”
    • “This game's visuals are heavily reminiscent of 'The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'.”
    • “Albeit with a heavily nostalgic style to its graphics, music, dramatically somewhat toothless narrative, and basic combat.”
    • “I understand the design aesthetic, especially given certain events toward the end, but at least add a gamma option or some kind of lantern item.”
    • “The art style is reminiscent of A Link to the Past, but... not as simple, and not as attractive.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for its unusually small file size of 2.68 GB, which many users find inadequate for its scope, suggesting poor overall optimization. Additionally, the movement controls are reported to be unrefined, further detracting from the gameplay experience.

    • “-2.68 GB for a game of this scope seems inexcusably unoptimized.”
    • “Movement controls aren't optimized.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mix of emotional experiences, with some players finding certain challenges frustratingly difficult, while others appreciate the presence of a purehearted, silent protagonist that embodies wholesomeness and heroism. This duality creates a complex emotional landscape within the game.

    • “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, making their struggles feel real and relatable.”
    • “The story's ability to evoke such strong feelings left a lasting impact, making me reflect on my own experiences.”
    • “I found myself deeply connected to the protagonist's journey, feeling every joy and sorrow as if they were my own.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The initial release of the game faced significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and major glitches reported, particularly in the 6th and 9th dungeons, leading to frustration among players and reviewers alike.

    • “It's just a shame the initial release was buggy and infuriated many people (including reviewers).”
    • “There are major glitches in the 6th and 9th dungeons apparently.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Users report that the game does not feature grindy achievements, indicating a more streamlined experience without excessive grinding required for completion.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I find the grind for levels and gear to be incredibly repetitive and unfulfilling.”
    • “The amount of time required to grind for resources is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its charming and amusing characters, contributing to an enjoyable 20+ hour adventure filled with challenges and discoveries, though it may not be particularly innovative.

    • “It's in no way groundbreaking but still provides a very nice 20+ hours of adventure filled with challenges, funny characters, and many things to discover.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its nostalgic familiarity and appealing visuals, enhanced by customizable controls that evoke memories of classic gameplay. The engaging story deviates from typical tropes, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.

    • “Great atmosphere, very familiar gameplay once you change the controls to match your SNES controller the way you remember it. The scenes and characters look nice, and the story isn't just another 'save the princess'; it just feels good.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for being poorly executed, with a lack of originality in the plot and insufficient context for players unfamiliar with previous interactions, leading to a disjointed experience.

    • “There are tons of design flaws in this game, including badly crafted dungeons, clunky combat and magic systems, and a very boring and unoriginal plot that seems to assume the player has knowledge of past character development and interactions.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with any of the characters or care about their journeys.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices in character development; it feels like the game doesn't allow for any real growth or change.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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