Aralon: Sword and Shadow
- December 16, 2010
- Crescent Moon Games
Get on Apple Store"Aralon: Sword and Shadow" is an open-world RPG set in the kingdom of Aralon, where you embark on a journey to save the kingdom after learning about your father's shocking revelations. Choose your race and class, customize your character, and complete quests to gain experience and access new skills and abilities. Explore cities, battle monsters, and complete missions while immersing yourself in the game's vast world.
iPad
iPhone
Phone
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Aralon offers a vast open world with a variety of races and classes, providing extensive gameplay and replayability.
- The recent update has improved the UI, making it easier to read and interact with, enhancing the overall user experience.
- The game features engaging RPG elements, including a leveling system and numerous side quests, reminiscent of classic titles like Elder Scrolls.
- Many players have reported issues with small UI elements and controls, making navigation and interaction frustrating on larger devices.
- The graphics, while decent for a mobile game, are considered dated and sometimes inconsistent, leading to a less immersive experience.
- Several users have experienced crashes and bugs, particularly when entering new areas or interacting with certain game elements, impacting gameplay stability.
- graphics43 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reminiscent of early PS2 titles, with low texture resolutions and occasional pop-in issues. While some players appreciate the visuals as decent for a mobile game, others note that they fall short compared to modern standards, particularly on more powerful devices. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with some praising their quality for a tablet game, while others find them lacking and in need of improvement.
“The game has impressive graphics overall, but there are a few places here and there that seem sloppy and unfinished.”
“Aralon: Sword and Shadow is a 3D adventure/battle/quest game that has very nice graphics for a tablet game.”
“I'm pretty blown away by the visuals and mood of this game.”
“The graphics, as I said, are a bit lacking, with low texture resolutions sometimes standing out against an expertly made landscape, or the other way around.”
“There also appears to have been no effort put into improving upon the graphics for today's more powerful devices, and the muddy textures and pop-in leave something to be desired visually.”
“The graphics are very dated.”
- story28 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story features a main quest line with a mix of engaging side quests, though some players find it somewhat cliché. While the narrative includes depth and interesting RPG elements, it suffers from minor gameplay logic issues and lacks polish in certain areas. Overall, the story is considered decent, with ample opportunities for exploration and character development, making it a solid experience for RPG fans on mobile devices.
“The story is interesting, albeit a little cliché, though the numerous side quests make up for it.”
“It is not Skyrim in terms of story and graphics, but it is as close as you are going to get for now.”
“The story line is great and I love how it has all different items to use.”
“It is not a Skyrim in terms of story and graphics, but it is as close as you are going to get for now.”
“If the location was in the quest description more, that would be helpful.”
“Plus the storyline is weak and the graphics suck.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, offering an expansive open world with customizable characters and a variety of class/race combinations that enhance replayability. However, some players note issues with polish in gameplay mechanics and repetitive elements typical of handheld games, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the engaging RPG elements and enjoyable quests contribute to a fun gaming experience reminiscent of classic titles like Diablo and Oblivion.
“The gameplay makes up for the early PS2 graphics, with a large enough world to warrant hours and hours of gametime, and the many class/race combinations adding some replay value as well.”
“Open world gameplay with customizable race, alignment, skills, and character attributes.”
“A great game similar in feel and detail to the first Diablo, with gameplay and quests similar to Oblivion... I've put in 10 hours so far and reached level 33.”
“The background story and RPG elements are great, but it seems like Crescent Moon and/or Galoobeth forgot to polish some things in the gameplay logic and mechanics, which are the major drawbacks for me.”
“It still suffers from that shallow and very repetitive gameplay a lot of handheld games do, but is worth it for the price.”
“Only required reboot a few times through entire gameplay for occasional glitch.”
- stability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting smooth performance and no glitches, while others experience significant issues, particularly with quest progression and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, many find the game enjoyable despite these stability concerns, especially when compared to its iOS version.
“It runs great on my Kyros, and I don't have much to complain about.”
“No glitches for me.”
“Fun game, but it has bad glitches.”
“Multiple glitches that prevent you from accepting or turning in quests, and these are long chain quests, so it really messes up your progress.”
“If I try to play, it freezes.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization varies across devices; it runs smoothly on some phones like the Galaxy Nexus, but the port to Android shows significant room for improvement, particularly in control layout and menu design for larger screens like tablets. While the graphics and voiceovers are appreciated, the lack of tablet-specific optimization is a notable drawback.
“I can't speak for other phones, but the game looks great and runs smoothly on my Galaxy Nexus.”
“This may have been a great game for iPhone a while back, but this straight port needs a lot of work to be optimized for Android.”
“From what I have experienced, the controls are not optimized for a large display (tablets); the graphics are not bad, and I like that there are voice overs.”
“My only gripe with the game would be that the buttons and menus are not optimized for tablets, but it definitely is only a minor annoyance at times.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised as exceptional, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and enhancing the immersive experience of the RPG. Players appreciate the combination of good visuals and engaging sound, which together create a lively and enjoyable environment for exploration and storytelling.
“Sound and voice acting are ok, while the music is quite exceptional.”
“There are lots of things to like about the game, like the liveliness of Aralon's natural landscapes, the roleplaying elements, and the music.”
“Plays great, looks awesome, good mood music, lots of quests and places to explore.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its expansive world and diverse class/race combinations, allowing for numerous hours of gameplay. While the graphics may not be top-tier, the engaging gameplay experience compensates for it, making it enjoyable for players seeking variety.
“The graphics are early PS2, and sure, they're not the best graphics as far as tablet and phone games go, but the gameplay makes up for it, with a large enough world to warrant hours and hours of game time, and the many class/race combinations adding some replay value as well.”
“It's a lovely game with a lot of replay value, at least for me and my little tagalong.”
“The graphics are early PS2, and while they're not the best compared to tablet and phone games, the gameplay makes up for it. However, the lack of meaningful content limits the replayability.”
“After completing the main story, I found little incentive to return. The side quests feel repetitive and don't add much to the overall experience.”
“While there are different class and race combinations, they don't significantly change the gameplay experience, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game more enjoyable compared to traditional methods of skill leveling, which often involve repetitive actions. However, some users express frustration with the lack of options to exit the game, making the grinding experience feel tedious at times.
“One thing that has become extremely tedious is that there's no way to even close the game.”
“To me, this is more fun than having a list of skills and grinding them up by just using the same skill over and over again for hours.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its straightforward monetization model, offering a complete open-world, single-player RPG experience at a reasonable price without any in-app purchases.
“If you're looking for an open world, single-player RPG for one reasonable price and none of the in-app purchase junk to play on your Android phone/tablet, this is it.”
“The monetization model is frustrating; it feels like the game is designed to push players towards spending money rather than enjoying the experience.”
“I can't believe how many in-app purchases are crammed into this game. It ruins the immersion and makes it feel like a cash grab.”
“The constant prompts to buy upgrades and items take away from the gameplay. It feels more like a money-making scheme than a fun game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating the depth of the story and the quality of the visuals and graphics. The music complements the experience, contributing to a decent overall ambiance for a full 3D RPG on a mobile device.
“The visuals and graphics are impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere that draws you into the game world.”
“The music and atmosphere complement each other well, enhancing the overall experience.”
“There's a story here that adds depth to the atmosphere, making it feel more engaging.”
