Auro: A Monster-Bumping Adventure
- April 13, 2016
- Dinofarm Games
Get on Steam"Auro: A Monster-Bumping Adventure" is a turn-based strategy game focused on "Bumping Tactics," where you guide Prince Auro through procedurally generated dungeons, using tactical spells to outmaneuver monsters and bump them off-screen. With deep gameplay, emergent complexity, and nine spells to master, Auro offers a challenging single-player campaign. This polished version, developed by Dinofarm Games, promises a unique gaming experience.
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Reviews
- Auro offers a unique and addictive gameplay experience that combines tactical strategy with emergent complexity, making each match feel fresh and engaging.
- The game features a well-designed single-player ELO ranking system that keeps the gameplay challenging and rewarding as players improve their skills.
- The pixel art and sound design are charming, enhancing the overall experience and making it visually appealing.
- The game suffers from persistent bugs, including match freezes that can lead to unfair rank deductions, and it appears to be abandoned by the developers with no updates to fix these issues.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, requiring unnecessary steps to access information about spells and monsters, which detracts from the overall experience.
- While the gameplay is deep, some players feel that the lack of a campaign mode or additional content limits the game's long-term appeal.
- gameplay24 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Auro is characterized by short, engaging sessions that emphasize strategic depth without unnecessary complexity or grinding. While the mechanics may initially seem simple, they offer a challenging and dynamic experience that encourages players to discover new strategies over time. Despite some bugs and a clunky UI in the PC version, the game is praised for its innovative design and user-friendly controls, making it a compelling addition to the turn-based strategy genre.
“Auro aims to be a timeless strategy game classic like chess by focusing on a strong core mechanic.”
“The gameplay system is so novel, unique, and dynamic and I can't see myself getting tired of it any time soon.”
“Every piece, every single rule, in the game has been balanced and honed for years to make for one of the best examples we have of a well-designed gameplay system.”
“At first, the strange mechanics of the game make you feel impotent.”
“Gameplay itself is just okay.”
“Hoplite (on mobile) did the same type of gameplay better.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the charming pixel art and nostalgic style reminiscent of classic consoles, while others find them lacking in polish and variety. Overall, the visuals are described as cute and well-animated, though the menu design falls short compared to the rest of the game.
“The sound and graphics are a real treat, and do benefit from the PC platform.”
“The artwork and music are excellent and charming to boot.”
“The pixel graphics are cute and expertly drawn and animated.”
“Graphics are painful and the play is uninspiring.”
“The graphics and sound are okay, though art-wise there's certainly a large variety of enemies; unfortunately, the same can't be said for arena variety.”
“The menus don't have the same graphical polish as the rest of the game, but for the £6 asking price, I'm not too fussed.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as quirky and charming, effectively complementing the beautiful pixel art and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo titles. Reviewers appreciate its memorable quality and how it enhances the overall experience, contributing to the game's humor and depth.
“The music is quirky, but stays with you.”
“The artwork and music are excellent and charming to boot.”
“The art style and music are very nostalgic; it feels like I'm playing a game on a Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo.”
“The music is quirky, but it doesn't quite fit the game's overall tone.”
“The art style and music are very nostalgic; however, they can feel outdated and repetitive.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its exceptional replayability, comparable to classic games like chess and Tetris, with users noting that it offers a continually rewarding experience. Its randomized maps, monsters, and spells ensure that each playthrough feels unique while still maintaining a sense of winnability, making it a game players can enjoy for years.
“Without a doubt, one of the best games I have ever played, and definitely the most replayable single-player game I've come across.”
“Replayability is insane; every game has a randomized map, randomized monsters, and a random combination of spells, but always feels winnable.”
“Auro is just as replayable and continually rewarding as chess, tennis, Tetris, Go, etc. Take half an hour, learn the rules, and the game will reward you for years.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from stability issues, notably a recurring bug that causes matches to freeze approximately every six games, forcing players to restart or quit and resulting in rank penalties. While the gameplay is enjoyable, the frequent bugs significantly detract from the overall experience.
“The game still experiences a bug that freezes a match every six matches or so.”
“When a match freezes, you have no choice but to restart or quit, which deducts points from your rank in the ranking system.”
“This game has good gameplay, but it's incredibly buggy.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with lovable and hilarious characters that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the balance of humor alongside engaging gameplay elements, making it both accessible and enjoyable.
“With a decent, fair learning curve, beautiful pixel art, good music, and a sense of humor, it's easy to pick up, but with enough depth, variation, and challenge to keep it from getting stale.”
“Characters are lovable and hilarious.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is characterized by its high skill requirement, which means that grinding is not a necessary or prominent aspect of gameplay. This may make it less appealing to players who enjoy more grind-heavy experiences.
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as lacking depth and immersion, with players suggesting that those seeking a rich narrative or extensive content may want to consider other options.
