Aurora Hills: Chapter 1

About

In "Aurora Hills: Chapter 1," players have taken on the role of a park ranger, investigating a series of mysterious disappearances in a once-prosperous town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. Now in October 1981, the town's natural resources have turned into a curse, with residents and tourists disappearing without a trace. Players will have to explore and examine the abandoned town to uncover the truth behind these eerie happenings. The game promises a thrilling and suspenseful atmosphere, as players work to solve the mystery and bring peace to the tormented town.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,528 reviews

story246 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and a beautifully immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The puzzles are engaging and provide a good level of challenge, with a helpful hint system for players who may get stuck.
The storyline is intriguing, leaving players eager to find out what happens next, especially with the cliffhanger ending.

Some puzzles can feel unintuitive or overly complex, leading to frustration for players trying to solve them.
Navigation between scenes can be cumbersome, with large hitboxes making it easy to accidentally re-enter areas.
The game is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and depth in future chapters.

story
386 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
35%
1%
The story of the game has received widespread praise for its intriguing and engaging narrative, set against a mysterious backdrop that captivates players. Many reviewers expressed excitement for future chapters, highlighting the effective integration of puzzles with the storyline, although some noted occasional inconsistencies and a need for more immersive storytelling elements. Overall, the combination of compelling visuals, atmospheric sound design, and a well-crafted plot has left players eager for more.
- “The story is absolutely captivating; I found myself sitting through the entire chapter 1 in one afternoon.”
- “The story had me very intrigued, and I'm super excited (although impatient) for the next chapter.”
- “The story is compelling and the puzzles are fun to solve.”
- “The plot here is an excuse for the puzzles and has absolutely no value.”
- “The awkwardly shoehorned puzzles quickly broke the story immersion which had been being developed.”
- “Some of the puzzles I will say didn't have a flow to them and were a little difficult to pick up on where they would be in that they made no sense in the flow of the story.”
graphics
290 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
76%
23%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning artwork, immersive visuals, and the effective blend of real photos and 3D graphics. Players noted that the graphics create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience, making it visually appealing and engaging. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its positive reception.
- “This game has some of the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen, which makes for a calming and comfortable experience.”
- “The graphics are incredible and lovely, the puzzles are hard and keep you engaged.”
- “The graphics are stunning, verging on being unable to tell the difference between real life and CGI.”
- “Very tedious, the graphics are pretty though, also it's free... but yeah, my attention span spazzed out after 18 minutes because I got bored clicking everything & I love clicky puzzle stuff but this was dull... meh”
- “Wouldn't recommend, graphics are meh.”
- “Story and graphics are good but it lacks action and won't really give you the dopamine 6/10”
atmosphere
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
20%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, often described as mysterious, eerie, and beautifully detailed. Players appreciate the combination of stunning graphics, engaging sound design, and a well-crafted storyline that enhances the overall experience, making it particularly enjoyable during nighttime play. Many reviews highlight the atmosphere as a key element that keeps players engaged and eager for future chapters.
- “The environments are superbly detailed and well thought out in terms of interactivity and atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere verges on the edge of creepy but because it's so beautiful, it grounds you in a type of sense of security.”
- “The graphics and music are excellent and create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “Though this reminds me of Myst in some ways, I never felt entertained or caught up in the atmosphere of Myst; it just didn't grab my attention for some reason.”
- “The atmosphere is eerie and combined with the first-person perspective, it had me just a little on edge throughout.”
- “Even though the puzzle design hasn't evolved much (if any) from the previous series, the atmosphere and sound design are first-rate for this kind of experience.”
music
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
23%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its soothing, ambient quality that enhances the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its ability to evoke a sense of mystery and relaxation. The sound design, including sound effects and voice acting, is also highlighted as being well-executed and immersive, contributing to the game's engaging experience. However, some users felt that the background music could have been more prominent and consistent throughout the gameplay to maintain engagement.
- “The music is so peaceful with a hint of eeriness to it, can't wait to see the next chapter!”
- “The scenes are designed with great attention to detail and the soundtrack is wonderfully atmospheric.”
- “I love it, the ambiance, the music, the gameplay/puzzles... it's all great!”
- “The background music wasn't enough.”
- “Decent background music (when it was there).”
- “Well done minimalist soundtrack; could have been smoother with the camera motions and scene transitions.”
gameplay
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
5%
The gameplay is generally entertaining, offering a straightforward yet captivating puzzle-solving experience with a mix of mechanical puzzles and beautiful environments. While the mechanics may require some initial adjustment, hints are available to alleviate frustration, and players can choose between normal and hard difficulty for varied challenges. However, some users noted issues with navigation and certain puzzles being unreasonably difficult, suggesting room for improvement in the overall gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay is entertaining and provides a straightforward but captivating puzzle-solving experience.”
- “Gameplay was challenging, but having the hints was a good enough help that it didn't get too frustrating.”
- “The puzzles are different levels of difficulty throughout, leading to really fun gameplay.”
- “Great graphics and sound, but the gameplay is very bad.”
- “A hidden objects game without the hidden objects mechanic.”
- “The artwork was very nice, along with the music and effects, but the gameplay and mechanics quickly became tedious.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with many expressing boredom from repetitive clicking and unclear navigation. While the graphics and music are praised, the overall gameplay mechanics detract from the experience, leading to frustration and a lack of engagement.
- “Very tedious, the graphics are pretty though, also it's free... but yeah, my attention span spazzed out after 18 minutes because I got bored clicking everything & I love clicky puzzle stuff but this was dull... meh.”
- “The navigation is tedious.”
- “It wasn't clear where you were going as you clicked around the scenes and your only navigation button is 'back,' which can get a little tedious (particularly in some sections where you're running back and forth between 2 settings screens away from each other multiple times).”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through the contrasting reviews on difficulty, which adds a layer of amusement for players. Additionally, nostalgic elements, like the presence of a fax machine, contribute to the comedic tone, although some players find the limited controls and puzzling logic can lead to unintentionally funny moments. Overall, the game provides a lighthearted experience that resonates with players.
- “But in general, it is funny to read other reviews about the difficulty, where some say how difficult everything is, and others say it's easy.”
- “Had a lot of fun; only downside is that the controls are very limited and sometimes the puzzles can make the story/logic a bit funny.”
- “This was before mobile phones came in, and it was so funny to see a fax machine in the office.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game features strong music that enhances the atmosphere, players feel it lacks consistent emotional engagement, particularly during puzzle-solving moments where eerie tones seem out of place. This inconsistency can detract from the overall emotional investment, leaving some players feeling disconnected from the experience.
- “Overall, it was a good game, but they could have done more to keep the viewer engaged and emotionally/mentally invested.”
- “The music was really good, but the creepier tones felt like they activated at random at times and made me feel a little creeped out. I think having the eerie music when you're outside might work well to instill fear, as if there is something out there.”
- “Made me feel a good amount of a little stupid.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, players report a stable gaming experience with smooth performance and minimal bugs, although there are isolated instances of minor issues, such as a buggy text description.
- “Nice game, smooth and bug-free at least for me.”
- “I found one case of buggy text description on the bug zapper.”