AuroraRL

About

"AuroraRL" is a single-player Science Fiction Role Playing game where the player controls a spaceship built by human nations, exploring space, discovering new alien races, building relationships, and bringing back valuable objects to help Earth overcome its crises. The game takes about 4 hours to beat and offers the opportunity to find unique artifacts, technologies, lifeforms, and even alien cookie recipes to aid in the mission.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

57%

Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game has an interesting storyline that can keep players engaged for a few hours.
It captures the feeling of space exploration well, reminiscent of classic games like Star Control and Starflight.
The controls are easy to learn, and the game offers a unique blend of resource management and story progression.

The developers have officially abandoned the game, leaving it unfinished and with no future updates.
The game is plagued with bugs that can severely hinder gameplay, including crashes and language issues.
The title is misleading as it does not truly fit the roguelike genre, leading to disappointment for players expecting that experience.

story
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The game's story is described as decent and engaging, with a rich narrative that includes a significant amount of text and exploration elements. However, players note inconsistencies and weaknesses in character development and plot execution, particularly regarding romantic subplots and the depth of NPC interactions. While the story is a central focus, some feel it lacks originality and suffers from unresolved plot points, especially given its early access status.
- “The story is nice; there is a lot of text to read, and you can even play it with just one hand.”
- “Now the only thing that I'm sad about is that this will never be really finished, and I was really getting excited for the story to continue, but still, even after that, I will continue playing this game.”
- “It's important to know that the game is especially based on the storyline, so there is a lot of text to read, but also allows you to do some other stuff, like exploring systems, planets, etc.”
- “The story is a combination of three other games; I've never liked games that are not original.”
- “I find it hard to feel for any of my crew members passing as I might if they had names, which for a game so dependent on story seems a bit poor.”
- “Even if you are really into a game's plot more than the actual gameplay, the story still feels rather weak.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay is characterized by a turn-based roguelike combat system set in a star exploration context, but it suffers from simplicity and repetitiveness, making it feel shallow and lacking depth. While accessible for casual players, the heavy reliance on text and weak narrative detracts from engagement, leading to a mediocre experience overall. Players seeking rich gameplay mechanics or immersive systems may find this title disappointing.
- “It is the exploration of star control, but with a turn-based/roguelike combat mechanic.”
- “I really recommend this game to people who like to read and don't want to have complex mechanics that are hard to learn.”
- “Travel the galaxy in order to bring peace among the diverse races and cultures of the universe all while wheeling and dealing as the international space ambassador in this exploratory, action-packed sci-fi RPG/dating sim.”
- “The gameplay is extremely simple and very accessible, which aren't inherently bad things, but there is little motivation for the player to keep clicking through the game other than to see more of the godawful writing, and there is a lot of it.”
- “The gameplay is pretty mediocre, which means it leans heavily on the text, which is far overdue for some cleanup on the English-speaking side of things.”
- “As far as the actual gameplay goes, it's very repetitive, painfully shallow, what little content there is is spread far, far too thin.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it reminiscent of 80s soundtracks and describing it as repetitive and annoying, while others appreciate its overall quality and character. Despite the nostalgic appeal for some, the limited variety and looping nature of the tracks detracted from the experience for others. Overall, the music seems to evoke strong personal preferences among players.
- “I just noticed that they're also selling the original soundtrack.”
- “Other than that, I enjoyed the characters so far, and the music is excellent throughout the game.”
- “My literal first thought when I launched the game was 'wow, this music is terrible, make it stop.'”
- “While the pixel art was okay, the music was literally a 16-bar loop. There was a huge wall of text dialog to wade through to get to the actual gameplay, which felt like a game from the 80s.”
- “Did I mention the music is from the 80s and so are the sound effects?”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The graphics of the game are described as "functional" and simplistic, reminiscent of late 1980s titles, with a focus on text-heavy content rather than visual appeal. While some players may appreciate the maximum settings akin to No Man's Sky, the overall impression is that the graphics are underwhelming and lack depth.
- “All you need to know about the game is No Man's Sky at the maximum graphic settings!”
- “The graphics are stunning and truly immersive, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
- “The visuals are breathtaking, with vibrant colors and detailed environments that draw you into the game world.”
- “The graphics, which are not always a concern of mine, are, well let's just say 'functional' and leave it at that.”
- “Had this game come out in the late 1980s, then it would have been a really poor version of Starflight with slightly better graphics and too much dialogue.”
- “So expect simple graphics and a lot of text, especially tons of background info and secondary character dialogues which don't change much in the end.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs and problems with the rendering system.
- “The game is buggy as hell.”
- “The renderer is buggy as well.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is criticized for significant performance issues and persistent bugs, making it frustrating to play, especially towards the end. Players feel that the lack of proper optimization detracts from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the game as a temporary distraction rather than a polished product.
- “The game feels like something you do for laughs in college for a week or two and then shove it in the trash after you get your passing grade, because fixing game hang bugs and optimization is too much to ask.”
- “The remaining tasks require a lot of searching, which becomes difficult towards the end of the game due to performance issues; a bug, I guess.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game's atmosphere is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it jarring due to unexpected elements, such as inappropriate character details, amidst otherwise immersive environments like tropical paradise planets that offer a sense of safety and abundance.
- “The game features a captivating atmosphere that immerses players in its richly detailed environments.”
- “The vibrant tropical paradise planets we encountered had a breathable atmosphere and plentiful resources, creating a sense of wonder and exploration.”
- “The overall ambiance of the game enhances the experience, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
- “The general atmosphere of the game is jarring, especially when unexpected elements, like a reporter's physical attributes, disrupt the immersion.”
- “It struck me as odd that our expedition has encountered several tropical paradise planets with breathable atmospheres and plentiful resources, yet the overall atmosphere feels lacking.”
- “The atmosphere feels inconsistent, as the game presents beautiful environments but fails to create a cohesive experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally considered to have low replayability, with users noting a lack of incentives or content that would encourage them to play it multiple times.
- “This game has no replay value.”
- “There is not much replayability value.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by a plethora of memes and references, contributing to a lighthearted tone that avoids taking itself too seriously. While this approach is generally well-received, players appreciate it more when the humor is genuinely funny rather than relying on randomness.
- “The game is packed with clever memes and references, embracing a lighthearted tone that keeps the humor fresh and engaging.”
- “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously; the jokes land well and add a delightful layer to the overall experience.”
- “The humor is spot on, blending witty dialogue with hilarious situations that make every moment enjoyable.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant drawback, particularly criticizing the roguelike elements that contribute to this repetitive gameplay.
- “The roguelike element is actually the worst part, making the game kind of grindy.”
- “The repetitive tasks required to level up feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- “Grinding for resources takes away from the fun and exploration aspects of the game.”