Lovers of Aether

About

"Lovers of Aether" is a visual novel set in Aether High, where you interact with characters from "Rivals of Aether" to find a date for the homecoming dance. Throughout the school day, you'll attend classes, take quizzes, and engage in conversations to get to know each character better. The game features various animal-themed characters, and your choices will determine if you'll attend the dance with a date or not.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,335 reviews

humor80 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features charming character designs and humorous writing, making it an enjoyable experience.
It's a fun and lighthearted take on the dating sim genre, with a unique twist by incorporating characters from Rivals of Aether.
The game is free to play, making it accessible for anyone looking for a quick and entertaining visual novel.

The game is very short, with limited content and replayability, leading to repetitive gameplay.
There is no option to skip dialogue, which can be tedious during multiple playthroughs to unlock all endings.
Some players felt that the character interactions lacked depth and that the endings were anticlimactic.

humor
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, witty dialogue, and ability to evoke genuine laughter, often through lighthearted and quirky interactions among characters. Many reviewers highlight the game's charm and the effective use of high-school romance tropes, while some note that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with varying levels of effectiveness across different characters. Overall, it is considered a fun and entertaining experience, especially for fans of the "Rivals of Aether" universe.
- “The writing is witty and humorous, perfectly capturing the essence of each character from the main game.”
- “It's extremely short but an enjoyable ride nonetheless thanks to the writing being wholesome or funny, alongside Elranno's gorgeous anthro artwork.”
- “An incredibly funny dating sim based off the characters from the game Rivals of Aether, with an underlying story which you can discover when paying attention.”
- “The writing is exaggerated and mostly unfunny.”
- “Not trying to be a prune here, but it's just not funny.”
story
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The game's story is generally viewed as short and underwhelming, with many players expressing a desire for deeper character development and more substantial plotlines. While some characters and story elements, like the quirky "egg storyline," stand out, the overall narrative lacks depth and resolution, leading to mixed feelings about its replayability. Despite these criticisms, the storytelling and art are praised, with some players finding enjoyment in the lighthearted and humorous approach, making it a fun experience overall.
- “The storytelling is amazing, the worldbuilding is astounding, and the deep and complex storyline and sudden twists will leave you in tears at how amazing it is.”
- “This game not only has the best story and character building of every game out there but also every film and book out there; the storytelling is simply unparalleled.”
- “The story gripped me, and I couldn't help but form a deep bond with every character I spoke with.”
- “There are 11 characters to talk to, and considering that, it takes about 15 minutes on average to complete a storyline, which is underwhelming to say the least.”
- “It promises stories and then builds towards them but stops before it resolves any story, and no matter what you do, there is no way to get the endings to the stories in this game.”
- “For some criticism, there really isn't much story here; I don't feel like the dialogue was set up for an in-depth backstory to these characters; it feels rather thrown together and not really thought about.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
6%
The music in the game has received a generally positive reception, with many praising its catchy and enjoyable compositions, particularly for fans of chip-tune and remixes from the "Rivals of Aether" soundtrack. While some users noted that the music is not groundbreaking, it effectively complements the game's charming visuals and character development. However, a few critiques mentioned technical issues with sound settings resetting and a disappointing end track.
- “The soundtrack is really good, a treat especially for PC-98 remix enthusiasts.”
- “The music is amazing, the art is great, and the dialogue is cute.”
- “The music's *amazing*; Flashygoodness' funky Wrastor theme in particular is Toejam & Earl-tier.”
- “From a technical standpoint, it was annoying that your music/sound settings reset every time you exit the game.”
- “The only real disadvantage to the game's OST is that it is not for sale anywhere.”
- “While it did not convince me to buy Rivals of Aether, it did convince me to check out the soundtrack.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
38%
9%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their vibrant pixel-art style, charming character designs, and overall aesthetic appeal. Reviewers highlight the quality of the artwork and the seamless integration of visuals with sound effects and music, making it an enjoyable experience. The visuals are described as beautiful and well-executed, contributing significantly to the game's charm, especially considering it is free to play.
- “Visually, the game maintains the same vibrant, pixel-art style that fans of the series adore.”
- “This game has an incredibly charming art style and GUI.”
- “The art style of the game is also gorgeous; love it.”
- “The visuals represent the objects they represent well.”
- “Aesthetically, I have no complaints – the characters are all well-drawn, as are the environments, and while there aren’t all that many of them, the artist did know what they were doing.”
- “The art style of the game is also gorgeous, love it.”
emotional
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Lovers of Aether" is characterized by its wholesome and heartwarming narrative, engaging players through endearing character interactions and budding romances. While some players noted the brevity of the experience and a lack of deep emotional connections, the overall sentiment highlights the game's charm, humor, and ability to evoke warm feelings, making it a delightful journey for fans of dating sims and the original series alike.
- “Engaging in heartfelt conversations, making choices that impact character dynamics, and witnessing the budding romances between fighters are all incredibly endearing.”
- “This game made me feel something.”
- “Picking up this game and playing it made me feel warm and tingly on the insides.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
71%
14%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and enjoyable due to its endearing characters and simple mechanics, while others criticize it for being shallow and lacking depth, particularly in the dating aspects. The inclusion of a minigame is appreciated, but many feel that the overall gameplay experience is too bare-bones and could benefit from more variety and complexity.
- “Its endearing characters, witty writing, and engaging gameplay create a unique and memorable experience.”
- “I 100% completed it because the gameplay loop was simple enough and the characters were all endearing; Wrastor especially has my entire heart <3”
- “Additionally, the little minigame is fun for the two minutes you play it; I appreciate when visual novels have these to shake up the gameplay a little.”
- “I don't like Rivals 2 gameplay that much... hopefully they will adjust things before launch!”
- “It's a shame the gameplay itself is pretty bare bones outside of a single minigame.”
- “For that reason, it greatly lacks depth in the gameplay and dating aspects.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
9%
18%
The game features charming and beautiful character designs that are well-received by players, enhancing the overall appeal of its storytelling and art style. Despite being a lighthearted April Fools' spin-off, it showcases significant effort in character development, with fitting personalities and engaging routes that encourage replayability. Overall, the combination of appealing visuals and enjoyable writing makes it a recommended experience for fans of the genre.
- “Combined with an enjoyable writing style, a great art style, and character designs, and being a free game, it's a no-brainer recommending it to lovers of Aether.”
- “For some positives, they had some good character design (art overall isn't bad) and the personalities were fitting.”
- “Despite me never actually playing the original Rivals of Aether, I quickly grew to like this game for its character development and storytelling.”
- “It is a silly April 1st furry-bait spin-off from Rivals of Aether, but it is quite surprising the amount of work put into it: character design, songs, paths, and so on.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers significant replayability through diverse character pairings, multiple storylines, and engaging dialogue options, encouraging players to return for new experiences. Its charming characters, enjoyable minigames, and appealing art further enhance the incentive to replay.
- “Look to Amorous; it has more dialogue and action options, greatly enhancing its replay value.”
- “However, the game's replayability comes from exploring different character pairings and storylines, providing ample reason to return.”
- “It's fun, the characters are cute, there's a fun computer minigame, and it has a lot of replayability.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of games to be tedious and often boring, with some noting that it can significantly hinder progress and enjoyment. While some recommend the experience despite its repetitiveness, many express frustration with the excessive time required to achieve 100% completion.
- “Attempting to 100% complete is tedious and boring.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Current AAA games keep burning themselves out, whether it be poor gameplay mechanics, uninteresting characters that encourage you to skip the story, or days, maybe even weeks of grinding that prevents reasonable progress speeds.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Reviews indicate that gamers are dissatisfied with the current optimization of the game, particularly highlighting poor performance on platforms like Steam. There is a strong demand for improvements and new features to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The government is under a lot of pressure from gamers to deliver something new and amazing, due to the poor performance of Steam.”
- “Unoptimized.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Reviewers emphasize the importance of maintaining the game's theme and atmosphere, suggesting that these elements are integral to the overall experience and should be preserved in any future extensions or updates.
- “The atmosphere in this game is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world.”
- “Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- “The game's atmosphere is so rich and layered, it feels like a character in its own right.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
- “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
- “The overall ambiance is forgettable, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express a preference for a one-time purchase model over the current monetization strategies, indicating they would rather pay upfront for the game than deal with advertisements.
- “I'd still rather pay for this game than deal with the aggressive advertising.”
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more than they should.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra.”