To Aerthen

About

To Aerthen is a single player casual role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Ephiam and was released on August 2, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

"To Aerthen" is a light-hearted RPG inspired by classics like Lunar 2 and Final Fantasy 3. Join Zephyr and a cast of colorful characters on a quest to defeat the Voidlord and uncover secrets. With a focus on humorous storytelling and engaging battles, it's the perfect palate cleanser for those seeking a break from heavy, dramatic narratives.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 14 reviews

story5 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game modernizes classic JRPG mechanics while retaining the nostalgic feel, allowing for deep character customization and strategic party composition.
Combat is engaging with impactful buffs, debuffs, and a variety of unique equipment that encourages experimentation and exploration.
The light-hearted tone and comedic elements provide a fun atmosphere, complemented by the ability to run from encounters and save anywhere.

The writing and character development are weak, with repetitive dialogue and a lack of meaningful growth or variety in character interactions.
Dungeons can be long and winding, leading to potential frustration with navigation and a lack of clear direction.
The humor often feels forced and tiresome, detracting from the overall experience and making it easy to lose interest in the story.

story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The story in this game is characterized as light-hearted and comedic, reminiscent of old-school JRPGs, with a focus on character interactions that often involve repetitive bickering among party members. While it offers some creative elements, many aspects feel generic and lack depth, leading to a narrative that is more about humor than a compelling plot. Overall, the story is enjoyable but not particularly groundbreaking, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay experience.
- “The closest thing I can compare the story to is 'what if we take the comedy aspects of Slayers but apply it to JRPGs,' in that folks know what's going on (semi-genre savvy), but still play it straight.”
- “Chock full of story and optional dungeons (which always contain highly worthwhile treasure as well as a good mix of unique background art/tiles/layouts), good music, a solid difficulty curve that keeps you on your toes but isn't overwhelming nor encourages mindless grinding to deal with it due to plenty of ways of different ways to build your eight characters (each with their own strengths and weaknesses), and a solid narrative that never treats itself (and especially the characters within) too seriously to scratch that modern classic-inspired RPG fix quite nicely.”
- “- light-hearted story with a lot of funny dialogues.”
- “It seems like their next game has withdrawn away from telling a more direct story, which may be for the better.”
- “Not the most generic fantasy RPG story, but a lot of it is pretty close, and the creative bits don't actually make any sense.”
- “Overall an interesting game, kind of cute, nothing too crazy on story though (the comedic aspects of it are okay but get tiring sometimes and get in the way of any kind of epic tale or experience).”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is characterized by a straightforward RPG structure that emphasizes exploration and loot collection, with a balance that remains satisfactory throughout. Combat features impactful mechanics that reduce repetitive button mashing, while the overall experience is enhanced by nostalgic 8-bit aesthetics and modern RPG Maker MV elements. However, the game lacks depth in story and replay value, offering around 10 to 15 hours of playtime with limited post-game content.
- “Combat: impactful buffs, debuffs, and unique mechanics take a lot of button mashing out of the formula.”
- “Adventurous spirits can find some loot to help them in their gameplay if they explore some areas earlier.”
- “Overall an interesting game, kind of cute, nothing too crazy on story though, but has a decently balanced gameplay experience.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's very standard fare but the balance remains 'good enough' through the whole game, thanks to good ramping up -- gear gets very strong with lots of different effects, and so do enemy attacks.”
- “10 to 15 hours of gameplay, not much in the way of replay value or post-game content (a few optional dungeons before the final boss).”
- “If you like epic old-school comedy JRPGs with lots of loot, 8-bit aesthetics, and modern mechanics (thanks to RPG Maker MV), I can fully recommend this game to you.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics of the game effectively capture a nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic, reminiscent of classic NES titles, particularly appealing to fans of retro JRPGs. While the visuals utilize prepackaged assets, they are of high quality and complement the game's modern mechanics, making it a solid choice for those who appreciate old-school charm combined with contemporary gameplay.
- “The aesthetics nail the 8-bit vibes to a T.”
- “It has reassuringly retro visuals - the combat screen will be very familiar to JRPG fans of a certain age.”
- “If you like epic old-school comedy JRPGs with lots of loot, 8-bit aesthetics, and modern mechanics (thanks to RPG Maker MV), I can fully recommend this game to you.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in this game is presented as a strategic choice rather than a necessity, with players able to manage action and equipment to navigate challenges effectively. The game offers a rich narrative and diverse character builds, allowing for various approaches to combat without the need for excessive grinding. While late-game encounters can be tough, players have the option to flee or adjust their strategies, making grinding feel optional and rewarding rather than obligatory.
- “Grinding can feel tedious and repetitive, especially when you're forced to farm for drops or experience points to progress.”
- “The game often requires excessive grinding to keep up with the difficulty curve, which can become frustrating and detract from the overall experience.”
- “While there are ways to avoid grinding, the game sometimes feels like it pushes you towards it, making it hard to enjoy the story and exploration.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a light-hearted tone and amusing dialogues, appealing to those who enjoy a less serious RPG experience. However, some players feel that the humor can be overly forced at times, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “Yeah, I do think it can be funny to be someone who essentially is a god running around and not caring about mortal affairs.”
- “Light-hearted story with a lot of funny dialogues.”
- “I'm all for an RPG experience that doesn't take itself too seriously.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Players note that even standard characters can be optimized to achieve exceptionally high damage output, indicating a flexible and rewarding optimization system within the game.
- “The optimization options available allow for a deep level of customization.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to experiment with different builds for maximum efficiency.”
- “Even normal characters can be optimized for absurd damage.”
- “The optimization system feels unbalanced and rewards certain playstyles excessively.”
- “I found the optimization options to be overly complicated and not user-friendly.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers 10 to 15 hours of gameplay but lacks significant replay value, with limited post-game content primarily consisting of a few optional dungeons before the final boss.
- “10 to 15 hours of gameplay, but there's not much in the way of replay value or post-game content, aside from a few optional dungeons before the final boss.”
- “Once you finish the main story, there's little incentive to play again, as the choices you make don't significantly alter the experience.”
- “The game lacks meaningful side quests or alternate endings, making it feel like a one-and-done experience.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally well-received, contributing positively to the overall experience, though some users note it can feel imbalanced at times. It complements the engaging narrative and diverse character builds, enhancing the game's modern classic RPG feel.
- “Chock full of story and optional dungeons (which always contain highly worthwhile treasure as well as a good mix of unique background art/tiles/layouts), good music, a solid difficulty curve that keeps you on your toes but isn't overwhelming nor encourages mindless grinding to deal with it due to plenty of ways of different ways to build your eight characters (each with their own strengths and weaknesses), and a solid narrative that never treats itself (and especially the characters within) too seriously to scratch that modern classic-inspired RPG fix quite nicely.”
- “My one note is that the music does seem a tad imbalanced.”