Aura of Worlds
Review
Just one more run
by James Worcester
reviewed on PC
Just One More Run
Developed by independent developer Cognitive Forge, Aura of Worlds combines phenomenal pixel art and a dulcet soundtrack with layered platforming, environmental and combat mechanics to offer up a 2D roguelite that continues to reward player choice and creativity with variety. Choose your style each run and start experimenting with weapons, items and abilities in new ways as you traverse worlds, trigger traps and try to defeat bosses in this procedurally generated platformer.
Terrific Tutorial
Shortly after starting, players are introduced to a tutorial that, within a few minutes, has you dodge rolling across spear traps. You'll then be wall vaulting on slimes to stun them, before picking them up and throwing them, triggering lasers with crates, boomeranging candelabras to reign fire on enemies below, timing shield parries to reflect projectiles and blinking to new heights. The fundamental mechanics are so satisfying and combine so well that the tutorial really starts to open the player up to what might be possible when more weapons, abilities, enemies and environments are encountered.
Style and Atmosphere
As soon you enter the hub world, you encounter what is in my opinion the most captivating style and atmosphere Aura of Worlds has to offer, both visually and audibly. Although initially lacking companions such as the blacksmith, monk or clothier - who allow you to unlock and customise your starting equipment, background and cosmetics - this comforting hub will be your home. Its playful and moving soundtrack soothing you between rounds, with stunning pixel art on display that is of some of the highest quality I've witnessed. Sometimes it will be spring, or autumn, or Halloween or winter or dusk, and although the entire game awaits, I often find myself waiting right here, enjoying this moment as much as the game ahead.
Beyond the spiralling dark portal lie several beautifully distinct worlds including the Grotto of Guidance, the sombre Gnarled Gardens, the Egyptian themed Celestial Catacombs, the frosty Cold Crust Caverns and the seething Mantle's Edge leading into a caldera. Each world is its own biome with unique enemies, traps, encounters and atmosphere, and is split into multiple procedurally generated levels followed by a boss encounter, with bosses such as the Colossal Worm, Necromancer and Ice Phoenix each guarding a gem-like artifact that slots into the portal itself. The worlds are all distinct, and evoke their own unique feelings thanks to a combination of aural, visual and enemy design. Of particular note, I find the atmosphere of the Gnarled Guardians to be genuinely reflective and melancholic, a rare achievement in any game, and its theme makes me want to just stop, sit and contemplate.
Choice, Complexity and Creativity
Creative and varied problem solving to platforming and combat encounters is one of Aura of Worlds' key strengths. And by playing into its roguelite nature to randomly provide mechanically interesting weapons and items to the player in a randomised gameplay environment, it provides the player the opportunity to assess the contextual tools available, devise strategy, then attempt to implement. What do you have available in your inventory and in your environment right now that is going to help you cross rising lava whilst avoiding enemy fire and triggering or blocking the arrow traps that are ahead of you; or can you avoid all of this entirely? Are you going to blink behind enemies and stab them in the back before they notice you? Are you going to activate a forcefield to counter their projectiles? Are you going to equip your shield and jump on top of an explosive mine to get it to explode without taking damage? Do you currently have double-jump, a grappling hook, the ability to glide or a boomerang to fetch that far off item? What randomised modifiers are you going to add to your weapons and items when given the opportunity to reforge them? Is it worth it to unlock a cursed treasure chest filled with useful runes whilst knowing it means you'll have the ghostly Hunter chasing you across levels much earlier? Or can you blow up parts of the level with grenades and explosives to get to where you need to quickly and easily?
An Emergent Immersive Gem
I have very much enjoyed my time so far with Aura of Worlds, and am impressed with the intentional emergent gameplay that it offers, of which I know I've barely scraped the surface. My advice to you as a player would be to suspend your disbelief and try unconventional environmental tactics, the kinds of things that would never work in most games, but that often do here. For instance, the launch trailer shows that you can use your shield to surf the Colossal Worm.
For now, I'm going to return to the hub world, hope that a beach ball has rendered, and pick it up and throw it amongst my rescued companions.
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9.0
fun score
Pros
Emergent platforming and combat mechanics, Layered and evocative visual and audio design
Cons
A few unintuitive UI elements and minor spelling mistakes, Lacking some polish,
