A year ago we tested Aurion: The Legacy of the Kori-Odan, the A-RPG from Kiro'o Games which stands out from the competition by a universe very different from the usual heroic-fantasy. Released on April 14, Aurion is now accessible to everyone. What about since the demo, does it deserve to be in your Steam library?
At the end of my first preview, I was clearly excited about the title of Kiro'o Games. A successful and immersive atmosphere, a warm and colorful graphic touch, the sound that sublimated everything ... Two small points, however, disturbed my experience a little.
First of all the fact that the game is optimized to be played with an Xbox 360 controller. It was clearly not very playable with a keyboard only. I now have the famous controller and it is indeed the essential accessory to fully enjoy Aurion. If you are going to buy the game, take this information into account!
Second point, the dialogues: between the content or the form, awkwardness was felt. This point has been worked on: there is no longer any hazardous space in the dialogue bubbles and the vocabulary used is now better adjusted. To note again some small faults like a missing space, some carelessness. Nothing really bad.
Wanting to take screenshots to illustrate my point, I use F12, the Steam overlay having to allow this key to take the captures. But it is not, it does not work. And worse: I can't use alt + tab, the game doesn't shrink. I then decide to quit in order to check if the overlay may have worked anyway: this is not the case but in addition by selecting quit, the game does not close but returns to the home screen, where you have to press start again to finally be able to quit the game for good.
Well, it takes more to discourage me! Once the game is closed, I restart: maybe it was just a temporary bug. The Tab still does not work. An option allows to disable the full screen, I opt for this solution. New problem: the window is not centered. Let’s keep calm. I quickly find the cause of this problem: in Windows 10 the option Display - Change the size of text, applications and other elements is at 125% what Aurion does not seem to like. Once this value is returned to 100%, the window returns to its appropriate location. The overlay also works with windowed play. Well my eyes are bleeding but at least I can take screenshots, but I'm out of luck I crash.
I continue the game (not without having sulked for a good day following my unlucky start), the controller is definitely essential to play well. The gameplay is always as dynamic. We first have the basics: attack then dodge. Then combos: attack, dodge, and kick.
We also have an AP gauge allowing you to perform other attacks with Y. Finally by switching to Aurionic Charge, a combat stance that increases your forces tenfold, you can perform special attacks using your AP and this times of B
In addition, you can also help Erine, to heal yourself. Personally, I must not be good because I had a hard time using her treatment at this time.
I'm talking about the problems encountered, but it should still be noted that the game team is active on Steam. First of all Aurion has already received several updates in order to optimize it, improve it and correct some bugs. She also listens to her community through discussions on the platform. By the way, while I was performing this preview, an update now allows to switch to full screen / window mode by pressing F5. <3
Another good news, after the beginning of the story we find a tutorial sequence to review the basics of the combat system. Subsequently, this information will always be accessible via the menu. A good point ! This menu will also allow us to manage our characters, in particular the equipment, the evolution (of the skills that we use in combat. It is a question of equipping 3 of them) and the Aurions. We can take a quick look at the money, the Yota, that we have and the current quest.
Another element of the interface to take into account: GPS. It allows us to know where we are and where our objective is.
I continue to progress and eventually get used to the combat system and playing with a controller. It's dynamic, I get better and better and have a lot of fun. Subsequently, I will also learn to climb a wall (and crash down too ...). The gameplay is very rich: on the one hand via the 2D fights, on the other hand via the movements. To recap, I can parry, dodge, dodge and then kick. I can use special skills with Y, and switch to Aurionic mode unlocking new abilities. I can also briefly use Erine to heal myself. Side walk, we advance in the usual way, but as I explained, we can also climb. And if we go up, we must end up going back down! For that, we switch to "platform" mode. Enzo will move from left to right, but can jump below using a combination of keys.
Of course, all this is only a small listing of your first possibilities in terms of combat, later you will see that the system develops more and opens up many possibilities to you.
With this very pleasant gameplay and the atmosphere of the game, there is something to be seduced. This atmosphere, precisely, has many ingredients. Graphics first. We have bright colors without aggressive beings, simple but neat decorations, it's a good balance. Then comes the sound: the voices and the dialect used clearly transport us to another continent. The sounds of fighting are not neglected, the overall atmosphere either. And finally the music! It is simply impeccable. And what about history, about lore? We discover a vocabulary specific to the game, to its "African Fantasy" universe, we learn the legends and beliefs of this land.
I still have a lot to discover and despite the small technical inconvenience (my alt + tab, saperlipopette, it's vital!) I travel with great pleasure in the company of Enzo and Erine. Thanks to Kiro'o Games for proposing such a change of universe!
