Aureole – Wings of Hope review

Games don’t have to be complex. Aureole – Wings of Hope demonstrates that a simple concept is capable of grabbing and for the most part, maintaining our attention. Team Stargazers’ physics-based gameplay is rooted in a distinctive halo-throwing mechanic. Each stage tasks players with flinging a corona and keeping its momentum as they dash, jump, and zip through stages. The game’s rather fluid and satisfying movement expected grows more difficult, as level toss out tougher challenges.

Pleasingly, Aureole’s controls are thoroughly tuned, resulting in a responsive experience that rewards precision and timing. After the initial pitch, you’ll have access to a dash, which rockets you through the largely horizontal stages like a famous blue hedgehog. You also have access to a double-jump. Across the two phases of a leap, time freezes, allowing for precise aiming with a push of the right analog stick or mouse. Every time your halo touches down, its golden luster is restored, its jumping ability refreshed, providing a pleasing rhythm to Wings of Hope. Lastly, there’s a slam maneuver that’s invaluable when Aureole’s platforming intensifies the precision of the platforming.

Feeling the Flow

This absorbing cadence makes early stages enjoyable, as you easily sail past the intermittent patch of spikes. Sure, stages are mostly just inclines, jumps, and hazards. However, you just might get into that groove like you did when collecting letters in the Tony Hawk games. From maintaining momentum to executing a precisely-timed jump, there’s a fluctuating tension between speed and control that’s pretty addictive. Agreeably, the game provides a succession of variations at players, from large rings that guide your halo around curves, Donkey Kong Country-style launchers, rails, and even the inversion of gravity.

Another agreeable attribute is Kizarys & Bautista Madera Nievas heavenly soundtrack. Wisely, the 22 tracks provide a driving tempo without overpowering the play, recalling the energy of Masato Nakamura’s early Sonic the Hedgehog tracks. Certainly, the game’s level architecture is no slouch, sporadically providing branching routes that provide alternative sets of obstacles.

No ”Danger Ahead” Signs

Even though Aureole is frequently gratifying, a few issues constrain enjoyment. The first is requiring players to memorize some stages. Occasionally, the game’s perspective is just a bit too tight to react to danger, especially when travelling at high speeds. Team Stargazers seems aware of liability though and offers generous checkpointing as a compromise. Instead, I wish the game had more visual warnings, potentially putting some kind of road signs along each path.

Secondly, problem is that the title doesn’t do much with its celestial premise. An opening cinematic uses cartoonish visuals to depict the invasion of heaven by a demonic army. During the attack, Ryleth loses his life and turned in the game’s titular aureole, while Ramila flees. Together the team tries to defeat the demon king accountable for the assault, pursuing Lazel across an overworld map that opens new levels, Super Mario World-style.

Angelic Patience is Needed for the Storyline

Unquestionably, it’s an interesting set-up but the dialog is largely dispensable. Given that Ramila most sling Ryleth through increasingly dangerous environments, I would have appreciated some spirited banter. Instead, conversations staddle a monotonous space that’s neither funny nor urgent. Fortunately, the dialog is usually short.

Aureole – Wings of Hope offers a creative take on the platformer with its unique movement system, polished controls, and involving level design. By combining challenging gameplay with a melodic soundtrack, Team Stargazers has spun up a winner.

Aureole – Wings of Hope was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.