AereA

AereA is an Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG) with a distinct musical theme, developed by Triangle Studios and released in 2017. Set in the beautifully hand-drawn world of Aezir, a floating island shattered into pieces, the game tasks players with restoring balance by recovering a set of legendary musical artifacts.

The Quest for Harmony

The plot centers on Maestro Guido's disciples, four heroes who embody different combat roles, each wielding a weapon inspired by a classical instrument:

• Wolff the Harp-Archer: A ranged character who uses a harp as a bow.

• Jacques the Cello-Knight: The melee tank, using the cello as a shield and its bow as a sword.

• Jules the Lute-Mage: A ranged magic user.

• Claude the Trumpet-Gunner: A ranged character who fires projectiles from twin trumpets.

Their mission is to find and return the Nine Primordial Instruments, whose theft has caused chaos and the world's fragmentation. The game takes the form of a classic dungeon-crawler, where players explore multiple scattered islands (biomes) to complete quests, solve puzzles, and defeat musically-inspired bosses.

Gameplay and Musical Focus

AereA utilizes a top-down, isometric perspective, characteristic of the ARPG genre. The gameplay loop involves moving through instanced areas, clearing rooms of enemies, and solving simple environmental puzzles, often involving moving blocks or activating switches.

• Progression: Character progression revolves around collecting Music Sheets found during exploration. These sheets are used to unlock new skills and abilities for the chosen character, rather than relying on a complex gear or loot system.

• Boss Battles: The most unique feature is the boss design. Each of the nine major bosses is inspired by a specific musical instrument, and the accompanying battle music prominently features that instrument, creating unique encounters that reinforce the game's central theme.

• Local Co-op: The game strongly encourages and supports local co-op for up to four players, allowing each person to play as one of the four unique disciples. This makes the experience more engaging and is often cited as a key strength.

While praised for its vibrant, hand-drawn art style and its excellent orchestral soundtrack (composed by Deon van Heerden), AereA received mixed critical reception, with many finding the combat too simplistic, the level design repetitive, and the quest structure lacking depth compared to other titles in the genre. Despite its shortcomings, it offers a visually appealing and musically unique entry point into the ARPG genre, especially for younger or casual players seeking a couch co-op experience.