February 2, 2023

AER Review: Light as Air



 

A bird shapeshifter named Auk sets out on a pilgrimage, soaring through the skies of an air-born world. As part of her journey, Auk uses an old lantern to reveal the hidden memory fragments of the people who inhabited the world before it shattered.



AER is a very simplistic flight simulator, walking sim hybrid, with 95% of the gameplay spent flying around uninhabited islands in the sky. Auk can revert to her human form at anytime to inspect stone etchings on the islands or listen to phantom-like figures recite background lore. These aren't mandatory tasks, but they are some of the few interactive elements in an otherwise minimalist experience.


 Aside from the open world free-flying exploration, there are three hidden temples with simple puzzles that advance the story, and a handful of NPCs located at the "Settlement" island that can provide hints on Auk's next objective if needed.



AER is a gorgeous, low-poly, low-stress exploration experience. There aren't any checklists to complete and the player is free to move at their own pace, which makes AER a great meditative title that will likley disappoint players who enjoy a more structured gameplay experience.

First posted to videogamegeek.com


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