Aaru's Awakening

[h1] Gameplay is horrendous. Visuals not bad. It's one of those games that look decent on pictures but when you actually play it... you start to swear. A lot. Dongos out of ten. [/h1]

Gorgeous and brutal, clearly aimed at hardcore players and speedrunners. It can leave you simultaneously frustrated and oddly relaxed.

It's an ok platforming game with a focus on a niche mechanic of teleporting to a ball you shoot. It is fast paced and doesn't overstay its welcome.

I struggled to make it 5 minutes in because the controls are so bad. Save your money. 1/10

Aaru's Awakening is a visually stunning platformer with a mix of highs and lows that make for a somewhat uneven experience. First, let's talk about the visuals. The hand-drawn graphics are absolutely beautiful and stand out as one of the game's strongest features. The game’s visual style is nothing short of captivating and adds a significant amount of charm and character. The music, while atmospheric, tends to be a bit dull. It sets the tone appropriately and complements the game's environment, but it lacks variety and can become monotonous over time. The soundtrack is serviceable, but it doesn't elevate the game in a memorable way. Now, onto the gameplay. As a platformer, Aaru's Awakening falls short where it matters most: the controls. They are unfortunately quite terrible. Precision and responsiveness are crucial in platformers, and this game struggles significantly in that area. The controls feel clunky and unresponsive, which leads to frustration, especially in more challenging sections. This lack of precision severely hampers the overall experience and makes it difficult to fully enjoy the game. Adding to the frustration, two of the achievements are unobtainable. …

Stunningly beautiful and challenging, Aaru's awakening is an incredible journey. Word to the wise, the ending is very difficult, and the game does a poor job preparing you for it, but as a precision platformer enthusiast, I was not bothered by it. An underrated gem for sure !