Established Heroics

From the outside, Hero of Aethric is a turn-based game following established RPG fantasy games. However, this should not detract from gamers who love the languid way Hero of Aethric unfolds. The tutorial was comprehensive enough that jumping right in does not damage a player’s chances of playing well. The combat, surprisingly, is intense with buffs and debuffs playing a crucial role in battle outcomes. Players are recommended to keep a large stock of health potions. Not because enemies are over-powered, but because the combat balance is – well – balanced.

This is not a new discovery for developer, Northern Forge, whose other RPG game, Orna, is well-received across mobile gaming stores. Maybe because the Canadian-based company holds BETA versions of their games before release. Either way, the very similar games, Orna and Hero of Aethric, are combat games that focus on slow burn challenge levels and great loot drops that makes XP grinding worthwhile.

Heroically Lost

Hero of Aethric comes with a major flaw. Map navigation is near impossible to use. It feels made for a much larger screen, despite Hero of Aethric being a mobile device game. More time is spent fighting the navigation’s limitations than fighting boss battles and clicking through dialogue. While the gameplay itself is fun and relaxing, this hindrance makes putting the game down easy.

That being said, the stylized graphics and classic game music of Hero of Aethric are reminiscent of easy and relaxing gameplay. Combat and loot drops keep players busy leveling up and improving. And the early-on questline of building your own little village (to later become a town) adds a fun, dynamic change from other mobile game turn-based RPGs. Crafting gets mixed results from players, but the balance encourages players to explore and gather. If moving around the map was easier, perhaps players would not mind resource gathering so much. But, overall, it is a game worth trying.