![]() ![]() Airoheart himself also seems larger than he appears, and frequently falls into holes that look one or two pixels away.Ĭombat also lacks finesse, with directional attacks feeling stiff and unwieldy. There are passageways that seem traversable, but aren’t – because enemies are larger than they seem on screen, and block the pixels Airoheart needs to travel. These seem to take up more room than the game depicts. In some areas, these pits are also defended by roving spike traps and spinning wheels that impede progress. ![]() ![]() Airoheart tends to move further than you expect along tiles, making it hard to calculate forward rolls and traversal without falling into pits. Movement, for example, can be extremely hard to handle in areas with tight passageways. You can travel deeper into dungeons, and discover more unruly beasts and bosses.īut while the central gameplay and the hunt for new stones remain compelling through narrative tidbits and clues that keep you searching, Airoheart‘s exploration is hampered by a lack of mechanical finesse. At first, small obstacles are too heavy to lift – but as you progress, you unlock more strength, and this leads to further rabbit holes. The loop is more satisfying the further you travel across the game’s map, discovering new secrets and unlocking abilities as you conquer each dungeon and claim your piece of the ancient Draoidhe Stone. The game is never too difficult, with hope waiting behind every new discovery and milestone within the dungeons. Each dungeon is compelling, with frustrating but surmountable challenges along the way. There’s always a way through – but this requires backtracking, noticing subtle clues like a crack in the wall, and planning your next steps forward. In another corridor, you might find an electrified enemy blocking the path. One corridor ahead may lead to a slim cavern that requires you to inch your way slowly past massive pits. As caverns get deeper and darker, you’ll need to carefully plan your way through multiple pathways. In Airoheart, you’ll need to rely on your wits in multiple regards. The strength of early Zelda was always in its twisting stages the puzzling ways you could conquer dungeons by discovering and utilising new items, and weapons, or finding obscured clues along the way. The bare-bones story feels throwaway, but it eventually gives way to a variety of clever dungeons that make up the bulk of gameplay and keep the action moving. There are vague allusions in the plot to a lost brother in the family, and plenty of generational battles behind the scenes – but this story serves more as set dressing a tightrope to hold together the disparate parts of the adventure, and send Airoheart on a journey through various darkened dungeons in search of mythical stones. In your quest through the game’s conflict-riddled lands, you play as Airoheart, a young and confident warrior who joins a group known as the Elmer, who are in a factional war with the Bretons. The dungeons will also be very familiar to those who’ve played classic Zelda, with similar tricks and challenges for finding your way through the world. ![]() The music is as delicate and light-hearted as Zelda‘s too, with a sparkling charm that follows you on your journey. The pixel art is chunky and detailed, as in those early Zelda adventures. Screenshot: GamesHubĭescribed as a love letter to the 16-bit era, Airoheart takes major cues from classic Zelda games in almost every aspect of its design. But not everything is idyllic in the game’s fantasy world of Engard – and like Hyrule before it, the lands are filled with danger and malice. The 1990s was a pioneering era for video games a time rife with mechanical innovation and great stories that still resonate today – to the point where modern developers are still following in the footsteps of this era, using the classics as touchpoints for new inspirations.Īiroheart, a new adventure created by Australian studio Pixel Heart is a game that attempts to bottle the charm of this period, carving out a homage to the classic Legend of Zelda games of the 1990s, with traditional 16-bit-style gameplay aided by a perfectly nostalgic soundtrack of twinkling, fairytale tunes. ![]()
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