AURA: Fate of the Ages Preview

Adventure games continue their long, lasting tradition of challenging gamers with unique and complex puzzles to solve, while trying to figure out just what in the world is going on.  For most modern gamers the entire “point and click” adventure game genre started with Myst.  Myst had gamers pointing and clicking at everything on screen while trying to figure out what the actual story was about in the game.  Since Myst, we’ve had countless other point and click adventure games released that all have their own unique approach to the point and click genre.  Aura: Fate of the Ages will continue the point and click adventure genre by keeping the basic premise the same while adding some interesting ideas.

In Aura, you play the role of Umang who has been sent to the world of Ademika by his clan elder.  Umang is supposed to complete his training with the Grifit, an old master.  But Umang learns of a plot by Durad to steal the collection of sacred rings, which Umang is part of the “Keepers” clan sworn to protect the rings.  It will be up to you to stop Grifit from capturing the sacred rings, while solving the mysterious puzzles you will face on your journey.

The game starts off with Umang landing on the air-ship in the world of Dragast.  The game is presented in a first person perspective, similar to other adventure games.  In order to move and interact with characters or items in the game you simply point and click.  As in similar games the cursors on screen will change when you have the ability to move or interact with a device.  This is the tried and true control system of other point & click adventure games.

You also have an almost 360 degree view of the world when searching.  All of the graphics for the landscapes are presented in a pre-rendered, almost picture like, effect.  When you move from one area to another, the game loads the next pre-rendered graphic for you to explore.  But, as mentioned earlier, you can view each area in almost any direction you want.  Having the ability to view everything in an area is a key for point and click games.  Aura keeps this ability in effect since you will need to explore every inch of the screen to see if there is something you can interact with. 

Once you find something that you can touch, the cursor will change shapes to indicate that you can interact with the item.  Most of the interaction you have with the items in the game revolve around figuring out puzzles.  If you can pick up an item, then it’s located in your submenu, which is accessed by right clicking on the mouse.  You might have to use the item to figure out a certain puzzle that you will run across in the game.  The puzzles in the preview copy ranged from fairly simple to head scratchers.  Some puzzles were even used twice to open up different areas in the game, but there was a different solution for both puzzles. 

The graphics so far in the preview demo looked great.  All of the pre-rendered graphics are presented in great detail, with the different areas appearing as artwork more than videogame graphics.  However most of the graphics are static with hardly any movement at all.  If you can interact with an item then you will see that item move during the game.  The animation for these items were smooth and transitioned flawless between the pre-rendered graphics. 

The game also presented the story line with cut scenes between different characters in the game.  During the beginning of the demo you have talk with a NPC in the game that will help you out with one of the earlier puzzles.  The animation and voice acting was very well done during the cut scenes.  Each of the characters during the cut scenes are presented in 3D models that looked good, but stood out a little bit from the rest of the pre-rendered graphics. 

So far Aura: Fate of the Ages is shaping up to a nice addition to the point and click adventure game genre.  The excellent graphics, simple & easy to use control system, and story line will grab adventure game fans right away.  The game will contain a total of four worlds to explore in the final version.  Adventure game fans will also enjoy the wide assortment of interesting and challenging puzzles.  Look for Aura: Fate of the Ages this Summer.