Aeterna Noctis Reviews
Aeterna Noctis is a delightfully difficult Metroidvania that pushes the boundaries of difficult platforming and combat in a way that keeps the game fun and exhilarating. This hand-drawn action platformer is perfect for those who wanted just a bit more from similar games in the Metroidvania genre, albeit less charming. If you're looking for a solid indie GOTY that effectively utilizes your PS5, look no further than Aeterna Noctis. Good luck, you'll most definitely need it.
Aeterna Noctis is not just another metroidvania, its firm commitment to platforming and its lack of scruples when it comes to being demanding give shape to a video game with character that also stands out for its production values, its progression system, for displaying a world as beautiful as it is enormous and for a soundtrack of those that can be listened to over and over again.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Aeterna Noctis is a stunning Metroidvania that incorporates the many assets of the genre into one magnificent experience. Combining systematic combat and accurate platforming, the game is varied and challenging.
Overall, Aeterna Noctis is a solid experience with some notable flaws that aren't deal-breakers, but could definitely benefit from a bit more refinement. What it does do quite well is find where its two genres intersect and craft a world and gameplay loop that highlight them quite well. For fans of these kinds of games, Aeterna Noctis is definitely worth picking up.
The spiritual son of Hollow Knight. The first game of Aeternum Game Studios is an unexpected surprise with a beautiful visual and scenario design, an epic soundtrack and a exquisite playability. Probably the best indie game of the year.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Huge and difficult to say enough, Aeterna Noctis proposes a metroidvania experience only suitable for the most skilled. Its difficulty can be a problem if platform games are not your thing, but if you like great challenges you will not be able to let go of the controller.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Aeterna Noctis is everything expected of a metroidvania: extensive, demanding, cryptic and, above all, ready for mastery. Although multiple design decisions tarnish what would otherwise be a masterpiece without hesitation, it is pleasing and recommended for every fan of the genre, especially given its impressive artistic work and wonderful mythology.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Aeterna Noctis stands out pleasantly for having a well-worked plot, a gameplay that is a challenge and that does not sin of repetitive and a soundtrack as icing on the cake for an indie work of those that stand out from the rest, totally recommended.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Aeterna Noctis is a product all in all enjoyable, but that wastes the potential in the useless attempt to chase Hollow Knight too closely. The good artistic direction, the excellent combat system and the well-conceived boss fights end up being suffocated by a linear and tedious progression, victim in turn of the desire to want to fill the game with content even when you do not feel any need.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A lot of what I write sounds negative, and that's the difficult part of discussing Aeterna Noctis. It does a lot of things that I genuinely like: It has excellent boss fights, some creative levels, an absurdly huge amount of content, and the platforming mostly works well. That level of heartfelt dedication makes it all the more frustrating when you get caught up on the areas where it still needs polish. I enjoyed a lot of the game, but I remember the annoyances more than the enjoyment. If you're willing to work past that, there's a lot to play in Aeterna Noctis, but it's easy to imagine someone reaching a particularly annoying bit of platforming and moving on to something else, especially because the game's long length can make it feel more exhausting than exhilarating. Metroidvania fans should absolutely give it a shot, but don't expect something as easy to pick-up-and-play as some of the genre greats.
Ultimately, although there’s a distinct feeling of déjà vu when playing Aeterna Noctis thanks to its unmistakable similarities to Hollow Knight, it thankfully manages to nail the most important elements in a Metroidvania: exploration and combat.
If you have to play just one metroidvania this 2021, then it definitely has to be Aeterna Noctis, an indie title that can fight hand in hand with any production that is not a debutant. Creative ideas on an already established and proven basis, proof that effort and perseverance in this genre, as in other fields of life, is profitable.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Aeterna Noctis is a true work of art that stands out for its art and its difficulty. Defining the battle between light and darkness is an epic challenge.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The phrase Metroidvania should not be applied casually, for those two games expanded what was possible, tossing gamers down cryptic corridors instead of cute green pipes. Aeterna Noctis may not innovate much, but it’s a worthy addition to this sub-genre that any fan of Hollow Knight will be pleased to play, if they can overlook the redundancy of gameplay elements. The frequency of the jumping puzzles will push many casual gamers away, but those looking for a classic, hardcore challenge will find it welcomes you with its skeletal hands.
Aeterna Noctis is an amazing example of how a developer can mix together gameplay elements from many popular platformers of the past few years to construct something greater than the sum of its parts. While it owes a gameplay debt to games like Hollow Knight, Dark Souls, and Castlevania, Aeterna Noctis’ fascinating setting and enjoyable gameplay make it easy to appreciate on its own. Its beautiful world and gorgeous soundtrack make exploring Aeterna is a joy, even when its high difficulty is knocking you down over and over. If you’ve been seeking your next Metroidvania fix, Aeterna Noctis is definitely worth diving into.
A metroidvania mixed with a bit of soulsvania that doesn't know what it wants to be and tries a bit of everything, without really succeeding in any particular aspect.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Aeterna Noctis is a clone of the biggest games in the genre, with few good gameplay mechanics and too many issues caused by an imperfect polishing.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It exudes ambition, quality and good ideas, and it is an absolutely huge video game in every way.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If you've played all the "Metroidvanias" under the Sun, Aeterna Noctis might be a good recommendation. The game has a solid foundation, but its individual elements don't provide a concise experience as a whole. There is always something unnecessary that tests the player's patience and perseverance beyond what is necessary. In the end, it is a title that will remain in memory not for what it is, but for what it could have been.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If a challenge is what you’re after, you’ll find it within Aeterna Noctis. There’s still plenty to appreciate and enjoy if that’s up your alley, but it doesn’t do enough to allow its concept to stand out from the competition.