TwiceBittenBacklog AER: Memories of Old Review

AER Memories Of Old is a non-violent exploration game set on a series of sky-islands. You play as Auk, a human with the power to shape-shift into a bird, on a pilgrimage to learn more about the land’s history, its Gods, as well as the cataclysm that plagues it. The player accomplishes this by using their ability of flight to travel between islands, and their ability of basic pattern recognition to solve rudimentary puzzles. The player is then rewarded with items used to unlock further areas of the game as well as fragments of lore. There is not much to be said about AER’s gameplay. While in a dungeon, your verb-set is limited to jumping and interacting with switches. Puzzles range from basic platforming, to selecting the correct symbol out of a group of four - with the answer key but a few steps away. From a mechanical perspective, the singular highlight is traversing from island to island via flight. This is where the games atmosphere, music, and art design coalesce into an ethereal, comforting experience. In hindsight, I wish this game leaned more into this strength, with a larger map and more flight based puzzles. But I believe Forgotten Key placed a higher priority on aesthetics, and in this regard they did succeed. The high saturation, low-poly look lends itself well to flying amongst the clouds. The temples are appropriately somber and moody. A personal highlight is the presentation of the Old Gods, which were evocative, at times stunning, while still matching the restrained nature of the game’s art design. I still debate whether AER is understated or undercooked. I lean toward the latter. The game makes gestures toward ideas of imperialism and the destruction of culture, as well as the idea of nurturing hope and compassion as an aspirational ethos. But without a strong narrative pull, I felt aimless and had trouble feeling engaged - despite my best efforts. I do feel like if I step back and squint my eyes, I can appreciate this work of art more than when I try to get up close and analyze its details. Perhaps that's the point. A hesitant 5 out of 10.