Aeon of Sands - The Trail

To any and all nerds of Dungeons and Dragons, this is a work of passion and a letter of love to our childhoods. For those of us who grew up on floppy disks, and super nintendo and sega genesis. This is a throwback to the days of warriors of the eternal sun from sega. The system is hit and run based in the beginning, you can choose the build of your characters based more on gear than on stats. (There are stats, but you don't have access to them. Extra str helps you lvl up melee build, int spells, dex ranged. Based on number of uses from what I can tell.) The dungeons are what keep you coming back, frustrating as they can be at times. They have secret doors, that lead to more secret switches, that open a door back where you came, that has another switch. Suffice to say, for those of us who love to explore, they leave it up to you to find all the fun secrets. And the built in map tracker is much better than the grid paper we bought from the store and had to keep track by hand exactly where those traps were! The dialogue is very tongue in cheek, meant to feel like what our actual thoughts would be during a D&D campaign. The dialogue also changes the ending, so their are multiple play through options. Last main thing to note, the spell system has you attune to an element through eating something, and then cast spells using a focus in your offhand. (The spells show what you can cast when hovering over the item equipped.) Final thoughts, I'm in the middle of my first playthrough. For anyone who enjoys dungeons and dragons or wants to dip their toes into possibly running a campaign, this will get thoughts spinning and possibilities emerging. Well worth the money, please support the things you want to see come back! Cheers!

Without being a dungeon crawler fanatic, I've still got a few favourites such as Wizardry 8. Aeon of Sands obviously springs from DOS-era titles and manages to ooze atmosphere like the best of 'em. Not without some nice modernizations like an annotable automap. The post-apoc theme I haven't seen in the genre before and the soundtrack is a perfect fit, especially when you hit any of the rather artistic images that accompany text based events. These lead to some striking moments. Moving between locations is done on an overworld map with diverging paths so it's pretty non-linear. It's not exactly a big world, but there are some complex dungeons in there and since you can lock yourself out of content the game is good for a replay or two. The quirky writing adds some flavor and charm. I didn't find it jarring like some seem to. It's a bit odd that a new game doesn't take advantage of widescreen. Could've allowed for a larger view window or being able to have multiple inventories open, but I suppose there are old-school points for staying retro. I was intrigued by Aeon of Sands first time I saw it, so definitely the theme is a big selling point and what ultimately sets it apart. Highly recommended if you like what you see in the trailer, even if you're not a dungeon crawling die-hard.

This is a fun dungeon crawler with simple level design. Don't expect any super elaborate puzzles like in Grimrock or Dungeon Master 2 - it's mostly just searching for hidden switches and keys. It's still well done and a lot of fun though.

Short Review: A good dungeon crawler, with very interesting world. Characters (people you meet or party members) feel unigue and clearly have personalities. It choices at least seem to really matter. The world is really nice I have to highlight it again! (Hope there will be more of it) Some times combat feels a bit simple and repetitive. There are puzzles but "mostly" feel like fetch key to fit this. Some parts felt like the game is not serious aka very lame jokes and silly stuff. In Dungeon master scale it being 10 this is about 8-/10. If you want to explore something unique and love old school dungeon crawlers I recommend getting this. If nothing else just to experience the world.

Aeon of Sands: The Trail is a unique blend of classic dungeon crawling and narrative-driven role-playing developed and published by Two Bits Kid. Rather than relying solely on combat and loot collection, the game places equal emphasis on storytelling, exploration, and player choice. Set in a harsh desert world where civilization survives around a colossal life-giving tree, the adventure follows Setrani, an unlikely hero whose journey begins with a missing caravan and gradually expands into a far more significant quest. The game's unusual setting immediately captures attention, offering a refreshing alternative to traditional fantasy kingdoms and medieval landscapes. The story is one of the title’s strongest assets. Setrani is not the typical fearless champion found in many RPGs. He is flawed, occasionally selfish, and often overwhelmed by the situations around him. This makes him a surprisingly engaging protagonist whose growth feels natural throughout the adventure. Conversations are filled with humor, personality, and meaningful choices that can influence relationships, uncover hidden information, and alter the course of events. The writing manages to balance lighthearted moments with serious themes, creating a world that feels alive and populated by memorable characters rather than simple quest dispensers. Exploration plays a major role in the overall experience. Players navigate dangerous ruins, forgotten tunnels, and mysterious locations while searching for clues, resources, and secrets. The game rewards curiosity with hidden passages, optional discoveries, and valuable treasures scattered throughout its environments. Many areas contain puzzles or concealed mechanisms that encourage careful observation. The sense of uncovering ancient mysteries is one of the most satisfying aspects of the game, especially for players who enjoy methodical exploration instead of rushing through objectives. Gameplay draws inspiration from classic first-person dungeon crawlers. Movement is grid-based, while combat unfolds in real time, requiring positioning, timing, and tactical thinking. Battles can become challenging, particularly when facing stronger enemies or managing limited resources. Success often depends on understanding enemy behavior, using equipment effectively, and making smart decisions under pressure. While modern players may find some mechanics old-fashioned, fans of retro RPGs will likely appreciate the deliberate pace and strategic depth. The game never feels overly simplified, and overcoming difficult encounters provides a genuine sense of accomplishment. Character progression is handled in a way that complements the game’s immersive design. Rather than focusing entirely on traditional leveling systems, growth is tied closely to the actions players perform and the equipment they acquire. Skills improve through use, encouraging experimentation with different playstyles. This system creates a feeling of natural development and allows players to shape their characters according to their preferred approach. Combined with the variety of weapons, abilities, and companions available throughout the journey, progression remains engaging from beginning to end. Visually, the game embraces a retro-inspired presentation that suits its nostalgic influences. The environments may not feature cutting-edge graphics, but they possess a distinctive charm enhanced by detailed artwork and hand-crafted illustrations. The artistic direction successfully conveys the atmosphere of a dying world struggling to survive amid endless deserts and forgotten ruins. Character portraits and story scenes add personality to conversations, while the soundtrack contributes to the feeling of adventure and mystery that defines much of the experience. The game does have a few shortcomings. Some players may find navigation occasionally confusing, especially when searching for hidden switches or obscure objectives. The challenge level can also be demanding, and the game offers limited guidance compared to many modern RPGs. Those unfamiliar with classic dungeon crawlers may initially struggle with its mechanics and pacing. However, these aspects are largely intentional design choices aimed at recreating the sense of discovery and challenge that defined older role-playing games. What ultimately makes Aeon of Sands: The Trail stand out is its successful combination of traditional dungeon-crawling gameplay with strong storytelling and meaningful player choice. It captures the spirit of classic RPGs while adding a distinctive setting, memorable characters, and a surprising amount of humor. The result is an adventure that feels both nostalgic and original, offering many hours of exploration, tactical combat, and narrative depth. Aeon of Sands: The Trail is a rewarding experience for players who appreciate old-school role-playing games and story-rich adventures. Its blend of exploration, character-driven storytelling, challenging gameplay, and unique worldbuilding makes it one of the more distinctive indie RPGs of its kind. A creative and engaging dungeon-crawling RPG that combines classic mechanics with strong writing, memorable characters, and a fascinating post-apocalyptic world. Rating: 8/10

Aoens of Sands is an old school realtime dungeon crawler. Combat is in real time, you and the enemies move while in combat. That makes the combat rather easy as long as you do not get flanked. There a boss encounters, there a easy mechanic puzzles, many illusionary walls. The story seems a little straight forward, not really that engaging but good enough. The main pro points for the game are the art style, dungeon textures, enemy design and world building. It is a fun and strange world to explore. You explore dungeons in 3d and a 2d overworld with points of interest, you can not move freely around the overworld. You have to follow certain paths between the points of interest. There are little text adventures to have at certain points, followed by 3d fights or dungeon exploration. My main critic point is that the dungeon exploration is somewhat samey and uninteresting. There is only one hard dungeon in the game, and it is only hard because there tons of stairs and you can not access all areas of the dungeons from all directions, you have to circle completely through it to advance. That can be very frustrating. It is a very good game, a casual dungeon romp like Eye of the Beholder, with awesome artstyle and a fun little story and interesting world to explore.

A solid game with a unique magic system and memorable party. Id strongly recommend it to anyone who likes a good dungeon crawl.

not for most.

Nice art, nice world/worldbuilding, passable gameplay

Its a good game but its not for mé... to tedious, get carpatunnel from all the spamming