Aestik

[h1]又是抄袭空洞骑士的赛博史！！！ 你都有钱和人力做一个游戏了，就不能动点脑子做点像样的出来，一定要抄人家别人火过的，而且抄了能比得过人家原作吗？ 先不说有没有创新，你连攻击模组、粒子特效、画面背景一模一样的抄，玩过的人第一反应就是乏味和枯燥，再加上你自己本身的缺点，差评一下子就有了[/h1]

I want so badly for this game to be good. The best way to describe it is, it starts off great, then spirals into an unplayable monstrosity of unnecessarily convoluted platforming preposterousness. The platforming required to open entrance to the endgame is sure to make 9/10 people never play the game again. The way it's tucked into the very end of the game is quite deceiving. There are similar platforming areas prior to this part, but they are no where near as punishing and obnoxious as the innards of the worms where one must obtain flames for candles. The boss fight in the demo was my personal favorite and I was hoping for more of that when I purchased the full version,... the rest of the boss fights weren't very memorable. The least the devs could do is make some of those breakaway platforms within the worms more solid. The platforming is ALREADY AR. Besides all that, I would say the worst part of the game is the entire fishing segment and the gameplay is not very intuitive.

Great game, it definitely scratches my Hollow Knight itch. The decisions are very interesting and the game branches based on your choices. I highly recommend it.

This is a really great metroidvania that doesn't seem to be getting the attention it deserves. Obviously it has a lot of elements and style borrowed from Hollow Knight, but it doesn't feel like a clone. Great controls, boss fights, atmosphere and accessibility options. The maps could be a little more detailed, but (unlike Hollow Knight) you don't have to find and buy them (which I think is ridiculous). Play the demo and give it a chance. One update -- at some point this game gets full of spiky stuff and the accessibility options go from a "nice-to-have" to a requirement. Still fun with them turned on though.

O jogo é bom (imagem e jogabilidade) porém a história não é lá aquelas coisas, muitos bugs dependendo das decisões que você tomar, por exemplo : se você não libertar a minhoca que está presa no "castelo" quando você for enfrentar ela ela fica dando bug e você não consegue continuar o jogo pois não consegue derrota-la e como criador de conteúdo (detonado de jogos) esse jogo já vem com opções pra você não morrer, mostrar todos os itens e escudos o que deixa o jogo muito fácil (o que particularmente eu não gosto) tinha tudo para ser um jogo bem divertido mas os bugs deixaram ele ruim.

Fantastic short metroidvania game, I have a great time with it. Some of the late game platforming can be extremely challenging for what you would expect out of this type of game. I recommend it very fun.

this game is a very underated game sure. its not for everyone but the fact that nobody knows about this game i very sad. its fun its goos the bosses are not THAT good but there ok. this is an 8/10 game for me please buy this game its peak.

Aestik, developed and published by Hooded Traveler Games, is a beautifully crafted 2D metroidvania that offers a deep and immersive experience through its blend of hand-drawn art, challenging gameplay, and a richly woven narrative. The game places players in the mysterious and haunting Realm of Aestik, where they take on the role of a lone wanderer navigating a corrupted landscape filled with hostile creatures and enigmatic secrets. From the very beginning, the game establishes an atmospheric tone, pulling players into a world that feels both vibrant and foreboding. The visual style is one of the game’s strongest aspects, with painstakingly detailed environments and character designs that breathe life into the world, making exploration an evocative journey rather than just a series of platforming challenges. Gameplay in Aestik revolves around exploration, combat, and progression through the acquisition of ability runes. These runes unlock new powers, allowing access to previously unreachable areas, a staple mechanic in the metroidvania genre that encourages players to backtrack and thoroughly explore the world. The platforming sections are thoughtfully designed but demand precision and timing, offering a satisfying challenge for players who enjoy mastering tight controls. Combat is equally engaging, requiring a balance of reflexes and strategy, especially during the game’s boss battles, which stand out as intense, memorable encounters testing the player’s understanding of mechanics and tactics. The combination of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat creates a well-rounded gameplay experience that maintains player interest throughout the adventure. One of the more compelling elements of Aestik is its narrative structure, which unfolds through player choices and moral dilemmas that influence the story’s direction and outcomes. This decision-driven storytelling adds depth to the world and characters, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different paths and endings. The choices players make resonate beyond simple dialogue changes, impacting how the world evolves and how characters react, which enriches the immersion and emotional engagement with the story. This aspect sets Aestik apart from many other metroidvania titles by giving the player agency that meaningfully shapes their experience. In addition to the core adventure, Aestik introduces a variety of side activities, such as fishing with a character named Bradlae, which provides a moment of calm respite amid the more intense moments. This inclusion of lighter, optional gameplay offers a nice pacing balance and showcases the developer’s attention to creating a varied experience. The game also features assist options that allow players to adjust difficulty and tailor the experience to their own skill level, broadening its accessibility without compromising the overall challenge and depth for those who seek it. Despite its many strengths, Aestik is not without its flaws. Some players have noted issues with the control responsiveness and platforming mechanics, especially in later stages where precision becomes critical. These moments can occasionally feel frustrating, detracting from the otherwise smooth gameplay flow. Furthermore, the absence of certain quality-of-life features, such as a more detailed or interactive map, has been a common criticism. Navigating the sprawling world can sometimes be cumbersome without clearer guidance, which might lead to confusion or aimless wandering for some players. Overall, Aestik stands out as a noteworthy addition to the metroidvania genre, offering a captivating blend of art, story, and gameplay. Its rich narrative with branching paths, challenging but rewarding platforming and combat, and beautifully realized world all come together to create an experience that is both memorable and engaging. While it could benefit from some technical polish and interface improvements, the game’s core qualities make it a rewarding journey for fans who appreciate deep exploration, moral complexity, and atmospheric storytelling. Rating: 7/10

Decent game if a little short. Choices justify ng+ which might be not as bad given the game's length. Game looks good and there were some soundtracks which I enjoyed. Areas looked interesting, though, most of them were on a simpler side. If you like metroidvanias you'll probably have a good time with this one. Final bosses and platforming challenge (also the final one) seem to be too big of a difficulty spike making the experience a bit frustrating: for the whole game you are kinda chilling and not really incentivized to fully utilize your abilities and then last bosses are much more demanding. Game would have benefited from either having easier last bosses or everything else accordingly more difficult. Platforming in the secret area is mostly fine if not for the bit where you have to hold dash button just enough time to not overshoot nor undershoot with no opportunity for correction. These parts made me feel like I'm playing the jump king or something similar which is definitely not the experience in line with any other platforming section this game presents. Aside from that there are slight freezes when something "big" happens on the screen, e.g. enemies spawn in challenge rooms or some of the star attacks or game saving progress -- these could be better optimized. I guess there is nothing else to complain about. I hope there is going to be a next game in the same genre with less shortcomings and more content.

[i]Aestik[/i] is a relatively short metroidvania that, in my opinion, would have been better suited as an action platformer. The game offers multiple story choices, which I found frustrating as they take time away from playing and force more reading. While these choices lead to different boss battles and story segments, I think it's a missed opportunity not to include all the content in a single playthrough, especially given the game's short runtime. Movement feels smooth and precise, which is what initially drew me to purchase the game after trying the demo. However, the combat has a few issues. When using a rune to perform additional jumps, you cannot attack immediately afterward, which can lead to frustrating situations where your actions feel arbitrarily restricted. Additionally, the attack animations alternate between two types—one with longer reach and the other hitting higher. This inconsistency makes every other attack feel unreliable in the wrong situations. There are also control quirks that feel poorly implemented. For example, exiting the map and healing are bound to the same button, meaning that after checking the map, you can accidentally waste a heal. This kind of oversight makes moment-to-moment gameplay feel clunky. [i]The Halls of Neychah[/i] was one of the most frustrating areas in the game. It's filled with spikes that force you to move in specific patterns, and they’re difficult to read, making the section feel unnecessarily restrictive. Getting hit by these spikes resets your position, and if you die, you're sent back to the last checkpoint. This made the entire area a slog, and for a game that encourages repeated playthroughs, this design choice felt like a joke. I genuinely considered quitting the game at this point. Fast travel exists but is extremely limited, making backtracking a chore. Something worth mentioning, the corruption area in the late game, features spikes that emerge from the environment, which make a noise that can only be described as someone taking a wet sh*t directly in your ear. I’ve played hundreds of games, and I don’t think I’ve ever been outright disgusted by a sound effect before—props to the developer, I guess? I ultimately quit the game at the [i]Beyond the Realm[/i] section, which serves as a final platforming challenge. The precision required felt out of place and wasn’t the kind of gameplay I signed up for. This, unfortunately, sums up my experience with [i]Aestik[/i]: I expected a simpler [i]Hollow Knight[/i]-inspired adventure with fun combat, but instead, I got excessive text, annoying platforming challenges, and a finale that felt like a middle finger to anyone who wasn't interested in precision platforming. [i]Aestik[/i] had potential, but the overall design choices turned it into a frustrating experience. Hopefully, the developer can take lessons from this and refine their future games.