Rivals of Aether review

Reviewed on: PC

After all: are games like Smash Bros. fighting games or not? Although this is a discussion that goes VERY far (hello Gamechanger), it is indisputable that Smash created a genre within fighting games. A series of games have come along riding the wave Smash created within the wonderful little world of games. Rivals of Aether is one of them. But it is the one that, instead of surfing like everyone else, ends up inventing its own way of surfing.

The game’s presentation is “retro-not-lazy”. That is: we have here a game that opted for a retro approach with gorgeous, highly detailed sprites, whether of characters or scenery. It is a very colorful, lively and vibrant game that fills the eyes and does a fantastic job of trying to attract the player. Another treat for the eyes comes from the incredible pixel art illustrating the victory screens and the little scenes of the story mode, detailed and very well made.

The soundtrack is simply F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C, with themes having a more oldschool “feel”, but still with a new, fresh, modern air noticeable.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rws8XL-jJSk” width=”800″ height=”440″]

Rivals of Aether is a return to the old days, made with affection and care. An example is in the small details, such as the fact that the characters have a color palette based on the old Game Boy. In addition, the game gives you the ability to customize character colors for each profile created in the game, just like some classics. Of course, this more retro-leaning artistic choice puts off many people, especially a more casual audience, who may not understand the reason for this choice.

The narrative is often completely ignored in fighting games. Recently there has been a renewed concern for these details, as we can see in games delivering true cinematic story modes. The game offers a simple story, but told in a complex way, where the six main characters frequently intertwine until they meet at a single point. What stands out about Rivals in the narrative aspect, however, is the density of the game’s universe. Based on the natural elements (water, air, fire and earth), each character represents one of these elements, which are divided into nations or factions, and their motivation for combat is very well set out in story mode. Again, all very simple. Too simple, at times.

Whether Smash is a fighting game or not is open to a long discussion, but there is no doubt that Rivals of Aether is an excellent fighting game.

The game’s mechanics are impeccable. If you aren’t someone who goes deep into fighting games, Rivals can offer you a VAST offline experience, with single-player modes that are very competent and fun. Abyss Mode, for example, provides a kind of survival mode where each of the eight fighters levels up and gains improvements to their moves.

The game has a tutorial divided into four categories: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Specific. The first three are subdivided into movement, technique and attack points, teaching the game tailored to how much you want to get involved with it, with repetition of techniques and even terminology. And of course: the game supports matches of up to 4 players, making a party of it, with stages that have more basic modes, geared toward a more direct experience, and the stages in Aether Mode, where each has a different “thing”: a moving platform, different settings, real-time challenges, etc.

Now, if you are a diehard fighting game fan, get ready: Rivals of Aether is a completely different experience from anything you’ve seen in games. OK, the game is deeply inspired by Smash Bros, but the level of excellence of the mechanics is so absurd it is ridiculous (in a good way), comparable to heavyweights like Street Fighter V. Eight characters may seem like a low number at first (6 available and 2 unlockable), but each has mechanics so unique and exclusive that, coupled with the ridiculous depth of gameplay and general mechanics, this is forgotten completely. Matches between more avid players are packed with footsies, frametraps, sharp hitboxes and include the game’s exclusive mechanics, such as the parry (where the character blocks the hit at the right time, leaving the opponent vulnerable) and on-point moves, attacks that if landed on the correct pixel, change their properties, generating an absurd range of strategies and fights, pardon the cliché, breathtaking.

And if you plan to get some online matches, know that Rivals’ netcode is monstrously solid. In my online duels, few matches had pings below 150ms and I was able to play all of them comfortably. The only drawback is finding matches: Rivals has a player base made up mostly of Americans, and few are willing to take matches with high pings.

Rivals of Aether is an excellent fighting game that will keep you hooked for many hours. If you are a casual player, it is highly recommended, since it will keep you hooked for hours with its captivating story, alternative game modes and gorgeous graphics. If you are a more hardcore player, Rivals is one of those games that are extremely easy to learn, pick up and play ─ but very hard to master

SCORES
MECHANICS – 10

AUDIOVISUAL – 9

NARRATIVE – 8

FINAL SCORE – 9

Review done with the code kindly provided by danfornace for PC (Steam).

PC version