Aeon Drive Review - Steam Gamer

Aeon Drive is a fun and challenging speedrunning precision platforming game set in the cyberpunk world of Neo Barcelona.

Gameplay and content are both really satisfying and fun with the action-packed platforming as you dash and speed through the areas. The game consists of 10 sections with 10 levels each, so there are 100 levels in total. In each you race through to reach the portal at the end as a set amount of time counts down. As you go through the levels you can collect time capsules which adds small bits of time to the counter, as well as various obstacles that are in the way like rockets, lasers, enemies etc. A couple of tools that can be used is your sword which is one way to take down enemies, and your dagger that you throw to a surface to teleport to. The latter is what makes the game more interesting as it is a focus of the game and is extremely fun to use.

The designs of the levels are well done since there are various paths that may be taken to get to the end with collectibles scattered around in each level. So optimizing your way is important for completing them in a shorter amount of time.

A leaderboard is also a nice addition with this kind of game as it records your time to complete a level and compares it with friends, those who finished in a similar amount of time, and the top ten finishers. It also records your run in the levels which can be replayed and shared.

The graphics and visuals are another highlight of the game with the cyberpunk theme and pixelated graphics in-game. Each of the 10 different sections in the campaign has its own aesthetically used color pallet and soundtrack which keeps the game fresh as the game progresses. The background of the levels is also detailed with random things going on like flying cars and billboards showing something going on etc, making the game more immersive. Along with this is cyberpunk themed music that fit in well and are catchy. A soundtrack would be a cool addition to have for listening to out of the game. Other audio such as the sound effects and voice acting are also fun to listen to which makes you feel badass as you speed through the levels.

Controls on keyboard are fine, with arrow keys for moving and A, S, D, F, and space bar for various other actions. Though I do reckon that it is easier and more beneficial to play the game with a controller since in tighter areas, it is harder on keyboard and controls may get mixed up. While it is playable by yourself in singleplayer, it can also be played with other people in both the campaign and competitive mode as you complete and race each other.

The price is well suited and more than reasonable for the content that it brings since it does take a few hours to complete the 100 levels in the campaign and you can always come back to replay them for the collectibles and finishing them in a faster amount of time. I’m only a few sections into the game, but it has been very enjoyable in the time spent thus far. Overall, it is a smooth and very fun precision platformer game with lots to offer. Can definitely recommend it if you are into the genre as it is a solid entry.

Buy Aeon Drive on Steam