When I first opened up Aeterna Noctis, I was greeted by the story of Chaos — who cursed both the Queen of Light and the King of Darkness to an eternal strife. The message here is clear: there has to be a balance between both, and Aeterna was the seat in which the current ruler sat.
With lovely hand-drawn graphics, I played as the King of Darkness seeking to restore his position in Aeterna. I immediately felt drawn to the world — with large wraiths floating in the background — it felt like something out of a Madoka Magica episode. Chills ran up my spine as I guided the King through various battles and challenges with them looming in the back.
The NPCs too were colourful characters, with The Chronicler as my personal favourite. Being a writer gives you power in the realm of your writing, and it so happens that his is the world of Aeterna. I enjoyed the banter between him and the King of Darkness, and as someone who writes fiction, rubbed my hands with glee as I knew what writers would do to their creations.
Every step in the realm of Aeterna Noctis is a treat — the enemies provide a challenge, and the platforming changes between the human realm and that of Aeterna. As someone who enjoys the metroidvania genre in its entirety, Aeterna Noctis was a treat to play.
What’s more are the cutscenes and animations that dot the game. The opening sequence is a gorgeous frame-by-frame stained glass epic of the battle between Light and Darkness. I usually skip opening cutscenes, but this one left me wanting more.
Battle is smooth and intuitive — the King of Darkness has immense maneuverability and skill, and no monster could stand my sword. That said, I am looking forward to the full version of Aeterna Noctis — and all the adventures that are to come with it.
Aeterna Noctis is out on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox.