Aura: Fate of the Ages

 PC
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 26
  3. Negative: 3 out of 26
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  1. Just Adventure
    83
    Streko Graphics put great care into developing this little graphical gem and I feel that even with the frustrations I had with a few of its puzzles and the occasional cursor issue, I found Aura to be a thoroughly entertaining escape from the day to day humdrum of work and classes.
  2. Game Chronicles
    83
    A stunning journey, more so in its visual splendor and complex gameplay than its weak narrative, but a journey that every self-proclaimed adventure gamer should experience.
  3. Adrenaline Vault
    80
    I love Aura, as it’s the kind of visually and intellectually stimulating challenge that I crave and that’s so rare these days.
  5. Quandary
    80
    An adventure game that has a lot going for it; impressive graphics with seamlessly integrated cut scenes, interesting worlds to explore, varied and challenging puzzles, and some rather nice music for the most part.
  6. Game Over Online
    75
    The other problem with the puzzles is that they’re a little bit dry and distant. I liken Aura to working on a crossword puzzle book. Sure, I enjoy solving a crossword puzzle from time to time, but I don’t find them enthralling or anything, and I wouldn’t spend a day on them. The same is true for Aura.
  7. Warcry
    75
    I don’t suggest this game to every gamer but, for those who love/like puzzle games, this is a must.
  8. PC Format
    74
    Clever and surprisingly rational, Aura is only let down by plot and game length. [Oct 2004, p.96]
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  9. Game Informer
    73
    It's decently long, the puzzles are mostly well designed, and it has more than its share of eye candy. [Sept 2004, p.117]
  10. GameZone
    73
    What this games does, it does well. However, game crashes, a weak story and frequent player stopping points do hurt the game's overall experience.
  11. PC Gameworld
    73
    Caters to hardcore puzzle gamers. It’s a well-produced puzzle/adventure game, albeit with a weak story, but newbies to the genre should definitely know what they’re getting into.
  12. IGN
    73
    What little Aura does to advance the genre it does remarkably well. In an age when encountering logical puzzles is as rare as pooping out gold nuggets, Aura shines as a game that attempts to bring a little reason into the mix.
  13. Adventure Gamers
    70
    Puzzle-hungry adventurers look no further: Aura provides an endless number of puzzles, pretty static backgrounds, well-crafted cutscenes and mood music, at the expense of developing any real storyline.
  14. ActionTrip
    67
    Some more difficult puzzles are likely to turn less experienced players away, but the game was not really meant for them anyway. The players who are ready to invest a lot of time into this title will be rewarded by discovering a beautiful world.
  15. CPUGamer
    65
    If an enthralling story with atmosphere is what excites you give your local library a visit.
  16. Gamer's Hell
    65
    The overall experience will probably not inspire and entrance, but stripped of the features that tarnish Aura’s… aura, waddling through finely crafted paradises and solving the many interesting riddles will surely please all the thinkers out there.
  17. GameSpot
    64
    Fails as an adventure game, offering no emotional resonance at all. It mostly succeeds well as a puzzle game, though.
  18. Computer Gaming World
    60
    MIT could use a few of this game's puzzles as its early admissions test, but Aura's still enjoyable overall. [Oct 2004, p.81]
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  19. RPG Fan
    53
    Aura: Fate of the Ages promises many things, yet fails to deliver on almost all of them.
  20. Total Video Games
    50
    Aura is safe, predictable and wholesome…… but is that enough?
  21. GameShark
    50
    Aura is puzzle intensive. It's a difficult game even for hardcore adventure gamers and gamers that hate puzzles won't want to touch this title with a ten foot pole.
  22. Computer Games Magazine
    50
    Aura is not about exciting story, interesting character development, or trippy music: it's a crack fix for puzzle addicts. [Oct 2004, p.85]
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  23. AceGamez
    50
    Thinkers and Myst groupies will be delighted but the rest of you will probably give up before the end of the first level. Really, Aura is a step backward in the adventure game genre.
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  24. GamerFeed
    50
    It should be titled - "Aura: Puzzles for the Ages", because in all honesty this is a vaguely shrouded adventure game layered in a multitude of dizzying puzzles, wrapped in an enigma of conundrums.
  25. Computer and Video Games
    47
    It's not all bad. Apart from the acting and character animation. Oh, and the interface. And the story. True, some of the puzzles do make a twisted kind of sense. But there's nothing gripping about it. Life's too short, basically.
  26. GameSpy
    30
    The few good puzzles contained within aren't worth the time and risk that you might not even be able to complete it.
  27. PC Gamer
    17
    It's one of the most inaccessible games I've ever played. [Oct 2004, p.90]
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User Reviews

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User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 18
  3. Negative: 4 out of 18
  1. I_Am_Turok
    Aug 14, 2012
    5
    Definitely one for Myst-heads, but for the rest of us, this "puzzle" genre of games has some nice points but equally some annoying ones. ForDefinitely one for Myst-heads, but for the rest of us, this "puzzle" genre of games has some nice points but equally some annoying ones. For the nice points, it is very Myst like, looks good for a 2004 game, and has a strong emphasis on puzzles. For the annoying points, you spend the first 2-3 hours of play trying to solve puzzles that simply cannot be because the order is wrong, and doing a lot of screen scraping to make sure you find everything. I use "puzzle" in quotes as the definition of puzzles here is to find one obscure item, plug it into another that may or may not make sense, and then move along to start on the next obscure item. There is no real coherent reason why most puzzles are even there, which brings me to the last point, the story or lack of. It is such a light story that you never really feel part of anything at all. Again like Myst, I felt I glided through the game, separate to it, not acting as a character in the game. A fine game for for Myst heads, for the rest of us, well, there's a reason why this genre of puzzle/adventure games are niche (and probably extinct) at this stage.… Full Review »
  2. JonesR
    Mar 7, 2012
    7
    This is a very good Myst clone combining sci-fi & fantasy environments. If fact, I was very surprised to see this was not made by theThis is a very good Myst clone combining sci-fi & fantasy environments. If fact, I was very surprised to see this was not made by the developers of Myst because the similarities are so striking. The story is weak and the storytelling is worse, but the puzzle adventure aspects are superbly done and make up for those shortcomings.… Full Review »
  3. Caitir
    May 15, 2013
    4
    A Myst clone, and not exactly a good one. Rather than solving puzzles, you spend most of your time sweeping your cursor over every inch ofA Myst clone, and not exactly a good one. Rather than solving puzzles, you spend most of your time sweeping your cursor over every inch of the screen, hoping that there will be something you can interact with. The story itself was completely unengaging. Pretty for 2004 standards, but it doesn't do well on a modern PC.… Full Review »
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