Review – Aether & Iron

In a world inspired by the 1930s, but with enough technology to produce flying cars, Aether & Iron is a highly narrative-focused RPG that seeks to follow in the footsteps of already established titles, such as The Thaumaturge. As Gia, you take on the role of a smuggler who tries to survive in a retro and, at the same time, futuristic New York, trying to overcome the marks of a mysterious past while being tasked with escorting a young scientist.

Combining RPG and Visual Novel elements, Aether & Iron seeks to stand out in a very dense genre. To achieve this, in addition to the quality of the story and the player’s decisions, the developers are betting on a different combat, involving futuristic cars on highways, in a dynamic reminiscent of the great chases between rival gangsters during the dry law era. It’s a bold bet, but one that, at the very least, differs from other games in the genre.

Heaven and Hell

Aether & Iron takes inspiration from the style called . It is an aesthetic that is inspired by the period between the two world wars. Examples of this style can be found in games like Bioshock and even classic films like Metropolis. For some, it’s a sanitized version of Dieselpunk style. Personally, I think the more optimistic and polished tone is an excellent choice.

However, don’t be fooled by the beautiful, almost angelic landscapes you will find. The world of Aether & Iron has its flaws and its places that live far from this glamour. Society is divided between Uppers, the rich who live in the upper layers, and Lowers, the poor who live in the lower layers. Although it has not been confirmed by the developers, it is impossible for anyone who watched “Heaven and Hell”, by director Akira Kurosawa, not to identify the similarities.

For those who like the Cyberpunk style of Cyberpunk 2077, or the Steampunk style of Fallout, this aesthetic, although different, is unlikely to cause surprise. The art style may not be to everyone’s liking, so I recommend that you look at the images carefully before deciding to buy it, as a good part of Aether & Punk takes place on dialogue screens with drawn characters, or in designed environments designed to be interacted with as if it were a Point & Click game.

Scarface + Fast and Furious

In addition to the aesthetics, what catches my attention in Aether & Punk – and, in particular, my attention, since I’m a fan of strategy games – is the combat. Here, it’s not the characters themselves firing shots at each other and using the environment to protect themselves or flank rivals. Instead, combat is based around cars equipped with Aether technology, which gives them several special abilities, including the power to float on high-speed roads.

Combat takes place in turns, and you, inside the car, have several options to fight your rivals. Firstly, not all cars on screen are directly participating in combat. There are, in the middle of the conflict, innocent civilians who are in the middle of the fight, and who just want to go home. You can use them to your advantage, as they act as a protective barrier. Weapons have specific firing angles, and positioning is everything.

As the combat is based on cars, the movement has an exclusive dynamic. Going backwards is less expensive than going forwards. For those who drive cars, this is a no-brainer, as braking is – I hope – easier than overtaking a speeding car. Therefore, moving forward is risky, but it gives you a better positioning.

Furthermore, as combat is based on cars, Aether & Iron offers you tools to modify them and thus customize them in the best way. Some customizations are purely aesthetic, while others impact gameplay, offering improvements and new weapons. It’s a refreshing mechanic, but one that, due to the nature of the game, could be explored more.

A foot in two worlds

Aether & Iron draws from the source of several titles. It takes the narrative and RPG elements of Disco Elysium and uses combat that is reminiscent of turn-based games like Divinity 2, but placed in a context where cars do all the work. It’s a foot in both universes, but it doesn’t go headlong in one of those directions and, therefore, it can’t be compared to those titles.

Therefore, Aether & Iron is loaded with Decopunk aesthetics, the narrative and the combat system. However, there are games that focus on just one of these elements and do a better job. The narrative is good, but it doesn’t compare to Disco Elysium. The combat is good and creative, but the feeling is that there is greater potential and that, therefore, other tactical RPGs do a better job. If reading long texts and Point & Click elements are not your thing, preferring exclusively the combat elements, it is difficult to recommend this game. Now, whether you like it or are indifferent to it, it’s worth testing, even if it’s just to destroy some cars on the chaotic streets of New York.