Rivals of Aether

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Summary

Rivals of Aether is an indie fighting game set in a world where warring civilizations summon the power of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. Play with up to four players locally or up to two players online.


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Rivals of Aether Reviews & Ratings

90
Review by Normaliv [user]
April 4, 2022

This game is great for people who want an authentic fighting game experience (A.K.A something similar to melee.) If you're not in that boat,This game is great for people who want an authentic fighting game experience (A.K.A something similar to melee.) If you're not in that boat, its not the best experience overall. However, if you are, then this is the most fun you are going to have for a while playing a game. The mechanics are fleshed out and flow fantastically, however, where the real fun comes in, is the workshop. Hundreds or even thousands of well designed characters, stages, and buddies to make your experience fun while playing with friends, or even when playing by yourself! With all of that into account, this game deserves a 9.

60
Review by DingerDonger [user]
June 27, 2020

Overall this is not a bad game, but I think there are a few key points it really misses on that keep it from being either a good competitor orOverall this is not a bad game, but I think there are a few key points it really misses on that keep it from being either a good competitor or successor to Melee. Input buffer is a big one. A buffer NEVER feels right or good, no matter how long you spend trying to get used to it. I understand there are some hurdles to get around when making a game like this that's meant to be played online, but Melee online even with some lag spikes feels far better than the 6 frame buffer in this game.The characters. While I don't think that direct ports of characters would necessarily benefit the game, I do think that if characters ARE ported over, they should remain faithful to the original(s). Zetterburn... is an example of how not to do this. The character is mostly melee Fox with a pinch of PM Wolf thrown in, but with half the control scheme tossed in a blender and spilled back out onto the ground. Why is the "shine" equivalent neutral B? Why is the projectile side B? Why would you bother essentially copying a character but mixing up the moves? For the sake of originality? Please. The devs think they're being creative I guess but in essence are just giving the snobs that play this game an excuse to shout, "go play Melee if you don't like Rivals." Many of the other characters in this game are also clones or mashups of other Melee favorites (the goat is Mewtwo/Zelda, the sword guy is Marth with a little Roy, etc), with a few other semi-creative originals thrown in. The cast isn't disappointing (aside from Zetterburn), but it doesn't feel exciting either. The fact that they're mostly weird furries is a little... disconcerting, though. Not really my thing.The single player story and gameplay are completely awful. I have no idea why this was even put into the game. Just don't even bother with it.I do really enjoy the stage variation in this game as well as the customizability of character colors. There are lots of cool personal touches you can add to the gameplay. Still, though, I can't get over that most of the characters are approaching "furry" territory. Something about that still irks me.Rivals has more good than bad, but I honestly can't see a reason to play this game over Melee. Everything Rivals does Melee does better, even online.

100
Review by Zackthecritic [user]
April 30, 2020

Best platform fighter game i ever played after Super Smash Bros, if you like the stile of platform fighters you should definitely play thisBest platform fighter game i ever played after Super Smash Bros, if you like the stile of platform fighters you should definitely play this game, it's worth the money.

100
Review by Kris8 [user]
September 5, 2018

Rivals of aether is the best SSB substitute with great music, stages , characters, moves, strengths and weaknesses, story mode.All in aRivals of aether is the best SSB substitute with great music, stages , characters, moves, strengths and weaknesses, story mode.All in a great retro 2d feel.Great game, gets everything right

100
Review by Hums [user]
February 5, 2018

Not only is Rivals of Aether a great competitive fighting game but it is one of the biggest surprises of indie gaming. The project has beenNot only is Rivals of Aether a great competitive fighting game but it is one of the biggest surprises of indie gaming. The project has been lead by a passionate and talented team and it clearly reflects on the product after playing for hours upon hours.The characters are fleshed out masterfully in all aspects. Their appearance is simple yet inviting. Think Avatar The Last Airbender but with animals. But it doesn't end there, the developers put expert care in the gameplay. This title teaches developers a worthy approach to balancing a roster. Yes, it's true, there isn't the largest selection of fighters, but each offers so much depth that exploring two characters fully is nearly impossible. Each character has their strengths and weaknesses, and gimmicks that are displayed in their toolkit. But there is no overlaps or clones. Each character is different, and that's what fighters NEED. The sprite work is a love letter to retro gaming and revamps it further with fluid animation. The chirpy musical tunes synergise with the 16-bit stages to immerse the player in a competitive trance. The game on the surface is easy to learn for beginners but rewarding to those who want to devote the time to master it.Although Rivals is a fantastic game it does have its share of problems that I hope the team addresses heading launch. The game is unforgiving to people who play with keyboards. Keyboard play feels unintuitive and jarring compared to controllers, which may alienate potential consumers and players to continue playing. Also, the $15 pay wall indefinitely hinders the game to grow. I agree with this payment method personally and see that it supports the development team, but objectively it does push consumers away to rivalling titles which are cheaper or even free.Unfortunately, if such problems continue to exist it will negatively affect the game and it's playerbase in both the short and long term. Alienating potential players will make the game less lively; there will be less people to play against in either the ranked or exhibition mode. A lack of new blood will raise the question if it is worthwhile to continue playing to veterans. Admittedly, these are difficult issues but I have complete faith that the team will succeed.Ultimately, Rivals of Aether is an outstanding game and an even more special experience with friends. Most importantly, you will not regret buying this game if you are striving to 'get gud'.

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Game Information
Release Date March 28, 2017
Publisher Dan Fornace, Aether Studios
Content Rated E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Game Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
Player Perspectives Side view
Genres Fighting, Platform, Indie
Themes Action
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch