While I will never be a master shoot-em-up player, it’s a genre I love playing. Even when I know that I am bound to die almost as soon as I begin playing, I still enjoy what that they have to offer. Last year, I got a playtest invite for a game, The Battle of Aurinoxia. I gave it a try, spent about 30 minutes, and enjoyed what I played. I forgot about it until I was going through the games installed on my Steam Deck. When I took a look, I noticed that it was out of early access and decided to see what was new. Sure, this isn’t remarkable, but I still had a blast playing it.
Blasting foes
While there is a story in The Battle of Aurinoxia, it’s easy to skip it over and not feel like you’re missing out on anything. Incorporating an 8-bit feel, the focus is on the game’s frantic combat. From the first moments of the game, you’re thrown into this space shooter with little time to breathe.
Attacks are via your main laser attack, which you’re able to upgrade. The upgrades stack, so at some point you’re firing lasers from every direction. You also can collect and use missile attacks. There are a couple of special power-ups. One is a nuclear-type missile attack that fills up the entire screen. The other is an extra shield, which is very helpful in boss fights.
Because of the use of 8-bit style graphics, enemies don’t litter the screen as in some of the more modern shooters. But that’s not to say that things don’t get complicated. I spent a lot of time trying to dodge attacks and incoming foes. On the game’s default difficulty, you get plenty of shield regeneration points, so it’s very rare to die from combat.
Some minor quirks hold it back
Although the combat wasn’t too difficult, there are some annoying aspects. A few stages require you to pilot your ship through a series of minefields. These are very frustrating. I found that there were too many mines in your way, so trying to avoid or shoot them was impossible. It’s best to save missiles for these sections and use them to clear a bit of space until you’re out of that area.
Boss fights are fun, but I wish there were an indicator during boss fights. It’s hard to tell how much damage you’ve dealt. Every boss fight involves many stages. So while you can figure it out that you’re nearing death, I wasn’t always able to distinguish the best attack points. Having a health bar would have helped.
Also, another strange design choice is how boss fights end. In most games, after a boss fight, you’d assume the level is complete, but that’s not the case here. It is possible to die still. Once you defeat a boss, you need to fly your ship up and out of the screen. Enemies can and will still appear. One stage even featured a meteor field. So, if you’re at low health, it is possible to die if you don’t move fast enough.
Nothing remarkable, but fun for the price point
The Battle of Aurinoxia is a short game. On the default setting, you can finish it in about 30-35 minutes. They do offer some extra modes to extend your experience, but none of them is worth mentioning. You’ll get your worth in that half-hour and move on to something else. Shooter fans won’t feel much of a challenge, but for the casual enjoyer, this is a fine distraction.
