In JukeXbox you can find the soundtracks of Xbox games that the XboxSquad team has tagged. This week JiTeuBey takes us on the rails of a very strange world …
At first glance, Aaero is a title that mixes a shooting game and a music game (in the style of Rec or from Child of eden). But after a couple of hours we realize that it’s a lot more than that. The game was developed by the tiny, independent team at Mad Fellows and received a lot of positive feedback when it was released in 2017. The concept seems simple: you control a ship with the left stick and aim the right at enemies. . Each level alternates (or even mixes) shooting phases and evasive phases, which sometimes require following a track that is shown on the screen. All of this, of course, to get the best score. Delaying the destruction of an enemy projectile or not avoiding an obstacle and death is guaranteed. You understand, Aaero is a title that demands demands, precision, but above all rhythm!
In fact, pace is one of the essential concepts to get good results. Shots are more efficient and earn more points if sent at the right time. For that, not an indicator, we have to trust his musical ear. If this seems confusing at first, practicing (and gradually listening to the great songs) will reveal the perfect time to shoot. Let’s see all of this in detail in one of the game’s first songs: Pure sunlight de Mr. FijiWiji, Laura Brehm & AgNO3.
Aaero has a catchy soundtrack that is enhanced by the level architecture. Indeed, any rail, obstacle, or enemy can correspond to an instrument or sound, even as the music changes. You really immerse the player in the song (headphones are also highly recommended). You face bosses on several occasions. These gigantic creatures will make some titles a lot more impactful than they already are. Instead, see with this giant worm that illustrates the title Habby 9000 the habitat:
Joystick in hand, we have a feeling that the music was not chosen to illustrate a level, but that the latter was built around once the choice of music track was made.
That also does d’Aaero quite a difficult game. Between the abundance of projectiles or phases where delicate rails are mixed to destroy with enemies, it will sometimes be very difficult to give the music the attention it deserves. You can preview with Alpha Centauri of Noisia (a group that, moreover, will bring back painful memories to the players of the first DJ Hero).
Besides the few groups mentioned above, the selection of songs is of high quality. We find artists like: Flux Pavilion, Neosignal, Katy B, Astronaut, MUZZ, …
The developers then offered to buy two additional music packages. The first, in collaboration with the English producer 1000DaysWasted, offers three songs that focus on “Drum & Bass”. A few months later, another package with three songs was released in collaboration with the Monstercat label. My big crush on the game is also part of this final DLC: We won’t be alone von Feint (with the haunting voice of Laura Brehm).
Conclude, Aaero offers a really qualitative visual and musical atmosphere that will inspire connoisseurs and give the curious a good overview of the electro genre and its variations. The strength of the title is that the music not only accompanies the image, but also has a direct impact on the actions that the player must take. We do not play accompanied by music, we have the impression of being at the origin. Mistakes that can be made are sanctioned by both loss of score (or even a life) and loss of sound quality.
If you ever want to discover all the songs in the game, you can find the Spotify playlist here:
So we’ll meet again next week for an episode dedicated to Sayonara Wild Hearts.
