If you’re not already hyped about the upcoming release of Sands of Aura to the point where the game is at the top of your Steam wishlist, well, I think that you need to take a good, hard look at the games that are currently on your list and compare them to Sands of Aura. Do it now.
Look at your wishlist.
Now, look at Sands of Aura.
Now, back to your wishlist.
Now, back to Sands of Aura.
You’re going to quickly come to the same conclusion that I did. And that is that Sands of Aura looks really damn cool and that the end of October can’t come soon enough so that we can all play. If you haven’t reached that conclusion yourself, I would seriously suggest that you get an MRI. Because look how cool this is!
October 21st – Wishlist Now
You’re going to explore an open-world environment in Talamhel. Go wherever you want. Discover at your own pace. Learn while the world grows in scope around you as you explore in your own sand-air-ship thing. I don’t know what to call it. But I know that I want one. I know that it looks really cool. And I know that I cannot wait to be the desert version of Jack Sparrow.
What else do we have to be hyped about? Well, if you’re a huge lore nerd like me and love things like The Silmarillion and Fire and Blood, then you’re in for a real treat with the universe that the guys at Chashu Entertainment have created. Talamhel has a rich backstory:
“The corruption that plagues Talamhel has created a horde comprised of both man and other Talamhelic natives: The venerable Ferrum and the insectoid, hive-minded Hashara. Once warring nations have become an abominable army of undying malice.
From doomsday cultists to fallen kings, the foes that guard the answers you seek are determined to see your end. Prepare for an unrelenting, unforgiving combat experience not to be taken lightly. Swing true, dear knight, swing true.
With hundreds of weapon components to be reclaimed from the crumbled remains of civilization, there are thousands of unique weapons to be forged. Find the hilt that fits just right.”
Yes, you read that blurb correctly. You’re going to be able to use hundreds of components to forge thousands of weapons of your own creation. You’re not getting a generic iron longsword for your character here; everything is going to be centered around you and your preferences as a player.
Have a specific play-style that you like to employ in action RPGs? Well, between all the weapons and magical augmentations that are available, you’re going to be able to create the character that suits you down to a tee. Want to mix it up and try something new? You’re going to be rewarded for your experimentation with all those possibilities.
I know what you’re thinking, all these role-playing opportunities sound amazing. And you’re right, but the Sands of Aura game takes this a step further. Not only do you get to decide the fate of your own character in the universe, but the player also controls their own home base.
Have you ever wanted to take the town of Tristram from Diablo, and customise and grow the town to your vision and accentuate your character? You can do this in Sands of Aura. Your base of operations is referred to as Starspire, and you, as the protagonist, will directly influence the fate and prosperity of the town and its denizens and takes role-playing a step further:
“Working as an optional companion to core gameplay, Starspire offers an opportunity to test your Remnant traits of leadership and judgment. The choices you make regarding Starspire’s residents will alter your story and affect your fate, as well as the fate of others–but only if you choose to make those choices.”
Why is this important, and why is this something to get excited about? Well, everything combines to create an immersive experience without dulling down the min-maxing that also makes the genre what it is. Normally, with games like Sands of Aura, you cannot have both.
You either get a world with rich lore that the gameplay accentuates to make a really immersive experience, or you get satisfying and gratifying gameplay with action and plenty of role-playing and min-maxing opportunities. You get one or the other, and very rarely both. What’s exciting about Sands of Aura is the lack of compromise from either angle.
From what we have seen thus far, the combat seems very fluid which is great as this is something that can make or break an action RPG. You don’t want a jarring experience and you want to feel in control. And we can already tell from the supplementary material and exposition that our interest is going to be grabbed in the universe that Sands of Aura creates with its world of Talamhel.
If you haven’t had a good look at the game yet, or you’re totally unfamiliar with the title, I thoroughly recommend just giving the Steam store page a look, because it’s guaranteed to leave a good impression. Whatever you want in a game, whether that be heavy role-playing, action-packed gameplay, or a lore-heavy story, you’re going to be up to your eyeballs in it with Sands of Aura.
The game is launching late in October, on the 21st, and you can rest assured that MGN will be the best place for all the Sands of Aura news, guides, gameplay, how-to content, and all the rest that you have come to expect. We look forward to getting our hands on the game, and we’ll see you in Talamhel.
Credits
| Program | Founding Writers |
| Author | Luke Cowling |
| YouTuber | Luke Cowling |
| Publisher | MGN |
| Game | Sands of Aura |