Rivals Of Aether

There have been many smash clones over the years, but I would make the argument that Rivals Of Aether is probably the best. It is the kind of game that manages to be fun for those that want to pick up and play something fun. At the same time, this is one hell of a deep fighting game with some very complex mechanics that require some real dedication to learn and some major skill to master!

Saving The World With Your Fists

As this started out as a Smash Bros fan game, Rivals Of Aether had to come up with their own characters and own lore and I think that they did a great job. The basic premise of the plot here is that there is an evil force that is a real threat to the world and these warring nations send forth their champions to try and save the day.

The game has a very cool art style to it. It reminds me of a classic 90s animated show that was then turned into a video game for the Super Nintendo or Sega Mega Drive.

A Strong Line Up Of Elements

I really, really like the roster and think that it does show a lot of imagination. Each character is based on an element and their element is not just a gimmick, it is a huge part of their playstyle. So, Kragg who is the Earth element has drastically different moves and abilities than Etalus who is the ice element. It is a very cool idea and one that makes learning to play as a few characters key rather than just dabbling in them all.

The attacks that the characters have in Rivals Of Aether are all themed around their elements as you would expect. However, each character has a way that they can actually affect the battlefield too. Going back to Etalus (my favorite character) they can use ice on the stage so that they can move faster.

Fighting Styles Matter

Look, you can jump in and just have fun with this game with your buddies and that is awesome. However, the fighting mechanics here are much deeper! The idea of the game is you have to knock your opponents out of the area as you would expect in a game like this, but you have to think about the way you play.

This is a game where I think that being on the attack is the way to go. There is no simple block button here in Rivals Of Aether like you have in Smash Bros. The only defense you have is parrying which does take a lot of skill to master, especially with how fast-paced the battles in the game are.

Pros:

• I loved the interesting lineup of characters
• Each character does feel unique
• I loved the visual style of the game
• The actual fighting does have a lot of depth

Cons:

• It does require some serious practice to get good at it
• So far, no PlayStation version is out there, but it is available on everything else!