AereA is a music-themed action RPG available on Xbox Series X|S. Players take on the role of one of Great Maestro Guido's disciples tasked with restoring balance to the shattered floating island of Aezir by recovering nine primordial instruments.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on isometric exploration across fragmented islands filled with varied biomes. Combat involves basic attacks, secondary moves, special skills powered by rhythm points, and limited item use. Each of the four selectable heroes brings distinct playstyles: Jacques wields a cello in melee tank fashion, Wolff fires arrows from a harp at range, Jules channels magic through a lute, and Claude dual-wields trumpets as projectiles. Character experience and instrument experience level separately, allowing players to allocate tuning points to stats such as health, defense, damage, accuracy, and precision while unlocking or upgrading up to five class-specific skills per hero.
Progression also involves gathering music sheets to customize weapon abilities and clefines as currency for shop upgrades. Puzzles often require pulling levers, navigating traps, and using teleportation pads, while quests frequently involve fetch tasks or clearing enemy groups before facing one of nine instrument-inspired bosses. The concert hall serves as the central hub for accepting missions, upgrading, and traveling between areas. Local co-op supports up to four players sharing the same screen, with each controlling a different hero.
Game Modes
The primary experience is the single-player campaign that follows the story of recovering the primordial instruments. At any point, players can switch to local co-op, allowing up to three additional participants to join on the same console for the same quest line and exploration. There are no separate competitive or online modes. The structure remains consistent across play sessions, with the ability to revisit cleared areas after unlocking new sections of the world.
Exploration and Progression Systems
Islands feature ecosystems such as swamps, deserts, and ruins connected through airship travel from the hub. Backtracking is common due to locked doors and respawning enemies, and navigation relies on in-game maps without advanced markers. Books found during exploration expand the shop inventory with new items that provide temporary buffs or healing. The 2026 console re-release introduced rebalancing to enemy encounters and boss fights, aiming for smoother difficulty curves and more meaningful character growth compared to the original release.
Is It Worth Playing?
The rebalanced version on Xbox Series X|S improves progression pacing and combat challenge over the 2017 original. Local co-op adds enjoyment for groups sharing a screen, and the distinctive music-themed presentation with hand-drawn visuals and orchestral soundtrack stands out. However, the quest design remains heavily focused on repetitive tasks and navigation that many players found frustrating. Those seeking a light, thematic action RPG with friends in the same room may find value in the updated experience, while players preferring deeper combat systems or online features will likely encounter the same core limitations noted in earlier reviews.
