$20 Game of the Week: Aurion – Legacy of the Kori-Odan (PC)

Several games in the recent past have used Africa as a backdrop. Far Cry 2 had you stepping in a war between 2 warring African powers, Far Cry 3 had you trying to escape an island near Africa that was ran by a homicidal cartel of human traffickers, Resident Evil 5 had you gunning down infected villagers in war torn shanty towns, while Call of Duty (along with other military FPS games) had you gunning down enemy insurgents in similarly war-torn villages. All of these games of course have something in common; you’re basically the one-man army out to kill every bad guy in sight in decrepit war-torn lands. Then again there are Cabela’s hunting games, but who plays any of those? Africa has a rich mythological and spiritual history that makes it ripe for gaming. Not only that, the continent itself has a vibrant gaming scene full of young and hungry developers eager to make their mark upon the world. Kiro’o Games, one of these developers, has tapped into Africa’s rich culture with its debut action rpg, Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan.
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Aurion is an action RPG inspired by Namco’s “Tales Of” franchise with a look that blends African culture with anime-inspired imagery in the vein of Bleach. Taking control of disposed king Enzo, you team up with your wife Erine as you travel the world in search of allies who can help you take back your kingdom. Like other RPGS, you explore an overworld full of NPCs where you can buy items, upgrade armor, and discover sidequests. When you engage in battle, the fight shifts to a 2d plane reminiscent of old-school beat-em-ups as you use Enzo’s attacks and combinations in order to prevail. Enzo can call upon a power called Aurion to power up his abilities and unleash new attacks. Erine can be called upon to unleash support and healing attacks. While there are a lot of combos and button combinations to remember, the game flows smoothly and you’ll have a blast taking out several groups of enemies.

Gamers and RPG fans looking for something different will want to grab this off Steam. It’s unique theme and setting is enough to get players to move in the door, while the storyline, graphics, and gameplay will keep them hooked to the end. The game isn’t perfect, but it succeeds in giving players a brand new experience. I hope we’ll be seeing more entries from Kiro’o Games, along with other African developers.