(18+) Tension melts away! A review of the retro adult adventure Aurelia

Aurelia is in many ways similar to typical adult games — you need to find ways to get intimately acquainted with as many lovely strangers as possible. However, pleasant pixel art, relaxing gameplay, and music make the playthrough unhurried and delightful.

In the magical lands of Aurelia, humans live alongside creatures of legend. Here, a dwarf runs a serious business; a half-elf serves drinks at a tavern; a hobbit trades useful items and cooks delicious food. And far away from civilization lie dungeons inhabited by terrifying monsters.

Our story begins with a grandfather who decided to send his grandson out to live on his own. For this purpose, he even gave him an abandoned house. But an abandoned house is called that for a reason: no one looked after it. And so, a sorceress settled in it, making a habit of scattering dangerous magical artifacts around. Upon arrival, the grandson touched a cursed artifact that granted him magical powers. However, he has yet to pay the price for such power.

An epic journey does not begin from this moment. That’s right – there is no need to save the world in this game. And what would be the point when the surrounding nature is so beautiful? From the very first minutes, you immerse yourself in the unhurried life of a nearby fantasy town. Or you can catch fish in a lake – by playing a simple mini-game. You can also climb a picturesque hill and, accompanied by pleasant music, watch the surroundings. The game lets you change the time of day, making the experience even more enjoyable.

There are plenty of ways to entertain yourself in the game:

• Serving drinks in the evenings helps you build up some starting capital;
• Defending a minotaur against undead hordes will earn you a share of his gathered resources;
• You can brew potions that boost stats prior to a full level-up;
• Plants grown in the garden serve as crafting ingredients;
• Purchasing a share in a brothel unlocks new ways to have fun and provides a steady source of income. But first, you will have to renovate it to a decent condition. 

The main goal of the game, however, is to romance the female population of Aurelia. Initially, your social circle is limited to the sorceress living in the next room. Over time, it expands to include the residents of the nearby town. And by the end, all that’s left is to explore every remote location – leaving no lady unsatisfied.

Throughout your journey, you will need to intertwine fates with representatives of various races:

• A tavern-working half-elf;
• A luscious hobbit girl;
• A solitary bunny girl;
• A freedom-loving harpy;
• A slime girl;
• A mighty dragon;
• All the brothel workers – except for one beggar who was hired to dance on stage and forced to take a bath. 

You need to talk to the beauties and pay attention to their requests. For the most part, their quests boil down to exploring locations at different times of day and obtaining the necessary items. The reward for your efforts is numerous animated scenes. 

There is also a feature in Aurelia that sets it apart from other adult games: the protagonist’s lovers are well aware of each other’s existence. And they are surprisingly chill about polygamy. Harem fans will be thrilled! Those looking for scandals and drama, on the other hand, might not find it as entertaining. 

Significant changes occur after meeting a demoness who lives near the dungeon. Descending into the dungeon involves taking risks and exterminating numerous monsters. The reward is a large amount of gold and resources.

Over time, the demoness learns to alter the dungeon, allowing you to romance monsters. Many encounters with monsters end in amusing ways, and an attempt by the player to seduce a mob of zombies results in a hilarious fourth-wall break.

The game is fully translated into Russian. For the most part, the translation does its job, but due to some errors, gameplay progression issues arise. Quest item names may differ from what you actually need to buy or gather. In those moments, you have to rely on logic or look up guides. 

Diagnosis

Playing Aurelia had a truly relaxing effect on me. It warms the heart that the game has virtually no unwarranted violence, gore, drama, or scandals. It’s an excellent fantasy slice-of-life simulator with charming visuals, music, and girls! 

The last time I had this much fun and enjoyment was while playing Brave Soul — if you know what I mean.

Pro:

• Relaxing atmosphere
• Great pixel art and animations
• Plenty of engaging, captivating mechanics
• Pleasant music
• None of the game's heroines mind you romancing anything that moves

Contra:

• Inaccurate translation can negatively impact progression

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