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Ayre and the Crystal Comet Review

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When we play and review games, we mostly want those games to be the best thing ever. We know how much hard work goes into their creation, and how long the development process is from start to finish. So it’s occasionally hard to be critical, but critical we must be. 

With Ayre and the Crystal Comet, things are disappointing, because on paper flying a dragon across a vast open world full of adventure sounds like a lot of fun. But I’m afraid there are problems with this one, and it certainly isn’t as fun as it sounds. Let me explain why. 

ayre and the crystal comet review 1

The story found in Ayre and the Crystal Comet is okay, as you play the part of Ayre – a dragon rider and the last of her kind. You have a dragon as your ride and friend, accompanied just as a speaking crystal comet lands in the world. It asks you to head out and collect fragments in order to heal the comet and complete the story. It’s a fine premise and works well but that’s about as far as it goes in terms of a narrative arc. 

As you explore this world there are historical sites to visit, special armour pieces to collect and some fun races to enjoy. The historical locations are good too, as they provide some extra narrative to the lore of the world. 

Gameplay is provided in two parts where firstly you are flying the dragon around the 64km map, looking at the world, hunting for crystals. There isn’t any fighting or combat to be had (even when you get armour) and there is nothing out there to kill you or interrupt your mission. Some might find this relaxing, but for others it may come across as downright boring. 

The second part of the gameplay is found in landing your dragon, jumping off and gliding, then walking around the world. You can even swim and jump around a bit. 

ayre and the crystal comet review 2

The problem with the latter and traveling around on foot is that the animations found and movement mechanics in place aren’t the best; there are plenty of moments when things get stuck. There’s a button to call your dragon back to you, but I had a few times when the dragon got stuck in a mountain or fell through the world. But you need to get used to this because in order to find the crystals you need, you have to get off the dragon. 

Flying with the dragon is much more successful and when you engage in some racing through rings, the better mechanics of Ayre and the Crystal Comet come to the fore. It’s a tough game to love and enjoy though, because the other mechanics are too rough and a bit of a drag. That’s not helped by the fact that there isn’t enough meat on the bone in terms of gameplay; the world devoid of any life to interact with. 

Visually things are a bit more impressive, and it’s nice that the world is so big and comes complete with a nice day and night cycle. But the character animation is so basic and old school, that things just don’t work. The pop-in and strange glitches don’t help the case of the game, taking you away from the atmosphere that the devs are trying to create. I’m fine with the soundscore though and it feels very agreeable when you’re flying through the air and adds to the relaxing nature of the game. 

ayre and the crystal comet review 3

From the premise alone, Ayre and the Crystal Comet raised interest levels, but from there, things go wrong. The lack of combat and action is a worry, and that means this very much comes in line with the likes of the Aery and Life of Fly series of games. But that’s not helped by the fact that Ayre and the Crystal Comet can occasionally verge into the unplayable; buggy and putting you off completion. 

There is possibly a good game hiding away in Ayre and the Crystal Comet, but for that to come out, the whole thing needs more polish. 

SUMMARY

Pros:
  • Flying dragons never fails to excite
  • Open world
Cons:
  • Traveling on foot
  • Bugs and glitches
  • Pop-in visuals
  • Walking animations
Info:
  • Massive thanks for the free copy of the game go to - Eastasiasoft
  • Formats - Xbox Series X|S (reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Swtich
  • Release date and price - 19 April 2023 | £8.39
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Gareth Brierley
Gareth Brierleyhttp://www.garethbrierley.co.uk
I am an actor and a writer. I act quite a bit on stage, a little bit on tv and never on tuesdays. I have had some of my writing published and have written for TV and stage. I have been playing games since they begun and don't seem to be getting any better.
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<b>Pros:</b> <ul> <li>Flying dragons never fails to excite</li> <li>Open world</li> </ul> <b>Cons:</b> <ul> <li>Traveling on foot</li> <li>Bugs and glitches</li> <li>Pop-in visuals</li> <li>Walking animations</li> </ul> <b>Info:</b> <ul> <li>Massive thanks for the free copy of the game go to - Eastasiasoft</li> <li>Formats - Xbox Series X|S (reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Swtich <li>Release date and price - 19 April 2023 | £8.39</li> </ul>Ayre and the Crystal Comet Review
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