FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MELBOURNE, Australia – Sept. 24, 2024 – Aura of Worlds, developed by Cognitive Forge and published on console by Hidden Trap, is now available on Nintendo Switch! On Steam, the game has also graduated from Steam Early Access – delivering a full 1.0 release filled to the brim with goodies, new features, performance updates, and other enhancements. The Steam version has also been localized in Spanish and German.
A roguelite where improvisation and know-how surpass stats, Aura of Worlds gives you the freedom to fight, explore, and fully interact with your environment. Demanding sharp wit and precise reflexes, the game encourages creativity: Should you just loot the cursed treasure chest (like it goads you to) or wield it as a weapon? Follow the enemy-laden path ahead, or make your own? Blink, bounce, grapple or fly across lava pits or just blow them up in a glorious spray of embers? In Aura of Worlds, ingenuity and craziness often work to your advantage!
Featuring pixel-perfect visuals and an earworm-worthy chiptune soundtrack, Aura of Worlds will have you traverse ever-changing death labyrinths – turning adversity into advantage. Escape flooding passages, outrun toxic pollen, and face off against gargantuan bosses. Do you go on defense with a spear and energy shield ... or swing into the fray with a boomerang, grappling hook, and a grin? The choices – unlike your health potions – are endless.
“The development of Aura of Worlds has been like a roguelike: continuously facing challenges, coming up with solutions, and adapting to improve the game again and again,” says Anthony Liew, programmer and development lead at Cognitive Forge. “This includes getting feedback in person at PAX/Freeplay/GX (attending four years in a row) and having to rely mostly on savings from a day job to fund the game. Yet we persevered because we wanted to deliver an experience that truly resonates with players from anywhere in the world – whether they’re playing on Nintendo Switch or Steam!”
Key Features
l Wide Array of Skills: Grab, throw, hack, light, parkour, alter terrain, and warp time itself!
l Challenging Traps, Many Solutions: Throw an enemy into a laser field, blink through it, turn invisible – or blow up the power conduit; put your creativity to the test!
l Endless Levels: With 100+ unique enemies and traps and over 14 randomized level themes, you can navigate mine-filled tidal corridors, rising lava, carnivorous plant-lined caverns, and more.
l Thrilling Boss Fights: Outwit and outmaneuver powerful guardians at the end of each world.
l One Object, Multiple Possibilities: With multi-use objects, a humble lantern can be grabbed, carried for light, shot or thrown as a Molotov cocktail.
l Customize Your Gameplay: Choose from a multitude of weapons, items, abilities, pets, modifiers, upgrades, and more.
l Always evolving: Progress between runs with a wide array of optional unlocks including upgrades, items, character backgrounds, pets and world shortcuts.
l Rescue missions: Locate friends in need of a helping hand!
l Gorgeous Pixel Art: Hand-crafted pixel art and animations by Rex Smeal, Han Cheon, T-Dog eXtreme, Danika Clark, and August Cartland.
l Immersive Sound: Experience a memorable score and sound effects from the prolific Mat Dwyer and Amanda J. Lim.
Pricing & Availability
The full 1.0 release of Aura of Worlds is now available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
The game is currently on sale for $12.74 on Steam (15% off) and will return to its retail price of $14.99 on October 8. Aura of Worlds is launching at $13.49 on Switch (10% off) and will return to its retail price of $14.99 on October 3.
Steam (Windows/Mac/Linux):
https://store.steampowered.com/app/841600/Aura_of_Worlds
Nintendo eShop:
l U.S. Store: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/aura-of-worlds-switch
l U.K. Store: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Aura-of-Worlds-2635198.html
Assets
Launch Trailer
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5rXbvq40NQ
Screenshots & Logos
IMGUR
Social Media
Aura of Worlds
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuraOfWorlds
X [Twitter] - https://twitter.com/auraofworlds
Cognitive Forge
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CognitiveForge
X [Twitter] - https://twitter.com/cognitiveforge
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/CognitiveForge
About Cognitive Forge
Founded in 2011 and based in Victoria, Australia, Cognitive Forge is a small, independent studio that seeks to provide gamers with unique experiences driven by intricate interlocking mechanics that encourage experimentation. Cognitive Forge is committed to inclusivity and accessibility – in the games they make, the people they work with, and the community itself. To learn more about Aura of Worlds and Cognitive Forge, please visit https://www.auraofworlds.com.
About Hidden Trap
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Villarreal, Spain, Hidden Trap is a small indie publisher with big dreams. Laser-focused in porting PC games to console platforms, this is a passionate team with more than four years of experience. To learn more about Hidden Trap, please visit https://hiddentrap.com.
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Media Contact
Luis Levy
Co-Conspirator
Novy Unlimited for Cognitive Forge