Treasures of the Aegean

Just when you think you've seen it all and know it all, out of nowhere comes a Catalan studio that puts together a combination of genres so finely crafted that it leaves you speechless. Treasures of the Aegean might look like a metroidvania at first glance, but exploration is not tied to upgrades. All that you need is the ability to run as fast as you can and make your brain work just as quickly, because the sea is about the claim the island of Santorini once again.

A 2D platformer that perfectly captures the freedom of adventure in search of treasure and with simple puzzles in between, but that always encourages us to keep exploring for one more time loop on the Island of Minos, a very nice place to get lost (and find yourself) for a few hours of fun.

Imagine a 2D Lara Croft, with Prince of Persia Moves...

In the end, my experience with Treasures of the Aegean was mixed. At first, it was a little weird, getting more interesting after a few loops and, by the end, it was a little confusing as I learned what to do to advance through the game along with the heroine. It's compelling for those who love exploration and puzzles demanding a healthy dose of dedication for those who wish to unveil the mysteries of Thera.

Treasures of the Aegean offers an interesting mix between parkour, metroidvania and roguelike, with a very fun and addictive handling. His artistic and sound style are quite elaborate and work very well with the chosen theme. On the other hand, it can become too repetitive and monotonous due to its huge map and its lack of variety of scenarios.

Treasures of the Aegean is a unique game, blending rewarding exploration, energetic parkour and thoughtful puzzles. It’s also refreshingly devoid of combat. It’s just a shame that the controls aren’t a bit tighter, and the overall game a little more polished. It’s also questionable if the time loop mechanic does the game any favours; with such a sprawling map, it can be frustrating starting in a different place each time and having your progress in various puzzles reset. Ultimately, some players will get a great deal of enjoyment out of Treasures of the Aegean, but many will find it scrappy and repetitive.

There’s a lot to take in and comprehend when you first start Treasures of the Aegean. It’s never frustrating or off putting, though. In fact, with every new run (whether it was successful or not), I found myself just wanting to know more about the lore of this mysterious ancient city and what exactly the time loop was all about. For lore buffs, puzzle solvers, and platforming fans, Treasures of the Aegean is right up your alley.

Treasures of the Aegean is an intriguing and audacious game. Giving you complete freedom, you can decide how you want to tackle the enormous environment. Due to the protagonist’s free-flowing approach to traversal, you can gracefully cruise through areas to discover the plethora of secrets that are buried within. Whilst some may be deterred by that lack of a clear objective, those who crave an adventure that gives you control should definitely check out this liberating trip to a lost, ancient world.

With fast movement, an interconnected, memorable world, and plenty of tools at the player's disposal, Treasures of the Aegean offers up a lot of enjoyable gameplay and level design.

Treasures is a pleasant surprise of a game, to some degree delivering an experience that’s familiar with its platforming style, but then throwing in a serious twist with its unusual story and time reset mechanic...