Review of “Worlds of Aria”

When I first dove into the world of tabletop RPGs, I was amazed at how much you could jump in with minimal prior knowledge. A great game master guides inexperienced adventurers through their quest, making it enjoyable even if the players are still getting the hang of things. Worlds of Aria, which positions itself as a Dungeons & Dragons-like experience, aims to bring that same simplicity and excitement to casual tabletop role-playing games.

Worlds of Aria offers flexibility in how it’s played—you can venture into its world solo or with up to four players, either locally or online. If there are fewer than four human players, the game fills the extra slots with CPU characters that you control. These characters don’t have independent AI; instead, they serve as additional allies for you to manage. When my wife and I played, we each took responsibility for one of the extra party members, making the experience more interactive and strategic.

The narrative unfolds through a series of storytelling scenarios, where choices significantly impact how events progress. Imagine facing a guard; you could choose to fight, bribe, sneak by, or share a drink to pass. What’s interesting is that the party doesn’t need unanimous agreement—each player can choose their own course of action. Your character’s stats influence the success rate of these actions, depicted as percentages next to their icons. Sometimes, outcomes are shaped by the actions of others in your party, offering countless possible outcomes.

Skill checks, determined by rolling percentile dice, decide success or failure. The higher your skill level, the better your odds. For example, a 75% success rate means you need to roll a 75 or lower. It’s a straightforward system, complemented by each character’s unique abilities. These special powers, though limited in use, can alter dice rolls significantly. The wizard in my party, for instance, could draw a card with a number—positive or negative—that would then modify my roll. These cards, once used, were gone. My wife played a pirate, where each power usage cost a gold coin. Another member of our group had an ability that guaranteed the best possible roll but could only be used thrice. There’s no complex combat system, just straightforward dice rolls, which some might find too simple yet keeps the game accessible to all.

However, the user interface does present some challenges. Clearly designed for a mouse and keyboard, transitioning to a controller feels awkward at times. Sometimes you control a movable cursor like on a PC, but it often snaps unpredictably to various UI elements, which can be frustrating. I experienced issues aligning the cursor with small buttons to manage inventory, and on some occasions, timing challenges arose as we tried to correctly position characters due to managing multiple characters. Another hiccup was accidentally dropping items behind UI elements, making them irretrievable.

Overall, Worlds of Aria is a delightful, easy-to-pick-up adventure. It’s a wonderful experience whether you’re sharing it with veteran players or newcomers who have never tried this type of game before. While seasoned enthusiasts might find some elements too straightforward, it’s clear that the game’s intention is openness and approachability. More human players enhance the experience, as CPU allies are simply extra characters to juggle. Despite the UI quirks, Worlds of Aria presents a charming blend of tabletop RPG and party game dynamics, creating a bridge that invites everyone to enjoy the fun.