Hero of Aethric is a fun exploration-focused online RPG directly based on the 2018 “Orna” GPS game.

After a short intro with no real tutorial, we’re thrown straight into a massive world that we explore to collect resources, fight roaming monsters, complete quests, and slowly craft better gear – all while leveling up our character.

While the turn-based combat initially consists of just attack and defend buttons, we unlock new abilities as we go that add a lot more depth. It reminded me a bit of old AdventureQuest battles. The world is also full of dungeons that we can complete alone or with other players, and arenas where we battle other players controlled by an AI.

Part of what sets the game apart is that we customize our character by selecting new classes and specializations as we progress – as opposed to a standard stat-upgrade system. We also even get to build our own hometown by placing buildings with crafters and shops.

While the lack of hand-holding elements makes the game somewhat hardcore to get into without consulting online guides, the community and in-game chat are always super friendly and willing to help. This is also what makes it feel like a true adventure, and the game’s oddities – such as monsters not having fixed spawn points – just added to that.

We simply tap to move or engage in combat, but the controls are a bit finicky, and I sometimes ended up moving when trying to just pan the camera. Thankfully, despite the simple art-style, the UI is phenomenal and clearly made for mobile.

Hero of Aethric monetizes through iAPs for cosmetic skins, more Arena tokens than the ones we get for free, and special versions of classes, which include a skin and a passive ability. It is, overall, a rather fair monetization.