Aether

Aether is a top-down roguelite ARPG set in a realm of dynamically generated maps. You explore fantastical landscapes, find ancient shrines and face bosses while fighting hordes of enemies with elemental powers, spells and magical artifacts. Time pressure builds as each moment passes, so you weigh the risks and rewards of pushing onward through treacherous terrain and mysteries that test your combat skills and wits.

Combat and progression

Use elemental powers to battle enemies, then customize how your abilities scale and fuse skills to create stronger abilities. You can explore the world to unlock relics that boost your combat prowess. The game also features lightning-quick aim and explosive encounters.

Game modes

Survival focuses on exploring, unlocking elements and skills, and completing challenges while surviving waves of enemies. Ascension is the main gameplay loop: travel through the realms, defeat the bosses in each zone, unlock secret zones and try to beat the final boss. The game also describes Siege, a tower-defense mode where you protect the aetheric crystal from monsters while upgrading your powers, and PvP, where players compete to see who is the best Aether wielder.

Bosses and co-op

The Zone Protectors guard the path to ascending to the heavens. In Ascension, you take on the bosses of each zone as you progress through the realms. Local co-op lets friends and family join using their controllers to fight alongside you in the effort to save the world.

Planned content

The development plan lists the following content for the demo, Early Access and full release:

• Demo: Survival mode, 8 elements, 42+ skills, 20+ enemy variations, 3 maps and 80+ relics.
• Early Access: Ascension mode, bosses and a content update with new skills, effects, relics, maps and more.
• Full release: A major content update and extra modes, including Siege and PvP.