Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom review - "A perspective-changing puzzler"

• Change your viewing angle to unlock new paths
• Fun and challenging puzzles
• An adorable art style

Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom is a relaxing puzzler that challenges you to alter your perspective. You play as young prince Aarik, who finds himself alone in his family castle. Once glorious, the castle and surrounding kingdom are now in tatters. Luckily, brave young Aarik chooses to don his father’s magical crown and use it to restore the kingdom and unite his family.

Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom is a Mind-Bending Puzzler

Upon launching this engaging puzzler, I found myself immediately reminded of the famous mind-bending painting “Relativity” by MC Esher and it’s not hard to see why. Much like the famed artwork of a labyrinth of connecting staircases, this charming puzzle adventure forces you to look at things from a different angle, quite literally. 

Early on, Aarik finds his father in a deep sleep in the castle. Unable to wake him, Aarik takes his crown and journeys through the kingdom to find his mother. As you play, you'll collect notes from Aarik's mother, a few of which contain precious magical gems that will aid you on your quest.

You’ll often find yourself at the edge of a broken bridge or path. However, you have just the tool you need to keep moving forward. The King’s magic crown allows Aarik to fix broken pathways by shifting your view of them. Swipe the bottom of the screen left or right to alter your view. Once you find an angle that makes a pathway appear to be connected to another, it’s possible to cross it. 

Solve Puzzles with Magic Gems

Puzzles consist of more than changing your view. You will also use the four gems of the magic crown you’ll find along your journey to piece together bridges, move statues, rotate gears, and more.

Upon collecting the red gem, you'll be able to pick up objects, pieces of buildings, and broken parts of pathways and move them into place using telekinesis. Items that you can move are typically bright red, while movable buildings and pathways will be decorated with red gems. Adding the amethyst to your crown lets you rotate any object adorned with purple gems. With this gem, you can turn gears to move platforms and rotate paths. 

Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom lets you Control Robots

After you reach the mines, you’ll begin coming across pesky little robots that like to get in your way. To get around them, you’ll need to think creatively. However, these robots can also come in handy as, with a little strategic thinking, you can manipulate the routes they take and get them to step on buttons for you.

This is essential in some areas, as certain buttons only keep a platform in place when someone stands on them. Of course, there is also a gem to collect that lets you take control of an NPC, allowing you to move characters out of your way and get them to push buttons with relative ease. Finally, once you collect the emerald, you can reverse and fast-forward time, restoring ruins to their former glory or changing the height of the sand dune you are standing on.

Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom Doesn't Offer Hints

The only downside to Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom is the lack of a hint system. When struggling with a particular level, it can be frustrating not being able to use a hint to point you in the right direction. However, the lack of hints does make completing challenging levels all the more rewarding.

Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom offers a phenomenal puzzle-solving experience. The adorable art style and charming tale of reuniting a family meld to create a heartwarming backdrop. Despite offering head-scratching puzzles, Aarik and the Ruined Kingdom manages to have a zen-like atmosphere, making it a fantastic way to relax and unwind while also challenging yourself. If you’re a fan of puzzles that make you think outside the box, you’ll definitely want to give this puzzler more than just a passing glance.