Aloft Early Access Review – IGN

Unique Twist on Survival Crafting

Combining seemingly incompatible concepts often leads to innovative and exciting gameplay experiences in the world of video games. Aloft, a new game in early access, seeks to merge the relaxing elements of a cozy game with the challenging mechanics of a survival crafting game set in a floating archipelago reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. This unconventional combination results in unique features like customizable floating island-ships and cooperative exploration that sets it apart from traditional survival games.

Familiar Gameplay with a Unique Twist

While Aloft incorporates familiar gameplay elements found in typical survival games such as gathering resources and crafting tools and structures, its standout feature is the skyborn islands that can be transformed into mobile homes. Players can use wingsuits to navigate this floating world, collecting resources and converting islands into ships for exploration and base-building.

By allowing players to sail their customized island ships with friends, Aloft introduces a dynamic and engaging multiplayer experience. Activities like animal husbandry, gardening, and decorating can all be enjoyed within the unique setting of a flying island, offering a fresh take on the survival crafting genre.

Relaxed Gameplay Experience

One of the defining aspects of Aloft is its relaxed gameplay style, where players do not face the usual survival game challenges and consequences. Exploration is stress-free, combat is simple, and respawning after death is seamless. This direction allows players to focus on customization, social interactions, and exploration without the pressure typically associated with survival games.

However, despite its unique premise and enjoyable island-building mechanics, Aloft falls short as a compelling survival-crafting game. The limited activities, repetitive combat encounters, and performance issues hinder the overall experience. The game lacks depth in core gameplay elements like farming, cooking, and building, making it feel unfinished and in need of additional content and refinement.

Challenges and Monotonous Gameplay

Players may find the process of curing infected islands repetitive due to the lack of enemy variety and simplistic combat mechanics. The limited selection of enemy types and combat strategies detract from the overall engagement, making certain gameplay aspects feel like chores rather than enjoyable challenges.

While Aloft offers an intriguing concept with the potential for engaging gameplay, its current state leaves much to be desired in terms of content and performance. The game’s expansive world may feel empty and underutilized, with limited incentive for exploration beyond essential resource gathering. Technical issues such as framerate drops, crashes, and glitches further detract from the overall experience, highlighting the need for optimization and polish.

Despite its shortcomings, Aloft presents a unique blend of genres and innovative gameplay mechanics that hold promise for future updates and enhancements. With additional content and improvements, Aloft has the potential to evolve into a captivating and immersive gaming experience for players seeking a distinctive survival crafting adventure.