New release: Auro

I’ve just learned that Auro–the not-technically-a-roguelike tactics title that was the subject of this interview–has finally been released! (Specifically, it appeared on Google Play in mid-September; the iOS release remains pending.)

Auro is a hex-based quasi-roguelike from DinoFarm Games, the creators of 100 Rogues.

The premise:

Set in an original fantasy universe, guide the brash, spoiled Prince Auro through procedurally generated dungeons, with only a handful of tactical spells and your wits to protect you.

Auro puts you in control of a single character with a selection of 9 distinct spells. The game features turn-based play, grid-based procedural dungeon generation, permadeath, and character advancement. Regardless, designer Keith Burgun is very adamant that this game is not a roguelike. Thus, we probably shouldn’t be surprised that the game’s trailer refers to it only as a “monster-bumping adventure”:

Auro reportedly features deterministic mechanics, relying heavily on emergent complexity to keep things interesting. (Clearly, Burgun and I have some measure of overlap in our game design philosophies.)

Auro is mobile-only; you can snag it for $2.99 on Android (and iOS, presumably, whenever this nonsense gets resolved).