Aurora Hills: Chapter 2
Our verdict
8.5/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 4–6 h
Aurora Hills: Chapter 2 is the second part of a point-and-click escape-room series from NovaSoft Interactive, the makers of Meridian 157. It is 1981 in the Appalachian woods of West Virginia, and park ranger Ethan Hill follows the trail of his missing colleague Jen deep into closed-off parts of a national park. It suits solo players who like Myst-style, node-by-node exploration with mechanical puzzles and a slow-burn mystery.
Players rate it Very Positive, with 304 of 309 reviews recommending it. Reviewers praise the autumn forest and abandoned buildings, which look far better than the low price suggests, and puzzles pitched between too easy and too hard. Several got stuck on a couple of tricky ones but credit the step-by-step hint system for getting them through without spoilers.
The lone detailed complaint is about backtracking between locations and the frame-by-frame movement, which can feel clunky, plus a few contrived puzzles. The story stays vague and ends on a cliffhanger, so you will be waiting for Chapter 3. Play the free Chapter 1 first; if you enjoy it, this is an easy, cheap follow-up.
Pros
- Atmospheric 1981 Appalachian forest and abandoned ranger sites
- Puzzles with a fair challenge and a gradual hint system
- Strong visuals and music for a low price
Cons
- Slide-show movement leads to tedious backtracking for some
- Story stays vague and ends on a cliffhanger
- Best played after Chapter 1
About
The morning of October 6, 1981, began like any other: waking up from a restless sleep, preparing for the day ahead of you and driving to the ranger station where you've worked for the past 11 years. Aurora Hills was once a tranquil community nestled within the mountains of Appalachia, but a series of disappearances have all but shattered the serene atmosphere. Only a feeling of desolation permeates the surrounding as you drive through the now dilapidated small town.
Jen wasn't at the ranger station when you arrived that morning. Being the only other park ranger, she likes to get an early start to the day and by the time you arrived, she had driven to one of the many closed off hiking trails to start searching for the missing people. Following her trail of notes, you make your way off the main trail to meet up with her to explore the remote parts of the national park. When you find her camp however, your worst fears are realized: The site's been ransacked, her equipment strewn across the campsite, her tent's been torn up, and Jen is nowhere to be seen.
There's no time to turn back now, it's already midday and the sun sets early this time of year. The only thing worse than wandering into the forest alone is braving it at night. You can't abandon Jen now, not when the trail is so fresh. Now you have no choice but to venture deeper into the uncharted parts of the national park, the parts mythologized into local urban legends by frightened townsfolk. You'd better leave soon, you may never get a better chance to uncover the dark history of Aurora Hills...
Developed by the creators of Meridian 157, Aurora Hills: Chapter 2 is the second part in a series of point and click, puzzle escape room style adventure games. Based in the year 1981 in a small West Virginian community, Aurora Hills follows the journey of Ethan Hill, a park ranger tasked with investigating strange disappearances from the region. Explore the rolling hills of West Virginia, find clues of the whereabouts of the missing people and solve intriguing puzzles to solve the mystery of Aurora Hills!
Features:
• Custom soundtrack and sound effects designed for a creepy in-game atmosphere
• Challenging and clever puzzles
• A logical hint system for some of the most difficult riddles
• Available in 9 languages, including English, French, Russian, German, Chinese (Simplified), Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese!
• New colour blind mode available for people who might have trouble with colour based puzzles
