Paolo Garelli
Today, our search for tomes to read and worlds to explore takes us to a story inspired by one of the world’s most famous fairy tales, with our review of Aurora. We thank Aristea and Valentina Ceciliato for sending us a copy of this gamebook, which truly belongs in the Dark Fairy Tales category.
Once upon a time… A series of dark fairy tales, in which not everyone lived happily ever after.
We’ll discover this new gamebook inspired by a character we’ve all encountered through books, movies, video games, and TV series. The quintessential princess to be saved, the damsel in distress that only Prince Charming can awaken. A character who’s now tired of waiting for someone to save her, and who will get her revenge in this gamebook.
If you’re interested, you can purchase it on the official store for €19.00. Don’t forget to enter the code NDU5 for a 5% discount!
A First Look at Aurora
With 225 paragraphs spread across 360 pages, Aurora has all the elements to allow us to experience a great adventure of revenge. A darkly charged gamebook that never fails to remind us of the fragility of those we call “monsters.”
Inside, the volume is full of quotes and little Easter eggs that made me smile many times.
The artwork is top-notch. Numerous illustrations by Erica Rossi‘s skilled hands enrich the work, allowing us to appreciate the story even more. As with the Yaga gamebook, at the end of the book, as a treat for readers, a collection of the illustrator’s sketches has been included, showing some of the stages of the journey that brought Aurora to life.
A Brief Introduction to Aurora
This gamebook is included in the Dark Fairy Tales category, and the reason is clear from the first paragraph.
You are Aurora de Belmont… Princess of the Belmonts, aristocratic of France. Died in the year of our Lord 1792. Despite your death, you have just killed a man by draining all his blood, and you have a precise definition of what you have just become. You raise your cold, white hands to your temples, clutching desperately at your long white hair.
We’ve clearly put aside the fragile princess awaiting her Prince Charming, replaced by something far more dangerous. Against the backdrop of the French Revolution, our Aurora will have to face the one who transformed her, the progenitor vampire, the forefather of modern literary vampires. It’s no easy battle, and fortunately, we’ll have more than one ally in it.
Aurora Mechanics Review
The Aurora rules are very simple and are presented in just six pages.
Our princess’s fate will be based on two characteristics: Instinct and Self-Control. Instinct represents our fighting ability, our most bestial side. Conversely, our Self-Control is our most cunning and rational side, capable of keeping the beast at bay. When creating our character, we’ll have twelve points to distribute between the two characteristics. Each time we’re asked, we’ll have to make a test by rolling two six-sided dice. If the result is equal to or lower than the corresponding value, we’ve passed the test. We are not simply humans, but dangerous vampires. Blood is our power and our lifeblood.
We’ll have thirty Blood Points at our disposal, which represent our hit points, but they can also be used to lower the value of our tests. For example, if we’ve just failed a Self-Control test, exceeding our characteristic by four points, we’ll simply spend the same number of Blood Points to pass the challenge. Of course, blood is a precious resource, and we must be careful not to waste even a drop.
Final Considerations of the Aurora Review
Aurora is a compelling story that will keep you playing for hours. The book is packed with possibilities; whether it’s choosing your path, character growth, or reaching multiple endings, this is a replayable gamebook that deserves to be added to your collection.
Get ready to dive into a gothic reimagining of the famous Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, where we’ll finally stop waiting for someone to come and save us.
