ÆRTHLINGS Review iPhone

ÆRTHLINGS is one of those games that feels deceptively small when you first load it up. It presents itself as cute, simple, and almost toy-like, which is fitting given the blind-box collectibles it’s tied to. But the longer you spend with it, the more you realise there’s a very deliberate design philosophy at play. This is not a game trying to overwhelm you with systems, stats, or complexity. Instead, it’s built around accessibility, calm progression, and the idea that gaming doesn’t always need to be loud, stressful, or competitive to be engaging.

From the very beginning, ÆRTHLINGS makes a strong first impression by being genuinely free to play. You download it, you get a character, and you’re immediately allowed to explore the world and engage with the core loop without hitting a paywall or artificial limiter. That alone puts it ahead of a huge portion of the mobile market. There’s no stamina system aggressively nudging you toward purchases, no timers designed to frustrate you into spending. It feels honest, and that honesty carries through the rest of the experience.

The gameplay loop itself is straightforward but effective. You move through a stylised, almost storybook like world, collecting resources such as wood, stone, and plants. These are then used to restore corrupted areas, heal the environment, and build basic structures that slowly expand what you can do. It’s repetitive by design, but in a comforting way. This is not a game you play to test reflexes or optimise damage output. It’s a game you play to relax, to zone out, and to feel like you’re slowly making progress without being rushed.

What elevates this loop is the character system. Each ÆRTHLING has its own look, personality, and subtle gameplay differences. Some feel better suited to combat, others to movement or exploration. Swapping between them changes the rhythm of play just enough to keep things interesting, even if the underlying mechanics remain familiar. It’s a clever way to introduce variety without bloating the game with unnecessary complexity.

The blind boxes are where the physical and digital worlds collide, and this is honestly one of ÆRTHLINGS’ most compelling features. Scanning a physical figure and watching it hatch into a unique digital character never really loses its charm. There’s a tangible sense of ownership there that most digital-only games simply can’t replicate. And crucially, the game never makes it so that you need to buy them. They are an enhancement, not a requirement. You can engage deeply with ÆRTHLINGS without spending a cent, or you can lean into the collecting side if that’s your thing. The choice is always yours.

That freedom extends into how many blind boxes you buy. There’s no pressure to chase full sets or rare pulls unless you genuinely want to. You can grab one occasionally as a treat, or go all in if collecting scratches that itch for you. It’s a refreshingly consumer friendly approach in a space that often feels anything but.

The trading system is another area where ÆRTHLINGS shows real creativity. Trading physical figures does not delete your digital character, which immediately removes the fear of loss that usually comes with collectible trading. On top of that, the lineage system actively rewards trading by adding history and bonuses to characters as they pass between players. It’s a brilliant concept that turns what could have been a shallow gimmick into a meaningful social mechanic. Characters feel like they have stories, not just stats.

Where ÆRTHLINGS begins to stumble, however, is in its control scheme. Everything is handled via touchscreen inputs, and while that works well enough for basic exploration and menu navigation, it starts to fall apart when precision matters. The on screen joystick is functional, but it’s far from ideal. There are plenty of moments where I’ve tried to dodge an attack and simply missed the joystick by a fraction, resulting in my ÆRTHLING standing still and absorbing damage that could have been avoided. Other times, my thumb drifts just enough that movement feels imprecise or delayed. Combat suffers the most from this. Enemy attacks are not particularly complex, but they do require timely movement. When your input method is inherently vague, those moments become frustrating rather than challenging. It’s not uncommon to press the wrong button, trigger an ability you didn’t mean to, or fail to move out of danger quickly enough.

None of this breaks the game, but it does limit how comfortable it feels during longer sessions. You’re constantly reminded that you’re fighting the interface rather than the enemies. This is, without question, ÆRTHLINGS’ biggest weakness right now. That said, I genuinely believe this is a temporary problem. The developers have already confirmed hopes to bring ÆRTHLINGS to Nintendo Switch in 2026, and that alone signals a future where proper controller support surely becomes the norm. This game feels like it was made for physical controls. A real joystick for movement, buttons for actions, and tactile feedback would instantly solve most of the frustrations present on mobile.

I would honestly welcome controller support on mobile even before the Switch release. the game would benefit massively from offering the option of being able to strap it into a Backbone. Given the long term roadmap, it feels less like a question of if and more like when.

Artistically, ÆRTHLINGS nails its tone. The visuals are clean, colourful, and approachable without being overly childish. There’s a softness to the world that reinforces the game’s relaxed pace. Sound design complements this nicely, with gentle audio cues and music that fades into the background rather than demanding attention. It’s the kind of game you can play while half-watching TV or winding down before bed, and that’s very much by design.

In terms of longevity, ÆRTHLINGS is not trying to be endless in the traditional sense. It’s not chasing daily log in streaks or competitive ladders. Instead, it relies on slow expansion, collecting, trading, and future updates to keep players engaged. For some, that will feel too light. For others, especially those burned out on hyper competitive games, it will feel like a breath of fresh air.

Ultimately, ÆRTHLINGS succeeds because it knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s not chasing trends or trying to reinvent gaming. It’s offering a calm, accessible, toy-meets-digital experience that welcomes players rather than tests them. Yes, the controls need work. Yes, some systems could be refined. But the foundation is strong, and the potential is obvious.

If you’re looking for a high-intensity action game, this probably isn’t it. But if you want something relaxed, charming, and genuinely consumer-friendly, ÆRTHLINGS is well worth your time. And if the Switch version delivers on what the mobile game promises, this could very easily become the definitive way to experience it.