Aztech: Forgotten Gods takes the concept of the ancient civilization of the Aztec people and puts a twist on history. The game follows the exploits of Achtli, a seemingly ordinary girl despite her cybernetic enhancements. This is commonplace for her people living in this thriving cyberpunk future.
However, while exploring her mother’s lab one day, an ancient giant arm attaches to her. Now she can speak to gods who explain to Achtli that she is a new guardian. Can she keep her people safe? That is the basic gist of Aztech: Forgotten Gods’ story. Here are some things players should take note of before starting the game.
6 Difficulties Can Be Changed
As is the case with most games, Aztech: Forgotten Gods will ask players what difficulty they want to play with at the start. They can choose between Easy, Normal, or Hard. What the game doesn’t mention is that these three choices can be changed in the menu at any point. The best idea to go with is Normal. Try that out and see how things feel.
If the game turns out to be too simple then crank up the difficulty. If it is too challenging then don’t be afraid of the stigma that Easy brings with it. Even on Easy the bosses can be quite the challenge. They are up there with some of the trickiest bosses in video game history.
5 Explore The City Once You Get Your Arm
One of Aztech: Forgotten Gods’ faults is that it takes a while to get going. Even the best games are guilty of this as many of Link’s adventures in The Legend of Zelda series. Eventually, things will open up once Achtli gets her cybernetic arm.
As soon as she equips it, the city will open up. The game doesn’t make this point explicit. It’s up to players to figure that out which can be a freeing idea in many open-world games. Before heading to the mission marker, explore the city. There are various challenges like fighting arenas and races to see. It might be a good idea to grind early to upgrade currency.
4 A Good Upgrade Order
There are two types of currency in Aztech: Forgotten Gods. The yellow coins will help unlock new abilities for Achtli’s arm. There are also blue coins that can change Achtli’s aesthetics. Let’s focus first on the upgrades players should snag as soon as possible. The first one is called Wall Grab.
Achtli’s arm runs on energy when blasting through the sky. The only way to recharge it is by landing on a surface, be it a roof or the ground. However, this Wall Grab will turn Achtli into a regular Spider-Girl. She’ll cling to any surface and recharge her arm on the spot. After that players should prioritize energy and speed upgrades. Don’t worry about HP or attack power that much.
3 Don’t Mash It, Time It
Achtli’s cybernetic arm is massive and one of the coolest elements of Aztech: Forgotten Gods aesthetically. There have been many games wherein a character has one oversized cyborg arm. For example, Hob is another indie game that is designed around a big mechanical arm. Aztech: Forgotten Gods was not the first but it still deserves praise.
Giant arms like that may make players want to constantly mash down on the attack button like in a normal action game. However, Aztech: Forgotten Gods has more of a rhythm to it. An icon will appear after players land their first punch. If they time things right then they can do extra damage if they follow the rhythm. It is counterintuitive to what giant arms represent in other games, but take this advice to heart. It will make the game much easier.
2 Use Photo Mode To Analyze The Situation
One of the trickier aspects of Aztech: Forgotten Gods is the aforementioned bosses. It can sometimes feel impossible to do any damage to them and the game doesn’t do the best job of explaining things. Pausing the game will blacken things up, making it hard for players to catch their breath and analyze the situation at the same time.
That’s why players should take advantage of the Photo Mode instead. It is quite rare that a small indie game like Aztech: Forgotten Gods includes one. It’s a blessing in disguise. It can be fun to take photos but it is also great for allowing players to survey the area. Maybe then they can figure out a boss’ strategy.
1 Time Your Healing Well
It may be hard to notice but after players unlock their cyborg arm, they also gain a healing ability. It can be activated using the D-Pad on the controller. It should be noted that this ability can be used infinitely. It does run on a charge though, so players have to be strategic about when to use it.
If Achtli falls to about half health, use it. By the time they get low again, even on the brink of death, it should be ready for another charge. Don’t be afraid of using it too early. It is best to be safer than sorry in an action game with towering bosses like Aztech: Forgotten Gods.
Aztech: Forgotten Gods is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
