AiliA

About the Game

Have you ever imagined stepping through a mirror to encounter your "Reflection"?

To rescue her twin sister, Lia, who is trapped within the mirrors, a young girl named Ail embarks on a perilous adventure across mirrored dimensions. Her sole ability is to phase through mirror surfaces and traverse the mirrored space—a realm where every reflection is tangible. Here, paths within the mirrors can be trodden upon, mechanics in the mirror can be triggered, and the entire mirrored world is fully interactive. By moving and rotating mirrors, you will manipulate your surroundings and use your imagination to forge new paths, solving intricate puzzles where reality and illusion intertwine as you journey toward the end.

Developed by a team from the NYU Game Center, AiliA is a 3D visual puzzle game with a unique Chinese aesthetic. It has garnered multiple awards and nominations internationally within US, China, and Japan, including the "2023 China Game Innovation Awards - Best Innovative Design."

The game has earned recognition from various institutions both at home and abroad. It is heavily influenced by the independent game design philosophy of New York University and combines a profound passion for the puzzle genre with the creators' personal experiences and reflections on life. Its accolades include:

2020 Intel University Games Showcase Nominee

2020 AT&T Unlocked Games Nominee

2020 NYU Game Center Incubator Selected Project

2022 Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant Recipient

2023 15th Xiamen International Animation Festival "Golden Dolphin Award" - Best Game Planning Nominee

2023 China Game Innovation Awards - Best Innovative Design

2023 China Game Innovation Awards - Best Innovative Game Grand Prize Nominee

2025 TGS(Tokyo Game Show) Selected Indie80

Ailia brings together top-tier musicians who have performed for renowned titles such as Elden Ring, Street Fighter V, and Final Fantasy XV: Assassin's Festival. Centered on the core concept of "Reflection," the soundtrack fuses traditional Chinese instruments like the Erhu, Dizi, and Xiao with the Western violin to create an "East-meets-West mirrored sonic domain." The main theme weaves through the score using techniques such as note inversion, melody reversal, and reverse audio. These techniques serve as a musical metaphor for the mirror reflecting the myriad forms of the world and deeply immerse you in the emotional bond between Ail and Lia.

Innovative Mirror Mechanics

Break the boundaries between reality and illusion. The reflection is no longer a simple projection but a tangible space that you can explore and interact with. Every passage through the mirror provides a brand-new perspective for puzzle-solving.

Immersive Aesthetic Exploration

Traverse seven distinct scenes inspired by traditional Chinese art. From ink-wash bamboo forests to glazed mirror palaces, you can unlock side quests, secret rooms, and hidden surprises within this Oriental artistic landscape.

Hardcore Puzzle Challenges

Conquer over 100 meticulously designed puzzles and unlock seemingly impossible challenges within hidden areas. Collect Mirror Fragments to awaken the long-lost memories of the bond between Ail and Lia.

Experience diverse types of spatial puzzles centered entirely around mirrors. The game innovatively integrates various reflection-based mechanics including water reflections, mirror recursion, and even mirror-puzzle boss battles. This design creates an exceptionally rich experience in both visuals and gameplay.

The story features three interwoven threads. The main thread follows your adventure in the mirror world. The subtle thread consists of real-world memories triggered after breaking each Magic Mirror. A hidden thread follows the twin sister and unlocks by collecting Mirror Fragments in challenging stages. Fragmented storytelling through soul shards scattered across in-game scenes provides gameplay hints while enriching the world with poetic philosophy. Both the theme song and narrative stem from the creators' real-life experiences. They explore how to reconcile with the world and oneself after the loss of a loved one.

Ailia is a 3D visual puzzle game featuring Chinese aesthetics.

To rescue her twin sister trapped within the mirrors, the young girl Ail embarks on a journey. Her sole ability is to pass through mirrors and traverse the mirrored space. These reflections are "real." Paths within the glass can be trodden upon and mechanisms can be triggered. You must leverage these mirror mechanics along with your imagination to solve puzzles and reach the destination. Explore a world woven from reality and reflection to find the answer hidden deep within the mirror.