One of the main benefits of pixel art (as I see it; I'm not an expert) is that proper use of outlines can call your attention to important elements in the scene. There's none of this in Auro, partially because the resolution is so high, but even UI elements like text and buttons lack weight and outline. The splash image at the top has no focal point and lacks contrast, as do the character designs (especially the blob and gray thing at the bottom).
Overall it comes across as very dreary, not at all relaxing or fun to look at. Contrast this with the Pokemon environment from elsewhere in this thread (https://twitter.com/zaebucca/status/1057312889160286215) which is gorgeous and fun. It perfectly draws your attention to the key elements of the scene.
The good news is the guy has the skill which can succeed on it's own, given it's channeling a positive story. Drawing that well and constructing scenes that well is a fine art that takes a lot of time and effort.
The high fantasy tree-man fighting with a staff on the ground was not the king in 2015, it was the outlaw. Had he committed to an outlaw version of Gandalf or Link from Zelda, he would have had a story that fit the times and likely how he felt as an artist. This depressed faded king surrounded by water and off-beat monsters is an unsolvable conflict that benefits no-one.
Unfortunately, a good looking pixel game needs more than artisan dithering. All I've seen from Auro looks like an incomprehensible, bland mess of individually excellent sprite work.
The guy has all that classical goodness in his skill but what they chose to make with it is very questionable. I'd suggest Auro was more about a transition for the artist than it was about making a salable game.