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Aquaria

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9.5 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 7 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 30 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Bit Blot

Developer: Bit Blot

Genre(s): Adventure

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: RP (Rating Pending)

Release Date: December 7, 2007

Summary

A massive ocean world, teeming with life and filled with ancient secrets. Join Naija, a lone underwater dweller in search of her family, as she explores the depths of Aquaria. She'll travel from hidden caves, shrouded in darkness, to beautiful, sunlit oases, all lovingly handcrafted by its two creators. Naija's story, narrated fully with voice overs, will become yours, as you join her on this magnificent adventure. Naija has the gift of the Verse. By singing songs, she can weave this force to change the waters around her. With each song Naija learns comes new abilities. With powerful songs, Naija is able to change form, giving players many options as to how to play the game. And with Aquaria's intuitive mouse-only control system, it's as easy to make Naija swim gracefully through the waters as it is to have her sing, cast spells, and engage in combat with the numerous dangerous creatures that inhabit Aquaria's waters. [Bit Blot]

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Pelit (Finland)

An enchanting exploration of a beautiful and imaginative world. A lot of variety and surprises to discover with some 2D shooter action. Some interface issues, otherwise top notch. [Mar 2008]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Amazing mash-up of a classic NES adventure and that fish-tank screensaver you had in the ’90s.

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GameCritics

Its charm and style engrossed me from the opening level and never let go, and I received an experience with lots of substance, challenge, and a little heart thrown in for good measure.

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PC Zone UK

Aquaria just oozes quality. [Mar 2008, p.86]

PC Gamer UK

Atmospheric and gorgeous, an excellent indie calling card. [Feb 2008, p.83]

PC PowerPlay

If you ever find yourself staring at your computer monitor longing for a well made, easily accessible and thoroughly enjoyable action game then Aquaria is for you. [Mar 2008, p.63]

Eurogamer

Aquaria's certainly prone to leaving you disorientated, some of its puzzles are quite oblique and it's in no hurry to tell you what to do, and its mechanics lack the inventiveness of a game like Zelda, but then the fact it's two friends coding together over the Internet shouldn't be overlooked when taking note of the fact that they come surprisingly close.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 30 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Kaylee n gave it a10:
The right level of challenge to slow me down but keep me moving forward, the world itself looks amazing and the abyss still manages to scare me as i pass past a huge fish I just know wants to eat me. I would give it a 9, but just couldn't bare to have it sitting under a 10/10. Best put together game I have ever played.

Justin S gave it a10:
Aquaria is hands down one of my favorite games ever. Everything from the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the elaborate and elegant art design is polished to a professional shine. The gameplay is addictive and rewarding as you swim, shoot, eat, and/or ride everything in the ocean, following an interesting and enigmatic storyline of self-discovery and exploration. To be fair, the game's fault lies at times in its originality and some boss fights may seem over-the-top difficult with only a single obscure trick available to take them down, but they are rarely counterintuitive once the trick is discovered. Furthermore, for those having trouble on a given boss, dont expect much support online as the game is indie to a fault, with only a small handful of bloggers offering strategy and tips online, at least when I played it. Despite this, I HIGHLY reccomend Aquaria to any gamer. I primarilly play strategy and shooters, but I still found Aquaria to be one of the most enjoyable games I ever played.

Mehve gave it a10:
Serious gem right here, frankly beats the pants off of many bigger-budgeted games. Crisp graphics, a lovely soundtrack that doesn't grate after the first fifteen minutes, and an intuitive interface make for an excellent and addictive experience. Comparisons to the earlier Metroid games are entirely accurate, albeit with far more colour and scenic variety here. The game starts out almost painfully slow, but definitely begins to pick up quickly within an hour or two, and the boss battles require both finesse and on-the-fly creativity. The puzzles are challenging, yet I was able to solve all of them without visiting any FAQ sites. Exploration is both encouraged and rewarded, with many extras scattered for those who put the time in. 10-20 hours is a reasonable expectation for finishing this game, depending on how much you explore. Definitely looking forward to a sequel!

C. C gave it a10:
Breath-taking, imaginative, spectacular. The game gives a feeling of open ended movement while holding a linear storyline. I was surprised to find myself walking further into the wrong place, only to get a creatively narrative warning that I was heading in the wrong direction. However, don't let the game's systematic approach to acquaint you with the game in it's entirety. Once you've learned the basics, you're on your own to learn and adapt. A true "thinkers" action game. Don't forget to stock up on those poor fish remains.

Jim D. gave it an8:
Excellent work for an indie developer. Some puzzles are obtuse and the lack of direction can be frustrating at times, but the environment, sound and gameplay are top notch, and the variety in the game is extensive. Challenge is right where it needs to be as well. Highly recommended.

Mike gave it a9:
This game for its size is amazing that two people created it. It has a feel of the old Super Metroid game, a feeling I've been missing for a long time now. Its kinda like Metroid meets Zelda meets Echo the Dolphin. All 15 hours spent playing it were enjoyable, from the insane puzzles to the in ability to figure out what to do next. The fact that most bosses were puzzles that were hard to figure out is great!

Peter S. gave it a10:
Best game ever. Hours of fun, with tons of unlockables everywhere. First game since I was 8 that got me really scared.

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Aquaria

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