Aquaria (PC)
created by Bit-Blot, 2007

the crown jewel of indie

review written by: Caffeine

Click to download the demo

For years now, it has been said that the lone wolf/garage/bedroom developer is long dead. Yet the indie gaming scene is in fact alive and well. Now with Aquaria on the scene, independent (indie) gaming has its poster child for showcasing just what an indie game can do.

You're never quite alone in Aquaria

Aquaria is a two year labour of love by Derek Yu and Alec Holowka, and it shows. Oh, how it shows. The beautiful art is only serves to draw you deeper into the brilliant design elements and soothing soundtrack that put many “professional” releases to shame.

The controls are tight, allowing for quick and graceful maneuvers through the water. Which is just as well, since mastery of the controls is essential to make it through some of the game’s challenges. The battles in the game feel more akin to old-school side-scrollers, with enemy projectiles rushing across the screen in the heat of battle. At no point in the game did I feel that I had failed due to poor controls. The game does suggests the use of the mouse as a method to swim and attack, though I would myself recommend the use of the keyboard in conjunction with the mouse for tighter controls.

Aquaria is full of surprises, containing numerous little touches you would not expect to see in most games, let alone an indie one. Cooking elements? You got it. Costumes? Why not. Pets too? You spoil me. Najia even has a home of her own, that over the course of the game is decorated with items and treasures that Najia discovers.

Cooking is necessary if you're to prepare for what may come

The attention to detail further adds to the undersea world created. Little fishes and jellyfish swim around Najia, attracted to her haunting voice. That voice is used as a “spell” casting mechanic. By singing notes on a color-coded scale in certain orders (unlocked as you proceed) for varied results, from attacks to telepathy-like environmental effects. Underwater plants flow as you swim past them, and the undersea creatures are designed with a sense of wonder that still remains rooted in reality, being just alien enough to entice you but not so much that you lose all grounds of familiarity. I could go on, but these things are best experienced by oneself.

Its replayabilty is also good, with secrets to be uncovered, mini bosses to be fought. Of course, that depends on how thorough you are in your first play through, but chances are that you’ll be returning to Aquaria to find that one recipe, or that one area you left unexplored in the map.

So, a perfect 10 out of 10 then? I would like to, but Aquaria, as good as it is falls a little short of complete perfection.

It is easy to feel lost in the immense world given for you to explore. While this does add to the sense of exploration, all too often I found myself lost, with only a faint idea of where to go next. Fortunately the map does much to alleviate this issue, though it does break some immersion to consult the main map so often during the game.

Aquaria too takes an old-school approach to its progression, with save points to mark your progress. What this means, however, is that dying could set you back a zone or two, forcing a boring 5-minute swim. A checkpoint at the entrance to new zones would have been helpful, and certainly would have saved my table from the constant banging of my head. And die you will. A short, initial play will give the impression of an easy, laid back difficulty. It gradually picks up, and by the end you’ll most certainly be gritting your teeth in frustration at yet another death. This is a game that will satisfy those in search of a rewarding challenge.

Creatures can be just as beautiful as they are deadly

The story itself is well told, though it does skirt the border of campiness at various points. Even so, you would have to be quite jaded to not feel a fondness for Najia’s journey.

Aquaria stands as a shining example of the creative potential of the indie game world. It may not have had a large budget to power its creation, but it still pushed through and as a result, we as gamers have has another gem in our pocket to treasure. Aquaria has heart, and presents itself well. The few niggling problems it has are more the result of deliberate design decisions then negligence.

It is worth mentioning too that Aquaria comes with a mod-making toolset, and it will be interesting to see what direction the modding community takes the game. Buy it and support the developers; not because it is an indie game that needs charity, but because it simply is a game deserving of your money.