Comments on: Aquaria – First Impressions

By: The Great Tree - First Impressions » Games News and Reviews » Binary Joy

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:46:49 +0000

[...] found that the game interested me more than Aquaria because it got me straight into the action, although maybe they should have introduced a new game [...]

By: Derek Yu - Aquaria interview » Games News and Reviews » Binary Joy

Derek Yu - Aquaria interview » Games News and Reviews » Binary Joy — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:19:47 +0000

[...] it anyway The interview being by 1up should give Aquaria a nice bit of extra publicity. Whatever Jakes first impressions - I think the game is a big step for indies and I wish the BlitBlot team well (even if they [...]

By: Matt Harpold

Matt Harpold — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 21:23:32 +0000

I'm about to buy two or three more copies as Christmas presents.

By: Blueskied

Blueskied — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 11:06:57 +0000

Wouldn't call it done "for art's sake". You can feel that the developers made the game according to their gaming preferences. They had a vision.
At least 3 people from this thread alone have bought the game, so might be a financial success,too.

By: Jake

Jake — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:11:52 +0000

Good point. I'd actually never played a Castlevania game until Dawn of Sorrow, but I'm finding it great fun. Yes, clearly it is a very different game from Aquaria and you are right that the world it's set in just feels like a computer game world - especially the fact that the enemies reappear ever time you reenter a room! The metroid games I've played have only been the 3D ones on the Gamecube (and one 2D one on the GBA) but they do have a different feel fur sure. Actually, come to think of it, the enemies reappear in certain rooms in Metroid too. This sort of thing makes a game feel less realistic to me.

By: Matt Harpold

Matt Harpold — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:29:22 +0000

I know this is heresy to many gamers, but the Castlevania games on the DS never grabbed me. My partner has all of them, and I've tried them all, several times, trying to get into them. Too busy, too tedious, too maze-like? I'm not sure. Everyone compares them to Metroid, but they never really approached the mood and feeling of loneliness and vastness that Metroid did. The Metroid games felt like real places, the Castlevania games feel expressly like video game obstacles. It's a fine distinction, I suppose, but one that's important to me. I suppose the Castlevania games remind me of Ghouls and Ghosts and such, whereas Metroid has enough "space" that it doesn't feel to me an arcade game.

I guess that's why I think the demo is perfect: at its core, Aquaria is not as busy and packed with enemy battles as SotN and Dawn of Sorrow, and that's far more my preference. If the demo started out with Naija blasting enemies left and right, that'd be false advertising! People'd buy the game, and then they'd perhaps be disappointed that the whole thing didn't play like Robotron. Aquaria of course has its share of fights, but it's telling that the main form of the main character is (so far!) non violent.

I've honestly been waiting years for a side-scrolling exploration game that nailed the Metroid vibe, and this is it. The sense of space and beauty never lets up. I suppose it's what you value in a game, obviously the Castlevania games are expertly made, and great at what they do. I just don't like playing them. I got so exhausted of fighting things in Castlevania, the action quickly turned to tedium.

By: Jake

Jake — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:15:10 +0000

What about people that don't know about what aquaria turns into because they've perhaps seen an advert or link, or been told by a friend? They might play it and not persevere. I guess that's my only issue - the pacing of the demo. I'm sure the game really is great once it gets going as so many people like it and have said so. But evidently I'm also not alone in my thinking. Hope they can release another demo to address this so that they can enjoy the sales the game deserves. I just bought a Castlevania game (used) for DS for Â£15 and it's GREAT. Straight away there is action and upgrades and exploring and it's very addictive. It's a game that got the curve right for me at least.

By: Matt Harpold

Matt Harpold — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:00:45 +0000

I think people are forgetting how slowly a lot of classic exploratory platformers start out. If I remember right, some of the Metroid games had a lot of just wandering around sans action (doesn't SM start with Samus exploring a derelict space station?) before the "meat" of the game began. Anyone who's going to buy Aquaria is knows enough about it to know it's not just randomly swimming around. (not to mention all the menu option cues about pets, cooking, auto-aim and such) The game takes its time and doesn't compromise, which I prefer. As for the $30 price, it's half the price of a console game, about the cost of a DS game, and only $10 more than most casual indie games with less content. I think the price is perfect, it conveys the quality of the experience and reflects the direct download delivery method.

By: Jake

Jake — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:57:10 +0000

Blueskied: yeah exactly, it seems an odd business decision. Maybe it was done for "art's sake" - the old Indie classic? Time will tel I guess (wonder if they'll release any sales stats)

By: Blueskied

Blueskied — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:31:36 +0000

Yes that's true. First i was thinking, too: Boring, there's nothing to do than swim around.