Aquaria (video Game)

Aquaria (video Game)

Aquaria is a 2D sidescrolling action-adventure computer game designed by Alec Holowka and Derek Yu, who together form the independent game company Bit Blot, which developed and originally published the game. After more than two years of development, the game was released in 2007 for Windows. A Macintosh port was released in 2008 by Ambrosia Software, and an updated version of the game was released on Steam that same year. A Linux version of the game was released as part of the Humble Indie Bundle collection in 2010, and a version for the iPad was released on November 2, 2011. In 2009, the Aquaria soundtrack album was made available for sale. It includes all of the music in the game as well as a new nine-minute vocal track and a few remixes.

The game follows Naija, a mermaid-like woman, as she explores the underwater world of Aquaria. Along her journey, she learns about both the history of the world and her own past. The gameplay focuses on a combination of swimming, singing and combat, through which Naija can interact with the world. Naija's songs can move items, affect plants and animals, and change her physical appearance into other forms. These forms have different abilities, such as firing projectiles at hostile creatures or passing through barriers inaccessible to her in her natural shape.

Reviews of the game were generally positive. Critics focused primarily on the visuals, music and atmosphere as particularly praiseworthy. Additional positive comments were made about the controls and gameplay, while critiques centered on the map system and a limited variety of objectives. The game won the Seumas McNally grand prize from the Independent Games Festival in March 2007.