Aquadine
- February 11, 2021
- SoftColors
Get on Steam"Aquadine" is a single-player fantasy simulation game that combines elements of a kinetic visual novel. Players assume the role of Robin Liyun, a part-time gondolier who discovers a mermaid and becomes entangled in the mysterious world of merfolk civilization. With an interesting plot and good soundtrack, players will uncover secrets and make new friends in this beautifully designed underwater world.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Aquadine features a beautifully crafted story that balances humor, emotion, and wholesome moments, making it an engaging read.
- The artwork and soundtrack are stunning, creating an immersive experience that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Each of the four character routes offers unique narratives and character development, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different perspectives.
- The pacing of the story can feel rushed, particularly towards the end of each route, leaving little time to fully explore character personalities.
- Limited voice acting and repetitive lines can detract from immersion, as some voiced lines do not match the text presented.
- The game lacks meaningful player choices, making it feel more like a linear novel rather than an interactive experience.
- story88 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of Aquadine is praised for its engaging blend of humor, emotion, and life lessons, set against a backdrop of rich mythological culture and beautiful visuals. Players follow a group of friends, each grappling with personal struggles while navigating themes of friendship, family, and secrets. While some routes are more compelling than others, the overall narrative is described as well-crafted and immersive, despite minor technical flaws and pacing issues.
“Aquadine is a story about friendship, family, finding hope in hard times, and most of all, the secrets we keep and the manifold chaos they sometimes bring on us if we don't reveal them to the right people, or if we don't have said people in our lives.”
“During my time with Aquadine, I went from seeing its potential but being skeptical, to seeing it come closer to my expectations, to having every expectation far surpassed in every way, to even being left speechless by the quality of parts of the story.”
“Everything from the story, characters, and setting are filled with intrigue and passion by the developer to deliver an experience that is amazing!”
“It could've been a somewhat better story if maybe stretched out (giving time for exposition) and more focused.”
“Other noticeable flaws include the many typos in the game, and one huge plot hole at the end of Elisabeth's character route.”
“Aquadine is also a kinetic novel of sorts, which honestly is usually a turn-off for me because it usually means that you, the player, have no control over the direction and outcome of the story, and you are placing yourself solely in the hands of the writers and hanging on for the ride.”
- music42 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in "Aquadine" is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the gaming experience, featuring a mix of soft, relaxing tracks, exciting pieces, and even vocal performances that resonate with players. While some found the overall sound design less engaging, many highlighted the soundtrack as a standout element, making it worthwhile to purchase the soundtrack bundle. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's immersive atmosphere and storytelling.
“The music never failed to bring out the intended emotional response.”
“The music is fantastic with its mixture of soft, relaxing tracks to hang out and vibe to, emotional pieces to highlight the highs and lows of the story, exciting songs to get you into the action (including one that hit me out of nowhere in the best possible way), and a few vocal numbers that really worked their way into my head and had me humming them even after I had closed the game.”
“The music and the world that this game immerses you into is simply breathtaking.”
“Music was average, but I played without any sound with my own music in the background, thanks to the game's overall sound design that did not encourage listening to it.”
“If you're going to buy Aquadine, and you like listening to video game soundtracks outside of the actual games at all, get the bundle with the soundtrack.”
“In general, I find no clear flaws with the soundtrack at all.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their beauty and aesthetic appeal, featuring vibrant and colorful environments that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some players express a desire for more diverse locations and character visibility, particularly in certain narrative routes, as well as consistency between character sprites and CG scenes. Overall, the artwork and visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive atmosphere, making it a visually captivating experience.
“The artwork in this game is aesthetically pleasing.”
“This is the type of game where you can sit back and just absorb the beautiful music and art style, and read a wonderfully crafted story based on the initial path you choose towards the beginning of the novel.”
“The artwork sells Aquadine as the beautiful gem on the ocean that it is, with many vibrant, colorful locales that made me envious, as well as some truly adorable and often breathtaking full splashes to highlight key moments of the story.”
“While some CG scenes don’t match with the art style of the character sprites, I hope a future update or patch will be released to have everything consistent because my OCD is kicking in.”
“In the graphics department, the game looks quite beautiful, but I do wish it offered more 'places to visit' because at times it really undermines the story (with Cameron route, for example).”
“I would take the voice budget and put it into more graphics and add more characters (Cameron route could use a few more visible characters).”
- humor18 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its balance of funny, emotional, and wholesome moments across the four distinct story routes. Characters are described as lovable and relatable, with jokes that generally land well, although some found the "mandatory beach episode" line to be a bit ironic. Overall, the humor enhances the storytelling, making players laugh and connect with the characters' struggles.
“The story never fails to present you an interesting scenario, striking a good balance between funny, emotional, or just plain wholesome.”
“The humor is great, the four different routes are different enough from each other and don't contain repeated bits.”
“Characters are lovely, and the jokes are usually funny.”
“There is only one thing I really don't like about the game, and that is the part of the story that one character describes as a 'mandatory beach episode.' The irony of that is, that line was supposed to be funny, making fun of other visual novels, so many of which feature such scenes.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling storytelling, which balances humor and heartfelt moments, often evoking strong feelings in players. The music enhances this emotional journey, featuring a diverse range of tracks that resonate with the highs and lows of the narrative. Overall, the experience is described as wholesome and ambitious, leaving a lasting impact on players through its themes of self-discovery and connection.
“The music never failed to bring out the intended emotional response.”
“Her performance was amazing, with touching moments that literally made me cry throughout the playhouse when I saw her in the hospital bed. Overall, she cared about other people and helped them get through their struggles, which was totally amazing. Great actress played by her, Heidi Tabing.”
“The music is fantastic with its mixture of soft, relaxing tracks to hang out and vibe to, emotional pieces to highlight the highs and lows of the story, exciting songs to get you into the action (including one that hit me out of nowhere in the best possible way), and a few vocal numbers that really worked their way into my head and had me humming them even after I had closed the game.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a strong appreciation for the game's optimization, particularly in its immersive environments and engaging character performances. Players noted the stunning underwater scenes and the overall quality of the music and visuals, which contributed to a fantastic gameplay experience. The emotional depth and humor of the characters further enhanced the game's appeal, showcasing effective optimization in both storytelling and performance.
“The places in this game were amazing; the environment and music performance were very nice and awesome, especially the underwater scenes in the game. That was incredible to experience throughout the playthroughs on each character.”
“Her performance was amazing and had touching moments that literally made me cry throughout the playthrough when I saw her in the hospital bed. Overall, she cared about other people and helped them get through their struggles, which was totally amazing.”
“Banjo totally cut a little cat in the game. I like the fact that he gets angry; it's so funny how they did it. The performance was very well done.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay experience is mixed, with players enjoying about half of the time spent in the game, while the other half is described as disappointing and lacking engagement. Overall, it suggests a lengthy experience that may not consistently hold players' interest.
“After a long gameplay session, I managed to finish the game. I had fun for about half the time, while the rest felt either disappointing or not very engaging.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is heavily influenced by water-themed settings and the presence of mermaids, creating an immersive and enchanting experience for players who appreciate aquatic environments.
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Anya's character development is highlighted for its depth and self-awareness, showcasing a significant evolution throughout the game.
“Anya's character development and self-awareness is remarkable!”
“Anya's character development and self-awareness is impressive!”
