AquaNox

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 132 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
AquaNox Game Cover
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AquaNox is a science fiction shooter game set in a violent underwater world in the 27th century. As mercenary Emerald Dead Eye Flint, players command a team of fighters in mission-based combat against enemies ranging from crazed mercenaries to sea monsters. With stunning 3D graphics, intense action, and a compelling soundtrack, AquaNox offers a unique and exhilarating gaming experience.

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Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 132 reviews
story38 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Unique gritty underwater cyberpunk setting that stands out in the gaming landscape.
  • Engaging and immersive story with memorable characters, despite some clichés.
  • Fun gameplay with tight FPS controls and a fantastic 90s industrial techno soundtrack.
  • Poor voice acting that can be both distracting and unintentionally humorous.
  • Repetitive mission design with little variety, often boiling down to 'kill everything that moves'.
  • Frustrating controls and lack of modern features like checkpoints or mouse support, making it difficult to play on current systems.
  • story155 mentions

    The game's story is often criticized for being cliché and simplistic, featuring familiar tropes like mega corporations and ancient evils, with many missions revolving around repetitive combat objectives. While some players find the narrative immersive and engaging, others feel it lacks depth and coherence, with dialogue that can be tedious and uninteresting. Overall, the story has its moments but is marred by linear mission design and a lack of meaningful character development, making it a mixed experience for players.

    • “The story is, subsequently, fantastic.”
    • “Packed with adrenaline-boiling action, fitting soundtracks, and a good dramatic story.”
    • “The voice acting is mostly done pretty well, and the story is being told by well-written conversations between lots of intriguing characters that are presented through well-drawn images in a fitting art style.”
    • “The story is quite cliché (mega corps, drugs, ancient evil).”
    • “The storyline is a bit confused, with three different 'races' and four or five different factions (I lost count).”
    • “The worst feature is probably what was the selling point at the time; the 'story' consists of terrible-to-the-point-of-obnoxious blocks of voice acted text.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    The graphics of the game, while considered outdated by modern standards, still retain a certain charm and vibrancy that many players appreciate, especially given its release in 2001. Users note that the visuals were impressive for their time, with colorful and atmospheric designs that enhance the underwater setting, although some glitches and dark shading detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent and enjoyable, particularly for those with a sense of nostalgia.

    • “The graphics are amazing for the time it was released!”
    • “The colorful graphics, although from 2001, are still nice to look at with all those light and plankton effects.”
    • “Despite its age, you can choose high resolutions and the graphics are not too ugly and colorful.”
    • “At present, the graphics really are obsolete, but man.”
    • “This game's 'highest end graphics' look old and stale.”
    • “If you're not wearing nostalgia goggles, you'll quickly see how graphics, sound and voice acting are terrible by today's standard.”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its solid mechanics and engaging world-building, while others find it simplistic and occasionally unresponsive. Many highlight the captivating visuals and atmospheric elements, which can overshadow gameplay shortcomings, but there are criticisms regarding the linearity of missions and the lack of depth in combat mechanics. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable for some, it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more complex experience.

    • “Stellar visuals and aesthetic, fun gameplay, and charmingly bad voice acting.”
    • “Gameplay pacing is really smart here, with elements being directly tied to the story & your own progression.”
    • “Amazing unique atmosphere, evocative narrative, wild frantic action gameplay.”
    • “The majority of the shooter games out there have the same principles, but I find this one not engaging enough in terms of the story and gameplay.”
    • “In addition to that, the player is constantly overwhelmed by a sensation of weakness – brought on by their weapons, which are not only odd (in an attempt to spice up the gameplay, there are more than one type of damage and more than one type of health), but also feel floaty and unresponsive, which is due to the speed at which the projectiles move and the amount of damage they do (with the latter being not a lot).”
    • “The gameplay is pretty basic; there is only limited targeting and no way to give orders to your wingmen.”
  • music26 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and nostalgic '90s industrial techno soundtrack that enhances the game's atmosphere, particularly during combat and underwater battles. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive or obnoxious, and there are complaints about poor audio balancing in cutscenes. Overall, while the music is a standout feature for many, it may not appeal to everyone.

    • “I can't mention this game without mentioning the music; it's so good. I didn't expect a game like this to have the soundtrack it does. It's a small amount of songs, but they never get old for me.”
    • “The electronic music is great and fits underwater battles perfectly.”
    • “With music inspired by The Prodigy, amazing graphics for its time, and an unusual story and setting, Aquanox is a classic in my book.”
    • “Most of the voice acting ranges from awful to plain ridiculous (and not even enjoyable in an ironic way, for which it seemed intended) and the soundtrack is, in my humble opinion, one of the most obnoxious I have heard.”
    • “Soundwise the game is average with ok-ish sounds for weapons, good sounds for torpedoes and a repetitious soundtrack.”
    • “The audio balancing on the cutscenes is so bad I could barely make out the voices past the music.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is a blend of dark, dystopian underwater settings and vibrant visuals, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack that ranges from atmospheric music to techno/rock. Players appreciate the high visibility and immersive details, such as floating particulates and debris, which contribute to the overall experience. While some elements, like voice acting and certain graphics, may be criticized, the unique aquatic environment and engaging narrative create a captivating atmosphere that keeps players invested.

    • “I enjoyed the dark underwater atmosphere with the large dogfights and the little hope.”
    • “It's a very nice, story-driven experience with an excellent dystopian-cyberpunk atmosphere shaped by the visually pleasing art style, awesome music, and a fair bit of dialogue.”
    • “The dark atmosphere and the upgrade mechanic of the game kept me playing; even if it just plays underwater, the devs put effort into designing interesting landscapes, ships, and enemies.”
    • “Lots of buzzwords, dystopian atmosphere, edgy characters, and horrible voice acting.”
    • “The aquatic atmosphere of the game makes everything murky and kind of gross due to the developer's perception of the ocean, which leans towards more browns and barely any sort of sea life aside from dead-looking plants.”
    • “The dark atmosphere and the upgrade mechanic of the game kept me playing, even if it just plays underwater. The devs put effort into designing interesting landscapes, ships, and enemies.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game suffers from significant limitations in replayability due to its linear mission progression, restrictive controls, and lack of meaningful choices in ship and weapon selection. Players express frustration over the inability to experiment or revisit the game with a fresh experience, leading to an overall low rating for replayability.

    • “This game is not replayable at all, and the fact it has a form of skirmish does not help at all, as you can't decide what ship and weapons to take.”
    • “-absolute linearity in mission progression and upgrades kill replayability and experimentation.”
    • “You will get some enjoyment out of the shooting and plot/characters, provided you can get used to the controls and get past the narrative shortcomings and the linearity and lack of replayability.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game features appealing graphics but is marred by occasional glitches, including audio issues and mission-related bugs. Despite these stability concerns, players still find the overall experience enjoyable and immersive.

    • “I don't know if I just have audio glitches, but I have found no way to fix them.”
    • “There may be some glitches when finishing the missions, but it's a great adventure into the depths of the ocean when mankind is on the verge of extinction.”
    • “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its intentional absurdity, with many users finding that its poor execution paradoxically enhances its comedic value, leading to moments of genuine laughter despite the overall lack of quality.

    • “It's so bad that it circles back around to being funny.”
    • “Despite how terrible they are, it’s actually quite funny at times.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional dynamic of the game is driven by a contrast between the protagonist, who is emotionally hardened from experience, and their diverse companions, each bringing unique perspectives and youthful exuberance. This interplay creates a rich emotional landscape, highlighting themes of resilience, mentorship, and the impact of varied life experiences on relationships.

    • “Your character serves as the anchor of the group, having experienced so much that they are somewhat emotionally deadened. In contrast, your companions include two wide-eyed teenagers, a no-nonsense motherly figure, and a hotheaded drug enthusiast, creating a dynamic emotional balance.”
    • “The emotional depth of the characters is striking, as they each bring their own unique perspectives and experiences to the story, making every interaction feel meaningful.”
    • “The game masterfully explores themes of loss and redemption, allowing players to connect deeply with the characters' journeys and emotional struggles.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Aquanox is praised for its strong character development, which is enhanced by impressive visual and audio clarity, as well as effective worldbuilding and storytelling. The character design contributes significantly to the overall gameplay experience, making it engaging for players.

    • “In short, Aquanox excels in visual and audio clarity, worldbuilding, story, character design, and overall gameplay appeal.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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