Aquarist

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 372 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Aquarist Game Cover
Starting at €10.26Buy now
Get on Steam

"Aquarist is a single-player Simulation game with pretty visuals, offering a relaxing sandbox experience in underwater aquarium management. Create and maintain habitats for diverse marine life, from fish and sea turtles to sharks and octopuses, while learning about these fascinating creatures. Be aware, however, that some grinding is involved to truly enjoy this game."

Play Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 372 reviews
story12 positive mentions
grinding18 negative mentions
  • The game is very enjoyable and provides a relaxing experience for players who love aquariums and fish.
  • There are frequent updates that improve gameplay and add new content, showing that the developers are responsive to player feedback.
  • The graphics are beautiful, and the detailed fish and environments enhance the overall immersion of the game.
  • The game has significant bugs, especially on the Steam Deck, where many players report crashes and unresponsive controls.
  • The mechanics for placing items in the aquarium can be frustrating and unintuitive, making it difficult to create aesthetically pleasing setups.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive, with tedious tasks like cleaning tanks and managing fish needs, which may detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • story48 mentions

    The game's story mode is generally well-received, providing a basic narrative that introduces players to the mechanics of aquarium management while offering a mix of quests that add depth and satisfaction. However, players have noted issues with mission bugs, a lack of content, and a somewhat repetitive nature, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many appreciate the relaxing gameplay and the balance between story progression and side quests.

    • “There are several side quests that incorporate various elements of the developers' other games, which I enjoyed all of and felt added depth to Aquarist.”
    • “I love the introduction in the story as it really helps walk you through some of the basics of the game, and it's really helpful to start small and move up.”
    • “Loving the story and progression!”
    • “The only downside is the limited amount of content and the game is too short (you can get through the entire story mode in less than 10 hours).”
    • “There's no real story in here beyond the odd startup in the tutorial (your father gets you into the hobby and gives you your first basement/garage shop?) and the goal of making better aquariums.”
    • “The inventory system gets frustrating very quickly and the dialog for the story needs a lot of TLC.”
  • gameplay40 mentions

    Gameplay in the game is a mixed bag, with players appreciating the realistic mechanics and variety of modes that keep it engaging, but also expressing frustration over tedious tasks and clunky mechanics. While the core activities of aquarium management are enjoyable, issues such as poor menu layouts, difficult object selection, and some overly mechanical tasks detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many players find the game relaxing and visually appealing, with hopes for future updates to enhance gameplay further.

    • “I like how realistic it is and how much gameplay there is.”
    • “There were so many different gameplay modes that it stayed fun and interesting to the end.”
    • “Functions such as choosing fish, feeding them, cleaning the aquarium, and providing the right environment constitute the core gameplay.”
    • “The only major issue is that the build mechanics in the side quests (and the side quests in general) are horrendous.”
    • “One thing to note about this game is the gameplay can be what most would consider to be very tedious.”
    • “There are a few gameplay issues, the game suffers a bit from poor menu layouts (comparing fish is a headache as it's basically just two big lists), bad object selection (trying to select a stickleback in a tank full of other fish, plants, and rocks is almost impossible), and tries to put a bit too much busywork into your routine.”
  • graphics28 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals of fish and aquariums, while others note issues such as graphical bugs and mediocre elements outside the tanks. Players appreciate the detailed water textures and the overall aesthetic, but some express concerns about optimization and minor graphical glitches. Overall, the graphics are considered good for the price, with potential for improvement in future updates.

    • “The graphics are fantastic; the fish and corals are extremely detailed and beautiful.”
    • “I am in awe over the stunning graphics that this game has to offer.”
    • “The graphics are so beautiful I found myself zooming in and taking screenshots.”
    • “The graphics are mediocre to say the least... the water texture is good and yes the fish look and move pretty realistically, but everything outside of the tank is mid.”
    • “This game contains a lot of graphical and UI bugs, clipping objects and bad collisions, which lead to exploiting the game to make it less boring (i.e., flying mode in almost a straight line to nourish the sharks).”
    • “I didn't experience any game-breaking bugs, but I did notice later on in-game that there were graphical issues.”
  • grinding18 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the mechanics that require excessive back-and-forth tasks, such as filling tanks and cleaning. While some appreciate the realism and find satisfaction in the detailed processes, many feel that the gameplay can become monotonous, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game balances enjoyable elements with a significant amount of grinding that may not appeal to all players.

    • “This game focuses more on the tedious chores of making and maintaining an aquarium.”
    • “The tasks are super tedious and boring. Why does this game need me to walk between a sink on one floor and an aquarium on a different floor several times to fill the tank? I just want to start decorating.”
    • “Because of all the tediousness, the short days, the endless tasks you need to achieve each day, and the very limited options, it doesn't really feel like you get a lot of freedom.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere. Players express a desire for more accessibility to the soundtrack, such as an in-game jukebox, as many tracks are only available during specific job quests. Overall, the music contributes positively to the gaming experience, making it suitable for players looking to unwind.

    • “I enjoyed all the detail and work that went into it; the music is calm and relaxing. I really would like an in-game jukebox or the ability to hear music anytime and not just the tracks that were in the job quests, which is the only place you can hear some tracks of the music.”
    • “This is an amazing game and it's perfect to just zone out to with music in the background.”
    • “I like the calm jazz soundtrack and the product descriptions.”
    • “Some minor problems are things like overly loud sounds (especially the bucket), tedious mechanics (removing each fish one by one) and the music.”
    • “I really would like an in-game jukebox or the ability to hear music anytime and not just the tracks that were in the job quests, which is the only place you can hear some tracks of the music.”
    • “The music was okay as well and it did add to the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent bugs, crashes, and freezing issues reported, particularly when exiting buildings or during specific missions. While players appreciate the graphics and overall gameplay experience, the persistent technical problems detract from enjoyment, leading some to request refunds. Despite these issues, there is hope for improvements in future updates.

    • “I wanted to love this game and the graphics are super pretty, but it's such a buggy, broken game.”
    • “The only thing I'm having problems with is when I go to leave the buildings; it freezes my game and I have to restart my Steam Deck. I'm not sure of the cause, but I thought I'd bring that up just in case anyone else is having that problem. Other than that, amazing job and can't wait to see the future updates, if any. Edit: I've spent hours and got really far, and now my game crashes and I lose all my save data!”
    • “For me, this game is very buggy and crashes a lot; I requested a refund.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The optimization of tools, particularly the hammer, has room for improvement, as larger tanks can lead to performance issues due to overbreeding. However, recent updates have introduced new levels, fish, and backgrounds, enhancing the overall experience and making the game more enjoyable and relaxing.

    • “The optimization of tools and their use could be improved, especially the hammer.”
    • “They have come back and added levels, fish, backgrounds, and optimized the effects, making it a really relaxing and fun game.”
    • “With bigger tanks, they wind up overbreeding to the point of a performance hit.”
    • “They have come back and added levels, fish, backgrounds, and optimized the effects, but it still feels unpolished.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by effective sound design that captures the underwater environment, providing a relaxing experience with ASMR-like effects from water and bubble sounds. While the music is described as merely okay, it still contributes positively to the overall calming ambiance.

    • “The sound design effectively captures the underwater atmosphere, enhancing players' experience.”
    • “They are so relaxing and almost give you an ASMR effect with the water, bubbles, and atmospheric sounds.”
    • “The music was okay as well, and it did add to the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly in the satisfaction derived from creating and customizing their tanks. However, some frustrations arise from limitations in placement options, which can detract from the overall experience but ultimately encourage a focus on new creations.

    • “I genuinely enjoyed creating my tanks, and the last tanks of the game really made me feel good about my experience.”
    • “Which made me feel bad, yeah, but it allowed me to focus on the new tank.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is derived from its quirky realism, particularly the absurdity of mixing various fish species in a single tank while adhering to other conditions, which players find amusing. Additionally, the game's lighthearted approach to aquarium setup mistakes adds to its charm, despite some frustrations with object placement. Overall, players appreciate the game's comedic elements while acknowledging areas for improvement.

    • “The realism is a little off with needs, for example, you can only put so many of one type of fish in a tank, which is good, but you can then put as many species of different fish in one tank as long as the other conditions are right for them. It's kind of hilarious, and it teaches some things you should never do when setting up an aquarium. But that's a small gripe; this isn't meant to be megaquarium.”
    • “Nice and funny game! I think they will fix things like 'it's really hard to put objects in the aquarium (rocks, wood).'”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting that while the main content can be completed in about six hours, the ability to experiment with different combinations of tanks, items, and decorations encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “I could finish the content in another 6 hours or so, but there is a lot of replayability in that you can sell off tanks or items in them and completely change what is in there, trying new combinations of decorations, plants, and fish.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and replay it. The choices you make don't significantly alter the outcome, making it feel repetitive.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful side quests or additional content that would encourage players to revisit it after finishing the main storyline.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect has received criticism for its poor execution, including numerous grammar mistakes in the language used and the presence of subtle ads promoting other games from the developer, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without being constantly bombarded by ads.”
    • “I found the in-game purchases to be overpriced and not worth the value they provide.”
    • “The constant push for microtransactions really detracts from the overall experience and enjoyment of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Aquarist

Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
3-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News