AQUARIUM
- October 25, 2023
- ENTERGRAM,INC.
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"AQUARIUM" is a single-player Romance Visual Novel game that offers around 5 hours of playtime. It tells the summer story of Aqua, a new maid with a secret, and her master who lost part of his memory. The two are drawn to each other, but an insurmountable wall separates them. The master is haunted by a recurring nightmare and seeks to uncover the identity of the girl in his dreams.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful art and excellent voice acting, especially from the Hololive talents, which enhances the overall experience.
- The story is cute and heartwarming, making it a must-play for fans of Minato Aqua and Hololive, with emotional moments that resonate deeply.
- It offers a fun and engaging experience, even for those who may not be familiar with Hololive, thanks to its charming characters and humor.
- The game suffers from technical issues, such as awkward text formatting and untranslated lines, which can disrupt the immersion.
- Some players feel the game is overpriced for its relatively short playtime, which may deter those not already invested in the Hololive fandom.
- The narrative can feel rushed at times, with abrupt plot twists that may leave some players unsatisfied with the story's resolution.
- story55 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is described as a cute and wholesome love tale between the protagonist, Theo, and Aqua, an introverted maid, set in a different universe. While it features charming characters and delightful voice acting, some reviewers noted that the plot can feel cliché or rushed, with a few unexpected twists that may not resonate with all players, especially those unfamiliar with Hololive. Overall, it is recommended for fans of the genre and Hololive, offering a sweet narrative experience despite some storytelling flaws.
“I just love everything about this game; the story is very beautiful indeed.”
“Overall, this game has a very wholesome and bittersweet story from beginning to end.”
“Aquarium's story is very simple and sweet.”
“The main route, while being cute, also has an abrupt turn of events that feels like it's 0-100 real quick, and it continues to be 100 all until a last-minute plot twist that feels like I wasted my time playing the game.”
“Story was kind of rushed and felt cliché.”
“Hate that this all turned out to be a dream and we never got an actual end to the story and the fates of FBK and Marine.”
- music12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, particularly the opening song "未だ、青い" and the ending song "カシオペア," both of which are described as beautiful and memorable. Players appreciate the high-quality soundtrack that complements the game's visuals and characters, although some note that the music doesn't always align perfectly with the narrative's tone. Overall, the music significantly enhances the experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The opening song (未だ、青い) and ending song (カシオペア) are both beautiful, and I've played them on loop a bunch of times.”
“The ending song though ;-; so damn good and beautiful.”
“Good visual novel with a great soundtrack and beautiful artwork.”
“The voice acting is excellent, and it's a testament to the talent of Hololive's VTubers, but the music doesn't always match the setting.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their beautiful and detailed artwork, excellent art direction, and sharp character designs. Reviewers appreciate the charming and adorable art style, which enhances the overall experience, particularly for its target demographic.
“The graphics are great, well done to Entergram!”
“Good visual novel with a great soundtrack and beautiful artwork.”
“The character art style is very detailed and sharp.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wholesome yet bittersweet narrative, evoking a mix of happiness and sadness, particularly in its emotionally impactful ending. Reviewers highlight the intelligent writing that enhances the story's believability and emotional depth, leading to a powerful experience that resonates with players, despite some expectations for more adult content.
“Overall, this game has a very wholesome and bittersweet story from beginning to end.”
“Ok, not gonna lie, the ending was surprisingly depressing while also being happy and heartwarming at the same time.”
“A story can be emotionally powerful and intellectually satisfying at the same time, because endearing moments rely on believability, and believability relies on consistency, which is achieved by intelligent writing.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its charming characters and funny dialogue, with players enjoying the comedic voice acting and amusing side plots. While the main story may be lacking, the overall experience is described as fun and entertaining, enhanced by great visuals and music.
“Cute characters, funny dialogue, sweet story, really amazing art and music.”
“Her side plot is ridiculously hilarious too.”
“In all seriousness, so far great visuals and just funny and charming!”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of voice performances in the game is highly praised, with users noting that the actors, including Aqua, Marine, and Fubuki, delivered exceptional performances without any complaints.
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is considered to have limited replayability, with users noting that its 10-hour playtime does not offer enough content to encourage multiple playthroughs.
“$20 on Steam for a visual novel that only runs for about 10 hours and doesn’t offer much in terms of replayability.”
“After finishing the game once, I found little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of different endings or choices makes replaying this game feel pointless.”
