It's the Dawning of the Age of Aquaria

Film critic Roger Ebert once said that video games are not art. This statement understandably angered many gamers. After this statement, many gaming communities were aflame with posts dissecting the meaning of the word “art” and the various traits of video games that gave them that quality. Ebert wrote that while video games can be very artistic, they also have a skill-based element, making them more like sports than art—this point is well-noted because no one will call the Madden games art, for example. But after playing Aquaria, you just might believe that video games can be art.

Aquaria is an indie, or independently developed, adventure game made by BitBlot, a relatively small company consisting of two members, Alec Holowka and Derek Yu. When the game won the 2007 grand prize at the Independent Games Festival, many people were curious as to whether this game would live up to its hype. Now available to the public, this underwater adventure game delivers a robust video game experience that is quite different from the mainstream video game, like an art house film in the commercial film genre.

In the world of Aquaria, the player controls Naija, one of the last of her underwater race. She’s been living peacefully in her cave for quite a while until something curious strikes her eye and she decides to wander outside into a much bigger underwater world and try to find her sense of purpose. The gameplay borrows from the likes of Metroid and Castlevania—Naija has the ability to change her physical form, which is required in order to advance through puzzles and bosses. And while the boss fights are on par with those of Metroid in terms of intensity and difficulty, the main focus of Aquaria is exploration rather than combat, which allows for even casual players to enjoy this game.

What really makes the exploration of this world enjoyable, though, is the artwork. The world of Aquaria is absolutely stunning. Hand-painted art is used in the game, and everything from the vibrant water to the fish and corals mix together so well that it is hard to believe that players are not actually scuba diving along with Naija. The variety of environments is also impressive—they contrast as much as the ecosystems in the real ocean. For example, the Abyss is a representation of waters where there is no sunlight—it is as if the player is transported to an alien world with eerie bioluminescent fish and anemones. The Veil contrasts with the Abyss like day and night, where the waters light up turquoise and aquamarine with fish, sharks, and jellyfish. Swimming through Aquaria is a very peaceful and relaxing experience.

The driving theme of Aquaria is Naija’s loneliness, which she details through a series of monologues. The voice acting is very well done and really sets the tone of the game. On her travels, Naija discovers fallen civilizations and acquires memory of these civilizations as she completes exploration of these areas and obtains different forms. All of this comes from her ability to understand something that seems to connect all of Aquaria called the Verse. Practically, the Verse allows the player to create sounds by hitting different notes, which flows well with the peaceful soundtrack. A right combination of these notes allows for magical abilities, such as the ability to turn into a fish or produce a shield that reflects projectiles. Singing to plants causes them to release food or other items. This system is somewhat underdeveloped, as Naija can only sing in her original form and there are not that many moments where one can get a chance to use this ability.

Naija also has the ability to cook, which is akin to a crafting system available in most role-playing games, and she has the ability to procure dozens of recipes through both experimentation and the use of plants. While Naija doesn’t seem to suffer from hunger, eating food allows her to heal or increase the potency of her abilities. Admittedly, you have to hunt for these materials— and attacking innocent fish as some way of increasing the character’s ability might seem morally dubious when eating is not required for sustenance—but the size of the recipe list means that the concerned player can go completely vegan if desired.

There are some design decisions that can be criticized. The world of Aquaria is almost too big. If you like power gaming and rushing through games, you should prepare yourself for frustration, as traveling can be slow. The solutions to puzzles are not always intuitive, and the game rarely provides you with hints.

Overall, though, Aquaria is a very enjoyable experience. BitBlot’s underwater world is incredibly well realized and it really asks you to play it with an open mind and appreciate an experience different from most games on the market today. And as for whether or not games can be art, you should decide for yourself by downloading Aquaria’s demo at bitblot.com. It really will change your mind.