Aquaria

Review

Common Sense Media says

Stunning undersea adventure is about character development.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Aquaria is an adventure/role-playing game set in an underwater world. The game is more of a quest for discovery than it is an action title, though there are some mild combat scenes. Through music, Naija (the lead character) can transform and defend herself. The action sequences in the game are tame, but the opening cut scene is a bit more direct, with people screaming and a character seemingly drowning. Users can share high scores via the Game Center social network, but participation is optional.

  • Ease of use4
    Guiding Naija around the screen couldn't be easier, though the use of multi-touch to sing songs is sometimes more complicated than it should be. 
  • Violence2
    Lead character Naija gets in plenty of battles, but it's mostly energy balls being exchanged. The opening cut scene features destruction, people screaming, and a character apparently drowning. 
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Some privacy concerns. Players can opt in to Apple’s Game Center to track scores and achievements, and for some games, challenge friends. Players can send and receive friend requests using an email address or Game Center nickname, revealing the first and last name associated with each party’s Apple ID and, in the case of email requests, the sender’s email address. With iOS 5, players can opt to have a private or public profile, which can include a photo. With a public profile, your real name is visible to all other players, and Game Center will recommend you to other players using your real name. With a private profile, only your friends can see your real name, and Game Center will not recommend you to other players.
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Is it any good?

 

AQUARIA has appeared on other gaming platforms, but it feels at home on the iPad, offering an experience that is both intriguing and serene. As Naija, you'll explore a stunning underwater world trying to fill holes in your memory. While there's some combat, this is a game about character development. The most interesting element to the game is the use of music. Learning new abilities (such as transformation or shields) is essentially a game of Simon (i.e. parroting back notes), but the songs of Naija, blended with the background music, make this an incredibly soothing game that makes time fade away. The app suggests playing with headphones -- and it really does improve the experience. 

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This review was written by Chris Morris
Adult
December 7, 2011
AGE
8
 
Experience a New World
This game is a lovely combination of beautiful music, graphics, and themes such as loneliness, meaning of life, and adventure. Naija has lost her memories and must search to rediscover who she is an how she fits in her underwater world. As each "boss" is defeated, Naija aquires a new ability, and in addition transforms what the character looks like. Music is a large part of how Naija changes her form and communicates with sea life. Every "boss" requires a unique strategy to be defeated. Another great part of the game is collecting items that can be cooked to form new items that help Naija in different ways. As you search every corner and depth of the world, you discover something new about the character, hear new music, and see more and more visually stunning scenes.
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This review was written by Chris Morris
Topics:magic and fantasy
Category:Adventure Games
Platforms:iPad
Price:$4.99
Size:310.00 MB
Publisher:Semi Secret Software
Version:1.0.1
Release date:November 8, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 4.2 or later
This review was written by Chris Morris

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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