From the haunting melodies by Karl Flodin, to the wonderous seascapes of post-apocalyptic Earth, The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human is an audiovisual treat. I'm not much of an art-critic, but to me, this is a game that feels...significant. I'm overcome with this feeling of inspiration. At any moment, I could sit down at my desk, turn on the PC, and write something really powerful. Anyone who read it would also become inspired, and the cycle would continue until the entire world became just a little bit grander.

Well, maybe I'll do that tomorrow. For now, let's focus on the game itself. Some of the first videogames I ever reviewed originated in the arcades, so I tend to pay more attention to basic qualities like controls and design. My approach to reviewing this game is to strip away all of the extraneous elements. The visuals are lovely, and the soundtrack is excellent, but right now I'm tuning all of that out. All I see are lines, dots, and rectangles. If I open my ears enough, I'm sure I'll hear some bleeps and bloops. With this scenario in mind, do I still consider The Aquatic* a good game? Yes!

Aside from light exploration elements, this is a game that revolves entirely around boss-fights. As a Darius fan, I've always been a sucker for oceanic-themed adversaries. While that series operates under the basic trappings of a 2D shooter, The Aquatic goes in another direction. Each of the 12 bosses are approached differently. Aside from each boss having a unique look, they also have their own patterns, weaknesses, attacks, and environment. Not only do you have to pay attention to the projectiles the boss might fire, but also your immediate area, and the following action the boss is liable to take.

This is not a game to approach lightly. You're going to die, possibly a large number of times. In my view, all of these deaths will be fair. The sub, even at its default speed, is fast enough to avoid every attack, it's just a matter of understanding movement. Yes, it will seem slow at first, but there will be cases where you can avoid attacks entirely with a little fore-thought. The first boss (a giant worm) has an attack where it spits several smaller worms at the player. The player can attempt to hang back and dodge every single worm, or they can work their way around the giant one. By doing this, the player avoids the entire attack, and gets a nice opportunity to do a lot of damage to the boss. Unless you're after a specific achievement, the sub can also take quite a bit of damage through the acquisition of hull and auto-repair upgrades.

The most important weapon you'll have for the boss-fights is your harpoon. In order to get the most out of this tool, you have to grasp the basics of risk vs reward. The harpoon can be charged to hit distant targets, or the button can be mashed repeatedly if an enemy is close. Naturally, the closer you get to the boss, the more dangerous they become, but they can be destroyed more quickly. As you develop strategies to defeat these bosses quickly, you'll discover the real depth found in this game. It's almost entirely boss-fights, but it does them justice.

Since the game delivers in terms of the more important qualities, I feel more comfortable talking about its artistic side. Videogames that take place in or around large bodies of water have always intrigued me. When most other games have the obligatory water stage, I can't stand them. I think it's because nobody really appreciates the ocean, they just want to have some harebrained swimming mechanics, in order to pad things out. Videogames that embrace the ocean and the life that inhabits it, such as the Ecco the Dolphin series, are just incredible. The Aquatic really captures those immersive moments, where you're blown away by all that's happening around you. The world's surface (and humanity) is long dead, but the seas are as lively as ever. The minor visual details like the remnants of human architecture and various types of marine life bring everything together.

The soundtrack can not be praised enough. This is a short game, so it's welcome to have a unique track for every part of it. I've always said that good music can elevate any game, and this is as appropriate an example as any. The boss themes in particular are superb. You're the last human in existence, fighting off an abomination, for reasons you can't quite grasp. The music in these tense and disturbing situations really preys upon the game's sense of hopelessness.

While The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human isn't lacking in quality art and sound, it also holds up well purely as a videogame. There is some entertainment in poking around a small yet visually dense world for upgrades and other secrets. However, most of the fun and challenge is in learning, defeating, and then mastering the myriad of bosses. Overall, this is a unique experience that's definitely worth checking out.

*Sorry, but I can not write out that title every time.

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From the haunting melodies by Karl Flodin, to the wonderous seascapes of post-apocalyptic Earth, [i]The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human[/i] is an audiovisual treat. I'm not much of an art-critic, but to me, this is a game that feels...significant. I'm overcome with this feeling of inspiration. At any moment, I could sit down at my desk, turn on the PC, and write something really powerful. Anyone who read it would also become inspired, and the cycle would continue until the entire world became just a little bit grander. Well, maybe I'll do that tomorrow. For now, let's focus on the game itself. Some of the first videogames I ever reviewed originated in the arcades, so I tend to pay more attention to basic qualities like controls and design. My approach to reviewing this game is to strip away all of the extraneous elements. The visuals are lovely, and the soundtrack is excellent, but right now I'm tuning all of that out. All I see are lines, dots, and rectangles. If I open my ears enough, I'm sure I'll hear some bleeps and bloops. With this scenario in mind, do I still consider [i]The Aquatic[/i]* a good game? Yes! Aside from light exploration elements, this is a game that revolves entirely around boss-fights. As a [i]Darius[/i] fan, I've always been a sucker for oceanic-themed adversaries. While that series operates under the basic trappings of a 2D shooter, [i]The Aquatic[/i] goes in another direction. Each of the 12 bosses are approached differently. Aside from each boss having a unique look, they also have their own patterns, weaknesses, attacks, and environment. Not only do you have to pay attention to the projectiles the boss might fire, but also your immediate area, and the following action the boss is liable to take. This is not a game to approach lightly. You're going to die, possibly a large number of times. In my view, all of these deaths will be fair. The sub, even at its default speed, is fast enough to avoid every attack, it's just a matter of understanding movement. Yes, it will seem slow at first, but there will be cases where you can avoid attacks entirely with a little fore-thought. The first boss (a giant worm) has an attack where it spits several smaller worms at the player. The player can attempt to hang back and dodge every single worm, or they can work their way around the giant one. By doing this, the player avoids the entire attack, and gets a nice opportunity to do a lot of damage to the boss. Unless you're after a specific achievement, the sub can also take quite a bit of damage through the acquisition of hull and auto-repair upgrades. The most important weapon you'll have for the boss-fights is your harpoon. In order to get the most out of this tool, you have to grasp the basics of risk vs reward. The harpoon can be charged to hit distant targets, or the button can be mashed repeatedly if an enemy is close. Naturally, the closer you get to the boss, the more dangerous they become, but they can be destroyed more quickly. As you develop strategies to defeat these bosses quickly, you'll discover the real depth found in this game. It's almost entirely boss-fights, but it does them justice. Since the game delivers in terms of the more important qualities, I feel more comfortable talking about its artistic side. Videogames that take place in or around large bodies of water have always intrigued me. When most other games have the obligatory water stage, I can't stand them. I think it's because nobody really appreciates the ocean, they just want to have some harebrained swimming mechanics, in order to pad things out. Videogames that embrace the ocean and the life that inhabits it, such as the [i]Ecco the Dolphin[/i] series, are just incredible. [i]The Aquatic[/i] really captures those immersive moments, where you're blown away by all that's happening around you. The world's surface (and humanity) is long dead, but the seas are as lively as ever. The minor visual details like the remnants of human architecture and various types of marine life bring everything together. The soundtrack can not be praised enough. This is a short game, so it's welcome to have a unique track for every part of it. I've always said that good music can elevate any game, and this is as appropriate an example as any. The boss themes in particular are superb. You're the last human in existence, fighting off an abomination, for reasons you can't quite grasp. The music in these tense and disturbing situations really preys upon the game's sense of hopelessness. While [i]The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human[/i] isn't lacking in quality art and sound, it also holds up well purely as a videogame. There is some entertainment in poking around a small yet visually dense world for upgrades and other secrets. However, most of the fun and challenge is in learning, defeating, and then mastering the myriad of bosses. Overall, this is a unique experience that's definitely worth checking out. *Sorry, but I can not write out that title every time. [i]If you liked this review or want to see more recommended games, be sure to follow our curator group: [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/Original_Curators_Group#curation]Follow Original Curator Group[/url][/i]