Aquanaut's Holiday

"Well, it's original. I'll give it that."

Aquanaut's Holiday is a game that ... Well, it's a game. Allow me to explain in more detail.

--]Gameplay: 3
The gameplay consists of this: You pilot a submarine through a vast ocean or lake for fun. The submarine itself moves incredibly slow, and if you bump into something expect to spend a while trying to get back on track. Exploring would have been more fun if the underwater life was actually realistic. All of the fish are 2D! The only reason I give this category a 3 is because it's mildly exciting when you spot a shark and it bumps into you. I guess it could also be scary if you're nodding off while playing and you bump into a coral reef.

--]Sound & Music: 1
What sound and music exactly? The game has pretty much NO music and the only noises you hear are the beeping of your radar and a crashing noise when you bump into something. I suppose there's one more noise: The sound of a shark bumping into you. Gee, wow.

--]Graphics: 1
The graphics are simply horrible. The ocean attempts to be alive with fish and sharks swimming about, but they're so ugly and fake it looks like somebody cut them out of a piece of paper and threw them overboard. Now they're just riding the current...The rock formations are awful as well. VERY badly done.

--]Story: 5
The summary of the story is this: You are the world's foremost marine explorer. Your face and name are recognized around the glove. As the senior researcher of an elite oceanographic institute, you're at the pinnacle of your profession. Because of you, the seas and all life within them are safer, healthier, and highly respected. Your discoveries have molded the way scientists and society view the ocean and it's ecology. But finally, your hectic pace as caught up with you. You've stretched your mind and body beyond their limits. The stressful schedule and the pressures of worldwide renown have become too much. You're overworked, you've had it, and you're about to fall apart. It's time to let go...

It's a pretty original story, and it could have worked if the game had just been programmed better.

Overall, you shouldn't bother with this game. It's more than likely very hard to find now, and I really don't see why you'd want to have it in your video game library, unless you're a collector.

Gameplay: 3
Sound & Music: 1
Graphics: 1
Story: 5
OVERALL SCORE: 2

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 04/24/03, Updated 04/24/03