Aquaria was the most eagerly anticipated indie title that I think I've ever had experience with. For months prior to its release game sites (like GameTunnel) were abuzz with what was to be almost assured gaming splendor. The screenshots were phenomenal and the hype was high.

After getting my hands on a review copy, I have to say the hype was deserved. You've probably noticed that Fearless Leader (a.k.a. Russell Carroll) has deemed that Aquaria is GameTunnel's Game of the Year for 2007, and he's totally right. Aquaria is a game that deserves the title and deserves to be a contender for best game anywhere, frankly. Any system, any developer. And don't you worry, you know me, I'll qualify that statement eventually.

Aquaria is the product of a two-man development team. Being part of a two-man development team myself (maybe one-day I, too, will host adoring legions?), I can say without a doubt that Aquaria is a staggering accomplishment. The game is polished in every way, and its construction plays better than games that have the benefit of dozens of creators.

Let's get down to it.

Aquaria follows the tale of its female protagonist, naija, an aquatic denizen akin to a mermaid (I'd say she's more like Namor… but I think I'd lose a lot of you in the generational gap). Naija appears to be the last of her kind, intelligent sea-dwellers who use the music of the currents to sing the beings of the sea, harmonizing with it to produce the effects they desire. Naija's quest begins simply as one of exploration of her surroundings, but slowly unfolds into an epic tale of lost civilizations and vast powers.

The voiceover work for Naija is superb, and she sports a very ethereal, vaguely British lilt that is a joy to listen to. It fits her characterization perfectly and works well in the ambience of the game on the whole. This is important because much of the game IS its ambience. Aquaria is a game that want to be explored. It wants the player to delight in its travels and to simply enjoy being "in" the game. The soundtrack is moody and expressive and serves to increase the immersion and believe me, I usually don't think too much about soundtracks because it's clear no one else really did, either. They're usually the last thing included in the development cycle (blanket statement: yes. True? Probably). Not so, here.

The look of Aquaria… where can I even begin. You've seen the screenshots, most likely, and if you haven't, take a minute to hunt around GameTunnel for a bit and find them. They are to be savored. The game is probably the best looking game I've ever seen in the medium of hand-drawn art. Don't talk to me about how great Bioshock looks and how Crysis will melt my face and my video card. This is apples and oranges. Aquaria is beautiful and, I think, even surpasses Gumboy Crazy Adventures, my previous favorite. The world of Aquaria is alive and vibrant. It seems to always be flowing around you and there is a wealth of indigenous life. Much of it is friendly, some of it is hostile and it's part of the game to figure out which is which because, like it should be, not everything that will hurt you looks like some evil troll.

Playing the game at one of its highest resolutions on a 23" monitor is a joy. The art is flawless. When the game is allowed to sit for a moment the camera will zoom in on Naija and even at the increased level of detail not a jagged edge is to be seen. It's flawless. And these are not basic environments and characters. Everything is fully realized and the backgrounds are complex and layered and varied. I meant it when I said that the game is a joy simply to explore. There's always something new to view and the levels are composed in such a way to make them a blast to simply swim around in.

Which brings us to the way the game is played. Aquaria is a platformer without platforms. Naija has a full 360º of movement. Clicking and holding the mouse causes her to simply follow the mouse. Clicking again will give her a burst of speed. Direct her to a wall and she'll grab onto it. Click far away from the wall and she'll launch herself from it, click close and she simply lets go. Right-click and you'll bring up Naija's spell function. This is represented by a series of colored symbols. Each symbol represents a note and by singing particular notes in succession, Naija activates certain abilities, and even different forms that she can take on.

It can be a little tricky to manage spell-casting and moving and dodging in a fluid manner, and this might be the only knock I can make in the game, that the controls feel loose at times, but since the feel of the game is not one of high-pressure do-or-die scenarios, it's not exactly much of a flaw.

The game owes quite a bit of its play to Metroid, and there are some excellent homages to this classic tucked into Aquaria. Advancement in the game occurs much as it does in the Metroid series. The entire world is available to Naija, it's just that there are obstacles that get in the way of a few sections. So, she must explore and earn the power-ups and abilities that enable her to life that huge stone or blast that object or unlock that door, etc.

Also like Metroid, the boss battles are suitably based both on quickness and cleverness. It's not often that simple brute force will suffice. The proper methods must be discovered, and it makes for some very satisfying encounters.

Alright, it's time to wrap this up. Plain and simple, Aquaria is worth buying and playing and loving because it is awesome. Can I make it any more succinct than that?

Graphics:
Even zoomed in, the art in Aquaria is beautiful. The game is a joy to look at and if there was no other content to the game than simply swimming around and looking at things, I'd be happy with it, and I'd still tell you to buy the game.

Sound:
Excellent voiceover work and very atmospheric soundtrack that really fit the title very well. Both are items that made me sit up and take notice.

Gameplay:
The notion of using song to activate powers is a fun system, and the interface to activate is fun as well. Toss in that the game has a simple and fluid control scheme beyond that, and all in all it's a blast to play. Naija can also learn a series of recipes to give herself status bonuses based on food items she picks up on her travels, which adds a fun layer.

Concept:
A sort of mystic, aquatic side-scroller throwback handled with polish and precision. The game style might be old school, but the presentation is anything but. The notion that Naija sings to the ocean to grant her her powers is novel enough on its own, but everything is just so well done it's seems like it's breaking new ground all over the place.

Value:
You know, I don't care how much it costs. It's worth it. (Okay fine, it's $30… and still worth it.)

Fun:
As I've said, the game would be fun to simply look at and explore. Toss into it puzzle-solving, platforming, spells, recipes and multiple forms to take on… well… that's what I call a load of fun.

Overall:
This is the game of the year. It shouldn't just be GameTunnel's game of the year… it just IS. Hands down. Get it.