Aquaria (PC, 2007/Mobile, 2011)

• Good map feature (mini-map, shows doors/found save points (before the latter are found the direction they're in is shown on the mini-map)/teleporters and turtles/beaten boss locations, can insert your own markers (two colors, nameable!), can scroll with RMB), Can't access the map screen in certain parts of areas despite them being drawn on the map before entering them (each area's basic layout is drawn in when entering a new one - generally good and there are still surprises but also lessens the sense of discovery a bit), Can't play/move while viewing the map screen - Diablo etc.

• Quick travel/teleportation via blue plant portals and giant turtles (need to find a turtle to travel to its location - not the case with plant portals) - not quite enough of them though, Can't teleport from your current location to for example found save points (could've been unlocked for an area once you've beaten all bosses in it)

• A bit more non-linear than Super Metroid for example (some soft gating in the form of tougher enemies and less frequent save points, the game sometimes warns you via the narrator if you move into an area that would be tougher to do early on, ),

• Some optional bosses (these start appearing already in the first area)

• Fairly frequent save points (32 save slots per game and in total (shows current location and time taken) which also heal you, sometimes placed a bit far from boss encounters though), Save point and giant turtle right before the final boss

• On the fly transformations (Exploration-based ones: Nature form - open the blue plant portals+red plants (sometimes contain pearls/keys) and plant large thorny plants which block movement and can help with travel on land by letting you super jump (charge attack; generally you can just hop around somewhat clumsily while on land similar to clinging to walls and dashing underwater)+immunity to thorns and anemones, Beast form - travel against stronger currents+jump higher out of water+dash attack enemies and eat some of them while doing so (can eat fish and certain jellyfish for health, eating enemies that shoot projectiles lets you use this projectile for a bit afterwards), Fish form - move faster+avoid being attacked by some enemies+enter tiny paths+can trap some creatures in the bubbles you shoot and then bind them and carry them with you in default form (glowing jellyfishes), Sun form - light dark areas and lamps (small flash light while moving and the charged spell lights up a whole screen)+see the mini-map in dark areas, Spirit form - move between blue crystals+if you move close to an enemy projectile and right-click it it'll be neutralized and every 5th projectile you do this to will give you a small increase in health), Number hotkeys for the transformation songs

• Can look around by holding the middle mouse button/assigned button (similar to Boktai, less smooth with a controller)

• Does a fairly good job at creating a mysterious setting and a sense of loneliness

• No direct form of attack early on (need the energy form)

• Boss fights tend to incorporate some puzzle solving involving song abilities

• Some sequence breaking opportunities (early spirit form - push a dark jelly fish in Mithalas city to pass through a stream, unintuitive: switch to spirit form during an area transition to make it go fast enough to pass through streams (can then save and reload at a certain save point in Mithalas city after getting spirit form to skip ahead to the beast form boss, can also pass through the heart blockades in the body in boosted spirit form), advanced: can reach the veil earlier by combining bind/pick up stone with the thorn ability of the nature form - put the thorn on a stone and carry it to ride it through the stream, super duper jump by turning from nature to fish form on land while planting a thorn beneath you - lets you enter the sun temple from above, )

• Dual form is a nice way of showing the bond between Li and Naija via gameplay mechanics

• Control and sound options (you can play using either a mouse or keyboard or controller however the tutorial messages assume that you're using the mouse)

• Some good puzzles (fish cave, urchin armor, whale)

• Various neutral creatures (helps the world feel like an actual place), No penalty for killing friendly creatures though

• Carried objects (and seahorses) disappear when moving between areas, Can't carry pearls between areas (would screw up one or two puzzles however they could've ended up at the door between areas you last used like the glowing stone in the sun temple - the one in the whale can even disappear?, charges also cancel when moving between areas)

• Short in-game manual (? button in the menu)

• Alternate ending (collect all "lost memories" hidden throughout the world)

• Large world

• Some skippable cutscenes

• Can use the singing tool to play proper melodies (8 different notes, can sustain notes) which sometimes produces a visual effect on creatures but it has no effect on gameplay when not singing the various jingles you can learn

• Features a made up written language (it isn't learned by the player though sadly, can change it to english in some settings file but it looks bad)

Some notable cons:

• Plenty of dead space (riding a seahorse helps but they're somewhat rare and can't move between areas, fish form helps a lot though it takes a few hours to get to)

• Fire projectiles won't light up dark rooms

• Treasure generally has no gameplay use (just minor lore and decoration in Naija's home; one important exception is some of the armor (some have stat bonuses and one lets you ride seahorses faster and travel against currents while on them, one has a regen effect when your health dips below 50%; a few others spawn ingredients in the home cave and one gives you a third cooking slot but it's a late game item)

• No shops (would've been good for trading ingredients)

• Can't speed up dialogue on a per sentence basis

• No bestiary or artwork gallery

• Can kill various enemies from afar without them reacting to you

• Over the top audiovisual effect+slow motion when taking damage near death (can throw off your timing and is a bit distracting)

• Some enemies and creatures seem to not drop anything period (even some miniboss-like ones)

• Some backtracking (can only cook/craft 3 ingredient items at stoves and they're not that common, the game doesn't change the hazards/enemies in previously visited areas)

• Can't scroll the map screen nor re-view learned songs with an XB360 controller, Can't really aim at specific units or pearls with a controller and singing in diagonals gets annoying (XB360 pad)

Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Dune (movie), Metroid series, Eternal Daughter, probably Ecco series, possibly Loom or Zelda series (music element)

Influenced: Possibly LostWinds, The UnderGarden, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Song of the Deep