Aquadine

sometimes letting down your guard is a key of friendship even romace i remember hearing about this for a while and now i finally got to it, a nice read that is short enough yet detailed gotta love eng va vns! thanks Jonah Scott for mentioning it years back its nice

short but decent enough

(I completed all the routes slowly and took notes as I played so that I could write a review more accurate to my live experience. All route-specific, major spoilers will be under spoiler bars.) [h1]tl;dr, should I buy this?[/h1] Absolutely yes, even if you only play it once. Thank you cast and crew for the work you put into this lovely game! [h1]Exposition in a Nutshell[/h1] [i]The story is generally told in a third person, omnipresent point of view.[/i] Robin is a quiet teenage boy living in Aquadine -- a town with few cars, plenty of waterways, thriving tourism, a rich culture, and an origin story rooted in local merfolk mythology. Besides his family, no one knows that Robin mildly changes his appearance to secretly work part-time as Ciel -- one of the most popular gondoliers in Aquadine, well known for his beautiful singing and charm. His income is being used to support his mother, who is in the hospital for an unknown illness. Throughout the exposition, we meet and get to know Robin's friends: Anya, Diana, Cameron, and Elisabeth. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] This is 99% a linear visual novel. It says it in the tags on Steam. You cannot make multiple choices that affect your outcome. After the exposition, you are shown a formal screen that allows you to choose which of the four routes you want to read, and each route has a singular outcome. For the best experience, I suggest reading [spoiler]Anya's[/spoiler] route last, since that's the main storyline. There is an epilogue/"true ending" that is accessible only by completing all the routes. [h1]General Assessment[/h1] [b]Pros:[/b] [list] [*]immersive main story [*]beautiful music (instruments played by irl musicians, including orchestral-sounding tracks) [*]gorgeous art (sprites, backgrounds, CGs, etc.) [*]top-tier voice acting (even if they're mostly reactions/few words, there are professionals from anime and other video games) [*]practically adjustable everything (sfx vol, music vol, text speed, etc.) [*]individuated characters (including the way they speak) [*]gallery includes the in-game music tracks [*]as a debut game, highly exceeds expectations [/list] [b]Cons:[/b] [list] [*]cast and crew credits only available after all routes and epilogue are completed; unavailable in main menu [*]some typos (not so often that it deeply disturbs immersion; easily fixed, so not a big con) [*]some questionable writing decisions (sometimes characters acted ooc, sometimes someone was cringey, etc.) [/list] [h1]Opinions About the Routes' Stories[/h1] [i]The following will be written in casual vernacular. I had a looong list of notes, but I'll just give my main thoughts.[/i] [b]Cameron:[/b] [list] [*]"Second only to the bell that marks the end of the day, the sound of lunch is a blessing." what a well-written comedic line wth!? xD [*]the anime-esque slapstick felt weird when translated into a visual novel [*][spoiler]i don't like how the fight became about Robin instead of the sexism that Cam was facing; and, Cam got turned into someone who needed to be protected instead of the inspiring person she set out to be![/spoiler] [*]i got really really upset that [spoiler]Cam dressed very feminine at the end; i felt like it defeated the purpose of the entire route's message; Robin already loved her for who she was, so why did her appearance change so drastically?[/spoiler] [/list] [b]Elisabeth:[/b] [list] [*]iirc, this was the only route where i genuinely lol'ed more than once [*]i liked how [spoiler]Robin and she traveled to Sylpher and we got to see a setting outside of Aquadine[/spoiler] [*][spoiler]why is Cam's little sister in Sylpher at Elisabeth's mom's grave!? i don't think Elisabeth even knows her in this route![/spoiler] [*][spoiler]i wish Elisabeth and Robin and everyone had their moment anywhere other than the frickin' grave. it's so weird, especially since Elisabeth is just starting to heal from her death. it just felt inappropriate.[/spoiler] [/list] [b]Diana:[/b] [list] [*][spoiler]speaking of inappropriate, why are there adults forcing kids to kiss in this one? was that CG of Diana sitting on the sidewalk in her cafe uniform necessary, considering she's a high school junior?[/spoiler] all kinds of weird red flags that are expected in other stereotypical VNs, but extremely uncomfortable here [*]despite a main cast of teenagers that you want to root for, the omnipresent writing allowed [spoiler]Diana's mom to get a valid side in the story,[/spoiler] so the fact that an adult was able to be sympathized with was a HUGE plus in my book [*]there are a few inspirational lines scattered throughout that i enjoyed enough to screenshot and save for myself [*]i feel like Diana's route had so, so, so much potential to be good because it's such a relatable situation to be in, but it felt a little too rushed and inappropriate at times [/list] [b]Anya:[/b] [list] [*]listen, this is my favorite route. [spoiler]the large cast of characters involved, the adventure, the budding romance, the life-threatening situations, the mystery solving, the fantasy[/spoiler] -- totally makes the game worth it. [*]Anya's character development and self-awareness is! so good!!! [*]the climax in this route is more captivating than [spoiler]all the other routes' climaxes combined.[/spoiler] i actually had to restrain myself from clicking too fast lol [*]literally the only criticism i have of this route is that [spoiler]i wish there were more mentions/hints of Anya's relationship with her parents prior to her spilling everything to Robin, because that info in itself felt unnaturally delivered[/spoiler] [/list] [b]Epilogue/True Ending:[/b] [list] [*]the most engrossing "route" aside from the main one was this one, omg [*]loved the first-person writing from Robin's POV [*]the feeling of grief and [spoiler]how Robin and his grandpa coped was pretty realistic, as i experienced something similar; i'm glad that Grandpa was really serious in this one[/spoiler] [*]the ending: [spoiler]ending on the bittersweet note of Robin's mom passing but strengthening his friendships was risky, especially since so many people want a happy ending, myself included. but because it was bittersweet, it felt more true to reality, and after reflecting on it for a bit, i ended up enjoying it so much more[/spoiler] [/list] And again, [h1]tl;dr, should I buy this?[/h1] Absolutely yes, even if you only play it once. Thank you cast and crew for the work you put into this lovely game!

Aquadine is a very entertaining visual novel. The story never fails to present you an interesting scenario, striking a good balance between funny, emotional or just plain wholesome. The pacing is great, I would never get bored of reading so much so I would always look forward to what's coming next, and would get sad when it was time to leave. The humor is great, the 4 different routes are different enough from each other and don't contain repeated bits. The ending is definitely unexpected. Overall, a great experience that can be reccomended to anyone!

yes

This was a really nice experience. Felt like Venezia with a dash of Fantasy elements to it. Very romantic setting in that way. Comedy, light drama, friendships, romances, characters with hidden identities and secrets. Recommended

[h1]I bought this game through itch.io, wrote a review on VNDB, and was graciously given a code to share that review here on Steam, hence my playtime[/h1] I've followed Aquadine's development since late 2019 and I'm happy to finally play and review the game! The TLDR at the end of the review summarizes my feelings on the series. [b]I recommend this game to anyone looking for a lighthearted and fun cast with emotional stories and and wholesome themes. The game is romantic but doesn't actually delve into detail with the romance between the characters. If you're looking to go on dates and enjoy lots of 1 on 1 time with your favorite girl, then this may not be your game[/b] [h1]Story (overall impression ) - [b]6/10[/b][/h1] Hope is a theme often echoed throughout the story. I believe the essence of Aquadine lies not only in the trust you place in those close to you, but also the humility it takes to confide in them. At the vanguard of this wholesomeness, is the pleasant air that surrounds the town itself. However, even the scenic Aquadine can be thought to have its own hidden sides and unfortunately Robin falls to the brunt of that. Secrets, the past, something we're ashamed of, surmounting regrets - we all carry and hold on to baggage in our day to day lives. Aquadine seeks to uncover such baggage within our main cast and with the support of friends and family, carry those burdens together and walk towards a new day. While I didn't cry, there were quite a few moments that pulled me in emotionally. The characters I cheered on the most were Diana and Anya. I found Diana to be the most relatable and her genki attitude well-written and endearing. Her route builds upon that, ramping up how valuable her innate personality is in tackling her insecurities and how the world itself pushes their expectations onto her. Anya, on the other hand, was initially my favorite and while I do think she's still a great character, the role she plays seems to weaken her personality. A lot of issues seemed touched upon only surface level. [i]There just wasn't enough time:[/i] 1) to shovel deeper into her issues, 2) for her relationship with Robin to blossom properly, and 3)to show the complexity of her character. The approach to recognizing, understanding, and making the effort to see her own value felt contrived in favor of moving forward the plot. Again, my issue isn't how she changes, but the lack of time for development. No memories or formative experiences are given their own scenes. It tries to be evocative, but is simply too rushed. Personally, I didn't care too much for the cultural and the approach to the canon plot as a whole. I won't go into much detail for the other characters. Cameron's route felt similar to Diana's, but focuses more on inspiration and the unique abilities you wield to support those close to you. I expected Cameron to be more on the cool side, but he plays both in a charming way. The formulaic approach knocks it down a few points for me. Elisabeth is my least favorite girl. Not that she's bad at all, but she just wasn't my taste design or personality-wise. Aquadine loves its parallels and her route is no exception. She shares similar struggles to our protagonist Robin. With the initiative to make his problem her own, she finds the courage to face difficult feelings and accept the past. The route's themes revolve around family more so than the others. [Spoilers][spoiler]Something that felt... tacky... for both Cameron and Elisabeth's routes are the CLANNAD inspirations and references. To name a few: Tomoyo's combo kicks on Sunohara, Tomoyo's mascot costume, Nagisa's father being overprotective in a comedic/eccentric way, baking, Nagisa freezing up during her play (biggest offender ), Nagisa's naivety. I'm sure if you've played the VN, there might be more. I think it's great to be inspired, but taking a scene, and matching it to fit your own work is at worst plagiarism and at best unoriginal. Everything other than the biggest offender is quite forgivable/unproblematic. I just feel a bit disappointed after expecting something more original in a high quality EVN. [b]This critique should NOT be taken as summation of entire routes. The player themselves should decide if these parallels are more inspired or at an extreme, stealing. Scenes do build on themselves and have their own reasons for existing within the plot.[/b] [/spoiler] [h1]Art - [b]9/10[/b][/h1] Aesthetically fitting character sprites and breathtaking backgrounds- Aquadine's art style lends to the series' lightheartedness and fresh atmosphere. What brings up the presentation as a whole is how the setting is gorgeously portrayed by the artists zhia2chen and closz. Inspired by Italy's canal city Venice (which SoftColors initially inspires from the ARIA's Neo-Venezia) we get a glimpse of the Aquadine's cultural foundation through its architecture and the types of lives that are led by its inhabitants. I admire the amount of thought put into the setting and how the series uses Ciel's tours to appreciate that. [h1]Music/Sound - [b]8/10[/b][/h1] I came across Aquadine through their opening trailer while searching up VN openings and it hyped me up a lot for its release. The trailer and song itself are wonderfully produced and I believe it's one of the best EVN openings out there so big kudos to everyone involved! The ED theme does something special with the way it contrasts Aquadine's ending. It almost got me. The song itself feels on the cheery side, but the lyrics themselves are quite heartbreaking. It's a fantastic summation to those bittersweet feelings and the hope Aquadine imbues. I spoke with the dev himself on the direction of this theme and discovered that it was meant to be similar to the ending theme of "Anohana"Secret Base. I first listened to this before the game's release and was even doubtful of the resemblance, but nonow I feel in sync with that vision and very much grateful to experience the song as it's meant to be. In game we have quite a pleasant OST. The tracks are adequate, yet not very memorable. It's the same notion for sound effects. I believe sound is the biggest advantage this medium has over novel, comic, manga, and similar mediums. I wish for EVNs to pay a bit more repsect to this. [h1]Voice Acting - [b]8/10[/b][/h1] Something about each voice feels very natural and most importantly pleasant to listen to. From AnAnya's adorable sighs and quips to LARRRYY PUNCHHH and his death cries- the use of partial voice acting is quite efficient in giving everyone life. I think the most interesting thing is not one character lags behind in this field. Quite a feat in my opinion! [h1][b]Summary / TLDR:[/b][/h1] Aquadine is a lovely EVN featuring a vibrant cast, each with their own distinctive charms and struggles. While the characters are the strongest point of the story, pacing issues, characterization inconsistencies, and almost contrived moments bog down the overall experience. The exploration of their personalities feels lacking. Themes are spelled out for you before you're given the chance to sit down and think about them. Most SoL scenes felt more "instrumental" in that they exist as filler or setup towards the next plot point. I believe good SoL has its own innate value. Feelings or thoughts can be gleaned from the mundane with a sort of unsuspecting familiarity. The story's fun SoL is mostly successful, but the "real" ones fall short. Nonetheless, experiencing the world of Aquadine was enjoyable and as a whole, presented with a lot of heart. There [b]will[/b] be a route or two that you will enjoy and/or relate to. I look forward to SoftColor's future stories and projects. [b]7/10[/b] Diana and Anya best girls For the full version of this review, you can read it on [url=https://vndb.org/w1568]VNDB[/url]

with a backlog like mine i rarely buy new games on release but this game caught me in the deepest atlantis/mermaid/underwater kick of my life and i couldnt talk myself out of it no regrets, it hit the spot perfectly and lord did the spot need hittin ..........bonus points because one character is a vegetarian........... consider plant-based :) ok just finished it, this games way more than just ocean vibes wow. very special

good feels

As far as visual novels go, it's definitely on the higher side of the spectrum, despite the lower budget involved. Nice! Characters are lovely, jokes usually funny. The setting is interesting if cliche. A lot of good things to say here but I'm a more critical person so I'll go on what really bothered me here: pace is too fast. Especially near the end of each routes, things just happen so quickly and usually end out of nowhere. Epilogue please? Because of that, there usually were not enough time to properly explore the character's personality. The authors knew where they wanted to go, and the road is nice. But the journey was fast and rushed, so it is hard to fully appreciate.