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AQUANAUT'S HOLIDAY- Red Goo is the new gateway drug! (NSF56K)
Scotty
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hakuna Matata:OCEAN EDITION
So I just purchased Aquanaut's Holiday from Ebay for $54 (shipped), and it should arrive on my doorstep in about a week. We have a thread for AFRIKA (Hakuna Matata) and it did well, so I figured this game could use one too.
Gameplay info (borrowed from Wikipedia)
"The actual story mode of the game can be compared to an adventure game. The main - unnamed - character is a journalist, in search of the missing oceanographer William "Bill" Graber. Using a submarine called the Dolphin no.2 you explore the seas for clues.
The game takes place in Kisira Atoll, in Polynesia. An oceanographic research facility named Kisira Base is the starting point and where you always come back to, for supplies (such as batteries for sonar navigation buoys) and equipment.
Two scientists work at the base, the young and dreamy Jessica Porter and the conservative chief Robert Kemelman. Both assist you in solving mysteries, each in their own way. Jessica likes to believe fairytales and legends, while Robert usually comes up with a scientific explanation.
All the fishes, animals and other discoveries are added to a database. Some fishes can communicate and the player has to repeat the sounds made by a fish, using the four trigger buttons of the Sixaxis controller.
At all times, the unlocked area of the map is free to explore as you like."
Sounds pretty cool, and the graphics don't suck either...observe...
Game Vid...I recommend clicking the HD version...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV1oZQgm-GE
Once I have the game in my hands, I will post opinions, but for now...let's talk about this game, and sing sea shanties of old.:)
Gametrailers TGS 07 early trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25153.html
So I just purchased Aquanaut's Holiday from Ebay for $54 (shipped), and it should arrive on my doorstep in about a week. We have a thread for AFRIKA (Hakuna Matata) and it did well, so I figured this game could use one too.
Gameplay info (borrowed from Wikipedia)
"The actual story mode of the game can be compared to an adventure game. The main - unnamed - character is a journalist, in search of the missing oceanographer William "Bill" Graber. Using a submarine called the Dolphin no.2 you explore the seas for clues.
The game takes place in Kisira Atoll, in Polynesia. An oceanographic research facility named Kisira Base is the starting point and where you always come back to, for supplies (such as batteries for sonar navigation buoys) and equipment.
Two scientists work at the base, the young and dreamy Jessica Porter and the conservative chief Robert Kemelman. Both assist you in solving mysteries, each in their own way. Jessica likes to believe fairytales and legends, while Robert usually comes up with a scientific explanation.
All the fishes, animals and other discoveries are added to a database. Some fishes can communicate and the player has to repeat the sounds made by a fish, using the four trigger buttons of the Sixaxis controller.
At all times, the unlocked area of the map is free to explore as you like."
Sounds pretty cool, and the graphics don't suck either...observe...
Game Vid...I recommend clicking the HD version...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV1oZQgm-GE
Once I have the game in my hands, I will post opinions, but for now...let's talk about this game, and sing sea shanties of old.:)
Gametrailers TGS 07 early trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25153.html
Scotty on
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This looks pretty great, but I am a bit leery of the whole "talk with the fishies!" thing they have going on. The fish in the video seemed to spit out random symbols, which I'm assuming has something to do with this, and it would completely ruin the immersion for me.
I'll be sure to post how it all works when it arrives and I've spent some time with it.
This is one of those games I very much intend to have some day, but it's basically at the bottom of the list. It's like...
Bioshock, Murasama (Wii), Dead Space, Sonic Collection, Afrika, Demon's Souls, Resistance 2 and then Aquanaut.
So it's still very much on my radar, but chances of obtaining it slip ever further the deeper we get into '09 and its plethora of awesomesauce. I guarantee my next purchase is gonna' be Prototype.
We'll see how AH goes, I'm thinking it'll be totally worth it, hek, Hakuna Matata is frequently in my system, and I've not played much else for a while now.
Do I like elephants or whales more?
I can't decide now.
"The ocean covers roughly 3/4 of the planet. When I think of the ocean, I think of beauty, unimaginable size and depth. Aquanaut’s Holiday does an amazing job at bringing the beauty and unimaginable size and depth to your PlayStation 3 and HDTV.
Being someone who has always been intrigued by the ocean and all its wonders, this game had me interested at the first glimpse. For any of you who have watched Blue Planet, or any educational program on the ocean and enjoyed it, you will be absolutely delighted with this game.
When I first turned on Aquanaut’s Holiday for the first time I was expecting nothing more than some exploration of the ocean, and some cataloging of different species of various ocean life. There is actually so much more than that, as I was pleasantly surprised with many RPG-like features, as well as the mysterious plot… the disappearance of a young marine biologist named Bill Glover.
You take the role of a journalist, that is visiting Kisira Atoll which is also called “Aqua Heaven”. You visit Aqua Heaven while on vacation, because you enjoy the ocean, and are interested in writing a scoop on the missing Bill Glover.
Your main base is Wise Lab, where you will constantly be interacting with the two other cast members, Mr. Robert Kemelman (Chief of Wise Institute of Oceanography), and Jessica Porter (Researcher). As the story progresses they will offer advice, fill in story details, and even offer precious research supplies for your submarine.
You explore the ocean from the safety of Dolphin 02, your trusty, informative, talking submarine. As you discover new places, species, etc, Dolphin will unlock log messages from the missing Bill Glover.
Your travel is restricted at first, but through purchasing batteries, you can re-install batteries in the spent SONOBOUYs that are strewn about the ocean. These SONOBOUYs use sonar signals that allow you to navigate further and further.
After you change the batteries in the first few SONOBOUYs you will discover some rocks that will “sing” using 4 sonar tones. Dolphin 02 will learn these sonar tones which you can use to communicate with “singer” fish using what’s called “twitter”, which is essentially a game of simon, using the 4 sonar tones which are mapped out to the shoulder buttons (R1, R2, L1, L2).
These “simon” mini-games can get quite difficult at times, and there are 400 of these mini-games to play (if you want all the trophies). As you complete each mini-game you receive MEME, which you can use to upgrade Dolphin 02, using a system that looks very similar to the grid used in Final Fantasy X.
While there is a main plot, which takes over 10 hours to complete, there is also side quests, as well as trying to find and catalog 100% of the species, and discoveries. You will uncover everything from giant squid, to treasure chests, to ancient dinosaur fossils, even UFOs. Some of the more rare objects will net you a brief description, but you can also go into your “Aqua Library” and get an up-close view of all your different catches, as well as some detailed info. Expect to spend more than 30 hours trying to complete this game 100%.
The graphics are breathtaking, perfectly animated fish and coral, all with astounding colors. Even the deepest darkest parts of Kirisia Atoll, are brimming with vibrant life. There are times when there are hundreds of fish on the screen at once, each with different habits and patterns, with barely any slowdown.
The game does a wonderful job at giving you a deep submarine diving experience. There were some points where things looked so deep that you would actually feel panic as you submerged lower and lower. Some of the animals such as the Great White Shark, or the Right Whale, are so truly large, that your heart will pound with a mere glimpse.
For you audiophiles out there, Aquanaut’s Holiday supports 7.1 surround, and has some of the most realistic ocean sound effects I have ever heard. The game music is very relaxing, and calm. Much different from all the shooters, and sports games the majority of us play.
The gameplay itself is very simplified. Don’t expect any button mashing or over-the-top maneuvers. That being said, the controls are very easy to understand, get the hang of, and become a pro at. However, be prepared to smash off walls if you plan on using the boost.
Aquanaut’s Holiday also takes advantage of the PS3’s snapshot feature, which by the way, all of the images you have seen were taken using the in-game screenshot feature.
The biggest fault this game has, and probably the main reason we will never see this game released in the US, is due to the deeply spiritual story line. This leads to a lot of confusion, and a lot of unnecessary craziness going on. Another complaint I have was that you had to go back to Wise Lab, just to save, which left me re-playing some areas, as I forgot to save before quitting the game. Lastly, I want to mention a petty nuisance that eventually got to me… Your character constantly says “well” before and after every sentence. This is most likely due to sub-par translation.
Speaking of translation, this game is in FULL ENGLISH if you buy the Chinese/English version from play-asia.com, and as long as your PS3 system language is set to English, all of the trophies are in English as well.
If you are someone who is curious about exploration, if you love the ocean, or just wonder what it would be like to scour the vast ocean floor, then this might be your only chance to experience the ocean so intimately.
I highly recommend this game, and also if you do plan to import this one, you do so at Play-Asia.com which carries the Chinese/English Version for $49.90, which was “well” worth it.
I cannot wait for this game to arrive!
This quote from the above post refers to these photos...just so it makes sense, since I didn't include them from the review.
You'll have to give us a giant review, Scotty, as well as take a bunch of pictures!
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
Grinch, sorry man, I'll send you a nice photo from HM to tie you over.
Dashui, you can count on it.
Wren, I think there is, I mean, there's treasure you can find right? Plus, I love the old Pirate ship above with the cutlasses strewn about. I want to be able to imagine I'm seeing a piece of history (not true history obviously) and I like seeing remnants of long ago events. The illusion appears to be an occupant of this game.
Believe it or not, I may be the only one but, I like the idea of the singing fish aspect, having to play a game of simon pretty much, and the way they get harder the more you progress through the game. I like that you get a trophy for each one you complete. (Trophy support helped make the decision even more solid for me...since HM/AFRIKA doesn't have it)
BEE BAAW BEEP BEEP BOOO
occasionally you'll get some dialog with a team member or your "shipmate" about a discovery, detailing its origins or whatever.
here are some pictures I just bought a cheap 1 gig flash drive for
the dolphin in this shot was totally unexpected. just trying to frame the coral reef and it started swimming past me.
goddamn wish it'd save them as higher quality. at least extra AA or something.
like I said, I'm stuck in progressing because of some stupid singing fish I can't find. there are way more areas to find. also there are like 100 trophies
the translation is a little silly, but you can still understand what they're talking about. they end every sentence with ".... well" a lot for some reason.
Yeah, mines the English one too, just like my copy of Hakuna Matata.
I wouldn't worry about the AA issue concerning the photos. I'm pretty sure everyone here assumes that the game looks absolutely stellar in motion. Man, this is going to be a long week, I'm a really sucker for exploration/searching games. (especially when it rewards you for it)
I have so many seaturtles plastered onto my windshield
Everblue eh? Hmmm...might need to check that out. How do you think it would look on my 40" HDTV though? Is it older, so there's no Progressive Scan? (not a deal breaker really...just asking)
edit-TOP'D!
Better add something attractive...
also I'm not so sure how easy it would be to get a copy of everblue 2. when it was released here in NA, I was lucky to get my one copy because I knew a store who knew some people. I have never seen an other copy, but I'm in Canada so I'm smalltime.
edit: checking ebay there seem to be plenty for cheap
I pretty-much use my PS2 for ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, would be nice to have something else. (my PS3 is an 80 gigger...no BC for me):x
This looks even better now.
Decisions, decisions.
Scotty, which would you recommend over the other, Afrika or this?
Also, only having 2 games for the PS2 is a shame.
I have no idea what to recommend really, at least not until I've had some time with AH. I CAN say that Hakuna Matata is easily worth it, I was just playing it again yesterday, and unlocked the 5th area. I saw a carcass lying in the sun in one corner of the area (which was huge) and a log nearby. SO I set up my trap cam (a remote one of sorts on a tripod) and waited behind the log. These vultures started circling above, and then one by one landed and walked over to the bones and started picking at them...SNAP...got my photo...awesome.
Another thing about HM, I've had it for a while now, put lots of hours into it, and I have yet to do a night shoot, and there's still a bunch of tools and camera stuff I don't have yet, the game is big.
Back to AH, if it truly has the same level of graphics (I think it matters in these games) and the exploration, atmosphere is there, I'd say get BOTH like I am, because they NEED to be in your collection. They're perfect for those times you just want to relax and take a reality break, without running around killing people, blowing things up or crashing cars..etc.
I get you concerning my lack of PS2 games, I used to have a ton, but sold all of them to get the PS3. I kept my PS2 solely because I just couldn't part with ICO and SOTC. If one day I REALLY wanted to play those other games again, it's not like they'd be expensive to get again. (I'm also very selective of what I spend my game time on...being married, 35, and self-employed, I can't get into games that I can't put back down after short bursts of gaming)
I personally have been focusing more on relaxing games a lot lately, I even have Endless Ocean on the Wii. (life's been tougher lately, can use the peaceful therapy these games bring...to each their own I guess.)
We call out to the beasts of the sea
to come out and join us... this night is yours
because one day we will all be with you in the blackened deep.
One day, WE WILL ALL GO INTO THE WATER [/metal]
Wren...I'm looking in your direction.
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
It takes a bit at the start to get into, but once you're in the sub, and found some stuff....it really clicks.
SUPER relaxing, and the graphics are gorgeous.
I have to play it more to really say any more about it.
Have you played Endless Ocean? I'm curious how it compares to it. And you need to give us your big, in-depth review with lots of pictures taken!
I finally had the opportunity to buy either this or Hakuna Matata, but I ended up going with the latter. I managed to get it for 44 dollars on eBay. I hope I can find Aquanaut's Holiday for that price when I have enough money for that one.