AquaNox Preview

That's right people after a great effort we finally get a chance to test the game we longed for all these months. Our anticipation was significantly increasing with each update we've received from the crew at Massive Development and Fishtank. Anyways, we saw some juicy special effects that were more than enough to elevate our expectations for the final version of the game. This little journey of ours begins in the year 2666 thousands of feet bellow the water surface, away from the desolate planes of the Earth. Down in the very depths of the sea you will be assigned to engage in fierce combat, while carrying out various missions with unexpected plot twists.

Unluckily, we had no chance to get more into the essence of the game's storyline, cause (as the developers have stressed) it was excluded from the demo. Also, the few dialogs that went on in the missions were all in German, therefore we didn't learn much about the basic game plot. Still, the fundamentals remained clear - you operate cute little sub-boats thanks to the skills of the pilot behind the controls. He is none other than Emerald "Dead-Eye" Flint, a mercenary and the main game character. The tasks are rather simple: kill and destroy all opposing forces, or protect your base from intruders. Of course, if you desire to gather more info on the story itself you can always check out the game's official site or our previous coverage of the game.

Before we go any further I must clarify a few specifics which we came across. The Alpha copy didn't allow us to adjust several crucial game components; first of all, we were unable to customize the controls so that we could maneuver the boat more efficiently. Although this doesn't present a serious drawback, it may take you a while to get used to the default control system (especially if you aren't accustomed to playing Descent-type games). Also, a big difference from similar shooters is that all of the action is going on underwater, which makes the movement slower than usual. Yet, adapting to such conditions illustrates just how authentic the game really is.

The in-game realism is simply mind-blowing. Of course, for those of you who possess slightly inadequate PC configurations there's always the additional option of reducing the background details and environmental visual effects such as planktons flowing through the water, richly decorated coral reefs, or various underwater plants. That would be a pity because you'll be missing quite a lot of those tasty environment details. Anyhow, the game seemed to glide even when we tested it with a resolution greatly increased to an impressive 1280*1024 and an enhanced 32bit color system. The highly detailed backgrounds are probably one of the most breathtaking graphic facets of the game - it rekindled the feeling we got while playing games like Serious Sam.

Even so, AquaNox creates has a special touch of its own that cannot be compared to any other game right now on the market. Smooth underwater stony landscapes are so true-to-life that there's no way you won't get an almost tangible sense of actually being bellow the water surface. As you plummet down to the very bottom of the sea, you'll see sparkling sunrays that cast down a unique dance of light on the yellowish sands. Some appealing shadow effects spread out across the twisted rock shapes, thus enhancing the game's realism. Plus, every weapon has a spectacular shodow/light effect with a captivating outburst of color.

What's also worth mentioning is that the sound qualities of AquaNox represent an essential game ingredient; the music was done in a techno-ambient style and merges perfectly with the in-game ambience. Or, better yet, sometimes there will be a mystic symphonic-orchestra type of music in the background, making the whole atmosphere epic and almost movie-like. Next off, the sound effects created by the weapons are first-class and they agree to each weapon you fire from your sub-fighter. Since I've broached the subject of artillery, it is also important to note that each weapon has a unique outer shell as well as a distinctive visual effect when it is fired. So, basically, you'll be able distinct every weapon as it appears at the bottom of your control screen.