| Quick Verdict: Aquarist had a lot of promise early on. I really enjoyed getting to go to people’s houses and installing aquariums to their specifications, but once the shops opened up, a level of grinding was introduced as well as… Aquatic Store Simulator. Like, the entirety of that game is inside of this one… |
| Game: | Aquarist |
| Developer(s): | FreeMind S.A. |
| Publisher: | PlayWay S.A. and FreeMind S.A. |
| Review Score: | 6 |
| Cozy Score: | 7 |
| Price: | $15.99 |
| Pros: | Building aquariums for customers is fun. |
| Cons: | Aquatic Store Simulator, which is made by the same developer, is literally inside of Aquarist. I was fine with the assets being reused, but what is the purpose of Aquatic Store Simulator when you could just buy Aquarist and have it? Personally, I’m confused because there’s also an Aquatic Supermarket DLC for Aquarist that IS Aquatic Store Simulator, but ISN’T in my library. So, either it comes with it and charges for the DLC for some reason or by having Aquatic Store Simulator, it’s just unlocked. There’s literally no illuminating information about this scenario. As for the unique aspects of the game, it’s a lot of hurry up and wait along with an element of grinding that is unpleasant. |
| Platforms: | PC |
| Genres: | Simulator |
Aquarist is a simulator where you start up an aquarium business. In the beginning, the entire goal is that you get hired to build aquariums to certain specifications. Later, you’ll open up a Basement Shop where you can sell items, an exhibition hall to display fish, and an oceanarium in the later stages of the game.
Let’s just go ahead and jump into the nitty-gritty because, unfortunately, this gameplay is kind of overshadowed by something weird. Aquarist is made by FreeMind S.A. They make a lot of simulator games, including Aquatic Store Simulator. We’ve already reviewed the latter, so I wasn’t really surprised when Aquarist reused all of the same assets.
However, what I was surprised by was the fact that Aquatic Store Simulator is INSIDE of Aquarist. Aside from the basement shop, you can buy a storefront that is one-for-one the exact same setup and full game as Aquatic Store Simulator. And to make things weirder, it’s NOT the DLC, Aquatic Supermarket.
Aquarist has a few DLCs that open up a laboratory and Japanese gardens… and Aquatic Supermarket, which is ALSO just Aquatic Store Simulator. I don’t have the DLC, so I’m confused as to why it lets me engage in the storefront at all.
It’s entirely possible that since I have Aquatic Store Simulator on my Steam, it just fully let me have it inside of Aquarist. I won’t pretend to know how backend development works or what options you have when uploading games to Steam. However, it doesn’t really compute in my brain that Aquarist has DLCs that my computer does not have and yet I still have access to DLC material.
Why is Aquatic Supermarket a DLC? Why does Aquatic Store Simulator exist? Why are they the same thing, named differently, and have different prices? Truly, buying Aquatic Store Simulator is kind of a scam because it’s $8.99, but the same game, Aquatic Supermarket, is only $5.99 as a DLC. And this is giving grace that the supermarket isn’t just part of the base game and my computer somehow allowed the DLC without having the DLC in Aquarist.
I’m starting to think the reason they force watermarks onto screenshots is so they know which iteration of the same game they’re looking at.
Definitely take care in making sure that the simulator games you buy from FreeMind S.A. aren’t just shoved into one of their other games. If I hadn’t been given these games to review, I’d have been mighty unhappy because by the time you realize that Aquatic Store Simulator is in the game, it’s well past the 2-hour return window.
Now, I know I did this backward and I should’ve told you all about Aquarist before getting into the gossip, but y’all, what even? I’m seriously asking.
Okay, let’s get into Aquarist. Like I said before, the assets are reused, so I didn’t go into Aquarist being particularly wowed in any way. But, if this is your first fish-related game with them, you’ll likely appreciate the spread of items and fish that you can tinker with.
I really did like building up and decorating the aquariums, but you really only get to do that a few times before you’re thrown into the basement shop. In the basement, you just spin your wheels. You can build aquariums and sell them off, but then you have to just keep building them to your own specifications.
I liked building for customers, but making aquarium after aquarium got old fairly quickly and you don’t have the shop to distract you, despite what “basement shop” might imply.
The basement shop opens at a very specific time and it’s automated. The only thing you’re required to do is open the shop; once you do, all the sales are made in a matter of seconds through cutscenes and then the shop is closed again. You get no real say in it.
All you can do is build an aquarium, sell fish, and stock the shelves. Stocking shelves won’t even keep you busy because it’s just a simple click of the button. I’m guessing this is so pared down because they had Aquatic Supermarket as a DLC that goes into the individual tasks.
Watch the trailer for Aquarist
I found that the least grueling way to earn money was to build some tanks and keep two fish inside to breed so that I could sell off the spawn. This, easily, was the best bang for your buck.
Interspersed throughout the days, you’ll occasionally get little quests to do, like selling a specific number of certain fish. These definitely helped to break up the tedium, but it wasn’t the best band-aid.
Once I finally saved up enough, I opened up the Exhibition, thinking I’d be able to build that up… I don’t know what I was thinking because it’s basically just a money sink and I had just put all my money into it, thinking it’d help me make more money. It did not. The most enjoyment I got out of opening it was the few little puzzles dotted around that gave me exclusive decoration items.
Overall, I might’ve been far more delighted with Aquarist if I hadn’t already played Aquatic Store Simulator. Learning that one game was nested inside the other like an odd Matryoshka doll kind of killed whatever joy I had and only left a ton of confusion.
If you want to experience the potential of two games in one, you can get Aquarist for $15.99. Personally, I’d recommend trying out two different simulator games that I absolutely adored and reviewed: Laundry Store Simulator and Hydroponics Farm and Store Simulator.
