Aquanox 2: Revelation

Rating:
Summary: Great game
Review: Aquanox 2 reminded me of the Mechwarrior games. You're essentially in a legless 'mech, submerged underwater.
The premise of Aquanox 2 is the same as Aquanox: because of the destruction of earth's atmosphere, people cannot live on the surface anymore. Thus, mankind lives life on the bottom of Terra's oceans. Experience new kinds of cultures, technologies and lifestyles.
The storyline is rich, mysterious and with twists here and there, driven forward elegantly by your missions and especially by the dialogues with the characters in the game. As you progress through the game, your mission, your destiny becomes clearer. Everything is revealed precisely at the right time.
I especially liked the dialogues, characters and the interface. You can really see how everyone's perceptions and personality changes as the game progresses. Based on experience and interaction the characters mature, grow on each other, become comrades.
As the game begins, you're a young and naive newbie, drifting the oceans by yourself in a huge submarine inherited from your rich parents that passed away not long ago. The sub has been hijacked and you unwillingly become the crewmember of what at first seems a cold and unfriendly bunch of pirates. Later on however, you come to cherish their presence.
The game dynamics and graphics are great. You can really feel you're under the ocean and the experience doesn't seem artificial.
Pick this title up, it's well worth playing. The storyline, action and overal feeling kept me playing with great interest until I finished it. The ending is pretty conclusive and rewarding. Few games do that.
Please note that Aquanox 2 is single-player only.