Battle Fatigue

I have been struggling thru this game since 6-1-09 as some have noted. I am now 2 weeks in, and all I've managed after extreme tribulation is Energy Form (took 3 days), Mithala God (over a week!), Fish form (2 days AFTER viewing a how to) and because I couldn't find Mother Nature in Kelp Forest. I still cannot after a few days exploring and getting killed. I cannot find it even with directions ! Gave up and ended up in Veil and now trying to kill the Worm. I am really believing this impossible, though I've seen it done on youtube. With each Boss, I've despaired and simply gotten beyond frustrated.
The game is masochistic for sure ,but obsessive. There is such a thing as "challenge" but this game takes it to the Ridiculous & Beyond. I also wish there was at least more than ONE way to kill each Boss, and that they were not so grossly tedious. I am now in a crisis because I require Sun and Nature to continue on. Can't kill Sun worm, can't even find Nature Boss. I totally dread (IF I get past this point ) the rest. Of course, at this rate, the game will provide Months of playtime if I don't succumb to the frustration & give it up as a lost cause.
Thanks to all in the world who have provided help. Even with all that, for me it is nearly impossible to ever conceive of finishing with my hand/arm and mind in tact.
My other irritation is that I constantly somehow while firing away madly-- end up accid. onto the Recipe page. :mad: -I click Return To Game, but it really screws me up. It happens a zillion times and I am unsure if my chronic click to fire is causing it (like a dysfunctional mouse) or if it is a game glitch, or if I simply keep drifting to that corner and hitting it. If that is so, I wish the change window circle could be "hidden" and off the screen until wanted.
Those are my observatins/frustrations. If there is someone with a dynamite idea to get me thru Sun Worm & locate the danged Nature boss, I'd click my heels with joy. If there is a fix for the page switching mid battle, let me know.
Thanks ! (I must like this, since I've hardly left home since I got it and my cat has disowned me.):laugh:

One small question: how old are you?

Some games just aren't for some people. Although Aquaria does have the small component of button-mashing that comes at the boss levels, so do many other platform-scrolling-esque games, and there's more to beating bosses than that. I would say that the best way to beat the bosses in Aquaria is to avoid taking damage and retaliate when possible.

You shouldn't stress too much if you can't beat a video game - it's supposed to be for your enjoyment, not your pain.

I think the biggest thing to realize is that Aquaria is a strategy game, rather than an "action" game. The point isn't just to destroy everything in your path, but to observe and take note of how you can best achieve your goal.

My only suggestion is to know to and how often you should eat food during fights. You really don't need to save up mass quantities of any of the basic foods, and most of them are from ingredients you can get an unlimited supply of (leaves, meat, oil, etc.). So...take the time to go through boss fights slowly and recharge your health as much as necessary.

Did you know that you can use the number keys (0-9) to switch forms quickly? Some of the later bosses get challenging without that knowledge. For example, for the sun worm, it is very useful to quickly switch to beast form when it starts sucking you in - that way you can easily swim away.

As for finding things, do you use your map? After all, you have a complete map of every area the instant you discover it, and the places you've been are highlighted. Finding things is literally as easy as just swimming to the dim areas of your map. No need to stress about it at all.

Thanks all. I know about the numbers and have studied this game a lot. You tube and all forums, in fact. I think it boils down to stamina and dexterity, plus quick reflexes for the boss battles. In that regard, perhaps this game may prove beyond my abilities, since I am no young forest sprite and the fingers are a bit stiff. Despite that ,it is the challenge that draws me back to try again and again. The frustration is mainly in the battle phase, and I am thinking I'm just not quick enough on the draw to kill the sun boss.
On the brighter side, I never thought I'd get the Energy boss or the Mithala boss either and managed after many failed attempts. I suppose eventually the stars will align and the worm will die.