If
dolphins are so intelligent then why do they...
By Stiva, posted on Wed, 14 Jun 2000 14:13:28
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Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco
for Dreamcast will leave you squawking and whistling for
more.
I have a confession to make. Most people in the office
know. Some close friends know. But now I feel I can share it
with you all. I have always wanted to be a dolphin since a
childhood outing to Windsor Safari Park. I know I should have
left my desires behind in the playground, those whimsical
dreams of bobbing about on the crest of a wave and all that,
but there you go. I have a job and a roof over my head and
what I fantasized about has always been just that - a harmless
fantasy - until now. Now I can fulfill my true destiny in one
of the best graphical games ever (in my humble opinion). The
game has a few glitches, but the playability and sheer beauty
is enough to leave every other DC title looking like Horace
Goes Skiing.
Watch out for the
nets
So let's cut to the chase. It's gorgeous. That's the first
thing that hits you. Not only are the graphics stunning, but
the way Ecco skims through the water and the sexy moves you
can make mean that it's also an entertaining game despite a
fairly linear story. I challenge all of you to a game of
catch-the-fish or to take on 3 sharks at once, and I'd like to
see you squawking whilst dancing on your tail out of the
water. The sea and surrounding coast are well executed and the
various sea creatures that you can interact with are ace.
So what's the story? you holler. Well, it doesn't really
matter because you can just have a lot of fun swimming around
performing tricks... But here goes, anyway. I got a bit bored
waiting for the prologue to roll through, but basically some
meteor has hit the earth and destroyed a crystal; the world is
threatened and only one dolphin - Ecco - can save the globe
from destruction. Sound weird and far-fetched? Who cares? Get
on with hunting the sharks!
Mmm, dolphin friendly
tuna
On the first level you have to learn a few basic tricks -
jumping, chasing fish and the like, your normal dolphin fare -
then release a baby whale from a rockslide post-meteor impact.
All very good fun, but the real action kicks in when you get
through the waterfall and into the coral reef for level two.
Here you get an idea of the skill it'll take to complete the
game as you take on multiple sharks and start to learn your
songs. Yes, Ecco is a right little crooner with a galaxy of
hits, like Song of the Fish (they'll follow you anywhere),
Song of the Shark (stun those deep-sea nasties), and Song of
the Turtle (the most pointless song in his repertoire, I can
tell you. The thought of being followed by a dumb looking
turtle left me a bit cold, I have to say). As you go through
the coral you get to meet interesting chaps in the form of
Great Whites and weird nipping dog things in caves - Jacques
Cousteau never had it so good. Not a drift net in sight, and
John West is a distant nightmare.
Dolphins have be known to help
drowning humans
So what are the downsides? Well, there are a couple. There
were several times where I got stuck on rocks or on sandbanks
and got increasingly depressed watching my air supply bubble
away. My favourite gaffe was when I was trying to trap the
Great White in a tunnel only to see him lodge himself in a
wall. Seeing his tail poking out of solid rock was quite
hilarious, but then I realised that I had to stop him to move
on in the game. So I started butting his tail - only for him
to reappear behind me and eat me in one snap. Now, my
knowledge of shark attacks might be limited, but this has to
be the first recorded use of one of 'em them hiding within a
solid object to get a meal - at least, it never featured in
any of Spielberg's movies.
Verdict: All in all, though, a top title and one
that's completely addictive. The audio is wonderful and
matches the graphics, though the storyline is fairly
pointless, and there's a certain childlike quality to it that
could annoy but was fine with me. Overall, the sheer look and
playability means that minor glitches are forgotten. A belting
game, fairly unique I reckon, and a beautiful addition to
anyone's game library.
Score:
92%
Publisher: Sega
Number of players:
1
Age range: 3+
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