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5.0 5.0 4.5 5.0

Publisher:
Sega
Developer:
Appaloosa Interactive
Street Price:
$ 49.99
Available:
August 16
Genre:
ADVENTURE
No. Players:
1
ESRB Rating:
EVERYONE

Graphics: 5.0
Awesome, jaw-dropping renderings of underwater environments and stunningly life-like underwater fauna raise Ecco above the rest. Visually, games seldom get any better than this.

Sound: 5.0
Hear the whales, sing with the dolphins, feel the water splashing around your body as you perform acrobatics, or just be thankful that the incidental music is pleasing enough to keep you from noticing it's there.

Control: 4.5
A steep learning curve awaits all those who dare take on this challenging game, but once you've mastered the controls, the only thing that may hamper your progress is the lack of precise camera control.

Fun Factor: 5.0
It is rare that a game this difficult can be this entertaining, but Ecco delivers the goods with a huge splash.


Review: Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future

Flap your fins and get your tail pumping because Ecco is here, and it is sure to bring out the Jacques Cousteau in all of us. In one of the most beautiful games to come out ever, you'll have a chance to explore underwater environments and interact with the denizens of the deep as you take on the persona of Sega's Ecco The Dolphin.

Enter the Dolphin
The 30th century is here, and humans have moved on to other planets, leaving dolphins as the guardians of Earth. An unknown foe, however, has destroyed the dolphin's Guardian Crystal, protector of the planet, and scattered its pieces throughout the seas. Playing as Ecco, it is your mission to find the pieces and thwart the foe's plans.

Each crystal you find will show you the right path (by providing you with vague clues), and Ecco's friends such as other dolphins, whales, turtles, and mantas will help you complete the tasks necessary to progress through the game. As Ecco, you will learn songs along the way that will help you communicate with your new associates and convince them to help you complete tasks, such as moving rocks that block entrances and distracting enemy sea creatures so you can quickly swim by.

There are thirty levels in the game, and you will sometimes have to backtrack once you acquire certain powers in order to access previously inaccessible entrances to other levels. Powers include Air (the ability to retain oxygen longer), Endurance (the ability to sustain more damage), Sonar (which allows you to blast through rock), and Vigor (which makes your attacks more powerful).

Most of the time, these puzzles just require an awful lot of tail work, such as luring a friendly creature from one area to another. The expansive levels are highly detailed, so recognizing landmarks is a must in order to orient yourself. Every level ends with either a puzzle or a boss such as a great white shark, or a giant octopus that you will either have to fight or find a way around.

Tail Power
Controlwise, Ecco leaves very little to be desired. While getting used to the commands may throw you for a loop, they become second nature in no time at all. The puzzles can be downright dumbfounding at first, but they seem quite simple once you figure them out. Most of the puzzles require precise movements that would have been a lot easier if the camera angles were easier to adjust.

When you get killed by enemies or just quit the level, you get to keep any items you have found and songs you have learned, so quests can be accomplished over a course of several tries. It may seem like a huge chore while you're doing it, but once you finish a task, the game gives you a real sense of accomplishment: you'll feel very proud of yourself once you're done.

Ecco undeniably breaks new ground with its visually stunning, varied, and extremely detailed environments, and the character design is almost as good. From vicious great white sharks to docile humpback whales, Ecco is an amazing visual experience. The environmental sounds are what you'd expect to hear underwater, and the far off singing of whales and other nice touches soothe the senses.

Phish Story
Ecco might be the prettiest game around, but it is also one of the toughest. While the learning curve is steep, the sense of accomplishment you'll feel after each level is worth every headache and finger cramp. Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future is a true action/adventure game in all aspects.



Pro Tips
In the Four Ways of Mystery level, take the yellow and blue fish to the recluse (through the purple crystal tunnel) to learn the Song of Rays. Then lure the manta (through the red crystal tunnel) to the main chamber and position it by the giant eel before dashing into the exit tunnel.

Pro Tips
In the Up and Down level, first learn the Power of Endurance by touching the crystal, then push the bolder into the cave under the information glyph to slow the current and follow it down. Make sure you pick up the Power of Air and Power of Endurance in the same chamber first.

Pro Tips
Once you get kicked back to the Trial Without Error level, locate the crocodile mouth formation and use the Power of Sonar power up nearby to blast the cave inside it. This is the true exit from this level.
Pro Tips
If you're stuck on an earlier level, chances are you have to learn a song or acquire a power to move on, ask around. Sometimes the dialogues change after you've completed a task.
Pro Tips
Some of the cave levels will instill immediate claustrophobia. Do not panic; look around for bubbles coming out of the ground and swim through it to replenish your air supply.
Truly amazing visuals await gamers who are courageous (and patient) enough to undertake this adventure.