Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future

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The atmosphere is astonishing.

verdict 
 Graphics  5.0
 Sound  3.5
 Gameplay  4.0
 Replay  3.5
 Overall 4.25
data sheet 
genre
Adventure
publisher
Sega
developer
Appaloosa Interactive
players
1

a review

Gorgeous - that's the first word that comes to mind when you start up Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future. Well, that, as well as beautiful, stunning, dazzling and breathtaking. The graphics in this game are simply amazing, and not just because of the high resolution that the dreamcast is powered to provide - the animations are the real treat here.

One example of Ecco's animation that I noticed in the early stages of gameplay is how easy you can differentiate a shark with another dolphin, even from a distance, simply by watching their movements. The dolphins in the game kick their flipper to a greater degree than the sharks, and also move a good deal faster. This is not to say that the sharks are slow - I can't count how many times I thought I lost them, only to turn around quickly and have the barstard give me the fright of my life by attacking at that very instant.

Back to the point about animation - while the sharks are out of attacking mode, they will swim as if stalking, portraying the brilliant real-life predators that they are. Turtles swim slowly but steadily, jellyfish are semi-transparent and puff themselves in and out and schools of fish dart away quickly when you approach. All-in-all, this game is a joy to behold graphically. One factor that allows this game to be such a graphical masterpiece is the short view distances that accompanies the underwater feeling. Because you can't see a great deal into the distance, this allows the immediate graphics to be that much more detailed.

So the visuals are fantastic, but how's the gameplay? First up, let me say that this game is hard. And I mean hard. You'll literally be swimming around in circles for hours trying to decipher the clues given to you by "The Guardian", who is represented by a white crystal. Sound confusing? It is. I hate to admit it, but I have had to refer to a game guide on the internet several times, just so I don't become so frustrated that I hurl the CD out the window and resort to a more conventional diversion such as Soul Calibur.

If you can put the crazy difficulty level aside, you'll have a lot of fun here. After all, what could be more fun than being a dolphin? The carefree nature of the creature is something we all admire, and by controlling Ecco we can get a taste of what it would be like to swim quickly underwater for long periods of time, to build up speed then jump high out of the water to complete a double somersault, to walk along the water's surface on our tails, and best of all, to fight a shark and actually win - without losing a vital limb.

And you can do all this, and more, in Ecco. The controls are fairly basic, with maneuvers including the fundamental acceleration and swim, sonar and charge buttons, and the more advanced 180 degree turn, barrel roll, swim backwards and walk-on-water combinations.

The only real problem with the controls is the disorientation - when you're flipping around in circles underwater, it's very easy to forget which way you're facing. The game tries to correct this by automatically rotating Ecco so his fin is facing the surface, but at times this can add to the confusion. I also found myself stuck against a wall at times, with the only option being to wait until my air ran out and continue.

Essentially, Ecco is a problem-solving game that requires the patience to do so. The early missions are fairly basic, and involve tasks such as returning three young dolphins to their mother. As the game progresses these tasks become more difficult to solve, and a lot of this is left to your own logical thinking. Clues become less obvious, and it's not always clear as to what you're supposed to be doing. This can be extremely frustrating at times, but also makes for a great deal of satisfaction when you finally figure it out.

Several power-ups can be collected throughout the game to add to your basic abilities, most noticeably the power of sonar, which can be used to attack enemies or break walls with your sonar and the power of air, which gives you a much greater lung capicity. All of these powers give more substance to the game, and, although they're all discovered relatively early in the game, make you want to keep playing.

Sounds in Ecco are a tough call - who's to know what the sound of a dolphin ramming a shark sounds like in the depths of the ocean? Nevertheless, the sound effects do sound as realistic as one can assume, and the music does a good job at heightening the tension when you're in a tricky situation avoiding a giant octopus and the like. But there was nothing that blew me away in this department.

As I mentioned earlier, this game is hard. What makes it even more so is the huge length of the game. At 27 levels, some of which are very long, this game will take you a long time to beat - even if you're using a walkthrough.

The length and difficulty is not necessarily a bad thing though. After all, what do we all do with an adventure game once completed? Put it back in it's case and play something else right? Well, since you'll be spending a lot of time swimming around and solving clues and puzzles, the game should last you a while.

Another thumbs-up for Ecco is the wide appeal that the game presents. This is one of those rare games that will be enjoyed by males and females equally, and people of all ages will have a good time. The younger children will probably be more into swimming around in the early levels and somersaulting out of the water, while the shark-fighting and problem solving will most likely be left to the more logically-minded of us.

All together, this a very solid title. The graphics are amazing, no one could complain about controlling one of the most graceful creatures in the world, the sound is good and there's something here for everyone, from young to old. If you're looking the fun of Sonic Adventure mixed with the real-life tension of Resident Evil, this is it.

multimedia
screenshots
  • Searching the depths of the ocean
  • Catching fish
  • Ecco and friends
  • Aside a waterfall
  • movies
  • none.