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Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future

Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future is to Ecco the Dolphin, as Mario 64 is to Super Mario Brothers. No this isn't some new SAT question, it is how I view the long awaited 3rd game in the Ecco trilogy. Put simply, if you were a fan of the original Ecco games for the Genesis/Sega CD, then you will absolutely love what Appaloosa has put together for the Dreamcast. Just as Nintendo flawlessly took Mario to the 3rd dimension, Sega and Appaloosa has done the same.

Along with Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, and Shinobi, the original Ecco was one of those games that helped define the Genesis. I still play the Sega CD games now and again (or listen to the music), and have been itching for a next generation version since before Sega released the Saturn. Speaking as an obvious Ecco fan, the long wait was worth it. I fear that some people may not really "get" what the game is all about, unfortunately, and that is the only real obstacle I feel the game has going against it.

Appaloosa, with the help of acclaimed modern sci-fi writer David Brin, have done a great job in creating a rich and moody atmosphere in which to set the story in. It's obviously not even close to realistic, but how many games actually have a story that is?

"Dolphins and mankind lived in peace for centuries, respecting and admiring each other from a far. When humans finally reached the intelligence level of the dolphins, a human-dolphin civilization was born and The Golden Age began. They lived in harmony and prosperity until a signal compelled them to leave Earth and move into the vast unknown. Their wise and powerful protector, the Guardian, stayed behind with a handful of dolphins and humans to keep watch over the planet. The Guardian was crucial for shielding the innocents from outside forces and for connecting them with those who had traveled on.

Just as the majority of dolphins and humans had gone on, dark and deadly forces known as the Foe descended upon Earth. They were threatened by the goodness and intelligence they saw in the dolphin-human population and strove to destroy it. They sent a ship back through time to interrupt the moment when humans and dolphins first united, and in doing so tore a fissure in space and time. Out of this temporal vortex came a small miracle, a dolphin with rare and special abilities. Ecco, a bottlenosed dolphin, was caught in the backwash of the ship and was unwittingly swept back with it. It is now up to him to restore the promising future that he had once known.

Visually, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future is nothing short of stunning. Ecco, the rest of the dolphins, whales, fish and other assorted friendly and hostile sea creatures, are all modeled and textured to near photorealistic levels. The environments are all incredibly live, organic and realistic looking, and the lighting is easily among the best I have seen in a game so far, on any system. Of course, all this eye candy doesn't come without any overhead. There are some bouts of slowdown, though honestly, after staring at the beautiful visuals for hours on end, the tradeoff is worth it. The play control is never really compromised, thankfully, so it is quite acceptable. Beyond the technicalities of the graphics, both the art direction and style are top notch as well.

Even though many were worried that Spencer Nilsen was not contracted to compose the soundtrack for Ecco DC, I am thrilled that they found a more than worthy new composer in Tim Follin. Videogames that entirely take place underwater, or stages/levels of a game that are set underwater, usually have some of the most memorable pieces of music. And Ecco is no exception, as the music is perfect. Moody, dramatic and very atmospheric is exactly what you need for a game such as this. The assorted sea creatures sound authentic, as do all the various ambient underwater sounds, and sound effects. Playing the game with a surround sound home theatre, really, once again, gives you the feeling of actually "being there". Well done.

If you were familiar with the control scheme in the original Genesis games, then it will not take long at all to catch on to the new 3D control scheme. Even with the many more degrees of freedom offered in a 3D environment, Appaloosa has done an excellent job in making it feel intuitive. Ecco still has a swim, a dash, and a song button which are used to perform nearly all of the needed maneuvers, and the analog stick is used to control direction. The addition of a "special move" button (Y) was a good choice, as now it is super simple to just make a 180 degree turn, or avoid oncoming enemies. The d-pad and triggers can be used to adjust/rotate the camera, though I found the default camera, believe it or not, doing an admirable job. Occasionally, when navigating in certain areas, Ecco will get himself lodged behind or in a jagged structure. Usually, all you need to do is use the backwards swimming maneuver, to correct the problem, thankfully.

Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future is not a game to be completed in one sitting. It definitely requires a commitment, as when you finally think you are getting deep into the game, you realize it has only just begun! The story plays out in very impressive real-time cut scenes, which also includes well read voice narration. Ecco's level structure is somewhat linear, though it is hidden very well. The environments range from a simple and typical bay and beach setup, to a futuristic, poisoned and murky holding area dotted with various broken-down machinery, to underwater caves full of glowing transparent crystals. And, as a tribute to fans of the original games, Appaloosa included levels such as "passage of genesis" which is a nearly exact duplicate of one of the early levels from Ecco 1 on the Genesis. Very, very cool. Moving from area to area usually requires completing a number of goals, though some are not immediately recognized as being that. Speaking (singing) to glyphs, other dolphins and friendly sea creatures, will usually result in hints and bits of backstory being uncovered, usually in riddle form. Examples of objectives to be completed include finding a whale's lost baby, collecting hidden crystals, fighting off a posse of sharks, and operating machinery with a futuristic harness. Frequently, it takes actual thinking and exploration to move on, which has apparently annoyed many gamers (have we become less hardcore in this next generation?). It's great to see a return to real, time consuming adventure games, the likes of which were first seen during the 8/16-bit generation of games.

Well, needless to say, I love the game. In my opinion, it is one of the best all around adventure games I have played since Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Metal Gear Solid. It's absorbing, beautiful, plays well, and will provide many, many hours of adventuring. Fans of the original Ecco games, will love Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, and after putting in a few hours, I don't see how anyone else could not totally get into it. Let's hope the rumors of a sequel are indeed true.

(eds note: Check out GA Staff member, Drew Ressler, in the credits of Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future)

-- Jim Cordeira


Review By
Jim Cordeira

Grade
A-
Excellent


Review Guidelines
System
Sega Dreamcast
Developer
Appaloosa
Publisher
Sega
Medium
GD-ROM
Players
1