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Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Universe
   Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Universe

Looks great, hard as HELL.
by Michael Mullis  - August 30, 2000    

Genre: Adventure   |   Developer: Appaloosa   |   Publisher: Sega
Territory: USA   |   Net Enabled: No   |   Total Score: 7/10
Why, oh WHY did this have to happen to my favorite game??? I guess it's just me. Maybe I have lost my touch on video games. Maybe I have spent so much time looking at game after game I can no longer solve puzzles. Sigh, or maybe the game is just too hard.

Don't misunderstand me, Appaloosa's intentions are great, and Ecco the Dolphin in it's very design is a thing of beauty. Keeping in the tradition of the Ecco series, a deep and involved story takes place in the deeps of the ocean, co-written by science-fiction author David Brin. An evil force has struck Earth, and the harmony created by kindred spirits. Dolphins and humans are in mortal danger. The force ripped a hole in the space/time continuum, and one dolphin, Ecco (of course), fell through into the past. Ecco's mission, to restore the former dolphin/human paradise, save the planet from self-destruction, and win back his future. To do this, you must help Ecco recover the stolen dolphin-power that has been scattered throughout time and space. The bottlenosed dolphin travels through mysterious and breathtaking underwater worlds filled with puzzles, friends, foes, and danger.

Appaloosa spared no expense in bringing Ecco into the world of 3D. It's unbelievable what you can do on the Dreamcast when you really sit down and put the effort through. The world of Ecco the Dolphin is done with the help of a rendered ocean environment adapted from countless videos, photographs, and other resources. And not only is the environment huge, but extremely colorful and very VERY well detailed. Fish and dolphins, sharks, jellyfish, coral reefs, and more are so beautiful to look at. You'll literally spend the first half-hour just looking around. When you come above water you see georgeous waterfalls and reefs. And Ecco himself has come a long way from the Genesis days. If you look closely, you can't tell you're looking at a polygon dolphin. And everything moves smoothly and beautifully. But what is equally as beautiful is the game's soundtrack and underwater ambience. One of my favorite soundtracks in the old days was the Sega CD Ecco music. Unfortunately, the meistro of that soundtrack, the great Spencer Neilson (remember him my Segaphiles?) has been in hiding, and I guess hasn't been with Sega in a long time. But the man who wrote this music didn't dissapoint. It keeps with the Ecco theme, and complements the game wonderfully. And remember the neat underwater sounds in the original? They're back, and it's great. The ambient echo (no relation) of Ecco's sonar songs, and the sounds of the deep come through with great success. Mmmmmmmmmm.

But alas, Ecco the Dolphin's move to 3D is not without it's problems. It will take you a bit to learn how to control your favorite swimmer. While it's wonderful having analog control, it's tough sometimes to get from point A to B. Especially if you are trying to jump over rocks and such. The button scheme gets a little confusing as well. The triggers move the camera around Ecco to show his good sides, and a behind the head view. The A button swims, B darts forward, and different combinations of Y and the analog stick will to turn-arounds and things. I've had a tough time keeping it all straight, as there's a LOT to learn.

And while the game itself is straightforward in gameplay, the difficulty of the puzzles are almost outrageous. I know several people who have bought the game who are stuck in almost the same spot. I am stuck merely on the 2nd level, and I keep getting eaten by fish. I have went everywhere and talked to everything in the ocean, and I still can't move past this puzzle. Even the very first puzzle challenges you very hard. To some, it may be nothing but a challenge. But to the mainstream gamer, and to those of us who love the Ecco series, it's too early in the game to be throwing your controller across the room. It could have been a little easier in the beginning.

You can't deny the power of Ecco the Dolphin. But I wonder why the difficulty was bent way upwards. I am determined not to give up on it quite yet, but my frustration level is not hanging in like I thought it would. Ultimately, though, despite it's problems, it's still Ecco the Dolphin, and you should try to brave through it. Just be prepared to log some hours.....

-Michael Mullis

Gameplay:
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   13 images
 

Movies / Files
Watch Ecco being eaten by fish? - 4 megs
Preeeeeeeeetttyyyyy - 7 megs
A quick race - 11 megs

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