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Sega |
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DC |
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Available Now |
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8/18/2000 |
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Ecco the
Dolphin: Defender of the
Future
Ecco
the Dolphin: Defender of the Future serves
as a solid reminder that Sega still has “It.”
“It,” being the ability to produce some of the
most unique, fun games in this bizarro business,
which seems to survive on countless numbers of
mediocre titles. From the moment the title screens
blinks on your television, to the time you finally
force yourself to slap your dorsal fin on the
“off” switch, you’re bombarded with brilliance and
visual splendor the likes we’ve haven’t seen in
ages.
Everything you’ve heard about Ecco’s
difficulty is true. It is hard…mind-numbing,
pull-your-hair-out-in-frustrated-rage hard. This
is one of those rare games that actually makes you
work for the pay-off; and because the game itself
is the phenomenal pay-off--the return of a great
character, an engaging story, refreshing play
mechanics, and orgasmic graphics--you’ll consider
every hour of brain-racking intrigue spent with Ecco
an hour very well spent.
In the far-flung
future, an evil alien race known as “The Foe” has
exploited the sole weakness of planet earth, now a
paradise shared by humans and dolphins, by
destroying the Guardian. Pieces of the broken-down
Guardian are strewn across not only the planet’s
oceans, but in different time splits. Ecco may be
bright, but he’ll need to constantly seek out the
advice of the Guardian shards to find out what he
must do next—and these clues range from clever to
downright cryptic. Instead of holding your little
hand and telling you it’s all gonna be okay, Ecco
forces you to dust off the ol’ thinking cap and
get things done the old-fashioned way: Hard
gaming.
Those who spent their youth with Ecco
on the Genesis will already have an idea of how to
get around in the big blue. When danger strikes
and Ecco must strike back, he can charge forward
to deliver a powerful ‘bonk’ with his bottlenose.
The charge attack can also get you through
corridors quickly, which is helpful when oxygen is
scarce. To talk with the other sea dwellers, Ecco
fires off his sonar, and the chitter-chatter
begins. Ecco also has special powers, like Vigor,
that he must learn if he wants to…well, defend the
future.
However, you’ll often find yourself
just soaking in the gorgeous environments, instead
of pursuing the mission at hand…and that’s okay,
too. Fortunately, there’s no time limit looming
over Ecco, so you can have worriless fun,
reacquainting yourself with the beloved dolphin
from Sega’s past. Ecco
puts a heavy emphasis on freedom--and the freedom
to leisurely explore the amazing world that
Appaloosa has created is so incredible that you
have to forgive the occasional brainbuster
puzzles, which are the result of these vast
environments. There’s something both wonderful and
soothing about darting through the coral reefs, or
getting Ecco to balance on his tail fin just above
the surface. Very zen.
Astounding game
play aside, what will seriously blow your hair
back are the magnificent visuals. From the look of
things in Ecco,
life is definitely better down where it’s wetter.
Some sights are so deliriously beautiful, like the
water tunnels that zoom across the sky or the
desolate temples of Atlantis, that you will
literally stop whatever you’re doing just to
stare. But it’s not just the set pieces that
amaze; the other sea creatures are so perfectly
realized--from the ghostly jellyfish to the
menacing sharks--that a trip to the local aquarium
might no longer be necessary. Ecco himself is so
damn elegant that you cannot help but to wonder
why everybody is crowing about the consoles of the
future, when the Dreamcast is so capable of
conjuring wondrous sights itself.
What
absolutely floors me about Ecco,
though, is the emotional investment players will
make in the game. When you’re enjoying an
afternoon in the bay with a playful Ecco, you
cannot help but to feel pleasantly relaxed. You
have so much fun with Ecco, that his quest takes
on a personal nature, and you find yourself
quietly (or not so quietly) urging Ecco to rescue
the baby whale, dodge the luminous minefield of
jellyfish, or beat the nefarious Foe. In fact, a
friend of mine was playing Ecco,
completely delighting herself by swimming with the
dolphins. Suddenly, a shark cruised in and whacked
Ecco with its nose. The girl screamed and threw
the controller in the air. When a game makes you
react that strongly, it has
succeeded.
According to the science books,
after humans, dolphins are supposed to be the
smartest mammals on the planet. However, dolphins
don’t set cars on fire after basketball
championships, so perhaps we deserve to take a
back seat to our aquatic friends. Do your part to
take back the top spot on the food chain by
purchasing Ecco--you’ll
be the smartest mammal of all.
-
Levi Buchanan
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