I have to admit that I never was a big Ecco the Dolphin fan. When the first game of the series came out, I was not at all interested in the game. Needless to say, I was not thrilled when Sega’s newest Ecco offering ended up on my desk. However, after playing the game for a few minutes, I found myself wanting to continue. After a couple of days I was addicted. The folks over at Appaloosa Interactive have done a wonderful job of adapting an older game series to the newest standards.
Just as in the games before it, you are Ecco the Dolphin, and you spend your time completing various adventures. A mysterious foe is planning an attack from the stars and you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, or fins, as you solve puzzles, fight enemies, and rescue friends.
What pulled me into this particular title was the amazing graphics. Every visual aspect of the game is breathtaking. From the scenery above the water to the coral reefs — this game makes you feel like you’re really exploring the depths of the ocean. As cheesy as that sounds, it is actually true with Ecco the Dolphin; the developers used digital photographs to aid in the construction of many of the objects in the game. This makes for particularly crisp, detailed graphics.
The developers also concerned themselves with making the little things believable as well. The AI in this game is amazing. Not that I’ve actually hung out with sea creatures, but if I had I’m sure that I would say that they act just as they do in Ecco the Dolphin. The interactions between all of the sea creatures are very natural. Not only do the other animals react to Ecco, but they react to each other as well. The sharks all stay a safe distance from one another, and the fish try to stick together in schools. If I didn’t know any better I would think that I was in the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California!
One of my only complaints about the game has to do with Ecco’s sonar. He uses his sonar to talk to other creatures during his adventures, but it is quite difficult to aim. I understand that it was intended to be a challenge to call somebody to talk to you, but after a while it just gets frustrating. Since the AI in the game is so great, there is really no way to tell in which direction the dolphin that you are trying to talk to will turn. There is really no way to get better at using the sonar, so it just ends up being a frustration all through the game. The game could have probably done without this ’needlepoint’ sonar.
The storyline flows very well from beginning to end. This title does a good job of starting you off with very little knowledge of what is to come, and then it slowly gives you bits of information. The game play mixes adventure and action masterfully. At some points in the game you may find yourself trying to solve a puzzle while fending off a pack of sharks! You will have to stop and think about some things, but you will always have to stay on your toes (or flippers, as the case may be).
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Free World has changed my opinion of this game series by 180 degrees. This game is just about as close to flawless as possible. Appaloosa Interactive has done a brilliant job coupling a wonderful storyline with state–of–the–art graphics. If you are the owner of a Dreamcast you should definitely have this title in your collection. There is no better demonstration of the power that this machine is capable of than Ecco the Dolphin.
"Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future winner of the Grand Game Award. Hip, Hip, Hoorah! Swimming may, indeed, be an award–winning exercise!"
