Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future

THE BAD:
...to the point of frustration.
Obscure puzzles.

SUMMARY:
Eee. Eeeee. Ee. Eee. Eeeeee. The language of dolphins - hardly the most exciting, is it? Considering they're meant to be one of the most intelligent species on Earth, you would've thought a more diverse selection of words would be in use by now. And what exactly do they say to each other? Surely nothing too interesting given the type of life they lead - swim around a bit, eat some tuna, avoid the occasional shark. Where's the drama? Where's the action? It's unlikely you'll see two dolphins in a drunken punch-up after one found out that the other was sleeping with his wife. But, we shouldn't mock the poor creatures too much. We do owe our very existance to them, after all. That's right - while we go about our daily lives, we remain blissfully unaware of a powerful struggle between an ancient evil and one young dolphin. His name is Ecco, and this is his story...
Enter a time where humans and dolphins peacefully co-exist. Each helps the other, and both look forward to a long future under the protection of The Guardian - the source of Earth's defense. Unfortunately, a being known only as The Foe is unhappy with such a pact and attacks Earth, shattering the Guardian and leaving the planet wide open for invasion. Only Ecco has the skill to try and retrieve the scattered pieces of The Guardian and even then, the results have a far more fetching consequence than he could ever imagine.

It's War (ter)!

This is the setup, nicely narrated by Tom 'Dr. Who' Baker, that leads you into the game. Whereupon your eyes bulge at the crystal beauty of it. Truly, the graphics in this game are some of the best I have ever had the fortune to witness. Everything, from the sea life to the surrounding rocks are so sharp and detailed, it's just a joy to look at. The environments are vast, too, with plenty to view in each one. The special effects in the game, such as transparency, reflection and light sourcing are incredible, really pushing the processing power of the little white box. And that's just the first level. Later ones, such as Atlantis Lost and Hanging Waters, will have you wiping the drool from your control pad. The animation is nigh-on perfect - Ecco moves like a real dolphin, and mercifully there are no jagged bits that stick out of him, minus his fins.

The game is special in that it's probably nothing like you've played before, barring the original Ecco the Dolphin games on the Mega Drive (Genesis). Think of a flying simulator, now place it underwater. That's the closest you'll get to another experience like this one. Controlling Ecco is easy and enjoyable. He moves fluidly through the water with the help of you pumping the A button, with no slowdown, gliding smoothly in which ever direction you desire. He also has a range of tricks up his, er, flipper. He can roll to avoid enemies, and spin 180 degrees to turn in tunnels or as an evasive manoeuvre. Somersaulting out of the water looks awesome, but can also be used to collect items above the surface, or reach otherwise inaccessible places. Being underwater, though, means it's possible to get turned upside down. While Ecco self-rights after a few seconds, the process can leave you slightly disorientated.

There is a fair amount of action in the levels as well in the form of various marine life. Sharks, octopi, jelly fish and even other dolphins later on - these all pose a threat to Ecco's quest. Most of them can be taken out with Ecco's special 'dash' move - his main attacking weapon in which he rams the opponent. The dolphin's sonar also plays a big part in the game. As well as being used to communicate with other members of his species, it's also used as Ecco learns songs - special abilities that let him round up fish, control turtles or stun opponents. The latter is essential, as most enemies need to be shocked to be harmed safely. A powerful blast renders the enemy immovable for a few seconds, allowing Ecco the opportunity to hit them. This is not the only way to cause damage, though. Throughout the game, Ecco will be taught new skills that can be utilised when he finds a glyph. These glyphs, when accessed, will allow him to use his powers for a limited time. The abilities that Ecco learns vary, from using his sonar to damage creatures as well as destroy scenary, to rendering him temporarily invisible, and these skills are usually much needed when he faces one of the end-of-level bosses. The guardians are cleverly setup, and rarely is it a case of simply charging into them - a much more devious approach is usually necessary. For example, about three-quarters of the way into the game, you'll face a gigantic crocodile who is keeping watch over the passageway to your freedom. How to get past him? Charging him results in your instant death - conveniently for him, Ecco happens to be the size of his mouth... - and sonar blasting him has no effect. However, below him is a sonar glyph, while above him are many underwater stalactites... You see? Aim and timing are needed so you can dettach the stone spears from the ceiling and send them crashing down on the green-meat below.

Most sections are not so hectic though, since Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future is most definitely for those of you wanting a head-scratcher. Each level is replete with puzzles, usually requiring you to find an object (which Ecco somehow carries... rubber lips, perhaps?). Unfortunately, these are often obscurely placed, leaving you wandering around the levels with nothing to do. While this is tolerable for a while, it becomes unbelievably frustrating when you're hanging arond the same spot for days on end, even with the beautiful scenary. The difficulty can veer insanely towards the impossible as well, especially timing jumps in certain levels. On the upside, there are only a few of these places throughout the game, and most of it is an enjoyable ride.

Perpetual Fluidity

To say the game is long is an understatment. Ecco has to swim his way through over 30 huge, rockhard levels - you certainly won't be completing the game within a few days, to be sure. There are even a couple of bonus stages that pay homage to the original Ecco games - a nice touch. The levels are nicely varied as well. You start off in sunlit corals, then progress to dank caverns, underwater architecture and machine-fed landscapes. The atmosphere on later levels is set off very well, almost alien in it's feel towards the end.

Replay value is a concern. The game is awesome to play through once, but when it's done... there's little to entice you back because it lacks that addictive gameplay quality found in titles such as Crazy Taxi or even Headhunter. Trying to catch fish or collect objects requires so much precision, it often becomes a chore as you keep missing it by just a dolphin's whisker. If, indeed, dolphins had whiskers. But it's that kind of frustrating moment that puts you off coming back to the game. Collecting the vitalits - hidden crystals that boost Ecco's maximum health - provide one incentive, but apart from that...?
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, depite it's faults, is still a great game and I'd find it hard not to recommend it to those of you wanting a decent adventure game. Beautiful visuals, relaxing sound and a great plot help to keep you hooked on it. Be warned though - this is not a game for thrill seekers, impatient people or affiliates of The Foe.