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Beautiful, but fishy

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 41 / 44
Date: October 04, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Let's get one thing straight: This is easily the most realistic dolphin simulator on the Dreamcast today.

The graphics are, in a word, outstanding. When I got my first look at the undersea world (at the game's option screen, no less), my mouth was agape. Sunlight rippled on the colorful ocean rocks, jellyfish bobbed slowly in the gentle tide and bubbles lazily floated to the surface. It truly was beautiful. It's clear that the good folks at Sega did their research when it came to creating this undersea domain.

The animal models themselves are also well-done. Ecco looks and swims just like a real dolphin. Add countless sharks, fish, jellyfish, turtles and other undersea life and you have an entire ocean at your fingertips.

Enough rambling about the graphics, there's a game to play.

To begin with, I don't really care for the story. Sometime in the future, humans and dolphins work together to explore space. Some interstellar deity known as the Foe doesn't take kindly to that, and invades the Earth. Mankind, with its limitless intellegence and resources is forced to stand by while the dolphins take matters into their own hands. Er, flippers.

Naturally, you control Ecco in the 3-D undersea world. All of his moves from his 16-bit days are here. You can swim, swim really fast and sing songs. There are a few powerups, most of which let you swim even faster.

The controls are actually difficult to master. Getting Ecco to swim is easy, getting him to swim the right way (AWAY from the sharks) is harder. You'll die quite a bit.

Plus, the missions (several in each level) are rather vague. Generally, you'll enter a new area; a nearby crystal will give you a very general hint, and you're left to fend for yourself. You'll rescue other undersea life, battle currents, jellyfish and millions and millions of sharks. Have fun!

Seriously, a little more guidance would have been welcome. This is a huge game, and the levels are very large. Just figuring out where to go is the game's biggest challenge. Plus, once you get there, mind-numbing puzzles will plague you every step of the way.

Don't buy this game just because of its graphics. It's a very deep and involving game, and there's hours of fun available for people who have the time. The rest of us, however will just want to watch Ecco swim and jump in the calm waters of the opening level.

The most beautiful game environment yet created

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 31 / 34
Date: July 26, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Playing the demo of Ecco the Doplhin: Defender of the Future at E3 in May is what convinced me to purchase a Dreamcast. It is the best game I have seen or played for the system, edging out Jet Grind Radio, a great game in its own right. The graphics are superb, play control is intuitive, and the environment is immersive yet beautiful. Playing this game, you feel like you are a dolphin swimming in crystal waters, avoiding sharks, and (though the demo was't complete so I don't know for sure) saving the world. Sega and developer Appaloosa both deserve praise for this game, one where the avatar is not a gun-toting bi-ped, but instead a sleek aquatic mammal. I love sports games, fighting games, RPGs, and action adventure titles, but for most new games in these genres, you get the feeling you've played it before. Not with Ecco. Bordering on revolutionary, Ecco delivers a gaming experience freshly different and totally enjoyable. Sega should also be proud of this game as it showcases how fluid and graphically stunning games on the Dreamcast can be. Ecco is a must buy for any Dreamcast owner. If you aren't one already, become one, and get this game when it comes out.

Beautiful graphics and sound, but very high difficulty

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: May 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The Ecco The Dolphin games for Sega's previous systems have always been a relaxed and relieving alternative to the droves of violent action/fighting games. Ecco The Dolphin: Defender Of The Future for Dreamcast carries over the theme and atmosphere of the past Ecco games, and injects the formula with smooth and realistic 3D evironments. This has to be one of the best looking console system games ever. Once you get over the hypnotizing graphics and sound however, you will find there are some problems with this game. The control is precise and responsive, but some levels are way too difficult, and offer little information to help the player complete the next objective. Unless you are a seasoned gamer, you will be overwhelmed to the point of boredom with the longs hours you must spend in order to finish Ecco. This is not one I would recommend for the kids...a lot of patience and skill are needed to play this game. If you are looking for a game with tons of depth that will pass the time however, you've certainly found it. Even if it makes you pull your hair out from frustration, Ecco: Defender Of The Future is a great title to have to showcase the graphical abilities of the Dreamcast, if nothing else.

Another Upper Class Game For Dreamcast

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 19
Date: July 26, 2000
Author: Amazon User

ECCO : DOTF. Received my copy a few weeks ago. Have been playing it alot, here is what I think of this game ;D Boot up, nice classic "SEGA" image appears (no music). Followed by the Appoloosia Interactive Loga (no music). You cannot skip past these scenes. Finnally you are presented with a luscious title screen, With Ecco presented in the middle, truley awesome title screen. But there is still no music! I looked down at my VMU and saw it has said "LOADING" on it, with these bubbles. Looked back at the screen and music began to play, "PRESS START BUTTON" flashes on the screen. You can see why it took a few seconds to load, it was because the following menus are AWESOME! Hit with 3D underwater scene with menu text in the middle, nice sounds... "poP pOP PoP" and "Gulp", real water sounds. They are very nice menus.... The game is very high quality. So much time has been put into it. At the start of a new game, after you have enetered in your VM Save game name (2 Blocks VM Data), you begin. BLAH BLAH BLAH. The levels are hard to start with, controls seem to be apart of that problem, I have only just really got the hang of it. When I first tried to move Ecco, I went all over the place! Remember, he can turn upside down, all around, knocks you off sometimes, like the small caves... There is always a task to complete in the levels. The levels are really good. The VM uses 6 blocks, for ECCO settings and an additional 2 blocks for each Save file.

Graphics are very high quality. Really pumping graphics in this game. The sound is also very good. Music is relaxing and changes often to suit the scene. There are two 2D levels in the game, they are like bonus levels, They look so cool! Although they are the classic 2D side on view, they have added a 3D 128bit touch to them, and they are so much fun ;D What really makes this a classic game, is the emotional story line. I am very impressed, although I havnt completed the game (which is massive) , I find the story is one of the best things you need in a game, Ecco has it. Its very touching. I hope you have found this review helpful. Dont turn down this game, its true quality.

Frustration beyond belief (but I love It)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: October 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is BEAUTIFUL!!! there is no doubt about it!!! Though it is a very stressful journey from beginning to end, you'll be sooo proud of yourself when (and if) you finally beat it. This game may be too dificult for younger gamers but you should try it.

One great game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 15, 2000
Author: Amazon User

The best looking game on the Dreamcast to date. The graphics in this game are so realistic I felt I was scuba diving at times. The detail that has been put into the environments and 3D models of this game is just mind boggling. The game play is fun, interesting and different then any other game you have played. The controls are bit confusing at first, and with the camera switching angles often it can get frustrating. But after you are used to this 3d environment what is left is a beautiful game with fun, lasting game play. Also a perfect choice for parents looking for a non-violent game that will apeal to everyone. A must have for any Dreamcast owner."

One of the most visually impressive games for the DC

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

When Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future was first released for the Dreamcast, it's mouth watering 3-D graphics and incredibly realistic environments were unlike anything else seen on the system to date, and even today with the Dreamcast sleeping with the fishes, Ecco is still one of the top best looking games for the ill-fated system. Just as it's 16-bit incarnations provided for the Genesis years before, this 128-bit update offers the aforemented incredible graphics and very challenging gameplay. As I said before, the graphics are incredibly lifelike and Ecco and all his on-screen fellows move very fluidly and it will be hard not to take your eyes off the screen. Unfortuneately, the same steep learning curve has been inherited here as well. It is very easy to get completely lost and stuck in the game and not know where to go or what to do next. All in all, this isn't a game for novice gamers, but for those who have played Ecco games of the past and look for challenging and lengthy gameplay will have plenty to look forward to here.

ecco

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 10
Date: April 26, 2001
Author: Amazon User

ecco the dolphin swimming around in the sea ecco the dolhin come play with me

Brilliant, but mildly flawed

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: August 21, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I've loved Ecco since the old Genesis days, and this game, mostly, brings back everything that made the originals so great... Stunning graphics (I mean, really stunning -- you've never seen anything like this before), and gameplay so unique that it defies classification. Any fan of the originals, or anybody looking for something different and fun should grab, or at least rent, this game.

There are problems... The level design is wanting. I"m about halfway through the game now, and almost every level has been a chore. Challenge is one thing, but some of these stages are just misguided tedium. Hints and clues are generally granted in the form of short "poetic" statements from crystal glyphs, and are often more confounding than helpful. Even a world this beautiful gets dulled by too much pointless nosing around in sea-plants and endless trial and error sessions with switches and buttons.

I don't mean to detract from the game... it really is fun to play. But for most people, it will be more fun with (I can't believe I'm saying this) a strategy guide on hand. It really may be the only way to allow yourself to experience the entire game.

Despite the problems... I've loved playing this game. It succeeds in creating one of the most fabulously realized worlds in all of gaming. Do yourself a favor, and at least give it a shot. The future depends on it :)

Ecco the dolphin, as life like as it can get!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 02, 2000
Author: Amazon User

My family just bought this game thinking my little sister would be playing it all the time....but it ended up being me. This game is unbelievable! Controling Ecco is so much fun. He moves and acts like a real dolphin. I especially enjoying jumping out of the water and flipping, and picking on turtles. The story line is a little strange, but playing the game is much better, such as in the first board you must rescue a whale stuck in the rocks. It is sooo cool, you can actually comunicate with the whale using sonar. You find your fellow dolphins and together you free the whale. I deeply encourage people to buy this game, it is extremly entertaining and addictive!

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