Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future

"An excellent game, worthy of the Ecco name."

Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future was released in August of 2000 on the Sega DreamCast. It was developed by Appaloosa Interacteve and distributed by Sega. Many fans of the first 2 games in the series (both released on the Sega Genesis) had been waiting patiently for a new Ecco to be released, the last one came out in 1994, they wanted to see if everything that made Ecco so beloved would be retained; I’m glad to say that after a 6 year absence Ecco is back and better than ever.

Graphics-10/10- If there’s one thing that Ecco the Dolphin has over any game currently out there it’s graphics, simply put this is the most beautiful game ever. Everything looks perfect, Ecco looks and acts like a real dolphin, the same goes for the fish, the water movement, the environment (i.e. cliffs, rocks etc.) and so on. The animation is another excellent graphical quality, everything animates just as it should, Ecco’s flips demonstrate this perfectly, they are silky smooth with nary a hint of a missed animation frame. The only graphical downside is the slowdown that occasionally rears it’s ugly head, thankfully, it’s kept to a minimum. The game's level design is among the best on the DreamCast, every level is vast and gives you tons of exploring room.

Pros- The best looking game out there. Great animation. Lifelike textures and environments.
Cons- Occasional slowdown.

Sound-9/10-The sound is great, it’s very laid back and tranquil and fits the game’s theme perfectly, it may not be for everybody though. The sound effects are also great, the dolphins' voices sound just like they should, as do the cries for help, overall the sound effects are great.

Pros- Tranquil music. Great sound and voice effects.
Cons- Music may be too laid back for some.

Gameplay-7/10- This game gives you a ton of stuff to do, the only downside to it is that it doesn’t always tell you what you need to do, you may very well spend hours on end just exploring a level trying to find your next objective. This game is also very difficult, mainly because of this. Thankfully, the game is a joy to play, no matter how frustrated you get, you always feel obligated to finish a level, it never feels like a chore.

Pros- The game is a joy to play.
Cons- Doesn’t always tell you what your next objective is.

Story-10/10- By the way, this is directly from the manual. At the dawn of the 30th century, after five hundred years of unity and fellowship, dolphin and man set out from the Earth to explore the great unknowns of space. But where man and dolphin founded a civilization of peace, other based theirs on strength, conquest, and domination. And even as man and dolphin went out from the Earth, a sinister Foe cast envious eyes upon it. For the Earth was a prize beyond measure, a pristine world to be cherished or exploited. But the Earth was not defenseless. The mighty Guardian - the greatest creation of dolphin kind -- shielded it with its power. Undeterred, the Foe persisted, probing for a moment of weakness they were certain must come. It was in this time that a dolphin named Ecco arrived to Isle of the Guardian, seeking to learn from the scholars of peace, but destined to be the only hope and champion of the Earth. In my opinion, this story sets the standard for all action games to come, it even rivals some RPG’s.

Pros- Very original. Sets a new standard for action games.
Cons- None.

Control-10/10- This game controls like a dream everything is a dream to pull off, and it’s never sluggish. Here’s a rundown of the ontrols; Up lets you dive, Down lets you climb, Left lets you turn left, Right lets you turn right, the L Trigger turns the camera left, the R Trigger turns the camera right, A makes you accelerate, B makes you charge, X lets you use your sonar, and Y is your Special Move button. This list just scrates the surface of what you can do.

Pros- Super-responsive control.
Cons- All the moves can get confusing.

Replay Value-2/10- This game takes a ton of time to finish, I doubt you’ll want to play through it again. It is however good for the occasional play.

Pros- None
Cons- It takes a lot of time to finish, I doubt you’ll want to finish it again.

Presentation-9/10- It fits the game’s aquatic setting and characters perfectly. The only downside to it is the poor menu layout.

Pros- Fits the setting and theme perectly.
Cons- Menus are poorly laid out.

Overall-9/10-This game combines the best graphics out there, great sound, and perfect control to make a game that you’ll want to play 5 years from now.

Pros- Excellent graphics. Innovative story. Wondrous level design.
Cons- Too difficult. Few level objectives are given to you.

Buy or Rent?-Rent- This game is huge and takes a ton of time to finish, I would usually say rent a game like this, but try it out first and see if the lack of level objectives bugs you, if it does, don’t buy the game, if it doesn’t rush out and buy the game. Also buy this game if you loved the first 2 Ecco games.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/13/00, Updated 10/13/00