Endless Ocean

"I want to Scuba Dive now, too!"

Endless Ocean is a game that had me intrigued as soon as I heard about it months before it's US release and after playing it, I am inspired to go scuba diving, myself! It's a game where there isn't really an enemy or an ultimate goal, you just play to, well, play.

Story 7/10
The story is quite simple and is more of a base that is only there to give the game meaning. You are a scuba diver looking to discover everything that the Manaurai are has to offer. There isn't much more to the story than that, but you shouldn't be playing this game for the story, anyways.

Game Play – 10/10
Above anything else, you should consider buying or renting Endless Ocean for its unique and stunning game play. You are a scuba diver who sails the ocean looking for a place to dive. Once you have found a place to dive, it's time to see just what mysteries lay beneath the surface. You can expect to find over 200 species of ocean life. By simply petting, feeding, and rubbing these creatures you will learn more about them and by doing so, you will fill them out in your logbook for future reference. Another thing to look for in the depths of this brilliant ocean is artifacts. The collector within anyone will have a lot of fun looking for all the various artifacts. When you are not looking for things in the underwater you will be checking your mail and accepting or denying escort missions, playing with your dolphin, customizing your characters look and more.

Graphics – 10/10
The creators of this game definitely made the graphics close to the maximum potential of the Wii. From little things on the ground to the beautiful water you swim in to the detail put into every different creature- you will be stunned! The only thing that may bother anyone is the lack of detail put into the ship and the characters movement on the ship. Your character moves like a robot, but so little of your time is spent on the ship that it is hardly relevant when compared to the rest of the game.

Sound – 10/10
While your dive spot is loading, you will have a chance to choose a track to swim around to. At first you have only two tracks, but you will unlock over ten more as you progress through the game. These tracks are soothing and catchy and match the calming effect that the rest of the game seems to have. If you happen to have an SD card, you can take advantage of uploading your own mp3s from that so you can dive to anything that you want!

Replay Value – 6/10
If Endless Ocean suffers anywhere, it's here. I am not sure if anyone would want to do everything over again because once you have done it, doing it again may seem like a chore. The ‘Endless' in the title is a bit misleading as this game will not last you forever, but it will last you quite a long time if you are willing to tackle it without the use of a guide, which is what I recommend.

Anybody who loves collecting and playing games to 100% completion should definitely check this game out. It's inspirational to anyone who is a friend of the ocean and wildlife. Endless Ocean is worth buying as it isn't too costly and renting won't give you quite enough time to do everything.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/06/08

Game Release: Endless Ocean (US, 01/21/08)