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Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future Preview
Noel Brady
00/12/0000
Ecco is back in this stunning underwater adventure.
Few games can be regarded as truely original so when Ecco the Dolphin was released in 1992, it was a breath of fresh air due to it's originality and innovative gameplay.The original developers, Appaloosa, has been working on the sequel for almost two years and early video footage suggests that Ecco the Dolphin will be one of the key Dreamcast releases of next year.
Despite his 2D heritage, Ecco has now abandoned his roots in favour of the 3rd dimension and the results are simply breathtaking. A research team spent several months working with videos, photographs, and hundreds of copies of the National Geographic magazine to come up with a realistic depiction of an oceanic environment. The hard work seems to have paid off and without a shadow of a doubt, Ecco the Dolphin is one of the most beautiful, jaw-dropping games currently in development for the Dreamcast. A revolutionary engine and tool set called Gameworld Builder has allowed the developers to manipulate the game\'s 3D environment in real time and as a result, tuning of every aspect of the game has become easy and fast. Along with the Gameworld Builder, a new 3D animation technique has brought tremendous fluidity and realism to the animation of Ecco and other underwater creatures, so be prepared for a game which will overwhelm you with it\'s unheralded graphical prowess.
Ecco contains several unique worlds rather than levels. You\'ll be able to move seemlessly from coral reefs to lakes and underwater caves while cut-scenes, using the in-game graphics, will further the plot. The size of the game looks to be almost as impressive as the near photo-realistic graphics and so you won\'t have to worry about it all being over in just one afternoon.
But what of the storyline and more importantly the gameplay? Science fiction writer, David Brin, has put the storyline together and it involves a future where dolphins and humans work together to share leadership over a vast, peaceful empire. However, evil tyrants send a ship back through time to disrupt the historical moment when humans and dolphins first united. Ecco is the only one who can prevent this disaster and throughout his adventure he must travel back and forth through time while trying to restore a future thats filled with hope.
While many creatures will serve as enemies to Ecco, other dolphins and various species of whales will offer great assistance in the completion of certain quests. One such companion will be needed to defeat a giant octopus but finding the correct companion will require a lot of additional work on the player\'s behalf. So a good balance between puzzles and exploration will form much of the engrossing gameplay.
As in the original, Ecco will be able to interact with the water surface. He will be able to do hundreds of tricks, jumps, and acrobatics and as such the developers believe that players will spend hours just playing with the dolphin without getting into the actual game. The game itself will contain mini-games where the skills of controlling Ecco will be rewarded and VMS mini-games are also on the cards but have yet to be finalised.
Sound will also play an important role in the game with many puzzles making good use of sound. The music, provided by Tim Follin, will be varied and will change depending on the circumstances. The music should also appeal to the different audiences Appoloosa are targetting.
The first audience, the non-gamers, consists of those who want to submerge in a huge, mysterious, realistic environment while exploring the world at a leisurely pace. The second targetted group is the gamers who will expect an engaging, interactive, fun adventure game with plenty of action and puzzle elements. So it seems that the developers are aiming to produce a game which will have universal appeal without sacrificing gameplay.
Although many games fail to live up to the hype surrounding them, Ecco the Dolphin is one game that has the potential to surpass the hype, thanks to stunning graphics and original, innovative gameplay. Add this game to your wish-list immediately because it promises to be one of the best games of next year.
