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the SSA game ratings thread
Topic Started: Nov 16 2010, 02:46 PM (1,208 Views)
Moleland
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Slayer of the lame Glitter Elves
I'll share my passion for old Sega Megadrive/Gensis games by reviewing some of the games available on the Sega Mega Collection on the PS3 and Xbox 360. First up, a game SOG'll love, Ecco the Dolphin

Storyline

You are a dolphin called Ecco in a world potentially absent of humans (no real reference is made to them existing in the current world) . You live a carefree life in your happy bay with your pod. Ecco was born with odd markings on his head that look like the 'stars in the sky' (or the constellation Dolphinus - I think that's what it is called anyway...)

One day, you are challenged to a contest to see how high you can jump out of the water into the sky. When you jump is at its peak, a huge water spout sucks the bay clean of life, before you return to it. Your pod is gone, and you have to go to ends of the Earth (and beyond!) to rescue them.

The story is quite engrossing. It takes an... interesting... Si-fi twist as it progresses. It certainly links the puzzles together nicely. No real compliants, and considering the age of the game, quite good really.

Score = 9/10

Characters

There aren't many 'characters' in the game except yourself, the main villian, and two others who will remain anonymous. However, I will say the use of 'text' to talk certianly adds to the story and stuff. The main feature of the game are 'glyphs' - giant Crystals which respond only to Ecco (for reasons which become clear as the game progress). Some offer advice, or invulnerability, or block your path until you learn a song from another glyph.

Most enemies are only dangerous if you swim into them, exceptions being Sharks (or 'Hungry Ones') some crabs and sometimes puffa fish. It is a nice touch the groups of fish scatter when you charge them. The evil guy minions are a tad slow, but can sneak up on you unexpectantly.

Score = 8/10

Gameplay

Ecco is a puzzle game. You must work out how to pass the obstacles in the level without losing all your health and without running out of air. Everytime you take a deep breath, you have about 3 minutes before you have to breath again. Like real dolphins, you can use your call to use Echo-location to locate the way ahead, pockets of air, hazards, enemies and friendlies nearby.

You can also talk to other 'intelligent beings' such as Dolphins, Killer whales and the Blue whale. The game does have some difficult points, but if you die you can restart the level unlimited times. Each level is also passworded, so you can take a break and come back to it (You always return to a screen with the password displayed when you die)

You can, of course, use the PS3/xbox 360 in game save function to save the game at any point - but traditionally, each level only has 1 'hard' obstacle to overcome before you completed it.

The levels naturally, get harder as you progress. Early on in the game, there are two optionial 'missions' you can take to rescue another dolphin's trapped pod. If you do it, you'll be granted a technique that will be helpful - but not necessiary.

Oddly, one of my favourite levels is one which had no puzzle at all - it is called 'Open Ocean' and you just have to swim from one side of the level to the other... I won't spoil it by revealling why this level is tricky...

The game play is some what trial and error - which is probably why you have unlimited lives. If you pay attention to the level 'summary' and glyphs, what you have to do should become clear.

There are two boss fights in the game - both require a certain amount of luck and timing to complete, but are not especially difficult. The hardest level is the second-to-last one, called 'Welcome to the machine'. Trust me - use the game's save function often! Not only is this level long, it is very hard! It has the old 'Screen moves around' gambit. You have to avoid being crushed against the edges and obstacles whilst avoiding obstacles. This is hard enough, as it changes direction and speed suddenly, but also enemies will attack you whilst you are trying to navigate through it. The worst part is however, there is no password given to the final boss fight until you complete the game, so if you die fighting it, you have to repeat the mega hard 'Welcome to the machine' again!

Score = 18/20

Graphics

Considering this is an older 16-bit era game, it is most impressive. The creatures are well animated, and some real attention has been paid to the backgrounds - both above and below the sea! The background gets darker as you dive - a nice touch!

The Sound affects are nice - the calls of other animals are good, but there's nothing to really write home about here though. All in all, good rating for graphics

Score = 4/5

Replay Value

A fair bit. A lot of the challenges are difficult - whether or not you know the soloution and you can always jot down the passwords to jump directly your favourite levels or skip ones you hated.

Score = 4/5

Final Score - 43/50

Rating - Bigtime City (B)

This game is a worthy challenge for any gamer. If you hate puzzle games, you'll probably be wise to give this one a miss. Anyone else, I recomend you test your wits against this one - it is really satisfying to play and complete. It is fun to jump high out of the water and over islands and stuff. There are other games on this collection too, so this isn't the only one to look at!
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DangerousNate
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I couldn't figure out where to go in that game...
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
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Incandescent
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i remember downloading the demo from xbox live about a year ago late at night. it legitimately scared me in the beginning.

it was like "jump high!" and i was like "wheee! :D" and then all of a sudden the game was like YOU'RE FUCKED! YOU OPENED THE GATES OF HELL!

i was confused and scared ._. :P
"What game was this, where every player on the board claimed the same pawn?" - Raziel
"The coin is still turning..." -Kain
"Cats are truly all powerful!" - sog

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DangerousNate
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:lol:

I don't remember is it being that dramatic, just I swam around in water and didn't know what to do or go.
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Moleland
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DangerousNate,Nov 27 2010
07:29 PM
:lol:

I don't remember is it being that dramatic, just I swam around in water and didn't know what to do or go.

The other dolphins talk to you if you call to them.

Might I add that the game has time-travel and time paradoxes :D
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DangerousNate
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Intriguing...
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Shades of Gray
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Moleland,Nov 27 2010
05:30 AM
Ecco the Dolphin

Posted Image

THAT GAME! THAT GAME HAUNTS MY FUCKING MEMORY! I COULDN'T BEAT IT! IT ONLY CEMENTED MY HATRED OF THOSE DOLPHINS! I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I ONLY PLAYED IT TO TRY AND BASH ECHO'S FUCKING HEAD INTO A WALL! BUT THE GAME WOULDN'T LET ME! IT WOULDN'T LET ME!

*Opens closet, grabs katana and runs out the door to hunt dolphins.*
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about as substantial as fog
he would gleefully beam
while the others did scream
as he fed them alive to the dogs

- Dunkum

Do you see what I'm getting at here? Posted Image

*nanomachines*
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Moleland
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Where did you get to?

As you're my age, it took me at least 5 years of it being in my possession to have the basic logic skills to solve the puzzles in it.
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Moleland
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I'll continue to review various games in the Sega Mega collection. Next up is Ecco the dolphin - the tides of Time

Storyline

You take back up the role of the heroic Dolphin, Ecco. The Vortex were not destroyed at the end of the last game, and the Queen has followed Ecco back to Earth, where she threatens all life in the oceans.

As Ecco fights, he finds himself moving in between two futures - one a Dolphin paradise and the other an industrial wasterland, with no water at all. Can Ecco save the Oceans again?

The Story was ok, if a tad predictable in places. However, Moley was not impressed by the bizarre and borderline stupid ending to the game.

Score = 6/10

Characters

It uses pretty much the same Characters as from the last game, so no real changes here. The AI is pretty similar also. However, the development of Characters is rather rushed - you don't really find yourself immersed in the story

Score = 6/10

Gameplay

The Tides of Time is a puzzle game, just like the original. There are few similarites in terms of Glyphs and things being the same. However, Ecco gains a new power to morph into other animals (EG - Sharks, jellyfish) to get past certain obstacles.

There is also the kind of neat 'Psuedo 3-D' segments, when you have to swim through the loops avoiding obstacles and enemies to reach the next 'zone'. Probably the best part of the game. There are also continue points in the levels - useful if you don't want to use the in-game save feature.

Sadly, this game is nowhere as near as good as the original. The puzzles are not at all difficult (at least, not in comparison with the original) and the whole 'Morph into something else' gimmick doesn't sit well with me. Despite the si-fi element of the previous title, Ecco always seemed realistic - but with that gimmick, it isn't.

I can't remember any specific levels, as they all seem to blur into an indistinguishable mess.

Score = 13/20

Graphics

Terrible. Substantially worse than the original! This was my biggest annoyance with this title! The Ecco animation is nowhere near as detailed, the backgrounds not as well done and everything has a rushed feel to it.

The Sound isn't as good either - the only positive change is the more realistic 'Ecco Pain' sound.

Score = 1/5

Replay Value

It has a similar password system as the other title, so you could replay it. However, like I said, the puzzles are far less challenging, and once you have solved them are easily done again! Also, no levels really stand out as worthy of being repeated

Score = 2/5

Final Score - 28/50

Rating - Normalsville (D)

One to overlook I feel, unless you really enjoyed the original. However, this game is an insult to the quality and challenge the original gave you. If you didn't like the original, this one has no chance of winning you round. A very disappointing game - I'd choose a different game to play on the collection unless you MUST complete everything on it.
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DangerousNate
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SOG hates dolphins, maybe because of Ecco. :lol:
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Moleland
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DangerousNate,Nov 28 2010
08:10 PM
SOG hates dolphins, maybe because of Echo. :lol:

It is spelt Ecco
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DangerousNate
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Moleland,Nov 28 2010
04:25 PM
DangerousNate,Nov 28 2010
08:10 PM
SOG hates dolphins, maybe because of Echo. :lol:

It is spelt Ecco

Frak.
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Moleland
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:)
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DangerousNate
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Maybe I'll get it next time.
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Incandescent
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*wants to do a let's play of Deadly Premonition with commentary*
"What game was this, where every player on the board claimed the same pawn?" - Raziel
"The coin is still turning..." -Kain
"Cats are truly all powerful!" - sog

Resident Marquis de Carabas
Father of AC The Harbinger: Tiny, Adorable Predator (rapidly developing into a bitch and a half)


A feeling of compassion warms you...
A feeling of regret envelops you...
A desire to cry wells up within you...
A feeling of anger overcomes you...
A feeling of Emptiness fills your heart...
A destructive force stirs within you...

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DangerousNate
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XD

If I knew the proper way of recording video games, I would help.
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Incandescent
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it would be cool. there are so many funny minor things that i couldn't squeeze in the review and are only appropriate in their moment.
"What game was this, where every player on the board claimed the same pawn?" - Raziel
"The coin is still turning..." -Kain
"Cats are truly all powerful!" - sog

Resident Marquis de Carabas
Father of AC The Harbinger: Tiny, Adorable Predator (rapidly developing into a bitch and a half)


A feeling of compassion warms you...
A feeling of regret envelops you...
A desire to cry wells up within you...
A feeling of anger overcomes you...
A feeling of Emptiness fills your heart...
A destructive force stirs within you...

My Inventory
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DangerousNate
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Hmm...

Maybe one day I'll come by and we can mess around with the camera and recording and etc.

Though I think for commentary you'll need to use your mac or something for audio.
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
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Dunkum
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i intend to get a review of Golden sun out here sooner or later, but i want to finish replayig it first, and before i do that, i want to finish reading the discworld books i have out from the library so i dont have to renew them
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DangerousNate
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Fair enough.
"Remember if you are going to do something stupid, at least do it intelligently."
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Once a guy fell into a monocle making machine and made a spectacle of himself, while he was on fire.
"God is good, but never dance in a small boat." -Mikey's dad
"The sun shines and the day is beautiful even if there is a big raise in taxes." -Nev
My Storage Container for Awards
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