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Ecco the dolphin (Dreamcast/PS2), should I play it?

Guy Legend

Guy Legend

Member
I have the sudden desire to go exploring the deep seas with Ecco on my Dreamcast. I've had the game for years but never really sat down and played it for various reasons.

Obviously, the graphics look spectacular. One of my concerns about getting into it was the all the talk about the game's difficulty. Was it really that hard? Am I setting myself up for a world of hurt and frustration? What are the opinions on this game?
 
Yeah the game is pretty damn hard. Its also really beautiful and relaxing at times. And it supports widescreen on ps2 which is nice. I should go back and beat it.
 
I could never really get into it myself. The levels are extremely easy to get lost in after the tutorial one, and the controls could have been a whole lot better. Mind you, the game is really cheap on both formats now, so I'd say you should just check it out anyway and see if it works for you. Hell, for the kind of price it goes for now it's worth it for messing about with what the dolphin can do alone.

EDIT: Oh shit wait, I just noticed you said you already have it. If that's the case why haven't you played it yet? O_o
 
I bought the game used about a year ago, and boy... my Dreamcast is getting really crotchety in its old age. It's a neat game though. Yeah, kinda easy to get lost.

Also:
they did a PS2 port???
 
MMaRsu said:
If you have the game right there why not just try it???????
Click to expand...

:D

I did try it a while back, but didn't play much. I just don't want to invest a lot of time and effort into it....only to quit if it gets too hard/consuming down the line. Just looking for opinions on the overall package. ;-)
 
Guy Legend said:
:D

I did try it a while back, but didn't play much. I just don't want to invest a lot of time and effort into it....only to quit if it gets too hard/consuming down the line. Just looking for opinions on the overall package. ;-)
Click to expand...

Hmm well I can't tell you much, I didn't go very far with the Dreamcast version..

But from what I played it certainly was fun, especially for the time it was released.
 
It wasn't that difficult at all. There are a few issues with getting lost but I never found it as bad as some make it out to be. I loved the game when I played it on the Dreamcast, I bought it day one and beat it in a week.

I actually bought the PS2 version a couple of years ago and fired it up, but I couldn't get into it. Probably because I was so into the dreamcast I'd play anything that came down the pipe and it seemed magical. On the PS2 maybe it was just another game?
 
Play it if you want to play it. Do you want to play it? If you answered no, don't play it.

See how that works?
 
A Link to the Snitch said:
Would it kill you?
Click to expand...
easily. from drowning, to being crushed by stuff, to getting eaten by predators. also, if you don't have a decent sense of orientation don't even think of it. but if you've played endless ocean/forever blue on the wii you should do ok in the latter regard.
 
The game was easier than the first two Ecco games. Also if games give you motion sickness, don't play Ecco.
 
Yes, you should play it, because it's awesome.

And yeah, Acclaim did a port of Ecco for PS2, and like their ports of Headhunter and Crazy Taxi, it isn't as good as the Dreamcast version.
 
If you like being constantly stuck.

The swimming around and looking at stuff is the only good part (i.e. the 'game' is a pain). Might I suggest Endless Ocean instead?
 
One of the most unique games i've ever played , it has a lot of hair bending moment but it's totally worth it , my jaw dropped literally during the floating water bubbles in the sky level , and the music is out of this world , go for it .
 
BSTF said:
The game was easier than the first two Ecco games. Also if games give you motion sickness, don't play Ecco.
Click to expand...

Boy that tells him nothing. That's like saying person X isn't as rich as Warren Buffet.
 
Best underwater series ever. Screw Endless Ocean

I don't want to pet sea life, I want to travel through time and talk to prophet killer whales
 
The game aged well. It's still the best looking ocean game to me. I remember getting stuck in the stage trying to pass the giant eel. I gave up. I keep running out of oxygen.
 
The game is frustrating but very rewarding. I recommend you set aside some time to play it and if you feel it's too much find a guide. It really is a great game and one that actually feels and plays like it's 2D counterpart for better or worse.
 
It is worth it, although the level design is very frustrating, and often you'll be lost as to what to do. At least I was in the Dreamcast version.

But some of the levels (Hanging Waters) and a fantastic soundtrack by Tim Follin makes it one of the better experiences on those two platforms.
 
this, along with soul calibur DC, were the 2 games which have amazed me the most, ever, period, no games since have had me starring at the screen, drooling like drunk downs, simply beautiful.
 
Gattsu25 said:
Didn't the DC version run at non-interlaced 640*480, though?
Click to expand...
Yes, but the PS2 version was also a full framebuffer game.

The PS2 version is absoltuely superior. The framerate holds at 30 fps most of the time while the DC version is constantly in a state of slowdown. Textures did not take a hit either. The image quality on PS2 isn't quite as sharp as DC (very close, though), but I think that's an acceptable trade off when the game runs so much smoother.

The sound is also higher quality on PS2. The DC version sounds as if it were recorded at 22KHz. Considering how important the sound is to the experience, I'd say that's another good reason to seek out the PS2 version.

They also smoothed out the gameplay a bit and made certain solutions a bit less obscure, from what I remember.
 
If you like and live the original ecco games, play the dc/ps2 version.

I never knew it came out on ps2, not in europe?

When ecco first came out on the DC is looked so beautiful, probably one reason why it was so playable then.
 
Diablohead said:
I never knew it came out on ps2, not in europe?
Click to expand...

Nope it did come out

eccops2_s.jpg
 
it's not hard, it has very well written riddles to help you solve the puzzles.

made me feel very clever breezing through the game while everyone else was bitching about how 'obscure' it was.
very rewarding and beautiful.
 
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