GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 01/29/2008
- Updated on: 02/20/2008
- Released on: 01/21/2008
- Originally published on GameSpot: Endless Ocean (Wii) Review
Considering the seemingly endless yearly parade of sports games and licensed game sequels being released, you'd be forgiven for thinking that there's not much room left for originality in today's video game market. There may not be much room, but games such as Endless Ocean--in which your goal is little more than to scuba dive at your leisure--prove that there are still some truly unique games being produced. Endless Ocean is also a difficult game to review because its slow pace and subject matter are just as likely to appeal to people as it is to turn them off. One thing everyone can agree on is that it is different.
Endless Ocean takes place off the coast of the fictitious island of Manoa Lai. You're a no-name scuba diver for whom gameplay begins on a sailboat with a young woman named Kat. She gives you all the details on what you'll be doing in your time at sea. You'll start off by exploring a few shallow reef areas where you learn the game's simple controls. All you have to do is point the Wii Remote at part of the screen, press a button to swim, and off you go in that direction. When you see a fish or other sea creature, you can focus your attention on it and then learn about it by tapping, petting, or feeding it. Once you see the creature sparkle, you'll instantly know what type of animal it is, as well as a few basic facts. By interacting with the same creature over the course of several days, you'll learn all there is to know about it, and that information automatically goes into an encyclopedia that Kat's working on. There are several hundred types of fish and sea animals in the game, so this task alone will keep you plenty busy.
Endless Ocean is at times mesmerizing?
Once you've explored a few coastal areas, you'll have the ability to pilot the boat. To do this, you open the map and click on a spot. At first you won't have any information on the location, but once you've explored it you'll have information on its name and topography. There are many different locations to enjoy, each filled with different types of sea life. There's a deep abyss that will take you down more than 500 feet, underwater caves filled with ruins, and loads of interesting rock and coral formations. You'll need to visit these locations during the day as well as night to see certain kinds of life such as whales, sharks, squid, seals, penguins, and more. Although you'll probably want to explore for curiosity's sake, it's also how you advance the game's story, which is centered on Kat and her love/fear of the ocean. It's not particularly engrossing, but it is interesting enough to get you to see it all the way through.
At first you'll just learn the ins and outs of diving and be content to explore the sea, but as you progress you'll be able to lead divers on personal tours, recover artifacts from the sea floor, take photos for a magazine, and even stock an aquarium. You'll also befriend a few marine animals, such as a bottlenose dolphin. You can name the dolphin, dive with it, and even teach it tricks. Likewise, you'll be visited by a variety of animals that will suddenly appear on the deck of your boat. It's cool to hang out with penguins and sea lions, but when a polar bear appears, it's a bit worrisome at first. You know, 'cause there's a polar bear on your sailboat.
Although there are actually plenty of tasks awaiting you in Endless Ocean, that's not really the point. It feels as if the developer's goal was solely to create options and then leave the choice of what you do and when you do it totally up to you. In fact, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do in the game. Those of you who are able to make their own fun, enjoy what the game gives them, and really get into the laid-back vibe of Endless Ocean will find it to be a unique--often mesmerizing--experience. Seeing a whale for the first time, exploring ruins that have been hidden underwater for centuries, and traveling to the pitch-black depths of the abyss are truly fascinating experiences and are what make the game special.
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