Endless Ocean Review

By Oli Welsh Published 22 November, 2007

Scuba, do.

Version tested: Wii

Ellie Gibson - Eurogamer's only qualified scuba-diving instructor - tells a good joke about divers. "How do you know when you're sat next to a diving instructor? He'll tell you."

Scuba diving is a glamorous, macho world. It's populated by chiselled men, drunk on adrenaline and testosterone and, well, drink, who dive all day then spend all night prowling beach-front bars like the sharks they claim to have swum with. You can only imagine what videogames, known for their glamorisation of macho things, are going to make of this milieu. It's going to be all harpoon guns, speedboats, topless mermaids, mutant dinosaur sharks who shoot laser beams out of their eyes and bad hip-hop. Right?

Wrong. Endless Ocean is not that kind of videogame. In Endless Ocean, you hang out on a yacht with really nice decking. You collect information about species of fish by petting them. You have a really strained, unrequited romance with a neurotic marine biologist who never takes her lifejacket off. You keep pets. You listen to elevator music that sounds suspiciously like Enya. You do a little light archeology. Occasionally, you check your emails.

A sequel of sorts to Arika's Everblue series - which appeared on the PS2, published by Capcom - Endless Ocean is the game equivalent of an Attenborough-narrated natural history documentary, only a bit more genteel. The primary goal in it is to explore the natural beauty of the coral reefs of a fictional South Pacific sea, and identify rare species of sea life. That makes it an example of a pretty rare species itself - a videogame designed to be soothing and relaxing, to inspire a sense of oneness with nature, rather than a desire shoot nature in the face.

'Endless Ocean' Screenshot 1

Seeing a good fit for its brain-trained, Nintendog-loving crossover audience, Nintendo commissioned a new entry in Arika's cult micro-genre for the Wii, and Endless Ocean makes the transition very well. Arika has sensibly eschewed the nunchuck, making this a game you can play entirely one-handed, all the better to sip camomile tea while you play. Diving controls are a simple matter of pointing where you want to go and pressing a button to swim there; a quick flick executes an about turn. You can then press buttons and shake the remote to examine and interact with fish and other sea life, take photographs, write messages on the screen (a nice touch for the online two-player mode) and grab treasure from the sea bed. Sorry, not treasure - items of cultural value and anthropological interest.

The more time you spend interacting with fish - petting, prodding and feeding them - the more information you gather your index. Different species appear in different locations, during different seasons and times of day. Collecting their names and basic information is compulsive in a box-ticking, Pokédex-filling sort of way, but collating the extra information is completely devoid of interest, incentive or reward. It's so mind-bogglingly pointless, it can provoke existential crisis. After sitting for minutes at a time, gently shaking the Wii remote to and fro over a digital rendition of a Red Gurnard or Bigeye Trevally, you do have to ask what you are doing with your life. As a hobby, brass-rubbing makes more sense.

It's a good thing the fish, seals, penguins, dolphins, jellyfish, sharks, seahorses, whales and coelacanth of Endless Ocean are so exquisitely rendered. All the sea life is as believable and beautiful in its appearance as it is ridiculous in its diversity. (You might just manage to suspend disbelief until a polar bear magically appears on the deck of your yacht. In the South Pacific. In July.) Encountering new species is a moment of genuine wonder and excitement. Sadly, the corals, caves, crevasses and sunken ruins of the ocean floor aren't so varied and pretty. As dreamy as the game looks - all suffused, dappled blue light - the pull to explore every nook and cranny of its underwater world isn't quite as strong as it could be.

'Endless Ocean' Screenshot 2

So it's up to the game designers to offer you some gentle encouragement. They do, but 'gentle' is the operative word here - it's as if the team at Arika have been chilled out a little too thoroughly by staring at screens full of fish and listening to the slow, rhythmic bubble of breathing apparatus since 2001. Endless Ocean provides you with enough to do to keep you going, but only just. Requests come in to find and photograph certain species, and take clients on guided dives. These basically amount to the same thing, but the greater flexbility of the guide scenario and the feedback from the client - cheesy and unpredictable as it is - make this one of the most compelling parts of the game (and probably the closest to being a real-life professional diver).

You'll also befriend dolphins and other underwater mammals, who can be trained to do stunts in a simple mini-game, and will accompany you on dives, occasionally attracting your attention to things of interest. Again, concrete feedback and goals are somewhat lacking in the interaction with these 'partners', but the basic idea is cute, and the emotional connection with the beasts surprisingly strong. The game also deserves credit for including online play - diving and showing off your pets' skills with a friend - and the option listen to your own MP3s from an SD card, in place of the game's eccessively syrupy soundtrack.

'Endless Ocean' Screenshot 3

But perhaps the oddest, most surprising, most lovable thing about Endless Ocean is its story. Beginning innocuously enough, the game soon takes on a mildly mad, fantastical air that ought to clash with its real-world naturalism - but in fact, spices it up pleasantly. There's some nonsense about ancient civilisations, and you get mysterious and realtively polite threats by email. Catherine, the marine biologist who can't swim, turns out to be an endearing basket case who says things like "if you were as well versed in biological oceanography as me, you'd have a pretty good idea what the penguins are saying too!" and witters on about her dead father and her purpose in life. There's even a very heavy reference to Moby Dick. It's charmingly batty, in an understated way. Although sometimes it's not clear what you have to do to advance the story - and sometimes, you really do just have to wait until poor, mixed-up Catherine is ready to share - there's just enough of a hook there to draw you on to the next section of pleasant, pretty, bubbly boredom.

Endless Ocean is simple to the point of being quite dull, and certainly no masterpiece. But sometimes all a game needs to do is offer you something different, and it's an honest relief to play something that doesn't shout in your ear, set any time limits, or feature a single explosion; a game whose raison d'être is just beauty and peace. Playing this game is almost like taking a holiday from gaming. If you can live with that paradox - and if you can find it reasonably cheap - it's worth dipping a toe in these calm, blue waters.

6 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (143) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • coach_mcguirk #1 4 years ago

    Yup, a 7 from me too - but I'd say the actual review text is fair enough.

    The "taking a holiday from games" observation is an astute one, I'd say.

  • morriss #2 4 years ago

    Oh dear. This is gonna cause a riot.

    /popcorn

  • Murbal #3 4 years ago

    /summons bengali

  • Phattso #4 4 years ago

    Seems fair enough. There's a lot in the game to keep you occupied, and it's well worth a punt at the £18 or less most places are selling it for.

    My better half has already ploughed a good 14 hours into this, and I've played for a few myself, which is more than some full price games have provided this year.

  • mcmothercruncher #5 4 years ago

    Shocker of a score.
    Not enough reverse texel rendered chisel jawed billion polygon SAS characters with a stash of nuclear material and the will to use it EG?

  • Killerbee #6 4 years ago

    But... what's the point of it all?

    I mean, I'm all in favour of games that are just there to be played, rather than begun, ploughed through and finished, but there just doesn't seem to be any reason to play this if it isn't really that entertaining in and of itself.

    I just can't quite reconcile "quite dull" with "6/10".

  • Sid-Nice #7 4 years ago

    Quite a slick review from Oil Welsh; is he from Whales?

  • Darren #8 4 years ago

    Still can't decide whether this game is for me or not. I loved Ecco the Dolphin on the Dreamcast, mostly because of the fact that the game had you swimming around beautifully designed oceans and the soothing music just made it so immersive and enjoyable, like nothing else I'd experienced at that time and since in fact. I actually enjoyed swimming around to playing the game.

    Does Endless Ocean capture that feeling? If it does then I suspect I'll enjoy it although being a dolphin was infinitely more cool than being a human diver IMO.

  • gamingdave #9 4 years ago

    "and if you can find it reasonably cheap"

    Is the reviewer aware its a budget game, and its RRP is £20?

    From those that have played it on the forum, this sounds more like an 8+ and I shall be taking a punt at some point.

  • ecureuil #10 4 years ago

    I'd disagree, it is a masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. Swap "dull" for "relaxing and free" and you're getting a bit closer, coupled with the phenomenal soundtrack makes it one of the games of the year for me. I blasted through Mario Galaxy just so I could come back to playing this game, it's stunning. It doesn't really have any goals as such, it's a rare breed in today's gaming market, and it should have scored higher, because we need people to buy these games, and we need more games of this type on the shelves.

  • tentonipete #11 4 years ago

    It is definitely more than a six. I'd say a comfortable 8. The game might have as many structured gameplay hours as you would like but for the time it does have it is very enjoyable.
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 14:16

  • brokenkey #12 4 years ago

    read the spooging on thread in the forum, this game is great and for £18 shouldn't be missed.

  • ecureuil #13 4 years ago

    Were these screenshots taken with a digital camera on a TV screen?

  • afghan_jones #14 4 years ago

    Its strange really. On the one hand its perfect for the Wii with its audience of 'non' gamers.

    On the other hand, a game whose main 'hook' seems to be creating a believable 'submersive' environment would surely be suited to the 360 or PS3 as the wiimote doesnt seem to play a huge role?

    Playing this in full HD with all the graphical oomph and the lighting effects etc would surely give it some extra pizazz?

  • deem #15 4 years ago

    You can say what you like about the game, but it's certainly nowhere near as boring as that review.

  • JYM60 #16 4 years ago

    Those pics make the game look like a really dire dreamcast game.

  • thedaveeyres #17 4 years ago

    I think this has been treated a little harshly. In a way I don't care, I'm loving it and if no other person on the planet played it, I really wouldn't give a toss.

    It's not for everyone - the intro paragraphs pretty much sum up who this game isn't for.

  • tentonipete #18 4 years ago

    "Were these screenshots taken with a digital camera on a TV screen?"

    it looks like it.

    And why show 2 screenshots of the poorly executed above water environment and just one (lame) one of the below water very well executed environment?

  • thedaveeyres #19 4 years ago

    @afghan - I can't imagine enjoying this half as much without the Wiimote control system.

  • reality_cheque #20 4 years ago

    An EG review without amusing captions is like the alphabet without any vowels :(

  • dolphan #21 4 years ago

    I love camomile tea. That comment alone would almost entice me to buy this. It'll probably be a tenner in a couple of months as well ...

  • JackyB #22 4 years ago

    Is the Umbrella chronicles review coming soon? And is Steve McClaren a playable character?

  • DonnieDarko333 #23 4 years ago

    I give it a 8. I totally disagree with the score.

  • aldo_14 #24 4 years ago

    £20 in virgin

    £16 online (£18 at Morrisons and Tesco in the stores). Surprised at the score, all the comments I've read on this game say it's ace - although I guess you could assume that the people who buy and comment on it are the type that'd be likely to naturally enjoy it.

  • haowan #25 4 years ago

    deem: LOL

  • Diomedes #26 4 years ago

    I am pretty sure Afrika wont receive such a forgiving review when released on the PS3 ....

  • ecureuil #27 4 years ago

    I am pretty sure Afrika wont receive such a forgiving review when released on the PS3 ....

    ???

    I'd be amazed if Afrika didn't score higher than 6/10.

  • Razz #28 4 years ago

    It's only 20 quid. Yiou can't go wrong really. It's a good enough game to be had.
    Edited by 2 at 22/11/07 @ 14:38

  • gizmo #29 4 years ago

    I'm still in the early stages, but this is a beautiful, relaxing game.

    If you enjoy diving / snorkelling and chilling out, you'll love it IMHO.

    There are some priceless moments in the game that few other titles can either capture or conjure.

  • deem #30 4 years ago

    In a time when utter fucking MOR wank like Need For Speed Chav Slam CHallenge are getting sixes and sevens, EG should be fucking ashamed of themselves for giving this little gem a 6.

    IHATEMIHATEMIHATEM

  • CaptainBinky #31 4 years ago

    /hugs copy of Endless Ocean

    Don't listen to the nasty reviewer. I still love you.

  • escapedape #32 4 years ago

    It's true - this really is a superb game, and everyone on the Endless Ocean forum thread is right in their entusiasm of it.

    I'm not normally one to comment on review scores/reviews in general but this does seem like a travesty - I've had several jaw-on-floor moments of sheer wonder and delight with this game, which has not happened to me for several years. Just when I thought that my age had finally caught up with me and my sense of wonder was lost, Endless Ocean brought it bubbling back up to the surface.

  • deem #33 4 years ago

    Very well said.

  • Universal_Hamster #34 4 years ago

    Review = Entirely full of shit.

    Great game damn it!

  • gizmo #35 4 years ago

    ^ Here, here. (Or is it hear, hear? I've never truly known)

    edit: This was relating to escapedape's comment..
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 14:55

  • popabawa #36 4 years ago

    Get yourself a few cans of strong cider and quietly get blotto whilst looking at the pretty fishies.

    THAT'S the future of gaming - 8.5/10.
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 14:55

  • haowan #37 4 years ago

    Well, I can't fault the criticisms in the review, though I've not given the game more than three quarters of an hour - i've got no inclination to gather more information on various types of fish, for example.

    I also find it pretty weird that poking fish makes them love you. Seems stupid.

    I want to do the wreck diving though, I'm looking forward to that, and at least the plot sounds as though it might be worth checking out... if only progression weren't so slow.

  • Nikanoru #38 4 years ago

    Funny how the reviewer seems to take points off near the end, exactly for it NOT being the kind of thing he took a jab at in the second paragraph.

  • neuroniky #39 4 years ago

    I've ordered it today after reading the forum (my almost-wife is a diver, and she's already in love with our newly-bought Wii), and the reviewer sounds like he has got all the bad point of the game without really understanding or appreciating the good points of it. Everybody seems to be in love with the slow pace and the almost aimless gameplay... I think this is not a game for everybody, but it looks like it could be a 6 or a 9 depending on who plays it.
    That said... I'm starting to think that EG has simply had too many games to play recently... there are different reviews where the appreciation of the game seems reduced due to the time constraints of the reviewer (Mass Effect looks like another one, even Kotor was boring if you tried to play it too frequently or too much in a row...) am I alone in thinking this?

  • escapedape #40 4 years ago

    Thanks for your agreement everyone, glad to know it isn't just me who feels that way about Endless Ocean. I got it the day it came out, having followed the limited coverage of it in magazines and online - and have been having such an amazingly chilled out and all around pleasant time playing it.

    Of course, I knew I wasn't alone - having lurked on the outskirts of the Forever Blue/Endless Ocean thread and nodding to myself in agreement at all of the appreciative comments being made over there!

  • Ignatius_Cheese #41 4 years ago

    Sorry but this is no way a 6. High 7 at the lowest... Most disappointed with the score but good to see it getting a review.

    Cheers Oli!

  • secombe #42 4 years ago

    £16 (delivered) and I've had some of the most jaw dropping moments in gaming since I first moved from the Mega Drive to a PS1.

    Sure it's a love it or hate it game, but to score this in the 'average' area equivalent to Need for Speed etc is a travesty. When I have a few hours spare of an evening I actually struggle to choose between this and Mario Galaxy, and I love Galaxy like I'm a 7 year old playing games for the first time again.

  • Agent_Llama #43 4 years ago

    Sorry Eurogamer, but this yet another score of recent times (I'm looking at *you* Halo 3 and Bioshock) that makes me take your review scores less and less seriously. 6 out of 10? Come off it, this game is wonderful.
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 15:21

  • aldo_14 #44 4 years ago

    Funny how the reviewer seems to take points off near the end, exactly for it NOT being the kind of thing he took a jab at in the second paragraph.

    To be fair, i'd imagine it's a marmite sort of game to review; depending on how much you want something different in this way you may need more or less to 'grab' you in.

    I'd have to add I've not picked this up yet, but am intending to grab it ASAP based on peoples comments in here.

  • deem #45 4 years ago

    "Eurogamer please answer me this. When such a big game comes out why dont a reputable reviewer write about it instaed of a night stand up comedian."

    You are in the wrong thread.

  • disussedgenius #46 4 years ago

    Good to see that EG has yet more 'Mafia moments' left in the tank!

  • Carlo #47 4 years ago

    Reviewer didn't play this long enough and it shows.

    Oli (the reviewer) couldn't be more wrong if he tried. I guess he just doesn't get it.

    For shame!

  • Wash #48 4 years ago

    I bet theres some folk here complaining about this score, who were absolutely pissing themselves in the mass effect comments and vile and putrid rage that had been stirred within the fanboys.

    Its an opinion, its means no more or less than some of the rants going on here. So exclaiming the site wrong, means your wrong. we're all wrong.

    Still looks quite interesting, and it is cheap.

  • Waffleaber #49 4 years ago

    So this is another to add to the "Score is based entirely on the reviewers own opinion" pile.

    I for one will probably pick this up because it looks interesting and many on forums and other gaming rate it highly. Will have to swap that music thought, something classical I think. Any suggestions?

  • aldo_14 #50 4 years ago

    So this is another to add to the "Score is based entirely on the reviewers own opinion" pile.


    Isn't that also known as the 'review' pile?

  • haowan #51 4 years ago

    XD

  • gamingdave #52 4 years ago

    I still find it odd, that the reviewer commented on it being maybe worth it, if it could be found cheap enough, and yet it is cheap (£20 RRP). Maybe they should have a little rethink about that clossing statement and the score

  • Ignatius_Cheese #53 4 years ago

    Agent_Llama - Sorry Eurogamer, but this yet another score of recent times (I'm looking at *you* Halo 3 and Bioshock) that makes me take your review scores less and less seriously. 6 out of 10? Come off it, this game is wonderful.

    On. The. Money.

    I salut you, sir! ;o)

  • mattigan #54 4 years ago

    So this is another to add to the "Score is based entirely on the reviewers own opinion" pile.

    er.... Wouldn't that be every review ever written? Or maybe he should have based it on the opinion of his cat, or maybe his toaster, no wait! His gold fish, definately a 10/10

  • mouse Verified Graphic designer, Eurogamer Network #55 4 years ago

    That's generally how it works.

  • AOFanboi #56 4 years ago

    Eurogamer readers in pointless discussion of the out-of-ten score of a review shocker. In other news, water is wet and Moon is NOT made out of cheese.

  • Myke_Greywolf #57 4 years ago

    The reviewer is seriously underrating this game, and it's apparent that this is not the kind of game he would be likely to appreciate.

    I can bet that his mark is lower than what 95% of the people who played the game would give it. It's an 8/10 in my book.

  • CaptainBinky #58 4 years ago

    "Eurogamer readers in pointless discussion of the out-of-ten score of a review shocker."

    What, then, is the purpose of having a comments thread if it ISN'T for discussing the review / score?

  • Keza #59 4 years ago

    "So this is another to add to the "Score is based entirely on the reviewers own opinion" pile. "

    This is the most hilariously ridiculous comment I have ever read - and on this site, that's quite an accolade!

  • aldo_14 #60 4 years ago

    In other news, water is wet and Moon is NOT made out of cheese.

    Can I have it on a stick, then?

  • rudedudejude #61 4 years ago

    Did you take price into account EG?

  • thedaveeyres #62 4 years ago

    I don't think they took the game into account, never mind the price. :D

  • wonton #63 4 years ago

    "So this is another to add to the "Score is based entirely on the reviewers own opinion" pile. ""

    comments like these make me -_-

  • FortysixterUK #64 4 years ago

    It's a good innovative game designed for an innovative console.
    In my opinion this deserves a 7/8 out of 10 and some patience.
    This game looks and sounds excellent and is a very original experience.
    Kind of reminds me of a Pokemon style collect em up, with some slight RPG elements combined with the " living " type games, like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, all based in a vast ocean with fantastic sea life and underwater caves and grottos.

    Quite inspiring in my opinion

  • haowan #65 4 years ago

    Was it still innovative when it was Forever Blue on the PS2?

    ahem. i meant everblue of course
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 17:25

  • Azazel #66 4 years ago

    Watching people freak the fuck out over reviews is far more entertaining than videogames!

    lol! Nail on the head moment.

  • braddrac #67 4 years ago

    Sounds pretty interesting. It's not a concept that has inherent appeal for me, but that such a game exists is something that somehow comforts me. Maybe I'll pick it up at some future date when I actually have gaming time to spare.

  • morriss #68 4 years ago

    Maybe Dave McCarthy was right too, eh?

    I haven't played the game, but I've read countless user reviews and this is the most damning of them all. Everyone I know that's played it has loved it. When one person's opinion goes against the grain of the intended target audience of the game then questions must be asked as to whether that reviewer is suitable to write reviews for this type. (I'm not questioning anyone's professionalism, btw. Far from it.)

    It's all about opinions, of course it is, but if your opinion is on the biggest gaming site in Europe and read by 1000's then unfortunately there's a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it. IMO.
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 17:04

  • Monkey_Puncher #69 4 years ago

    It comforts you?

    ........

  • rudedudejude #70 4 years ago

    It's EG and Wii, Resi 4 Relapse!

  • andromeda #71 4 years ago

    why dont you get two people to review it , one who digs these kind of games and one who doesnt. That way the (hopefully differing) scorelines would perhaps neutralize any pissiness in the comments thread.
    Edited by 2 at 22/11/07 @ 17:12

  • CaptainBinky #72 4 years ago

    "It's all about opinions, of course it is, but if your opinion is on the biggest gaming site in Europe and read by 1000's then unfortunately there's a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it. IMO."

    That is true, however you *could* argue that the 6/10 represents how the majority of EG readers would feel about Endless Ocean. After all, there's only 40 of us in the Pootling group at the moment. What's Eurogamer's typical demographic?

  • haowan #73 4 years ago

    morons.

  • bushwod #74 4 years ago

    @Adam_T

    +1

  • bushwod #75 4 years ago

    The graphics look good when you see some videos of it
    [link url=http://uk.y outube.com/watch?v=L1WOEMGtAqg
    ]http://uk.y outube.com/watch?v=L1WOEMGtAqg
    [/link]

    Shame about the incredibly gay music though.

  • rudedudejude #76 4 years ago

    You should have a second opinion thing, and old gaming mag I used to buy had that all the time on every review, can't remember which one it was maybe pc gamer or sega power or something.

  • morriss #77 4 years ago

    Binky, good point. It's a very fine line.

  • smelly #78 4 years ago

    >Reviewer didn't play this long enough and it shows.

    I'd be very suprised if ANY reviewer plays a game longer than an hour or two.


    But who cares about a score anyways? The text is enough to tell you if it's worth getting or not (for me its a not)

  • morriss #79 4 years ago

    I see haowan is being as productive as ever.

  • smelly #80 4 years ago

    >You should have a second opinion thing,

    We gamers, we do, it's called google. Look for other reviews - formulate opinion

  • Waffleaber #81 4 years ago

    ok ok I deserve the abuse.

    This is what happens when you try and post in the 5 minutes before your boss comes back from her cigarette break.

    Proof reading ftw.

  • UncleLou #82 4 years ago

    Eurogamer readers in pointless discussion of the out-of-ten score of a review shocker. In other news, water is wet and Moon is NOT made out of cheese.

    How is it pointless? Some comments are, but review discussions aren't pointless at all, unless you only base your buying decisions on review scores and not on word of mouth. Game gets relatively low score, many people disagree, some make good points = people who might not have been interested after just reading the review now are.

  • ecureuil #83 4 years ago

    Shame about the incredibly gay music though.

    Idiot!

  • camaway #84 4 years ago

    I second the idea of having a second reviewer spending more time with a game and offering another take. I can imagine what happened: stressed reviewer has one day to get through game, deadline looms as he struggles to go further due to the slow pace of the title. He gets annoyed and a superb, innovative title gets 6.

    I have been playing games for a very long time and Endless Ocean has been one of the very few titles in the recent years that made me realise there is still magic in this medium.

    It's an 8/10 at the very least in my book.
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 17:50

  • UncleLou #85 4 years ago

    Screensaver masquerades as game on Wii.

    Owners of Wii defend their right to enjoy strange non games on videogame's web site.

    Wii fans demand higher score from the unimpressed videogame reviewer.

    LOL

    Shock horror, maybe some people just like the game, independently from what system its on? I am afraid your post reveals much more about how you approach games than about the other posters.

  • ghearoid #86 4 years ago

    um, i don't particularly *care* about EG's scores, but it's a shame if a low score puts people off a sublime game like Endless Ocean. it's the game that's taking up most of my time these days, i find it a blissful change from the usual chuff

    ;op

  • symbiote #87 4 years ago

    I'd rather get fucking stoned...then frag some aliens on a proper fucking console. Aieeet.

  • Agent_Llama #88 4 years ago

    I don't actually think the score reflects the text - it reads higher than a 6. My biggest bone of contention however is this paragraph:

    "Wrong. Endless Ocean is not that kind of videogame. In Endless Ocean, you hang out on a yacht with really nice decking. You collect information about species of fish by petting them. You have a really strained, unrequited romance with a neurotic marine biologist who never takes her lifejacket off. You keep pets. You listen to elevator music that sounds suspiciously like Enya. You do a little light archeology. Occasionally, you check your emails."

    This comes across as sarcastic, someone who has had this game foisted upon them and really doesn't want to review it. To be honest I'd rather EG hadn't reviewed it at all and left this wonderful little title with its cult status, as the reviewer seems to have missed the point.

  • evilboo #89 4 years ago

    I'm was enjoying this .. except i got to this point where my strange scientist friend kept saying 'are you bored yet?' over and over and I didn't know what to do next and then i thought .. actually, yes i am.
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 18:22

  • tapper #90 4 years ago

    "if you can find it reasonably cheap"

    Sound like it was reviewed as a full price game. Shame, because at the current price it's a good value.

    If they overlooked the fact that this is a budget title I think they should re-score it.

  • patchbox360 #91 4 years ago

    'it's an honest relief to play something that doesn't shout in your ear, set any time limits, or feature a single explosion; a game whose raison d'être is just beauty and peace.'

    would have sold more copies if it had

  • bdaggers #92 4 years ago

    "dull"

    oh fuck off, what a cock !

    I realise a reviewer rates a game according to their personal experiences, but this could never be called "dull".

    A rushed review due to the over whelming clamour for it, maybe ?

    (and yes, I was one of the clamourers. Won`t hold my breath next time)

  • Arganoid #93 4 years ago

    Does it have squids and octopuses in it? If so, can they be avoided? Because I find them really scary.

  • bdaggers #94 4 years ago

    "occasionaly you check your emails" - thats where he went wrong.

  • haveasafeday #95 4 years ago

    Dont listen to him!

    This is a fantastic game...

  • Keza #96 4 years ago

    "I'd be very suprised if ANY reviewer plays a game longer than an hour or two. "

    That's really quite insulting, you know. It's pretty much accusing an entire profession of professional misconduct. We do our jobs properly.

  • tap #97 4 years ago

    'On the other hand, a game whose main 'hook' seems to be creating a believable 'submersive' environment would surely be suited to the 360 or PS3 as the wiimote doesnt seem to play a huge role?'

    No, disagree. There's no way a pad would handle as well as the wiimote. It feels effortless, almost as if you're controlling it with thought. Hmm, well you know what I mean!

    The game is an 8.

  • AOFanboi #98 4 years ago

    Pointless because the discussion diverges from discussing the game into discussing the number put at the end, and its relation to some other number or to the poster's analysis of the text relative to the number.

    <em>Game gets relatively low score, many people disagree, some make good points = people who might not have been interested after just reading the review now are.</em>

    Because of the same arrogant mud-for-brains that keep demaning a new review or yell at the reviewer for being "wrong" just because the silly number the reviewer put at the end is a) different from the number they would have put, or b) it differs too much from the verdict from Temple of Metacritic or Gamerankings.

    Just write a user review instead of complaining about someone else's taste!

    EG, please stop using the stupid number - unless you make oodles of cash from ads because of all the hits generated by these rabid lemmings making fools of themselves.

    <em>I don't actually think the score reflects the text - it reads higher than a 6.</em>

    Just look at that... I mean GET A LIFE!
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 19:26

  • macmurphy #99 4 years ago

    It seems to me there are two points here. Some people think it's bollocks to have a reviewer offering a subjective opinion, some people think it's bollocks to waffle about what you think it should have got on the comments thread.

    On the first point, I'm on the fence. It seems from the amount of praise Mass Effect got on other sites that Eurogamer have marked it a touch unfairly. I can understand what that lad meant when he said he was upset to see 'another person reviewing a game based on his own opinion'. People shouldn't have giggled, because I think a reviewer should always remain objective and try to figure who the game is aimed at and give it a mark that reflects the review's audience - I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than play licensed platformers but I can see how some people like them, and marks should reflect more than just your own tastes. Having said that, as long as a review is reasonable and explained, there's no reason why we can't take on board what's said then tootle off to metacritic and see what everone else said.

    As regards the second point, I love the comments thread. Reading about what this game means to other people helps me get a feel for whether I would like it; we're essentially getting loads of little reviews. I'm going to buy this on the back of the comments section, and I figure that's what makes sites like Eurogamer great - not the fact that reviewers occasionally offer a review that seems to be out of synch whith the public majority, but the fact you can read the comments thread and get a much wider consensus.

    With that in mind I thought Excite Truck was blinding, if you ever see it in a bargain bin, knock yourselves out.

  • Mr_Brown #100 4 years ago

    Saw this for 16 quid in ASDA today. Gotta say I was intrgued. Can't say I've always wanted to explore the depths ofthe ocean but I've been craving a relaxing slow paced open game lately (getting a bit tired of FPS and Racing games probably)

  • Azazel #101 4 years ago

    There are no points here. Only reflex angles.

  • Agent_Llama #102 4 years ago

    AOFanboi: Yes, I said the text read higher than a 6. If EG are going to insist on using a numbering system, then surely it should tally in some way with the comments made in the review.

  • smelly #103 4 years ago

    If i saw this for $16 i'd buy it and screw the reviews.

  • deem #104 4 years ago

    So this is why I don't frequent the comments section.

    What a bunch of twtas.

  • figaro7 #105 4 years ago

    Glad i bought this game before any reviews hit, i can understand entirely teh score of a 6, and from my 12-13 hours of play, there just isnt enough locations to get gitty about, all it needed was a few more. The side missions as well, they arent frequent enough and a little more variety would have helped.

    BUT

    This is the only game where i can play it for 45 minutes, not have done anything in the game and just swam in different locations and feel like ive achieved something, no other game has ever made me do that, ever. Theres shitloads of species/items to be found and if i happen to stumble on one, bonus. Im also quite suprised how different it is between night and day. Finally its the first game my gf has bothered to play since animal crossing, thats gotta account for something :p

    As a game it may be a 6/7 but as a original experience its definately an 8.

  • Pulsar_t #106 4 years ago

    So this is the game closely resembling the first level of Ecco DotF. So is the wait for a sub-99 quid Wii going to be a long one?

  • samaran #107 4 years ago

    first ever comment, so be nice.

    anyway, i can't help feeling there wouldn't be nearly the same uproar if the text of review had been exactly the same but with a 7 on the end of it. i agree with most of you lot that the game is really cool, but i can't really disagree with anything said in the review either. it's not for everyone, there's not all that much to do and the music does sound a bit like enya.

    marks out of 10 are a terrible idea, aren't they?

    sam
    xx
    Edited by 1 at 22/11/07 @ 20:40

  • dirigiblebill #108 4 years ago

    I'm going to buy this on the back of the comments section, and I figure that's what makes sites like Eurogamer great - not the fact that reviewers occasionally offer a review that seems to be out of synch whith the public majority, but the fact you can read the comments thread and get a much wider consensus.

    Good point, well made. I'd add a few hand-claps to EG reviewers for contributing to the comments thread discussion to a small but consistent extent, despite all the 'tardery and numerical pedantry.

  • Sid-Nice #109 4 years ago

    I'd recommend this game to anyone; it reminds me of the long beautiful summer months that I spent diving with Jacques Cousteau from the Calypso.

  • Durandle #110 4 years ago

    I'd put it down as as a 7 or 8 my self... I'm quite glad of the change in pace, to play between times your blowing stuff up or shooting people. It looks quite nice, it plays well with the Wii controls, the story is interesting and fun and most of all, its different. I'm not quite sure where that 6 came from...
    Edited by 1 at 23/11/07 @ 11:32

  • smelly #111 4 years ago

    "So this is why I don't frequent the comments section.

    What a bunch of twtas."


    I dunno, after review, i wasnt going to get it.. now after reading comments i might.

    So therefor comments are good.

    Its not like the anal comments of "boo hoo, you gave this game a 9, it deserves a 10" like you see elsewhere.

    It's just people who've played the game, disagree and are telling us why they like it.

  • Pulsar_t #112 4 years ago

    I'd recommend this game to anyone; it reminds me of the long beautiful summer months that I spent diving with Jacques Cousteau from the Calypso.

    Was that sarcasm? I used to be a fan of the late Cousteau.. I also remember him appearing in an Ecco advert.

  • bdaggers #113 4 years ago

    a LOT of people are passionate about this game - the reviewer wasn`t one of them.

  • schachmatt #114 4 years ago

    Gamespot forums down?

    Nothing wrong with the review.

  • darkbhudda #115 4 years ago

    A Eurogamer review without the obligatory puns like "hidden depths" or "shallow gameplay"? What's this site coming to?

  • Genji #116 4 years ago

    Oo-er. I hadn't even heard of this game until now. It sounds *right* up my alley.

    /enjoys Animal Crossing, Electroplankton

  • Kryon #117 4 years ago

    BooHoo! Mummy, it'th not a thix!!! How dare they thay it'th a THIX? I hate teh EG now :'(

  • ruttyboy #118 4 years ago

    Jesus, not sure which is worse, those who freak out over a score, or those who take the opportunity to ride their high horse in disparaging them, what great humans they are...

    As for the game, I'm one of those who love it but I can see it's not for everyone (ie. FPS kiddies). However, if you enjoy nature docs like Planet Earth or especially Blue Planet then you will fall in love with this. Just don't expect to be pumping adrenaline from minute one and you'll be fine, approach it as a method of relaxation, play it with the lights out and you'll be suprised at just how exciting and ethereal it can get when you're fully immersed.

    And come on, it's £20 or less, not a lot in the games arena by any stretch so worth a punt surely.

  • haowan #119 4 years ago

    I'm told the fish info (which the reviewer is correct on imo... it's dull) and fish prodding takes a back seat, so I'm pretty sure to give this more time soon. At the very least it's a really relaxing game that looks excellent (the close up views are omg), and at the price it's selling at... well, it's not dear.

  • secombe #120 4 years ago

    The usual score arguments are over 8/9/10, which at the end of the day is largely irrelevant, as it's obviously a good game in the reviewers eyes one way or another, so if you like that sort of game you know it's probably very good. The Mario Galaxy review in Gamestm springs to mind, fantastic review which 'read like a 10' all day long, but then gets a 9...but it doesn't matter, you know it's going to be a bit special as a 9 is hardly poor.

    A 6 however, would be 'only very slightly above average' if taken literally, and is usually frequented by the yearly EA updates (i.e. solid games with little thought put into them). At the very least Endless Ocean deserved a remotely serious review, as this one was littered with sarcasm, and I got the impression the reviewer had no interest and just wanted to cross it off of their review pile quickly.

    Had the reviewer checked the price point for a start (£16 delivered in Virgin Megastore and Asda, around £20 elsewhere) we may have had some confidence in it.
    Edited by 1 at 23/11/07 @ 08:15

  • morriss #121 4 years ago

    The inevitable review score quote:

    A game scored six is 'good', and many of its audience will enjoy it, but approach with caution. It's not good enough to consider rushing out and buying without a fair bit of research first, but worth a rental if your curiosity demands it, and, depending on taste and tolerance of certain issues, it might be something you wouldn't be ashamed to have bought. Six isn't a disastrous score by any means - it's the first score on the way up to represent what we'd deem as a 'good' game, that had the potential to be great but was sufficiently flawed in crucial areas.

    More specifically, games which are maybe very derivative (of others or themselves) and nowhere near as good as their rivals but still enjoyable on their own merits will regularly score sixes on Eurogamer. It's the score that shrugs, "Yeah, it's all right, but compared to X it's not technically as polished, the story's so-so, and it's not quite as much fun to play". It could be that it's a quick-fire, cash-in sequel, which is virtually a carbon copy of the previous game with new levels and yet costs just as much. This is something we're definitely not fond of seeing at EG, and although newcomers to the series may argue this doesn't apply to them, we'll try at least make this clear. But we don't review games in isolation; we review in the context of the series and how they measure up against their rivals. Maybe it's the sort of game with a great deal of promise that ended up being released prematurely, and is a little rough around the edges with camera and control issues, technical shortcomings, difficulty spikes that make certain sections harder than they probably should be. You get the picture. Considered by some people as rough diamonds, and will pick up a lot of affection from the more forgiving gamer, but definitely not for everyone.

  • Kryon #122 4 years ago

    Bu-hu-hu-hut a THIX ithn't fair *boohoo* a meathly THIX *snivel*

  • ruttyboy #123 4 years ago

    Wow, that was even funnier the second time.

  • morriss #124 4 years ago

    Yeah I rushed to get a needle and thread in case my sides split.

  • DrCongo #125 4 years ago

    Kryon, I'm not sure but I think you could be even more annoying if you really really tried.

  • ShiroBen #126 4 years ago

    "...the option listen to your own MP3s from an SD card..."

    Sold.

  • rudedudejude #127 4 years ago

    "I'd rather get fucking stoned...then frag some aliens on a proper fucking console. Aieeet."

    Picked this up last night and spent a good two hours on it, its an awesome game and the perfect partner to a smoke.

  • Kryon #128 4 years ago

    Ruttyboy, is <a href=http://uk.y outube.com/watch?v=LpOpRrM1hec>this</a> you by any chance?

  • chrisjm #129 4 years ago

    an under water animal crossing would be cool!!!

  • ruttyboy #130 4 years ago

    I can't get at Youtube at work unfortunately, perhaps you could describe whatever banal imagery you have linked to for me?

  • Kryon #131 4 years ago

    Nah, sorry son, you have to see it for yourself!

  • ruttyboy #132 4 years ago

    Oh well, that's another unsolved mystery then.

  • timpig #133 4 years ago

    Hmmm. Seems an awful shame, like a lot of stuff on the Wii, that this isn't in HD. Sounds like the sort of thing where you could just soak in 720p visuals....ah well.

  • morriss #134 4 years ago

    rutty: It's a video of crying kid.

    The irony is strong with this one.

  • ruttyboy #135 4 years ago

    Hoho! Seems we have underestimated his genius!

  • UncleLou #136 4 years ago

    Hehe, the annoying thing about kryon is not what he says and intends to annoy with, but that he's such a bloody amateur. :)

  • haowan #137 4 years ago

    Winners have Kryon on ignore.

  • msephton #138 4 years ago

    This is definitely a high 8. So I marked it 9.

  • RedboX #139 4 years ago

    (You might just manage to suspend disbelief until a polar bear magically appears on the deck of your yacht. In the South Pacific. In July.)

    Its probably escaped from the Zoo or something....

  • Lin #140 4 years ago

    score doesn't match review anyone?

  • Waldo #141 4 years ago

    Better than Jaws Unleashed then?

  • erp #142 4 years ago

    After reading the text first I was genuinely surprised to see a 6 at the end of it.

    This is not about me disagreeing with the reviewer's opinion (I've not played the game yet, and frankly disagreements never bother me anyway), the fact is the number and the text just don't match. Simple as that.

  • zErOb_cOOl #143 4 years ago

    Yeah a 6 seems harsh because I applaud games developers and publishers that are willing to do something different, instead of the same confined-in-style game genres. Not many games have felt that different from others recently, with the exception of Guitar Hero and possible a few Wii games, mainly due to the controller aspect.

    I'd give Endless Ocean at least a 7 myself for having the balls to be a different type of game. It's a pretty compelling game to play, which counts for a lot in my book.
    Edited by 1 at 22/12/07 @ 19:51