Review by Phillip Levin on January 22, 2008
Final Word:
"Strangely enough, Endless Ocean is a very well-made game. The problem lies in something else: as a game, Endless Ocean isn't very entertaining. There are a select few that will no doubt fall in love with Akira's underwater experience, but the rest of us will sit there with a confused look on our faces, wondering why we don't get it."
Final Verdict:
• Visuals: 7.0 - Endless Ocean looks good for a Wii game, but considering the entire premise of the game is observation, it doesn't look good enough.
• Sound: 8.0 - Great sound effects and even greater music. Voice-acting would have been nice.
• Control: 8.0 - The pointing controls work well for swimming. Sometimes, it's difficult to turn around fast enough, but other than that, they work well.
• Gameplay: 6.0 - Swimming controls are good. Absolutely huge, open ocean to explore with tons to see. Unfortunately, none of this is particularly exciting.
• Lasting Appeal: 4.0 - here's little to keep you coming back to Endless Ocean, as it's not that exciting in the first place. Online play is a great extra, though.
• Verdict: 6.0 - Unfortunately, while Endless Ocean succeeds, it succeeds at something that isn't particularly fun.
TechRaptor writes, "When people start talking about educational video games, chances are they’re talking about kids games. I bet the first thing that came into your head when reading that was something like Reader Rabbit, Jumpstart or The Oregon Trail, right? The thing is, a game doesn’t have to be labeled educational to teach something worthwhile, nor does it have to make it boring or repetitive to do so. So here are six picks for educational games aimed at adults."
Break out your scuba gear! This week, Lisa looks at the top 5 games that take you under the sea.
Scared of the Dark? Terrified of tarantulas? Despise thin men in suits? It’s safe to say that horror gaming isn’t for everyone. In fact, aside from the occasional dare, few people really dabble with scary games. As if horror movies weren’t bad enough, titles like Slender, SCP Containment Breach and Silent Hill force players to experience shocks and scares only possible from an interactive medium. For those who prefer hugs and kisses over stalkings and screamings, Halloween is typically a pretty unpleasant affair. So what better time to take a look at some of the most calming, peaceful and cheerful games available right now. Snuggle up in bed, grab your collection of teddy bears and put on some whale sounds, let’s chill out and dig in.
Flower was actually very dark in parts, I wish they made it a little bit "happier" but I understan the ecological theme...anyway, my daughters stopped playing it when it turned dark, they lost interest even when I told them it would get cheerful again after certain parts. Kids are a tough audience :)
Um... What?!?
Loco Roco is the most cheerful game and it's not on the list!
Journey is not cheerful. Endless Ocean can be cheerful at times, but the pacing is just too slow. :/ Flower is cheerful during the first few levels, but then takes a dark turn.
You're missing:
- Secret of the Magic Crystals (It's a freaking unicorn game)
- LittleBigPlanet
- Free Realms
- Katamari (Any of them)
not sure about the bad review. but endless ocean works for what it is.. a relaxing game
The reviews for this game are all over the map. It's essentially a non-game, though, so so I'm not surprised. It must be pretty good at what it is to be receiving any good scores from the gaming media.
I don't think Endless Ocean should be reviewed as a game. As such, I am more interested in hearing the opinion of non-gaming magazines and sites.
Never even heard of this game site. Ign gave it a much better review, a real game site at least. Great game nonetheless, been playing it the last few days and if you like the ocean you will love this game. Even has deep sea diving with all the deep sea creatures, fantastic game.
Did anyone else find that funny given this type of game? Almost sounds as if Kombo's looking for faults.