In the game, you assume the role of a diving instructor and explore the fictional Manaurai Sea. When you begin the game, you’re restricted to searching a couple of reefs, which act as tutorial levels. Once you accomplish few simple tasks however, you’re given the freedom to explore any area you wish, taking as much or as little time as you like.
The game is entirely controlled with the Wii remote. To swim, you can either hold down B or tap the minus button to activate an auto-swim function. In order to steer your diver, you simply move a crosshair around the screen, while option menus and other items can be accessed by pressing left and right on the d-pad. Additionally, when you move the crosshair over a sea creature, you will be able to press the A button to focus on them from a first person perspective. During these moments, you are able to interact with the creature by pressing A to poke it, or holding A and moving the Wii remote to pat it.
According to the game, this species is declining in numbers.
Depending on their size and personality, they will react differently to your strokes. Some will prefer being patted, others will like having a sea whistle blown in their face, while a few will even retreat into their burrows upon being touched. If the latter is the case, you’ll be able to bribe them out with fish food. As you gain their trust, you’ll obtain new information about the creature for your research book. At first this is usually basic details such as their size and where they can be seen, but if you make multiple visits, you’ll learn more about their personality and habits. One of the things that we found charming in this regard, is that if a creature grows particularly fond of you, they will accompany your diver until he resurfaces. Unfortunately, when you’re trying to observe other fish, they tend to block your view, which can get a little annoying. If it really becomes a problem though, you can always resurface to your boat and then dive again.
You’re not just restricted to fish and underwater mammals either. Back on your boat, penguins and other sea birds will often come to rest on the deck. You’ll also receive emails requesting you to accomplish missions. These range from taking a picture of a particular fish, giving guided tours of certain areas and hunting the ocean depths for lost items. Generally, you’re given seven days to accomplish a task, but the game never forces you to do them if you don’t want to. The missions themselves tend to get a little repetitive as they aren’t too varied from one another, but at the same time they give players something to focus on other than exploration. Occasionally, happy customers will even reward you with new diving gear, but they’re usually just to change your character’s visual appearance.
Early in the game you’ll befriend a dolphin which will act as a diving buddy when you go on expeditions. Although the novelty of swimming with a dolphin wears off quickly, your partner assists you by pointing out objects and creatures that are hidden away in the ocean environment. On board the boat, you’re also able to get your dolphin to perform various tricks such as spin jumps and singing. As you progress through the game, you’ll get the opportunity to become partners with other sea creatures, all of which have their own distinctive squeaks and clicks.
We decided to pick an original name for our dolphin; Flipper...
Another neat feature in Endless Ocean is that you can fill your own personal aquarium with creatures you have encountered. You are however, limited to a certain number of marine life types determined by a grid. For example, a clown fish will take up one square, while a shark will use two squares. On top of this, even if you interact with the animals in your tank, you will be unable to gain new information on them, which is fair enough because otherwise the experience of revisiting areas would be less enjoyable. Despite the restrictions, the aquarium feature is a lot of fun, as you’re able to switch between certain species and observe them in the one area without having to travel, for example, from shallow reef to the deep ocean.
For those wanting to go on a dive with a friend, the game also supports online co-op play using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. During dives, you’re able to communicate with each other by using a Quick Chat system, where a number of different commands are assigned to the D-pad. For the most part, the online component runs smoothly, however it can be a little dull if one of you have already explored an area before. If possible, we recommend arranging with a friend to explore an area both of you haven’t seen yet. Unfortunately, before you’re able to utilise this feature, you’re going to have to swap Friend Codes with someone.
As one would expect, the developers have clearly put a lot of work in the animations of the marine life. It’s simply hypnotising to watch a whale propel itself beside you, slowly flicking its powerful tale. Even the smaller creatures, such as sea slugs and seahorses, realistically move their tiny fins and crawl over rocks. In terms of the environments, every area looks and feels different. At one moment you could be exploring rock formations, then the next a large plantation of kelp. It really is quite breathtaking. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for when you’re on board your boat. Some of the textures are a little rough, and it just doesn’t have the same appeal as being under the ocean.
Some of the creatures that have been included in Endless Ocean are just amazing.
The music is calm and relaxing. There are ten different tracks which are unlocked as you explore new areas, and you have the option of selecting which one is played during dives. The songs are sung by Hayley Westenra, who performs various harmonic tunes. It’s the sort of music you’ll either love or hate, but fortunately you can always play MP3s from your SD card. However, during dives you’re only able to switch between two songs; one on your SD card, and the in-game music. It’s a real shame as it can make longer dives drag a bit at times.
If you’re into fast action packed games, Endless Ocean is definitely not your thing. The game is slow-paced and to get full enjoyment out of it you have to thoroughly explore each area. For those interested in something a bit different, you have a large variety of marine life to interact with, and there are several mysterious environments of the ocean to explore.
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