Ecco the Tides of Time Sega Mega Drive Box Art
| Ecco: The Tides of Time | |
|---|---|
 Box art past Boris Vallejo | |
| Programmer(s) | Novotrade International |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Director(due south) | László Szenttornyai |
| Producer(s) | Ed Annunziata |
| Designer(s) | Ed Annunziata László Szenttornyai |
| Artist(s) | Zsolt Balogh |
| Composer(s) | Genesis: Attila Dobos András Magyari Andy Armer Sega CD: Spencer Nilsen Game Gear: Csaba Gigor Gábor Foltán László Fazekas |
| Series | Ecco the Dolphin |
| Platform(s) | Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Game Gear, Master System |
| Release | Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
|
| Genre(s) | Action-gamble game |
| Manner(s) | Single-histrion |
Ecco: The Tides of Time is an action-hazard video game adult by Novotrade International, published by Sega, and released for nigh of Sega'southward and so-supported gaming consoles in 1994. It is the second game in the Ecco the Dolphin series. The Tides of Fourth dimension continued the story of the kickoff game and featured similar gameplay with a few new additions.
Gameplay [edit]
The Tides of Time maintains the same gameplay equally its predecessor. Ecco'south principal attack is to ram into enemies at high speeds, while his sonar is used to communicate with other cetaceans and interact with certain objects such as crystal Glyphs, as well as bring up a map of the area through echolocation. By combining his accuse and sonar, Ecco can set on enemies from a altitude. As a mammal, Ecco is also required to surface for air at regular intervals.
New puzzles include following other dolphins through an underwater maze and a "scavenger hunt" in which Ecco must collect the Asterite'due south missing globes. Two new power-ups were besides introduced. The first is the "Pulsar", which grants Ecco the power to fire a multi-directional sonar assault at enemies for the duration of the stage. The second is the "Metasphere", which transforms Ecco into different animals. The transformations are level-specific and include a seagull, a jellyfish, a shark, a school of fish, and a Vortex drone.
Some stages use a pseudo-3D effect. In these stages, Ecco must swim through moving rings while avoiding or attacking enemies. The role player is forced to restart if Ecco misses too many rings or takes too much damage.
Plot [edit]
The Tides of Time continues from the ending of the original game, in which Ecco had saved his dolphin pod and the Earth from the Vortex aliens. Nevertheless wielding the powers granted to him by the ancient life-form known equally the Asterite, Ecco has since returned to his peaceful life in Earth's waters. 1 day, while Ecco is out exploring an underwater cave, a powerful earthquake goes off and causes an avalanche. As Ecco recovers, he learns that the Asterite's powers have left him (indicated by the render of his need to surface for air). His beau dolphins explain that something has killed the Asterite and is now spreading fear amongst the ocean life.
Soon after, Ecco meets a dolphin with unusually long fins. She is his descendant, Trellia, who takes him to the distant future to speak with "an erstwhile friend". In the future, the ocean has developed its own mind and is continued across the planet by waterways traveling through the sky. The dolphins of the hereafter have likewise evolved, as they are now able to wing through a combination of internal helium sacs and telekinetic powers.
After exploring the future, Ecco finds his onetime friend the Asterite, who explains the events that had transpired in Ecco'due south time. Though Ecco had defeated the Vortex, the Vortex Queen survived and followed him back to Earth, where she killed the Asterite of Ecco's time and now nests and feeds to restore her brood. The Asterite so tells Ecco that when he used the Atlantean Time Machine to save his pod, he separate the stream of fourth dimension in ii. One possible time to come for World is a bright, happy world of flight dolphins, while the other is a expressionless, mechanical earth sucked dry past the Vortex. Equally a effect, Ecco is referred to equally "the stone that divide the stream of fourth dimension in two".
Once back in his ain time, Ecco travels to the Moray Abyss, where he finds the beginning two globes of the Asterite after immigration out the behemothic moray eels. He then journeys to revive the Asterite by finding its many globes that have been scattered across the ocean. Slowly, the Asterite begins to recover, and eventually is able to hold a full chat with Ecco. Notwithstanding, information technology cannot help Ecco, as the Vortex of the dark future took its last pair of globes back to their own time. As the Atlantean Time Machine tin can only go into the by, Ecco must find another way to achieve the dark future.
Ecco makes his way to the Lunar Bay, which the Vortex accept stripped of all body of water life every bit they continue to grow and multiply. As he explores, Ecco is ambushed by Vortex drones and taken to the dark future. Different the time to come of earlier, the Vortex Future is a lifeless planet-spanning automobile consisting of water tubes, artificial gravity, and unsafe Vortex creatures. Ecco locates the Asterite'due south last 2 globes in a chamber, where a bubble-chained holding device called the World Holder resides. After destroying it, Ecco obtains the globes and is warped dorsum to his era.
With the Asterite consummate again, Ecco's former powers are restored, and the Asterite summons all of Ecco'southward young man dolphins to join in fighting the Vortex. As the dolphins and the Vortex do battle in the now-transformed Lunar Bay, Ecco swims to the deepest parts and infiltrates the Vortex'southward New Machine, then finally confronts the Vortex Queen and seemingly destroys her once and for all.
As his pod celebrates their victory over the vanquished Vortex, Ecco returns to the Asterite and is told to get to Atlantis and destroy the Fourth dimension Machine in order to prevent the stream of time from ever being split again. Arriving in the sunken urban center, Ecco discovers that the Vortex Queen is still alive as a larva after her supposed decease, and the ii of them race to the Time Machine. The Vortex Queen uses the Time Machine first and is sent to the Prehistoric Era, where she finds herself unable to dominion over the creatures that reside there. Faced with the need to survive, the Queen is forced to adapt to Earth'south own life-cycles, and through the eons, the Vortex are integrated into the ecosystems of Earth every bit arthropods. Ecco chooses to use the Fourth dimension Machine instead of destroying it, and vanishes into an unknown era.
Release [edit]
Game Gear version [edit]
A version of Ecco: The Tides of Time was released for the Game Gear, though in a heavily-contradistinct form. All the levels were redesigned to work within the handheld's weaker abilities, and several levels and story scenes were removed completely.
Soundtrack [edit]
As with Ecco the Dolphin, the Sega CD version of The Tides of Time features an alternating soundtrack equanimous by Spencer Nilsen. The Genesis/Mega Drive version features a soundtrack composed past Attila Dobos, András Magyari, David Javelosa and Andy Armer (co-writer of Grammy Honor-winning single "Ascent").
In 1996 a soundtrack anthology combining music from both Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time was released, under the title Ecco: Songs of Fourth dimension.[2]
Reception [edit]
Reviewing the Genesis version, GamePro commented that Ecco: The Tides of Fourth dimension retains the best points of the first Ecco game, such as its gameplay concept and lifelike animations, while having much more accessible difficulty. While they cited some issues with the controls, they praised Ecco's new transformation ability, remarked that "All the game's audio is simple, soothing and effective", and recommended the game as an comeback over the original.[3] The 4 reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Genesis version a vii.25 out of 10, besides declaring information technology an improvement over the original, though for the contrary reason: two of the reviewers said it was much more difficult than the showtime game. They particularly applauded the game's remarkably colorful graphics.[4] Next Generation reviewed the Genesis version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Taxing puzzles, RPG elements, shooting stages, and some of the best Genesis graphics to appointment make y'all desire to reel Ecco Ii in, only it's certainly not a keeper."[5]
Reviewing the Game Gear version, GamePro warned that the game is very slow-paced and difficult, simply felt information technology to be "worth the effort", praising the varied gameplay and beautifully colorful graphics.[6] Though citing issues with the tedious pacing and the controls, Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a mild recommendation, particularly praising the smooth animations and striking colors. They scored it a half-dozen.5 out of 10.[7]
GamePro's review of the Sega CD version declared that "Like the contempo Genesis version, Tides of Fourth dimension Sega CD is an excellent sequel, offering enchanting graphics and sounds." They also remarked that the History Glyphs, an exclusive feature of the Sega CD version, add to the enjoyment of the game.[8] Adjacent Generation agreed, saying they are "very nicely done, and completely charming." Also noting the improved graphics and music of the Sega CD version, they gave it iii out of five stars.[9] Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a 7.6 out of 10, with Mike Weigand commenting, "Take the Ecco 2 game and add together beautiful music and fantabulous sound furnishings and you lot get the Ecco two CD. Fans of the dolphin series (like me) will probably love this one, others will probably be converted."[ten]
IGN gave the Virtual Console release of Ecco: The Tides of Fourth dimension a 7/10, and stated that "this underwater adventure's lack of direction may leave you lost at ocean."[eleven] NintendoLife said that "for a Megadrive game Ecco ii looks amazing. Ecco has a 3D rendered quality much similar what is constitute in Donkey Kong Country", and finally ended that "you'll accept a whale of a time", giving the game a 7/x.[12] GameSpot criticized the game for being "simply more than of the same" as the commencement Ecco game, with all the same frustrations. Though they remarked that the music and a number of moments of the gameplay are outstanding, they concluded the game to exist overall not worth ownership, and gave it a 5.v out of 10.[thirteen] Australia'due south Official Nintendo Mag listed Ecco: The Tides of Time equally one of the xx Classic Sega Games You Must Play, saying that "in that location is really null quite similar Ecco the Dolphin."[xiv]
Sequel [edit]
A sequel was planned for Tides to finish the series equally a trilogy. This game was scrapped and Sega released a spin-off called Ecco Jr. instead. The series was subsequently brought dorsum on the Dreamcast with an entirely different storyline in Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Time to come.
References [edit]
- ^ "Ecco: The Tides of Time Release Information for Genesis". GameFAQs.
- ^ "News Bits". GamePro. No. 95. IDG. August 1996. p. 17.
- ^ "ProReview: Ecco: The Tides of Time". GamePro. IDG (75): 86–87. December 1994.
- ^ "Review Crew: Ecco: Tides of Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis (65): 40. December 1994.
- ^ "Finals". Next Generation. No. 2. Imagine Media. February 1995. p. 100.
- ^ "ProReview: Ecco: The Tides of Fourth dimension". GamePro. IDG (76): 144. Jan 1995.
- ^ "Review Crew: Ecco ii: The Tides of Fourth dimension". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis (66): 46. January 1995.
- ^ "ProReview: Ecco: The Tides of Time". GamePro. IDG (77): 44. Feb 1995.
- ^ "Ecco 2: The Tides of Time". Next Generation. Imagine Media (3): 95. March 1995.
- ^ "Review Crew: Ecco 2: The Tides of Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis (67): 34. February 1995.
- ^ "Ecco: The Tides of Time - Genesis". IGN . Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ Calvert, Darren. "Ecco: The Tides of Time (Wii Virtual Console / Mega Drive) Review". NintendoLife. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ Provo, Frank. "Ecco: The Tides of Time Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ "THE 30 CLASSIC SEGA GAMES YOU MUST PLAY NOW". Official Nintendo Magazine. No. 45. Nintendo. 2012. pp. 044–050. ISSN 1836-4276.
External links [edit]
- Ecco: The Tides of Fourth dimension at IMDb
- Ecco: The Tides of Time at MobyGames
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecco:_The_Tides_of_Time
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