Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future

 Dreamcast
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 27
  3. Negative: 2 out of 27
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. track16
    Jan 25, 2020
    8
    Great 3D gameplay, action and puzzles; similar story to previous Sega releases but feels new and fresh all over again. Very realistic dolphin and fish modeling. Three distinct acts create a rich story experience. Great soundtrack. Recommended!
  2. hoogafanter
    Nov 14, 2017
    6
    I have to parrot the others here. The game is beautiful. The puzzles are creative and the overall experience leaves you satisfied. But the camera and controls just never feel right. You never fully feel in control because Ecco moves incredibly fast and the camera is right on him, making it hard to see where you're actually going. Making turns is also pretty rough while trying to keep yourI have to parrot the others here. The game is beautiful. The puzzles are creative and the overall experience leaves you satisfied. But the camera and controls just never feel right. You never fully feel in control because Ecco moves incredibly fast and the camera is right on him, making it hard to see where you're actually going. Making turns is also pretty rough while trying to keep your bearings. It's very tough to navigate combat, speed, and movement all at the same time.

    More importantly, the gameplay can be both tedious and downright confusing. So many times you'll be wondering what the hell to do next, and when you figure it out you'll be pissed off that they didn't even give you a clue to help you out...    … Expand
  3. neojotic
    Aug 28, 2020
    5
    Great graphics and sound but not without losing some of the classic ecco feel from the Genesis.

    The game ups the difficulty from other titles in the franchise but not in a fun challenging way, it's just not clear at all times about what needs to be done. A lot of 16 bit games that were rebooted at the end of the 5th gen or early 6th gen were merely concept testers. I think sadly,    Great graphics and sound but not without losing some of the classic ecco feel from the Genesis.

    The game ups the difficulty from other titles in the franchise but not in a fun challenging way, it's just not clear at all times about what needs to be done.

    A lot of 16 bit games that were rebooted at the end of the 5th gen or early 6th gen were merely concept testers. I think sadly, this concept failed and hence there were no more ecco games. i love Ecco and maybe I just need to come back to this one another time but this game is a 5/10 for me at this moment.    … Expand
  4. PhilS.
    Oct 5, 2001
    8
    The game could be more clear about what you are suposed to do to get to the next level.
  5. StephanieS.
    May 18, 2002
    10
    How the hell would a great game like this get rated so badly!!?? Well, the controls could be better my ass, your a dolphin. HELLO!!!! I mean, any game that you con be and control a dolphin has to be damn good. You can do flips out of the water!! Holy SH*T!!!
  6. AndreaF.
    May 7, 2002
    7
    This game has outstanding graphics and sound, along with imaginative puzzles and unique ideas. However, the camera angles trip you up and the control is somewhat off. Also it is not very difficult to finish.
  7. Jen
    Jun 26, 2001
    5
    Although the graphics are wonderful, the gameplay itself isn't really that impressive. The camera angles are bad and the handling could have been better.
  8. Joe
    Aug 21, 2001
    10
    Every bit as good as the old version.
  9. Diablo2
    Jul 16, 2023
    9
    Great game, it feels good to be a dolphin and the soundtrack is just as ambient pleasing as the magnificent OST from ecco on SegaCD. The Bad
    When i first played this game when i was younger, i was well, in a rush. My life was exams and work and play balance was non existent. So In a rush i got frustrated with the controls; frustrated with the tasks and what to do where to go, frustrated    Great game, it feels good to be a dolphin and the soundtrack is just as ambient pleasing as the magnificent OST from ecco on SegaCD. The Bad
    When i first played this game when i was younger, i was well, in a rush. My life was exams and work and play balance was non existent. So In a rush i got frustrated with the controls; frustrated with the tasks and what to do where to go, frustrated about the lack of story, all the crystals what the hell? and the darkness that takes over after the first two Caribbean levels. What does has an invasion to do with dolphins? Aliens did destroy the friendship, alliance and contact between human and the dolphins?

    The Good
    In 2023, a global epidemic and the last war is behind our backs. It happened so its also over. My life started to become very slow. And so, when returning to the great Ecco, i suddenly felt it connected to me.
    Right out of the bat a friendly elderly dolphin gives a tutorial in what is possible (what buttons to press he wants you to figure out). Its also worth to notice that while holding x and down, a map reveals the area better then you can scout in 3d. Figuring the elder dolphins suggestions, i already felt i’ve mastered eccos moveset better then i’d ever had.

    I also noticed that in the gallery in the main menu there is a collectibles list of vitalis, a sort of crystals to find and collect, which i failed to notice and gather in my first try, giving me a fun challenge in the first two levels. I also noticed the purple crystals give me a demo in where to go and how to swim and the grey are story crystals. In level 2 (aquamarine bay), i found the purple demo crystal not needed, i know i had to jump from the lagoon into the shark basin, but instead i pigtailed walk over the water surface, which was a much more convenient way to do it and avoid the sharks. The dolphins do race too quickly or is it me?

    I don’t advanced to the dark levels yet. Im slow i play slow and the game feels good to work through that in short bursts.
    There is a challenging difficulty in this game. Its that the game only auto-saves progression at level completion or when a checkpoint is reached. Now i think the modern ps5 way of saving everywhere with a bunch of auto-saves every second is a bit of overkill. Sometimes i want to be just a dolphin, just figuring it all out.    … Expand
  10. RealEccoFan
    Jul 28, 2023
    10
    The greatest game ever released in the history of this world!! Humanity peaked here.

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best Dreamcast Game of 2000
17
#17 Most Discussed Dreamcast Game of 2000
4
#4 Most Shared Dreamcast Game of 2000

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. CheckOut
    70
    A graphical dream stuck in a gameplay nightmare.
  2. CNET Gamecenter
    70
    A beautiful game that comes close to "classic" status, but doesn't quite deliver.
  3. Dreamcast HQ
    70
    And while the game itself is straightforward in gameplay, the difficulty of the puzzles are almost outrageous.
See all critic reviews »