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  1. Apr 19, 2022
    8
    Gameplay: This Nintendo DS game is a strategy game akin to Pikmin, where you micromanage groups of creatures into battle. You can control up to 15 types of creatures split into 3 key groups. The player can utilize spells to interact with the world easier.
    Controls: The controls are fine. You move with the d-pad (or stick), however, the player travels at a fixed speed. Personally, I was
    Gameplay: This Nintendo DS game is a strategy game akin to Pikmin, where you micromanage groups of creatures into battle. You can control up to 15 types of creatures split into 3 key groups. The player can utilize spells to interact with the world easier.
    Controls: The controls are fine. You move with the d-pad (or stick), however, the player travels at a fixed speed. Personally, I was fine with the player character's speed, but If the player feels that the game is too sluggish, then that is an unfortunate experience.
    Story: Man vs Nature, and we are taking nature's side. The game revolves around stopping imperial mechanical forces from performing deforestation, pollution, harmful industrialization, and in a way, colonialization of the main character's kind. It's a simple story that children can latch onto quickly and get wrapped up in.
    Characters: Dorian, the orange-colored durian creature that acts as a fledgling mage and tamer of wood spirits. He comes off as naive, weak, and brave at the start, but will quickly develop in the story into a strong, dependable lad as he is forced into the situations he's in.
    Music: There is not much music, but it's all used quite well. The main stage theme comes off as heroic and epic, matching Dorian's brave nature. There will also be music that plays at certain events, and when those tracks play, it certainly is a treat.
    Art Style: The art style of the game is simplistic. It relies on 3D models for the big creatures in the game (player and bosses), and will use 2D sprites for the wood spirits. You can have up to 90 wood spirits on screen, so using sprites instead of models full of polygons was the optimal strategy for the time.
    Replay Value: Personally, I don't like replaying games, and just keep playing them. But if you want to go through the stages again, then they are still fun.
    Accessibility: Again, the story and gameplay are easy to understand, and the premise is good vs bad, so it's easy to pick up and start and have an instant enjoyable time
    Graphics: A product of its time, the 3D models have not aged well, but the 2D cartoony sprite work is great. The minimum potential of cartoony sprite work can only go so low, and this game is well done.
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Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 13
  2. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. Nintendo Gamer
    76
    Although not quite as challenging as it could have been, there is still much fun to be had in this quaint little forestry world. [June 2008, p.55]
  2. Fun, but flawed, if you're looking for some strategy for younger DS players, you could do a lot worse than Ecolis.
  3. Ecolis isn't a bad game… it just isn't fun, and the awkward controls make it difficult to enjoy.