PixlBit

It isn't often that I find myself surprised by the content of a video game. If anything, I usually anticipate a much better experience than I wind up with, resulting in disappointment. Two years ago I sat down with Endless Ocean, and came away feeling utterly impressed with the beautiful underwater world that Nintendo created, yet unfulfilled by the lack of true purpose provided by its fairly shallow gameplay. So, for the release of Endless Ocean: Blue World, I had my doubts about how much Nintendo could expand upon its original formula, and just how deep a game based on diving could be.

My introduction to Endless Ocean: Blue World began similarly to that of its predecessor: on a boat, being introduced, and prepared for my first dive. Due to the initial gameplay, I was once again certain that my only goals throughout the game would be to explore new areas, catalog all sorts of marine life, and scour for lost treasures. However, after the initial hour tutorial period, it became very clear to me that this sequel would be delivering a more expansive gaming experience than I could have ever hoped for.

My doubts had turned to intrigue when the game introduced a storyline concerning the lost Valka City, which was swallowed by the ocean and rumored to have great treasures buried inside. The tale turned bittersweet as the two main characters, Oceana and her grandfather Jean-Eric Rouvier (owner of L&L Diving Service), recounted the story of Oceana’s father, who had tragically died in a diving accident while searching for the lost city. Leaving behind a clue in the shape of two necklace pendants made of the rare material Lapiz Lazuli for Oceana, the player must implement all of their diving knowledge and skill to help Oceana and her grandfather find the truth behind the city. The main campaign featured in this title takes players across the globe into several different oceans, fresh water rivers, and many different climates.

I truly cannot say enough good things about the main storyline of Blue World, as it provided for a unique experience that I have never had in a game before. It was hard not to become emotional at times as I discovered ancient cities and temples lost long ago, along with all of the art and culture contained within their walls. Despite it being merely fiction, Endless Ocean: Blue World creates an unrivaled exploration experience that truly makes you feel part of something epic and extraordinary.

Yet, the main storyline is merely the tip of the iceberg - one minor portion of the gameplay contained within Endless Ocean: Blue World. In fact, there are so many other elements to the game that I spent hours between storyline sections intensely engrossed in what the rest of the game had to offer me.

When players aren't searching for lost civilizations, they are doing odd jobs as an employee of the L&L Diving Service. The company offers a wide variety of underwater services, all of which make for jobs for players to accomplish. They can take salvaging requests, which send them to different areas to search for specific buried items. They can also take customers on guided tours of a particular locale, in which players will usually have to lead them to a specific animal in order to fulfill the request. There's also photo requests, coin collecting, quests, filling in maps, special requests, training dolphins, caring for an aquarium, and plenty of other things to do all of which are incredible amounts of fun. Though these additional game elements are separate of the main storyline, the majority will earn the player money which can be used to buy helpful items such as regulators, larger air tank expansions, and bigger bags that will allow players to salvage larger items.

Along the way, new characters will be added to the L&L team, enabling players to do all sorts of new things. For example, a famous salvager named GG will allow players to salvage five additional items when seeking out treasure: and trust me, GG's extra carrying capacity can come in handy when you're digging up all sorts of unique treasures and you just can't find the willpower to stop. One of my personal favorite companions to bring with me on dives actually weren't human at all; in fact they were sea animals. Fairly early on players will befriend a dolphin who, when brought along on a dive, will seek out buried treasure, coins hidden among coral, and can even clear obstructed paths.

With the addition of a focused experience, Endless Ocean: Blue World has surpassed its predecessor in every manner possible, including both the graphics and animations when underwater. It's hard to not be captured by the astounding beauty held in each of the underwater environments. It's obvious right away that the animations for each animal were carefully studied in order to create a digital representation that was as true to the real animal as possible.

The first time I encountered baby seals when visiting Antarctica in-game, I couldn't even contain my child-like delight as they rolled, walked, and even moved their little noses exactly the same way they would in real life.

The light effects seem perfectly implemented, and are absolutely mind blowing, especially in locales with shallow water. Painstaking effort has gone into every detail to create a graphical experience that I couldn't have imagined seeing on the Wii. The stunning graphics are, however, limited only to the time spent beneath the water. Any moments where players will interact above the water, including time spent on Nine Ball Island (L&L Associate's home base) are less than impressive to say the least.

Aside from the lackluster graphics above land, there are very few shortcomings of Endless Ocean: Blue World. The controls are nearly flawless and react smoothly to every movement of the Wii Remote without any jerky motions. The exception to this is when the reticle gets lost on the screen, which may send the player in a 180 to 360 degree spin; however, in the twenty hours that I invested in the game, it occurred only a handful of times and didn't affect my play experience whatsoever.

One other aspect of the game worth mentioning is the soundtrack; an aspect of Endless Ocean: Blue World that I had very mixed feelings about. At the very beginning of the game, there are interesting soundtrack choices, some of which came across as a bit cheesy; the most out of place to me being a remake of "The Prayer", which many may know as the duet by Andrea Boccelli and Celine Dion. Speaking of cheesy, the first time I made my way into one of the ancient ruins, a song sung in Latin began playing in the background, along with a very magnificent orchestral backdrop. Although I thought the soundtrack choice a bit too over-the-top initially, it began to grow on me more as I realized the game was simply trying to represent the significance of finding a lost civilization in a grandiose manner much like one might encounter in a Hollywood film.

Thus I walk away from Endless Ocean: Blue World feeling as though I have had one of the most beautiful and majestic gaming experiences of my life. It is obvious from every aspect of this game, that it was created with a lot of care and plenty of passion. While I'm not certain that Endless Ocean: Blue World is an experience that will appeal to every gamer, I believe that those who do take the plunge will be immersed in an experience unlike any other, and enjoy it immensely for hours on end.