The Compass

Issue date: 3/11/08 Section: Entertainment

Endless Ocean was released in the United States on Jan. 21. the game places the player inside a fictional ocean with the possibilities to explore numerous amounts of underwater marine life. Photo courtesy of www.nintendo.com

Had enough of the typical high-energy, maniacal video game that strives to keep you on the edge of your seat? Need some time to relax, but not willing to put the controller down?

The Nintendo Wii's latest offering, Endless Ocean, will calm any gamer's nerves, even after a night filled with endless destruction and demolition from Call of Duty 4 or The Orange Box. This game puts the guns down, and all others weapons for that matter, and suits your character up with a new piece of equipment: a scuba tank.

Before you disregard any idea of playing a scuba diving game, Endless Ocean takes what some would consider a boring pastime and makes it into an experience that any gamer with a sense of exploration will enjoy. The game takes players underwater to navigate the twisted and rocky depths of the ocean, fully loaded with over 200 different species of sea life to discover. This is all offered without worrying about a health bar or how many lives their character has left.

Players can begin their adventure investigating the small fish found in shallow coral waters, and work their way up to the deepest depths of ocean, where the strangest and most diverse sea life is found. As they discover each animal, the animal's information is stored in an encyclopedia, giving players a drive to find all of them. However, this is no easy task, as some animals are extremely small and hard to find. On the other hand, some of them are enormous. Ever wanted to swim with a whale?

As the game progresses, players unlock new equipment that enhances the diving experience. This includes fish food, a camera, even an underwater pen that attracts rare animals. Players can also discover hidden treasures, which can often assist them in discovering new areas, such as ancient ruins or sunken pirate ships.

Despite Endless Ocean being as detailed and innovative as it is, the controls are very easy to learn and maneuvering the character in the water only takes a few minutes to master. The game play is consistent and never trails away from the main story, but gives players plenty of different missions, including none at all, as divers are free to roam the entire game map from the very beginning.

Overall, Endless Ocean is different from anything ever done before. The game doesn't miss a beat in creating an inviting environment that will allow gamers to kick back and take a break from the non-stop action they're used to.

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