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Video Games That Went Under The Sea
Tradition dictates that the final frontier is space. But when it comes to video games, it’s difficult to think of a frontier that has been explored to any greater degree. In recent years, the situation has improved somewhat as games designers have settled on frontiers closer to home. The original ‘frontier’, the wild west is enjoying a little exposure these days. But for some the true ‘final’ frontier is found under the waves. The success of ‘Bioshock’ has at once defined the importance of the aquatic setting (to the degree that it will likely be a point of comparison for years to come). ‘Bioshock’ is a first person shooter where an amnesiac finds himself in an undersea city inhabited by giants in diving suits and other hideous genetic mutants. This isn’t exactly one of your tropical Scuba Diving holidays. Nevertheless, the tension of the piece and a glorious mid-game golf simulation bought the genre, and video gaming itself to new heights (or, heights that everyone ignored when ‘System Shock 2′ originally reached them). The sequel, despite some more pretentious objections to its existence, is well worth a look.
Life under the waves is seldom pleasant, and even in its less grisly incarnations, it keeps the tension high. The Mega Drive series, ‘Ecco the Dolphin’ looked like another cuddly (slippery?) mascot adventure. A kind of cetacean horror story, the sentient dolphin race found out that the ocean was being harvested by an alien race. The soundtrack was similarly unsettling. You got the full experience of Shark Diving and combat you’d never be daft enough to engage in for real. Well, if you were a dolphin too, of course.
The creation of new audiences has meant the resurgence of popularity for more simulation style games without a combat imperative. Whilst uncommon, there are a growing number of scuba-diving games like ‘Endless Ocean’. This game basically simulates the Maldives diving experience in a kind of fictional Pacific Ocean where the weather is always pleasant and your Oxygen is unlimited. The one thing you can definitely call this game is ‘pleasant’. Not a classic by any means, but it tries very hard. At the very least it’s commendable to see a game that is finally about appreciating nature, rather than hunting it.
Sonic Adventure Unlimited (BlitzSonic) – Debut Trailer