foreverblue
Latest
Metareview: Endless Ocean
Our blogger in the UK, Chris, provided us with a review of the title last month (thanks to the game releasing in his territory before ours, for a change) and spoke his mind concerning the undersea exploration within. After providing his honest opinion on the title, many here who were otherwise dead-set on picking this one up (this blogger included) then began to contemplate the other releases this week. Soon, its place among the "must-haves" for the week was in question, and we started thinking about picking up one or the other.What about you all, though? Have you picked up Endless Ocean and found the critics to be off their rockers? Is this game awesome and nobody but IGN knows it? Let's get to the reviews: IGN (80/100) says: "There are enough missions, from becoming a tour guide for other divers to photographing rare fish, to keep you busy for hours, but you might just prefer the pointless exploration to accomplishing set goals. Add in a two-player online mode and there's a lot to like about this scuba-diving simulation, even if some of its basic controls are wonky and its action-oriented scenarios limited. Did I mention it's only $29.99?" Game Informer (60/100) thinks: "Have you ever wanted to be as cool as Aquaman, except without any super powers? You could swim around, make friends with fish, and...well, that's about it. That is exactly what Endless Ocean delivers, giving players a chance to pet all sorts of underwater wildlife and watch them float by. The few other distractions, like taking pictures and filling an aquarium, provide only the barest incentive to keep going." Eurogamer (60/100) labels the game: "Endless Ocean is simple to the point of being quite dull, and certainly no masterpiece. But sometimes all a game needs to do is offer you something different, and it's an honest relief to play something that doesn't shout in your ear, set any time limits, or feature a single explosion; a game whose raison d'être is just beauty and peace. Playing this game is almost like taking a holiday from gaming. If you can live with that paradox - and if you can find it reasonably cheap - it's worth dipping a toe in these calm, blue waters." GamePro (25/100) magazine critiques: "Endless Ocean's underwater atmosphere is soothing and relaxing but it lacks a crucial element: fun." [Feb 2008, p.84] %Gallery-4734%
Wii Fanboy Review: Endless Ocean
Here's a very brief list of adjectives I would almost never use to describe video games: Genteel Laid-back Soothing Historically, a handful of titles have bucked this trend -- Electroplankton, PlayStation 3 curio flOw, Pilotwings and its sublime 64-bit follow-up (one of this writer's all-time favorites) -- but on the whole, the term "video game" conjures up images that are far from tranquil: gobby, cornrowed marines shooting the bejesus out of this week's alien threat, epic battles with scaly fantasy creatures, futuristic pod racing, urban gang warfare. You get the idea.Endless Ocean does things differently. Arika's scuba-diving sim is almost certainly the most relaxing, pedestrian game of 2007. And while that's certainly a welcome change from other video games, occasionally it can become a little too laid-back for its own good. Or, to be blunt, boring.%Gallery-4734%
New Endless Ocean shots make a splash as Euro release nears
If you live in Europe and don't yet know your Humphead wrasse from your Powder blue tang, then fear not, because Endless Ocean (it is known by another name) has the answers, and will be hitting stores in Euroland later this week. To celebrate that fact, developer Arika has treated us to a further 19 screens of its watery exploration game, all of which you can find below.Needless to say, we're looking forward to this one -- it's pretty unique for starters, and Famitsu doesn't dish out 35/40s for any old tat.** Most of the time.%Gallery-4734%
Endless Ocean gets dated for U.S.
Even with Endless Ocean releasing to the United States, we worried that once it arrived, it would be with those nasty bugs and glitches the Japanese had to suffer through. Even if they replaced the bad copies, it's still a hassle.Well, we're going to find out what's what with the game when it hits the U.S. on January 21st as Nintendo finally provided word as to when we can nab it from retail shelves. Nothing like a little undersea exploration during those cold months, eh?Who's going to join us in pretending to be Jacques Cousteau?
Endless Ocean travels across oceans to Australia
Whether you want to call it Endless Ocean or Forever Blue, the game will be making its way to you Australian gamers come ... well, some time in the future. A release date for the title hasn't been finalized as of the time of this report.Passing through the Classification Board, the game received a "G" rating. In case you were wondering, a "G" rating means anyone can pick the game up at retail. Rocket science, we know, but considering there is some hot petting action in the game, we wouldn't of been surprised if it received a more mature rating.[Via Go Nintendo]
Japanese gamers can throw back glitched Forever Blue for a fresh one
The happy vibes around Arika's Forever Blue were recently disrupted by news of a game-breaking glitch. Obviously, this means that you shouldn't import it yet. But don't worry! Nintendo is intent on restoring the collective mellow of the Japanese diving-game audience, and to do so, they'll start shipping out non-busted copies of the game on the 21st. They've set up a page for people to sign up for new copies to replace their glitched ones.In the meantime, if you've got one of the tainted Forever Blues, keep the shinonomesakatazame (shark ray) out of your aquarium.[Via Siliconera]
Endless Ocean teaches everyone how to sink a game with nasty, nasty bugs
Endless Ocean was released into the wild today in Japan (as Forever Blue on that side of the pond), and it seems not all is flowing smoothly for Arika's peaceful diving game. Early adopters are reporting large numbers of game crashing bugs, with specifically reproducible instances when adding shark rays into your aquarium. While there's still time before it's arrival on U.S. shores later this year, this certainly doesn't bode well for its prospects in either country's waters. Some of us weren't all that excited about Arika's glorified aquarium screensaver anyway, but now we have an excuse to be downright critical of it! No word yet on whether the much beloved penguins have the potential to fry your system as well. [Via Kotaku]
Endless Ocean surfaces
New screens of Endless Ocean reveal some non-submerged activities, like getting to know your guide and hosting some ambassadors from the Penguin Empire. And where there are penguins, you can also expect brutally inhospitable water: Apparently the Forever Blue of the game's Japanese title refers not only to the pretty ocean water, but to the frozen skin of the insane diver whose death wish you carry out in the game.To round out the experience, there's some kind of competitive dolphin jumping ... thing that records the length of the jump and notes any tricks. This is probably designed around videotaping the best dolphin tricks possible-- oh, or you inexplicably get control of a dolphin during the game, like most divers do.
Endless Ocean surges its way onto Japanese television
In case you missed your chance to unwind to relaxing clips of Arika's forthcoming Endless Ocean (or you happen not to live in Japan, where it goes by Forever Blue), GameTrailers has posted several Japanese commercials of this bluest of the blue ocean games, and we'd like to present them to you. They may not be exactly trailer-length, but they're still quite graceful and give a nice glimpse of the floral and faunal variety you'll encounter. (Psst, show 'em the penguins. Girls love the penguins.) If you have any doubt about that last statement, don't forget to check out the final clip, where several ordinary Japanese young ladies take the diving adventure for a test drive. Although in full disclosure, it's the dolphin that really sets them off.
Today's saltiest video: Forever Blue
The Wii undersea exploration non-game, Forever Blue, sure looks pretty in this trailer. (We have to imagine how the graphics will look outside of a web browser, but we'd swear this game takes at least three Gamecubes taped together.)While Japan-only at this point, maybe the SCUBA simulation will surface in other regions, with the Wii's success. See the video after the break.Update: Thanks to readers for pointing out that Forever Blue will launch in the U.S. as Endless Ocean on October 29.%Gallery-4554%
New Forever Blue videos wash on shore
Supplementing Forever Blue's (Endless Ocean) official site launch earlier this week, Nintendo has uploaded a batch of new media in anticipation of the scuba diving adventure's August 2nd release in Japan. North America, always a step and a few months behind, won't see the WiFi-enabled game until October 29th, but there's a lot of new stuff to preview in the meantime -- three commercials, three Wii experience sessions, and an extensive gameplay demonstration video. The pacific music playing during the advertisement spots is Secret Garden's "Prayer," covered by New Zealander Hayley Westenra. You'll be able to customize Forever Blue's soundtrack by loading your own MP3s onto an SD Card, as with Excite Truck, so your dreams of listening to Enya while exploring underwater caves and attending formal events with penguins can finally be realized.
Forever Blue launches site (with actual content)
The "actual content" we speak of is none other than several small videos, each of which covers some of Forever Blue's (or Endless Ocean to us English-speaking folk) many aspects.The last video, which is much too short for our liking, even gives us a look at the co-op diving promised by the title. Other videos highlight the perfectly normal diving technique of petting and poking every underwater lifeform you come across.We can't wait to play this game! How about all of you?
Wii Warm Up: Ever PS2
We here at Wii Fanboy are pretty intrigued about Endless Ocean, because it looks like such a unique gaming experience-- underwater treasure-hunting mixed with adventure game elements. But, strictly speaking, it is not unique at all. It is, in fact, another entry in the Everblue series of diving adventures for the Playstation 2. Well-rounded and experienced gamers though we are, there is a big old hole in our gaming history in the shape of the Everblue games. This is especially embarrassing for us, as we are possibly alone in our fandom of Arika games like Technic Beat and even the Street Fighter EX series.We figure somebody out there has played one of the Everblue games. We'd love to know what you thought of the experience. Should we stop caring about Endless Ocean? Should we be getting Endless Ocean tattoos? Also, do you think this game is the sort of thing that waggle can genuinely improve?
E307: Forever Blue crossing the pond as Endless Ocean
Forever Blue, the ocean exploration game from Arika, has been announced for a US release, with the slightly different. but thematically identical, title of Endless Ocean. We've got a short, but very pretty gallery of screenshots, and a similarly bite-size trailer. The trailer's music is as relaxing as the game looks. Look at that screen up there. It just exudes serenity even when a sea creature is bearing down on the poor diver. %Gallery-4749%
Japanese Forever Blue boxart revealed [update]
There you have it, the Japanese boxart for Forever Blue, a title that was recently put under the magnifying glass. Do you notice something special about this boxart, though? Yes, that wonderful little logo we want to see on more game boxes. So, while the realist in us makes us think it's merely to share information on species and the like, we're still holding out for online multiplayer exploration. We're also holding out for confirmation of a release to other regions outside Japan.Update: Whoops, looks like the co-op diving was already confirmed and I overlooked it. Sorry, folks!
Forever Blue Japanese box revealed
The official box art for the Japanese release of Forever Blue has just been unveiled. A few vague details were leaked earlier this month confirming the non-game will be exploration-based as you swim the ocean cataloging and photographing the sea life you encounter. With the little blue Wi-Fi logo, the box also confirms online multiplayer exploration. Although a North American or European release has not been mentioned, we're still filing this one under the "Japan gets all the cool boxes" category.%Gallery-4554%
New Forever Blue (Wii) screenshots
New media has finally surfaced for the underwater Wii title Forever Blue, a still-mysterious game developed by Arika studios (creator of Everblue for the PS2). Little information has been released about the game, but according to an unconfirmed translation, it will be an exploration-based "non-game" where you play with and study sea creatures, hunt for treasure, take pictures, and -- the real kicker -- hunt for underwater sea ruins with a friend via wi-fi. We're thinking Pokemon Snap with whales. Forever Blue is set for release next month in Japan, but no North American date has been announced.[Via NeoGAF]%Gallery-4554%
Exploring the depths with Forever Blue
Famitsu has posted a massive amount of screenshots for the upcoming deep sea exploration title on the Wii Forever Blue. This, of course, caused us to become very excited, given that we haven't seen anything on the game in months. And, judging from the screenshots, the game is going to be quite fun, allowing the player to explore many an underwater locale, documenting the species of lifeforms they may come across. Not only that, but there is dolphin petting. And you can ride those dolphins. If there ever was a game that could let us act out our want to be Steve Zissou, this is it![Via Game | Life]
'The big three' ARE coming in 2007 (to Japan)
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Nintendo confirmed that they do in fact plan to release Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl by the end of this year, as well as pretty much every Nintendo game announced for the Wii. This corroborates an IGN report to the same effect, and is also totally, totally rad. Here's the full list of Nintendo's planned 2007 releases. Donkey Kong Taru Jet Race is slated for June 28, and the rest are all "2007": Donkey Kong Taru Jet Race Wii Health Pack Disaster: Day of Crisis Mario Party 8 Project H.A.M.M.E.R. Wii Music Super Mario Galaxy Super Smash Bros. Brawl Battalion Wars II Forever Blue Mario Strikers Charged Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Keep checking with us for news of the inevitable delays of about half of these. Seriously, that's a lot of first-party Nintendo games for just half a year or so. Aw, we just made ourselves sad with our own skepticism. Still, if half of this stuff does get released in Japan this year, it'll be great news and do a pretty good job of ending any drought that may or may not be happening.Update: fixed some italics and formatting.
Wii Warm Up: Continuing the desert island theme ...
Yesterday, we posed a question regarding which of this year's so-called "Big Three" you would pick, if you had to pick (and we know it's tough!). Today, we're gonna do something similar ... but instead of using the biggest games of the year, we're going to look at the more creative side of things. We looked over the list of upcoming titles and want to know this: of Disaster: Day of Crisis, Forever Blue, or Project H.A.M.M.E.R., which one interests you the most? Again, this is an all-or-nothing, no halfsies sorta thing -- you have to choose just one. So which one do you pick?
