It may look and sound better than its predecessor, but The Tides Of Time plays worse than it.
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 5/10
Tilt: 5/10
Final Score: 5.4/10 (D-)
The first Ecco game was a nightmare for me. The tedious level design and stiff controls brought down a pretty cool concept. So as you can imagine, The Tides of Time sucks as well, except it's WORSE!! It's rare I play a mediocre sequel that makes me want to play the mediocre predecessor, but The Tides Of Time does it. Genesis fans were WAY over their heads when they praised this game. I'm pretty sure they need about 17 FAQs, because that's how much I used (okay not that much, but you get the point) to play the FIRST LEVEL!! And guess what? I HAVEN'T BEATEN IT YET!!
The plot is that Tides Of Time has Ecco back, and he must stop the vortex queen from destroying the ocean by travelling through time. I feel that this plot fared better in games such as Chrono Trigger and Majora's Mask, two of my favorite games. The first puzzle is pretty easy (the dolphin mirror), but once you get to the first level, all hell breaks loose. There's a new Pseudo 3D stage where Ecco can junmp through rings to get to another part of time, and it's actually more fun than the GAME ITSELF!!
If you thought the dolphins in the first game gave you clueless hints, then the dolphins in here are on DRUGS!! They offer useless advice such as "Do it", and when the level design is this frustrating, that ticks me off. I'm in for challenging puzzles as much as the next guy, but not if the puzzles give you absolutely NO clue what to do. Everybody hates the Water Temple from OOT, but at least you know what to do (I actually beat it in a day). In a 2D game like this, you'd expect it to give some hints. It would have saved 2 letter grades to include a tutoral.
But no, the problems get worse. These crystals are harder to get, and after 30 minutes or so, I gave up. The levels in the later levels seem more interesting, but in general, I couldn't get past it. I only assumed the gameplay would get harder if I tried it. The controls are okay, but the movements feel stiff.
The graphical upgrade is stunning. Ecco looks almost 3D, and the animation is smooth. The water looks more interesting, and the music and sound effects are top notch for the Genesis.
It may look and sound better than its predecessor, but The Tides of Time plays worse than it. If you're looking for an adventure game with challenging puzzles but little frustration, stick with Zelda. I'm sure Genesis owners will want this in their collection, but personally, it's another addition to the collection not worth having.