Two underwater adventures have been released recently on the Dreamcast. One
of those is Ecco the Dolphin, and the other is Deep
Fighter, the game we're looking at here. On many levels, DF seems like a
success, but it's slow-moving plot and ludicrous missions make the game boring to a point
where one can go no further.
Putting the gamer in control of an underwater submarine, the player becomes a rookie pilot in the worlds first human underwater civilization. Of course, something goes terribly wrong, and it's up to you and your co-pilots to fix everything before any more damage can occur. The first few mission do nothing but bore gamers and are extremely repetitive. Making it through these first few missions will reward the gamer with some action, but most of it has all been done better before.
The game shines graphically, but when compared to Ecco, Deep Fighter fails. Jagged corners show up everywhere and the little details such as plant life and large fish just don't look realistic. The game comes on two discs, and this is due to the hilarious FMV cinematics strewn about the game. All of these are poorly acted and scripted. After seeing what can be done with the Dreamcast's power, the games look comes off as a disappointment.
Your sub controls well enough and aiming for the baddies proves quite easy. Of course, enemy subs aren't your only problem as deadly fish manage to mangle your metal sub with the greatest of ease and poisonous spiders damage your ship with their fluorescent green spit. How they manage this is unexplained and all they do is add to an already high challenge making this more frustrating than fun.
Deep Fighter is one of those games that needs a sequel. With a few refinements in the gameplay and an upgrade in the graphics department, this game stands a chance. As for now, this is one to pass on unless you're a fan of guppies that can destroy a metal submarine by ramming it repeatedly.
