Finny the Fish & the Seven Waters

About

In this underwater action-adventure, players take the role of the title character: a small, freshwater fish who finds himself in a (number of) big ponds (not to mention streams, lakes, and rivers). At the beginning of the game, Finny learns from a wizened old turtle that a great destiny lays before him, and that he must leave the safety of his home and travel the wide waters to find it. With representations of over 100 different species of underwater life, the game is full of small bugs and fish for Finny to eat, and large fish and animals that are interested in eating Finny. Unpredictable currents, hidden bonus areas, and (especially) fisherman's lures all pose additional challenges the small fry protagonist must face. In essence, the game is something of an arcade-style "fish sim," with believable underwater environments to explore and many action-oriented puzzles to solve. Some gameplay elements may be reminiscent of the later, 3D incarnations of Ecco the Dolphin, but Finny's adventures are presented in a slightly more "anime" (if not anthropomorphized) style. Originally known as Uo the Fish: The Seven Waters and the Gods, the North American release of Finny the Fish is the result of an unusual collaboration between eccentric publisher Natsume, the Sega staple design studio WOW Entertainment, and the PS2's own home team, Sony Computer Entertainment of Japan.