If you ever played the Endless Ocean series on the Wii, this game is very similar to that in terms of diving mechanics. It's actually the only modern game that I've found to come close to the series. Instead of it being a big treasure hunt or searching for mythical creatures like in EO, you help clean up the trash that litters the island and surrounding areas after a storm. In the process, you learn about the local animals and the effects of humans on the environment. You heal sick creatures and can take pictures of them to build up your encyclopedia. You also have a dolphin buddy that will swim around with you and help you access certain areas on your map.

It's a super chill and cozy game. You can definitely have the TV on in the background if you want. You have unlimited oxygen, and no animals can hurt you. I finished the main game in < 5 hours. I probably could've done it quicker if I hadn't been so focused on picking up all the trash. However, you can still play the game after you've completed the main quest.

You definitely need a controller to play. I just plugged my PS5 controller into my laptop and played it that way. I also have a smart TV, so I could play on my laptop while having it connected to my TV via bluetooth.

Pros:
- No oxygen constraints
- No animals can hurt you
- Easy and intuitive diving mechanics with a controller
- You can take photos to build up your encyclopedia and learn about them
- Multiple side quests
- Dolphin buddy is cool
- Easy game for kids to play
- Easy objectives
- Picking up the trash is satisfying

Cons:
- Only 4 diving maps
- They are all similar in terms of creatures and general appearance of the surroundings
- Not a lot of different kinds of creatures
- No character customization (you either pick male or female)
- Short game
- Need a control for good gameplay

Overall, I'd recommend the game. It was fun, chill, and it helped scratch the EO itch that I've been missing.

~*~2024 is the year of the Backlog!~*~

Its janky, its weird, its obviously edutainment for kids, and its the closest thing to an Endless Ocean Steam port I'll probably ever get.

Its educational aspect is really good. They showed their work on the different sea creatures, their environmental roles, and how various conservation-related issues relate to them. They even made sure that your friendship with the little dolphin is respectful (he stays out in the wild, you never actually ride him (more like you get towed by him; still not a good idea to do with random wild dolphins, but hey the devs are trying), stuff like that; he's a magic dolphin, they really didn't need to model healthier human/dolphin interactions with him but they did anyway). That makes me smile. So does the overall visuals and the characters; simple, but sweet all the way around.

Only thing is, the keyboard controls are atrocious and you can't change them in any way. Maybe the worst case of "PC controller needed" I've seen in awhile. Don't make me use a controller, this ain't a console I'm playing on.

So if we include the controls, this is a 6/10. If we don't, its a solid 8/10. If you are the type of ocean nerd to go to yearly beach clean up programs for fun, its a 10/10.

Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission attempts to be a relaxing and educational experience but unfortunately the end result is a clunky, unpolished mess.

- The options menu has little to offer so you are left with clunky controls and no decent accessibility options.
- Without a jump mechanic, prepare to get stuck on a lot of objects and small gaps which should easily be reached or avoided.
- Land is frustratingly bare bones and animals behave like wind-up toys instead of wildlife.
- The game incorporates real world conspiracy theories and contentious issues as "facts". It shouldn't be played by children for educational purposes.
- There are hilarious clipping and blocking issues galore.
- The user interface is generally not intuitive and made worse by unchangeable controls.
- The camera doesn't seem to register animals in non-accessible locations at all for logging.
- The gameplay itself is dull and mostly comprises of going from a to b, clicking on something, then going back to a.
- The game actually crashed several times during loading screens.
- How come Dolphin can swim through rock but I can't? :(

Overall: I understand why people would be drawn to Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission, and I appreciate the anti-littering messages but there are countless cozy games worth playing over this.

You can view my VR gameplay here: https://youtu.be/COYAoJ96Gek

This is one of the better VR experiences using the UUVR mod by Raicuparta. It just works out of the box. If you don't know about the UUVR mod, all you really need to know is that it is completely free. You can download Raipal (search for it) and it'll let you know which games in your Steam library have a game with an available VR mod with Raipal. It's as simple as clicking install mod (UUVR Mono Modern) then clicking play.

The only real issue I noticed was that optimization was not the best. I was getting variable frame rates from 90 to 45 frames per second. Unfortunately, there really are not graphical settings to alleviate this, other than changing resolution. However, the VFR did not effect gameplay other than making the character run faster at times.

Other than that issue, sometimes it can be difficult seeing the corners of the UI. However, I was able to play without any issues. I recommend using a gamepad (Xbox One Controller). Game looks great in VR. Honestly, if the developer made a VR port for the Quest, this game would sell like hot cakes there.

VR Rating 8/10.

If you enjoyed my review, please consider joining my Steam Curator group Oculus Rift Reviews.

Dolphin Spirit is a very good adventure game where you spend your holidays at your grandpa's house on a paradise island which had unfortunately been damaged by wastes. Takes somes pictures of flora and fauna and discover few secrets to clean up the island, the underwater and save the animals... It's a really beautiful story, the graphics are really good and the soundtrack is relaxing. I highly recommend it!!! 🩵🐬🩵

This is a really cute and cozy hidden gem of a game! Like others have said it definitely has an Endless Ocean vibe. I like its attention to detail with the wildlife and ecology, and it's giving a message about conserving the environment and how it's important to preserve nature. If I had a kid I'd definitely nudge them to play this too, I think one could learn some positive things while also enjoying their time with the game itself.

Cozy, realaxing. Cute Dolphin. Cannot pet the dog.

Games like this are the reason why despite the ongoing crumbling of the AAA(A?) industry I'm still willing to check the occasional game out on the sole basis of "it looking interesting".
Such a sleeper gem this one is. An environmentalistic indie piece about a child rediscovering his/her (gender is choosable) heritage on an island filled with mysteries to uncover and troubled animals to aid. The gameplay is fairly simple. You walk around the open world, completing quests, gathering collectables (including the mountains of trash littered all over the island and it's surrounding coastal regions, not to mention the poisoned/trapped animals) and as you progress through the narrative you unlock new powers that can open new ways of interactions with the environment, also previously inaccessible areas. Doing all the aforementioned things gives you "notes" which are either "in-game lore" or "educational real life fun facts" about animals and the importance of looking after the environment. Strictly in terms of video games it's nothing revolutionary, but being revolutionary is absolutely unnecessary if your work is decent enough to offer an enjoyable experience.
And I gotta tell you while it's fairly evident that this is an indie title (it's quite short, took only 4 hours to complete the story and reach 70%ish total completion) the heart and soul of creativity are all there.
The soundtrack (wherever you actually hear it, as it's also somewhat brief like the entirety of this game) is magnificent, especially in the swimming sections where the player is accompanied by a dolphin who not only helps the player to traverse the environment whenever needed, but also helpfully points out missed collectables. The ambience of this game is absolutely lovely. Haven't felt anything quite like this since the Ecco (the Dolphin) days, perhaps in the Prologue and Thailand segments of Tomb Raider Underworld. It's been some time is what I'm trying to say and I love this game very much for allowing me to re-experience that same sense of wonder and peace once again.

Mildly conflicted about the full price, I personally bought it at a -42% discount, but for that it was easily worth it.
Now go get your own happy dolphin who waves goodbye with his flipper from the ocean at you whenever you're done for the day and about to go back home (yes that actually happens in the game). #happydolphinflippers

The keyboard and mouse controls are horrible and you can't rebind them.

If you're looking for a fun, relaxing game - mostly a collectathon (except you're collecting garbage mostly) especially if you like diving games - then you can buy this in confidence - however I'd recommend on sale.

Pros
It's fun
It's relaxing
Didn't find a single bug
Pleasant art style
Ran well
Satisfying - if simple - gameplay loop - There's something satisfying about cleaning and seeing animals return

Basically, it does everything it should well enough

Cons
Short game (but doesn't outstay it's welcome so that's okay)
Repetitive transition scenes (skippable)
Linear fetch-quest game play - do this, do that, return, repeat - and metroidvania-like - you get new abilities that enable you to access previously inaccessible areas

Re: Endless Oceans - Comparisons to EO on Wii are what sold me on this, but I feel they are overstated (people probably haven't played EO since the 15 years ago when it came out). Maybe a really short, simplified, kidified version of EO. But as of this writing, a new EO will be out on Switch in just a few days, so if you want EO - buy the new one on Switch not this. If you don't own a Switch (or a Wii or Wii emulator) and really want an EO on PC. This will lightly scratch that itch.

But overall - if you like exploration/collection/relaxing/diving games - This one doesn't disappoint. Buy.