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See also: Endless Ocean

Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep (known as Endless Ocean: Blue World in North America, and FOREVER BLUE 海の呼び声 or Forever Blue: Call of the Ocean in Japan) is a diving game released for the Nintendo Wii. It is the second release in the Endless Ocean series, and a direct sequel to Endless Ocean.

It was released in Japan on September 17th, 2009, and worldwide throughout February 2010.

The game builds upon its predecessor in many ways, adding many new stages in locations across the world, as well as including updated graphics, a new soundtrack featuring original music and a score by Celtic Woman, new species of creatures, and a much larger overall gameplay experience with dozens of side-quests and hundreds of items to collect.

Gameplay

Characters

Main article: Characters in Endless Ocean 2

Main Characters

  • Player Character: The diver that the player controls throughout the game. They are a university student studying folklore, who came to Pelago to learn about the Song of Dragons.
  • Jean-Eric Louvier: A gruff former marine adventurer, left unable to dive due to a bad case of decompression sickness. Co-founded L&L Diving Service, alongside his late son Matthias.
  • Oceana Louvier: Jean Eric's granddaughter. Despite her young age, she is a talented and experienced diver. She is also in charge of providing guided tours, and selling maps of the locations L&L visit.
  • Gaston Gray: A famous American salvager who wants to find the Pacifica Treasure. He starts as a rival to the player, but eventually joins L&L with a common goal.
  • Hayako Sakurai: A highly intelligent Japanese veterinarian with several PhDs to her name. She knows everything there is to know about marine life, and eventually joins L&L to help unravel the Song of Dragons. She also helps run the aquarium.
  • Matthias Louvier: Jean-Eric's son and Oceana's father who presumably died in the Zahhab Region Depths due to a critical malfunction aboard the HD-9 submarine.

Other Characters

  • Nancy Young: A businesswoman based in the Pelago Commonwealth, who serves L&L by selling equipment, appraising salvages, and more.
  • Franklin Fischer: Gaston Gray's rival, who gives the player special salvage requests during the events of the "Pride of the Salvage King" quest.
  • Finley: A dolphin training enthusiast, who challenges L&L to befriend every possible dolphin during the events of the "Be the Best Trainer" quest.
  • Ken Kaimoto: The curator of the aquarium.
  • Dolphin Partners: Unique, befriendable dolphins the player comes across throughout the course of the game, which can provide assistance in a myriad of ways.
  • Other Divers: Divers request services of you in exchange for money.

Controls

Wii Remote
Input Result
Pointer
  • Point
  • Turn
Shake
  • Pet (with food equipped and focused on creature above water)
  • Poke (with food equipped and focused on creature underwater)
  • Give "Go!" sign (after choosing trick for dolphin partner)
Wii D Pad Control Pad
  • Display Tool menu
  • Scroll through Tool menu (left and right)
  • Close Tool menu (down)
  • Chat (during Nintendo WFC play)
Wii A Button Button
  • Check/Use (while pointing)
  • Choose Tool menu options
Wii B Button Button
  • Swim
  • Quick turn (press twice quickly)
  • Roll (hold down while shaking Wii Remote)
  • Walk
  • Cancel
Wii Minus Button Button
  • Cancel
Wii Plus Button Button
  • Autoswim
  • Display shortcut menu
Wii 1 Button Button
  • Display map
  • Enter animal placing menu (while in Aquarium)
Wii 2 Button Button
  • Change view
  • Open advanced camera settings (while using camera)
  • Zoom in on map (while using the map)
Classic Controller
Input Result
Left Stick
  • Move cursor
Right Stick
  • Change direction
Wii D Pad Control Pad
  • Display Tool menu
  • Scroll through Tool menu (left and right)
  • Close Tool menu (down)
  • Chat (during Nintendo WFC play)
Classic A Button Button
  • Check/Use (while pointing)
  • Choose Tool menu options
  • Pet (with food equipped and focused on creature above water)
  • Poke (with food equipped and focused on creature underwater)
Classic B Button Button
  • Cancel
Classic X Button Button
  • Display map
Classic Y Button Button
  • Quick turn
Wii Minus Button Button
  • Change point of view
  • Zoom in on map (while using the map)
Wii Plus Button Button
  • Autoswim
  • Display shortcut menu
Classic L Button Button
  • Swim
  • Walk
Classic R Button Button
  • Check/Use (while pointing)
  • Choose Tool menu options

Locations

Main article: Category:Locations in Endless Ocean 2

Endless Ocean 2 has a total of six different stages to dive in, along with six sub-stages, making for twelve locales in total. Each stage is located on a different continent, reflective of the "world-tour" theming of the game mentioned in the developer interview. These stages are:

Another location, Nineball Island, acts as the player's main hub through which they can access the game's other stages, as well as train their dolphin partners, read the marine encyclopedia, and view quests and collectibles.

Story

Prologue
The introduction starts with an en-medias-res cutscene of whales and dolphins leaping from the water. Your character is on a boat with two men and two women, who discuss the cetaceans and ask what gender you are. Choosing "I'm that kind of girl" or "I'm that kind of guy" selects what gender your character will be. You then dive into the unknown sea, and towards a strange place filled with dolphins and whales. As you swim through it and see a mysterious structure, a majestic song underscores the title of the game, and the game brings you back in time, to the beginning of the story...
Chapter 1: The Song of Dragons
Gatama Atoll
You are a gap-year college student who is studying folklore, intrigued by a myth known as the Song of Dragons. While on a trip to the Pelago Commonwealth, you are by chance recruited to work for L&L Diving Service. During your first meeting with Jean-Eric Louvier, the man on the boat you met in the prologue who runs the company, you give information that will describe your character's features, such as hair and skin tone.


After you complete your divers' looks, Oceana Louvier, Jean-Eric's granddaughter who was also on the boat in the prologue, arrives on her jet-ski, to see what you have to offer in the department of diving. You start diving in Gatama Atoll's Atoll Gate, where upon leaving, you find a stray Humpback Whale calf. While Oceana panics about what to do, you tell her that you should guide it back to its mother. Oceana calms down and states that the mother should be near the Spring Garden area.

After reuniting the calf with its mother, Oceana drops the pendant that her father gave to her. It makes an eerie sound and the mother humpback whale charges at you, but you dodge it without getting harmed. After successfully resurfacing, Oceana tells you how she lost the other half of the pendant years ago at Deep Hole; however, Jean-Eric tells her not to go. Disregarding her father's warnings, she decides to go by herself and find the other half of the pendant early the next morning. Jean-Eric gives you the Pulsar, a tool that can calm aggressive animals and heal sick creatures, since there's a chance that a tiger shark is in the area.

After calming down the shark with the pulsar, it leaves and Oceana is revealed to be safe. You find the pendant at the bottom, and return to the boat. After getting a stern scolding from Jean-Eric, you and Ocean merge the two pendants, and a mysterious verse is found engraved into the two parts, reading:

"The road to the truth is the Song of Dragons."

Chapter 2: Phantoms of the Castle
Ciceros Strait
Upon venturing to Nineball Island for the first time, you meet your first dolphin partner, a Short-Beaked Common Dolphin who Jean-Eric and Oceana already have a history with. Ringing the Dolphin Bell will give you the first training session with this dolphin, and you learn how to ride with them.

The mysterious verse you found on Oceana's pendant hints towards Valka Castle, a long-lost castle rumored to have sunk around Ciceros Strait many years ago. You travel to Ciceros Strait in search of the castle, and when you get there, you're introduced to Gaston Gray (also known as Gary Gray), more commonly referred to as GG. GG is a famous American salvager who has also caught wind of the Valka Castle mystery and is out to get the treasure for himself and boost his popularity. Your team and GG agree to a competition to find the castle first, where the loser must either eat a sea slug or scrub the underside of L&L's boat with a toothbrush, and GG swims away. Jean-Eric gives you a tool called the Multisensor, used for discovering treasures and rocks, to aide you in finding the castle. You dive around and explore Ciceros Strait.

Amphitrite's Sanctuary

Ciceros Strait is a large rocky strait running between the Cyclades islands near Greece, filled with shipwrecks, sharks, whirlpools and a diverse assortment of Mediterranean sea life. While exploring the area, you find various pieces of lapis lazuli, a rare stone, with the Multisensor. Eventually, you discover a bracelet made of pure lapis lazuli, known as the Triton Bracelet. It contains a map, to which Oceana says:

"It looks like a town surrounded by whirlpools, doesn't it?"

The bracelet also contains engravings which you can't decipher, so you decide to head back to Nineball Island and have Nancy appraise it for you. Nancy deciphers it for you, and it reads:

"Fishermen of Triton Village of the Ailouros Cape, pay heed if you value your life. Even the whirling waters fear the night. Sail in the calm twilight when all is quiet."

You then dive at night, following the clues you've been given to discover the Triton Village Ruins, left behind by an ancient civilization, when the dinis/undines (whirlpools) have disappeared. The ruins contain a well that Oceana believes may lead to the castle. However, just as you're about to check, GG arrives, proclaiming himself the victor. Suddenly, though, GG becomes terrified and tells you to swim for your lives. You and Oceana are confused as to what scared him until you turn around and notice something terrifying... approaching you is the legendary man-eating shark Thanatos, accompanied by some Great White Sharks. You use your Pulsar to calm the Great Whites, but Thanatos seems impervious to the its effects, so you escape down the well.

Underwater Gallery

Oceana was right, and you end up in the legendary Valka Castle through the well. The serene, ancient castle is beautiful, with cobblestone structures, various rooms, and many windows. As you explore the castle, you discover two things: a flat, circular map of the earth, a baffling scientific discovery to both of you due to the time it was made in, and the Mermaid's Ballroom, which leads to the king's chamber.

After toggling a switch that lets you into the king's chamber, you explore some aspects of it and find a book-switch that opens a secret chamber. Suddenly, you hear a strange "song", and the chamber locks you inside. Brief panic leads you to discover a switch that lets you out, and as you escape you see a North Atlantic Right Whale that somehow ended up near Valka Castle swimming outside the windows.

Okeanos Tablet 1

Inside the secret room, you discovered something known as an Okeanos Tablet, a tablet of engraved lapis lazuli. You and Oceana escape the haunted castle, and, despite having lost, GG never ate a sea slug nor cleaned the boat.

Chapter 3: Pole to Pole
North Coast of Canada
Upon returning to Nineball Island, Jean-Eric requests to speak to the player. He informs them that, due to the discovery of Valka Castle, L&L Diving Service has become a global sensation, and the player can now receive requests, wherein they can take photos of creatures or give guided tours in exchange for money.

You call Nancy, asking for assistance in deciphering the mysterious tablet found in Valka Castle, and although Nancy is unable to decipher the tablet herself, she does recognize the writing and relates it to an ancient civilization known as the Okeanides. She recommends that the Diving Service travel to Japan and speak with Professor Hayako Sakurai, a genius young oceanographer who holds many degrees and is considered a fantastic marine biologist. You travel to the Aquarium in Japan where she works and meet her.

Polar Bear

Hayako says she recognizes the Okeanos Tablet and would be able to decipher it given time, but is interrupted by her boss, Ken Kaimoto, who tells her that she cannot work on it due to required research on Polar Bears in the arctic. Oceana suggests that they go and do the work instead while Hayako works on the tablet, to which Mr. Kaimoto agrees.

You travel to the North Coast of Canada to gather info on polar bears. Along the way, you are ambushed by a Greenland Shark, who you successfully deter with the Pulsar. Once you reach land, you observe the polar bear trying and failing to hunt for seals, after which you can return to the boat and to the Aquarium.

Upon returning to the Aquarium, Mr. Kaimoto allows you to place animals in the aquarium and gives a quick tutorial. You then speak with Hayako, who has finished deciphering the tablet. It reads:

The treasure of Pacifica sleeps with the queen behind the bronze door in the abyss.

The fissure filled by the circular ocean shows the way to the queen's tomb.

Offer your flute to the sun of morning, noon and night, and the dragon's song will open the gates to treasure.

She summarizes this message as proof of the Okeanides; the Song of Dragons is the key to the legendary treasure of the Okeanides, the Pacifica Treasure, which is said to be lost in a tomb under the seas. She mentions that there are increasing reports of the song being heard, namely in the Weddell Sea near an iceberg known as Special Iceberg A-sm16p.

Before anybody else can say anything, Jean-Eric interrupts. He is angry over the idea of pursuing the song, because his son Matthias, Oceana's father, was killed in pursuit of the song's mystery as well as the Pacifica Treasure. You and Oceana convince him to help find the truth, though, and Hayako joins the team to help search for the truth behind the Song of Dragons. With that, the team sets off for the Weddell Sea.

Weddell Sea

Upon arriving in the Weddell Sea, you get a brief explanation between the differences of ice floes and icebergs; ice floes consist of frozen seawater, whereas icebergs are chunks of Antarctic ice that have broken off. Jean-Eric mentions that hypothermia may be an issue, but Hayako presents a solution: AAP Wax, which helps prevent hypothermia when applied before diving, even in sub-zero temperatures. Jean-Eric quips on how times have changed.

You dive into the sea from the northeast and travel southwest towards the Special Iceberg, where the main source of noise is reported. Upon discovering Lower Ice Cave 3, you and Hayako hear a loud noise, a sort of wailing/grinding noise, coming from within. Hayako says that the cave must go deep into the iceberg to produce such reverberations and you travel inside, where you are taken to the Iceberg Cavern.

Iceberg Cavern

You discover a small chamber containing a leopard seal and a closed-off entrance to a greater area. With the aid of the whistle, you anger the leopard seal and cause it to ram into the blockade stopping you from accessing the rest of the Cavern. You discover the beautiful, serene Hall of Radiance, a chamber filled with tiny ice formations, leopard seals, schools of fish and gleaming ice stalagmites. Within, you notice a Spectacled Porpoise crying for help, presumably having been trapped within by accident, and realize that the ear-splitting noise heard earlier was not, in fact, the Song of Dragons as previously presumed but the cries of the porpoise amplified and distorted by the unique structure of the Iceberg Cavern.

Hayako suggests you Pulsar the porpoise to calm it down, and upon doing so, it takes a liking to you; you befriend the Spectacled Porpoise. Suddenly, a noise is heard, not like the previous screech, but more of a definite song, with a familiar melody and tune -- could this be the Song of Dragons?!

It's coming from outside the Cavern! You rush out with Hayako, ready to face the unknown, and out of the blue appears -- a blue whale? A rare sight, according to Hayako. The Song stops after meeting the whale, and you're left perplexed as to what happened at all. Yet another surprise when Oceana radioes you urgently, saying that conditions have severely worsened above water, and the radio cuts out with one final, eerie message:

"It's all... white... lost..."

You and Hayako return to the boat as quickly as you can, unable to contact them, and discover the source of the trouble: an immense blizzard has come over the Antarctic, reducing visibility to essentially nothing and causing danger, as the boat could capsize and leave them stranded. All hope seems lost, with no chance of truly safe escape, when suddenly, the Spectacled Porpoise you befriended in the Iceberg Cavern pops out of the water, chirping. Oceana asks if it's trying to help them, to which it nods fervently, and you decide to listen to it. It goes off in one direction and you follow suit, keeping a careful eye out for the Porpoise as it leads you through the twisting maze of icebergs. Eventually, it leads you out of the iceberg zone and into clearer waters, where you are safe.

You all discuss what happened down in the Cavern, with the conclusion being that the sound was the Song of Dragons. Oceana mentions that she and you heard it in Valka Castle, too, just before you were locked in, and Jean-Eric panics, having not heard of this before. Jean-Eric forces you to stop chasing the Song of Dragons, believing it will bring nothing but bad luck. You return to Nineball Island, feeling that Jean-Eric is hiding something...

Chapter 4: The Second Slate
Cortica River
You confront Jean-Eric about why he's acting so odd towards the Song of Dragons, and he responds that he doesn't want to lose Oceana too. When you ask what he means by "too", he gives in and tells you the story of L&L Diving Service.

L&L Diving Service was founded by Jean-Eric and Matthias Louvier, a father-son diving team, who traveled the world exploring oceans and seas. However, one day, fifteen years before the game takes place, Matthias caught wind of the legend of the Song of Dragons and become infatuated with it. Jean-Eric, on the other hand, believed it was simply that, a legend, and pleaded with Matthias to let it go, to which Matthias responded:

"I know it exists! Why don't you believe me, Father?"

Confronting Jean-Eric

Confronting Jean-Eric over the Song of Dragons.

The two fractured and L&L Diving Service was almost no more. A year later, Matthias went off on his own to explore for the legendary treasure said to be hidden by the Song of Dragons, and died in the process, leaving Jean-Eric certain that he had failed his son and that he had died hating him.

Oceana and Hayako, having overheard Jean-Eric's lament, confront him. Oceana says that Matthias may have died, but to not continue the search for what Matthias believed in, what he truly desired in his life, would be disrespectful, and that what he had done was not foolish. She puts her foot down and says she will search for the treasure, regardless of what Jean-Eric says. Jean-Eric, weary, says that he can't come with, and you leave him to think about it on his own time.

The next morning, you, Oceana and Jean-Eric get a rather rude awakening in the form of a figure on the docks yelling out. Oceana stumbles out, grumbling, and is shocked by who is there. When you and Jean-Eric follow, you see who it is: the less-than-stellar return of GG, who's come back to discuss the Pacifica Treasure with you and L&L Diving Service.

GG explains that he has been chasing the treasure for over 10 years, picking up clues and salvaging any and everything that might be related to it and that he was at Valka Castle to search for clues. He says that he has a new location to scout for the treasure based on a hot tip, but it's too dangerous to scout alone; so if L&L Diving Service goes with him, they'll split the treasure fairly and evenly if there is any... at an 80-20 ratio for GG, of course. Oceana flips the deal and only agrees to go if they get 80% since there's four of L&L and one of GG. GG agrees after realizing the team now houses the famous Hayako Sakurai, and (jokingly?) asks her out on a date. She does not respond.

GG explains this new location. It's called the Cortica River, a tributary of the Amazon River, located in South America. Apparently, in the upstream of the river, there's a waterfall referred to by locals as Spirit Falls. They report hearing strange sounds coming from the cascading water that they refer to as Dragonsong. They say the song was sung by the spirits of the falls for a traveling ocean deity that once visited them. Hayako suddenly remembers the river, having come across it in her research, as an unusual number of lapis lazuli-based artifacts have been discovered there recently. Most likely only for the treasure, and rather reluctantly, GG joins L&L Diving Service!

You all travel to the Cortica River, in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest. Hayako warns of the dangers of the river, namely the piranhas, electric eels and caimans that reside within. You dive in the lower midstream of the river and travel up the winding stream, encountering swaths of piranhas, caimans, arapaimas and, most important of all, otters, along the way.

Cortica River Mangrove Maze 1

You breach through a mangrove thicket known as the Mangrove Maze and proceed upstream. You reach upstream and turn a corner, ending up in the area known as Spirit Falls. However, something nobody else has noticed about Spirit Falls is the temple-esque entrance sitting beneath the cascading water. A small bout of small stone steps leads up to a closed door with two sacred frog statues on either side. GG recalls a song about frogs and floodgates from the area:

"A frog that eats silver and a frog that eats lapis, guard the king's floodgate one side apiece. Impress them each to open the gate. Lapis, lapis, silver, lapis, silver, release."

You touch the frogs in the correct order and the floodgate opens up to reveal a stone corridor intricately engraved with all sorts of drawings and markings.
Twilight temple 1
As the gate opens, you hear the Song of Dragons once more, this time from within the corridor. You push into the corridor and turn a corner, ending up in the Twilight Temple; a large structure sunken beneath water decorated with pillars and intricate architecture, reminiscent of Valka Castle. GG remarks about how the Song of Dragons has stopped. At the far-back of the structure lies a single chamber filled with dorados, and upon a pedestal lies another Okeanos Tablet known as the Cortica Slate!

As you inspect the slate, you hear the mythical Song of Dragons yet again, this time coming from Spirit Falls itself. You turn to leave the Temple, but a large crocodile blocks your escape. You Pulsar it and it calms down, allowing for your escape.

You travel back to Spirit Falls, and you find, of all things, a Minke Whale. Hayako explains: whales normally live in the Atlantic, but have been known to become disoriented and end up traveling into rivers and upstream where they become lost and/or trapped, hundreds or even thousands of miles from their natural habitat. The Pacifica Treasure was nowhere to be found, and the Song of Dragons vanished yet again, but you have a new piece of evidence to play with: the Cortica Slate, which is in pristine condition due to being kept in freshwater conditions.

On the boat, you hand the slate to Hayako, who deciphers it quickly. The slate contains almost the entire history of the Okeanides, from their rise to their fall. She explains the story as such:

"According to this, they were a people who spoke to and controlled dragons. To do this, they used something known as the Dragon Flute. The Dragon Flute was made of lapis lazuli, and it could be used to awaken the dragons and give them orders. However, the Dragon Flute was ultimately dismantled and thrown into the deepest depths of the sea in order to protect the royal treasure, which is guarded by the dragons."

Upon hearing this, you realize what the flute was made of: Oceana's pendants! Feverishly, you almost begin theorizing where the third piece of the flute could be with GG -- until Jean-Eric cuts you short. He says it isn't necessary, because the third piece lies within the HD-9 submarine, the submarine Matthias was using when he died. GG, perplexed, asks how he knows this. Jean-Eric tells him to get some rest and that he will explain in the morning.

Chapter 5: The Mystery in the Abyss
Upon returning to the island and the break of the morning, Jean-Eric begins his explanation. He explains that when Matthias was searching for the Pacifica Treasure, tracing clues down to the Zahhab Region Depths in the Red Sea. However, mysterious circumstances caused the submarine to shut off, with Matthias trapped inside. He presumably tried to escape, despite the near-impossibility of the task, which ended up being his death. When they attempted to investigate, they had only found the two pendants Oceana and her mother received. Jean-Eric knows how dangerous it is down there, and tells them that he won't let another person die not on his watch. After some pressuring from you and Oceana, however, he agrees to join them on their quest, and figure out the truth behind his son's death. The team, however, agrees on one thing: it would be impossible to find the submarine in one dive. GG has a solution, however, and says he will explain it once they go to the Red Sea.

When the team arrives, GG explains that he brought a big air tank with him. He proposes they throw it off the boat down the Depths and use it as a kind of air station, allowing them to refill their air in the perilous depths. Jean-Eric finds this plan satisfactory and takes them over to the Twin Crevasses.

Upon diving into the Zahhab Region, Jean-Eric says that the air tank dropped into the Southern Crevasse and tells you to go down the crevasse. You find that due to the depths, your air runs out much quicker than normal. Jean-Eric says to find the air station, which he marked on the map. The air station turns out to be on the edge of the Chimney Forest, on the east side of the crevasse. Jean-Eric brings up another important detail: Matthias, while investigating, left behind plaques of his progress leading up to the incident. Jean-Eric tells you that you can use the Multisensor to locate them, and tells you to follow them. These plaques lead you through the Chimney Forest to the western edge of the crevasse, and through a hidden cavern, the Secret Passage.

This passage takes you in between the Twin Crevasses. Jean-Eric tells you he dropped another air station at the Northern Crevasse. Swimming through and finding more plaques takes you up to an unrecorded cave, the Giant's Lair. This cave, however, is occupied by a Giant Squid. You then must call over a Sperm Whale using your Sea Whistle, attracting it to the squid (and dodging its rapid movements). The Sperm Whale attacks the Squid, putting them into a deep-sea battle and opening up the way to the Giant's Lair. Through this cavern reveals the Osiris's Courtyard, and the broken HD-9 with it. You search around for a bit and find a waterproof bag within the cockpit. This, being your only salvage from the submarine, prompts you to return to the boat.

Upon returning, Jean-Eric opens the bag and finds a few things, most notably a third pendant and a letter addressed to Jean-Eric from Matthias. It reads:

"Dearest Father,

I'm writing this from inside the HD-9. The engines have failed. I can't fix her. I'm going to try to get out of here. I have no gear, and I'm 650 feet down. But with my experience, I think I have a chance to make it out alive. I won't give up. I never have. I learned that from you, Dad. But if you're reading this letter, I didn't make it. I've prepared for that possibility. I've left behind three pieces of lapis lazuli for you. Two of them carry a message. I hope that message will take you the last step to the truth I never found. I'm so sorry for how selfish I've been and for how much I hurt you. All I ever wanted was your respect-- for you to be as proud of me as I am for you. Please let my precious daughter, Oceana, know that I love her more than anything. If I don't make it, I'll become one with this blue world and watch over her forever.

Your loving son, Matthias"

This letter calms Jean-Eric, and he says that this brings him great relief, knowing that his son died still loving him. The team then returns to Nineball Island to finally find the last step to the truth. When they come back, the team takes a look at the three pendants. After some trial and error, they can put the pieces together and form a Sea Whistle-like structure, the Dragon Flute. Hayako notes that she may be able to learn more about it, and asks to take it into the cabin for analysis.

Chapter 6: Forever Blue
Dragon Flute (Whole)
When the team returns to Nineball Island, they take a look at the three pendants. After some trial and error, they can put the pieces together and make the Dragon Flute - an instrument that Hayako notes looks much like the Sea Whistle. Hayako notes that she may be able to learn more about it, and asks to take it into the cabin for analysis.

After Hayako has analyzed the Dragon Flute, she will return from the cabin and gather the team around the main table. She'll tell them what she's figured about the flute thus far - the lines and dots, the markings on it all seem to convey topographical information, but she's "not sure how to interpret it."

GG protests, positing that it's "just a map", but Hayako slows him down, clarifying that she's not sure how to project the information on the Dragon Flute in order to get the real image of the map. GG understands the problem, making a comparison to having a "CD but no CD player".

The player remembers what the Okeanos Tablet found in Valka Castle said:

The fissure filled by the circular ocean shows the way to the Queen's tomb.

You then wonder momentarily why Matthew Louvier would leave a message pointing to Valka Castle - it couldn't have been for the Tablet, because nobody could read it then, so they deduce that there's a missing piece of the puzzle - and it's located in Valka Castle.

Flat Map of the Circular Earth

Then, you get the option to bring up the Map of the Circular Earth found in Valka Castle - "Anaximander's map," Hayako says in an interjection, giving it its proper name. GG reasons that you might be right in that the Map might be the key - he knows that there were theories that Prince Valka amassed his wealth by finding other Okeanide treasures, so there must have been clues as to the location of the Pacifica Treasure hidden in his castle.

Hayako has an epiphany, exclaiming that she knows what the message on the tablet meant - the circular ocean must be referring to the Map of the Circular Earth, and that's the information the team should use to read the map on the Dragon Flute.

An image of the map is brought up, and after some interpretation, the team realizes that there's one indentation that doesn't match up with the rest of the map - and that it must be the "fissure" spoken of on the tablet. 

When they cross-reference it with the Map of the Circular Earth, the indentation points directly to the northwest Zahhab Region. GG notes that the team saw a huge fissure there, and says that there are rumors of a massive cave underneath it - and that the team should investigate. You get the option to either brush off GG's idea or to agree with it - but either way, the player's next stop has to be the Zahhab Region.

Once they reach the Zahhab Region, the team talks for a little while on the boat. Hayako surmises that the reason the Pacifica Treasure hasn't been found yet is that it's blocked off somehow - and that's when Jean-Eric brings up the fact that he purchased underwater explosives for this specific occasion. GG expresses enthusiasm for the idea.

Echoing Terrace

You then take a dive to investigate. At this point, you likely would have figured this out, but you should go investigate the Echoing Terrace. It doesn't look like there's a "bronze door" in this area - but you can note that something looks suspicious. If you use the Multisensor on the rock in the back of the Terrace, you pick up metal - which means that there might be bronze buried in the bedrock.

Jean-Eric then tells you to wait for a moment, and that he'll send Oceana down with the explosives. She arrives shortly, and the player places the explosives. Once you and Oceana return to the boat, Jean-Eric detonates the explosives, then notes that it's late, and opines that the team should return in the morning the next day.

The team arrives back in the area bright and early the next day. You explain that you're here this early because you just had a strange feeling about it - and Oceana agrees, stating that she felt something weird about it, too. At this point, GG points out something out on the water.

Then, the same cutscene the player saw at the very beginning of the game plays, showing the multitude of whales that have gathered in the area, and the team asks if you really want to dive with all of these whales around - but Hayako says that it's "written all over your face". GG says "Well, you're one brave [woman/man], that's for sure", depending on which dialogue option you chose at the beginning of the game.

You dive, then go into the Terrace and through the newly-opened tunnel at the very back. You find the entrance hidden structure that lurked beneath Long Fissure this entire time - the Cavern of the Gods

Cavern of the Gods HQ

GG, Hayako, and Oceana then join the player in the cave, all expressing enthusiasm at the prospect of exploring the Cavern of the Gods with the player. Jean-Eric says over the radio that he'll be with the player in spirit, and wishes the four the best of luck. GG points out the entrance to the Cavern, and when you go to enter, you can get the option to back out if you need to purchase a support tank from Nancy in order to get more air - but if you're ready, you and the other three forge ahead.

Before you can enter on your own, however, the Song of Dragons plays from deep inside the ruins, and a sudden current kicks up that sweeps the four divers into the Cavern.

Once everyone is inside, Jean-Eric comes over the radio, frantic, asking if everyone is alright. GG confirms that everyone's okay. After the introduction cutscene for the Cavern, Hayako notes that, while the area is calm, the current that swept the team into the Cavern is still strong, so they can't get back out just yet. Jean-Eric notes that there might be a mechanism behind the current that operates from somewhere inside of the ruins, so finding it to deactivate it is imperative to the team's survival - they need to be able to get out before they run out of air.

The only way the player can swim is straight ahead, up to a mural that looks like people worshipping the sun. It's mentioned that one of the Okeanos tablets said something about the sun - 

Offer flutes to the sun of morning, noon, and night and the dragon's song will open the gate to treasure.

The player then gets the option to either use the Sea Whistle or the Dragon Flute. Choosing to play the Dragon Flute will trigger the Song of Dragons to answer its call from inside the Cavern, but nothing else seems to happen.

GG asks Hayako to translate the hieroglyphs on the mural, but you, GG, and Oceana turn around to realize that Hayako has mysteriously vanished, and can't be reached over the radio. Jean-Eric reasons that something must have altered the currents inside of the ruins, and that you might now be able to reach areas that were inaccessible before. At this point, the player can swim into the passage that leads Southward, and subsequently find the Altar of Nephthys.

Nephthys

You swim up to the massive stone statue in the room and interact with it, Oceana notes that the room feels different somehow, and suggests using the Dragon Flute once more. You do, and the Song of Dragons again answers the Flute, but nothing appears to change. That is, nothing appears to change until Oceana tries to ask how things are going for GG, at which point she and you both realize that GG has vanished just like Hayako did. Jean-Eric wonders if this is the curse of the Song of Dragons, but Oceana tells him not to say that. You can suggest that everyone calms down before proceeding, and Oceana agrees, then thanks the player.

At this point, you can swim into the passage that goes Northward, and subsequently encounter the Altar of Osiris. (You can't go too far along the northernmost passage, though, because another strong current pushes you back. The Altar of Isis is the only other room you can enter at this point.) Once you're in the room and you interact with the statue, you note that it's much the same as the last one, and wonder if the mechanism could be in here, too. 

You get the option to play the Dragon Flute, and upon doing so the Song once more echoes from within the ruins, and it seems like the mechanisms have altered the currents once more. Then, you hear a yell from behind you, and witness Oceana getting swept down the hallway outside of the Altar by another powerful current. You're on your own, and Jean-Eric begs you to find Oceana.

You can go outside of the room at this point, and swimming further along the Northernmost passage gets you swept deeper into it by another of the Cavern's signature currents.

Isis

You end up in the Altar of Horus, and it turns out that the others ended up there too. The only problem is that the currents are preventing everyone from getting out, and the radio no longer works in this room. There is another statue in this room, and playing the Dragon Flute in front of it once more changes the currents - but everything goes still. It seems like, instead of just altering the course of the currents, the currents have died down altogether.

You, Hayako, Oceana, and GG return to the entrance room, where the radio once more works, and explain what happened to Jean-Eric, who expresses his gratitude that everyone is safe. The escape route is clear, but everyone expresses the desire to keep exploring. However, every way explored so far is a dead end. You then get the option to either suggest reading the mural, or setting off explosives in the rubble; suggesting explosives garners alarm from GG, who states that setting off explosives in a "rickety old joint" like this would collapse the entire place. However, if you suggest reading the mural, Hayako takes over.

She states that one of the figures on the mural is the sun god, Ra. She states that him being the subject of this mural isn't unique, but she says that the hieroglyphs beneath are what's interesting. They say:

"My descendants must pass through the underworld and reach the hallowed realm to find the treasure. Only the holy metal of Magnesia can open the gate to the underworld."

Hayako notes that there was an area in Greece called Magnesia, famous for its magnetic ores. Jean-Eric posits that there might be a part of the puzzle in one of the rooms the player has already visited, and suggests retracing your steps.

When the player returns to the Altar of Horus, they can examine the statue once more - and they discover that the metal symbol on it can be rotated. Hayako reasons that it's "no wonder" the radio can't reach this room, due to the magnetic interference from the metal. 

GG turns the metal symbol, and the statue slides out of the wall, revealing the Subterranean Reception Room. You proceed through it and out into the Altar of Isis, a room that looks very similar to the Altar of Horus. Jean-Eric comes over the radio to advise caution, considering how far the divers are from the entrance.

From here, you swim out of the room and to the West, then to the North. There is another mural here that mirrors the one found near the entrance and calling Hayako to read it reveals more information.

She states that this mural depicts Osiris, the Egyptian god of the underworld. The hieroglyphs say: 

"To my descendants who seek treasure, you will be tried by the dead ones. The last ray of the sinking sun is the key that opens the gate to the underworld."

Hayako says this has to be another metaphor, then notes that if the sun is involved here then it's important to note that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This means that, to the ancient Egyptians, the east was linked to life and the west to death. Turning around to investigate the westernmost wall of the ruins reveals a sparkling stone there that looks as though it could be pushed in. You can choose to push in the stone - and, in doing so, open the door that was disguised as a mural. This grants you access to the Pillars of Shadow.

Pillars of Shadow

Jean-Eric comes on over the radio to state that this room is huge, almost 10 stories in height, but that sonar indicates another, smaller room located above the Pillars room. Upon investigating this room, you find a massive stone door but have no way to open it.

Here, GG takes over. As a veteran salvager, he's seen this kind of thing "too many times to count", and he's aware that there's always a hidden mechanism for this kind of door. Despite skepticism from Hayako, Jean-Eric says to let GG try to find a way in.

At this point, several goblin sharks enter the Pillars of Shadow. Oceana notes that they don't usually attack humans, but these ones look pretty agitated - and the player must use the Pulsar to calm them down, buying time for GG to find a way to open the door.

After the player pulses the sharks, they leave the area, and it turns out that GG has found a way to open the door. It slides open, and GG proclaims victory.

When you swim into the doorway, Jean-Eric comes over the radio and notes that everyone is directly in the center of the ruins, so something must be hidden there - but that nobody knows what will happen next, so he advises caution, and asks if you're prepared. At this point, you get the option to stall your entry into the new, mysterious room in case you feel as though you need to replenish your air or get better diving gear.

If you choose to enter the room, you discover a place covered in murals - the Celestial Mausoleum. There are hieroglyphs in the murals all around the room, and Hayako deciphers them - 

Celestial Mausoleum

"My children who have journeyed here, let me tell you all about our race.

The Kingdom of the Sun that we built was ruined by the aggression of Set's children. We must keep the Queen's treasure and the dragon whistle from those who hate. We survivors will sink the dragon whistle into the ocean and abandon this land. The singing dragon will watch over the Queen's treasure as in the ancient pact.

My children, if you desire the Queen's treasure which was buried with her, take the dragon whistle and offer it to the three suns of morning, noon and night. Only then will the singing dragon appear and open the door to the treasure."

Hayako notes that the Okeanides left the Pacifica Treasure for their descendants, with the Dragon Flute acting as both the map and the key, but she doesn't know what the three suns could be. The player then gets the option to play the Dragon Flute in front of the largest mural, one of the sun. If they do, it doesn't seem like anything happens - but then Okeanos' Guardian appears with a posse of goblin sharks, and he uses his tail to trigger a mechanism that shuts the door to the Mausoleum, trapping you, your friends, and him all in one room.

Okeanos's Guardian

Hayako notes that there's nothing in the Mural about opening the door, but she does say that the sun god, Ra, was said to take three different forms depending on the time of day - a scarab in the morning, a falcon during the day, and a ram at night.

Using the Pulsar on the sharks and the Guardian is optional, but it helps with the next steps. At this point, the player can interact with the three statues around the room, starting with the scarab. You see that it looks like one of the pieces of the Dragon Flute will fit into the statue, and slotting it in seems to anger Okeanos' Guardian. If he's been Pulsed, he'll shake its effects off, as will his cronies.

Interacting with the statue of a falcon will allow the player to slot another piece of the Flute into it, and the process repeats. The player then finishes the process with the statue of the ram, inserting the last piece of the Flute.

The Flute plays the Song, despite being in pieces, and the door you entered the Mausoleum from slides open, as does the door directly opposite it. Through the newly-opened door, a Singing Dragon enters, and Okeanos' Guardian and his cronies quickly vacate the premises.

Singing Dragon

At this point, the four divers in the Cavern marvel at the small whale for a few moments before the Song of Dragons starts to echo from all around them. It's quickly deduced that, instead of just this one whale singing it, it's many whales all singing to each other, but it sounds like it's coming from everywhere at once. 

Then, Oceana figures it out - the Song of Dragons is made up of echoes. She says to think about the places they've heard it so far - all of them, including the ruins, were large, enclosed spaces, perfect for sound to reverberate. Hayako notes that, while there's no explanation for things like the Song being the same all over the world, the basic theory seems solid.

You and your team are finally at the last door at this point, but it's not open - you must find a way to open it. Investigating the stone pedestal in the middle of the room reveals that it can be rotated, and rotating it somehow changes the Song that's being sung - it now sounds like the entire song that you'd get from the Flute, instead of just the usual response from the cetaceans in the area. Hayako realizes that the entire structure is just one big Sea Whistle - with how it conducts sound and the way the Song of Dragons plays within, it all links together.

At this point, however, something changes. The whales all over the structure start ramming into the walls and pillars, and the whale inside of the Mausoleum with the divers starts ramming into the last unopened door in the area. It's deduced that the Song must be some kind of command for the whales - one to open the door to the Treasure.

The last door slides open... and the Pacifica Treasure is finally revealed in all of her glory.

Pacifica Treasure

You and your team, however, only get to admire her for a short time before something starts to feel off - there are stronger tremors occurring in the structure all around. The whales are still responding to the command to "open the door", but with no door to open, they're taking it out on the Cavern itself. Hayako says that you have to reset the mechanism to placate them, to stop playing the Song. However, rotating the pedestal in the center of the room does nothing, and Jean-Eric comes on over the radio.

His communication is patchy due to the tremors, but he says to get out of there - the tremors will cause the entire structure to cave in. Hayako agrees, estimating that you, her, Oceana, and GG have about ten minutes to get out before the ruins collapse.

Trying to get out of the ruins through the same route you came in reveals that the strong currents are back, blocking you off from that route. This occurrence garners a message over the radio - 

"...[Player name]...go...room...opposite side

...can reach...from highest point...another room...of pillars…

...that side...that room...should be...exit...one of the walls…

...has to...somewhere...there…"

At this point, you have to go back through the Celestial Mausoleum and out of the opposite door to find the Pillars of Light. Diving down to the floor level and to the Easternmost wall reveals another mural. Hayako, upon investigating it, says that it's the same as the one you first saw upon entering the ruins, so there's no helpful information there, and attempting to contact Jean-Eric gets only static in response.

However, after Oceana exclaims despair, a message comes over the radio - 

"...find...Set…"

Oceana is surprised, and asks if it's Jean-Eric. The voice over the radio does not answer her question, but continues - 

"...Set...killed his mother...childbirth...god of darkness

...Okeanides empire...ruined...by the people of Set

...door of the sun...must open...by Set…"

The player then has to look around for the mechanism to open the door, using the given hints somehow. Further investigation of the mural on the wall, specifically one of the figures on the right-hand side, reveals a deep crack in it - and it looks like there's a device in it, but your hand is too large to reach. Interacting with this crack gets another radio message - 

"Oceana...you...push it...be careful…"

Oceana expresses her determination, dedicating it to her grandfather, then reaches in and presses the switch. The door hidden by the mural slides open, and Oceana celebrates for a moment before urging everyone to get out of there.

In the moments that follow, another spotty radio message comes through - 

"Well...done...Oceana…

I…...am….s….pro….d….of…...you…

…………………….."

The reason for the sudden, violent increase of the tremors is revealed - the whales on the outside of the Cavern are also attacking the surrounding stone. The player, Hayako, Oceana, and GG all get out just barely in time to avoid a rockslide that covers the entrance, a plume of dust following them as they exit. The Song of Dragons fades, most likely because the ruins were sealed once more, and everyone gets back to the boat.

Jean-Eric expresses his worry for everyone and says that he's so glad everyone is safe. Oceana says that they wouldn't have gotten out if it weren't for Jean-Eric telling them how, and GG says that Jean-Eric never showed that side of him before - but it came through when they needed it most. Hayako compliments him on his knowledge of Egyptian mythology, and how it saved them - but Jean-Eric doesn't know what any of them are talking about. He says that he was unable to reach any of the team for so long that he thought he was going to lose his mind. Oceana wonders aloud who was talking to the team, astonished, but that falls by the wayside a moment later.

Oceana, looking out over the ocean, speaks to her father, saying that he didn't lose his life for something that didn't exist. The finality to her words prompts Jean-Eric to ask if she thinks the team is done here. Hayako expresses incredulity at the idea, and she opines that the team has to let everyone in the world know what they've found there. GG agrees with her, but more on the idea that they need to salvage the Pacifica Treasure instead. Hayako notes that there are also many mysteries that haven't been solved in the Cavern, and says that her scientist's intuition tells her that what the team finds there could "rewrite human history".

Oceana pauses for a moment, thinking, then asks the player if the team could stay together for a little while longer. When the player says "yes", she thanks them.

The game closes out the story with the dialogue:

"And so, a new day begins for L&L Diving Service. The endless ocean surely holds more adventures than they can imagine…"

The credits roll.

After the credits, Jean-Eric approaches the player and notes that the expense of all the equipment and travel they needed to uncover the Pacifica Treasure has taken a toll on them financially. As such, the entire team will need to work hard to recover the company, and so the player has to stay on the island for a while longer.

Updated Mechanics

As is common with sequels, Endless Ocean 2 iterated upon many aspects of its predecessor's gameplay, presentation, and structure to create a unique experience. Below are some of the most notable changes from Endless Ocean:

Diving

  • Players are no longer restricted to a circle around the spot they chose to dive, and are able to traverse the entire stage freely as long as no environmental hazards or plot-related blockages are present.
  • The zoom system has been reworked to make every zoom glow have a static location, containing the same creatures and objects. Terrain also cannot be focused on where there is no zoom glow.
  • Players are now able to rest to four different times of day: sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight. Sunrise and sunset are mostly cosmetic, and rarely affect the gameplay.
  • The player now has an unlimited amount of food to give to the creatures they encounter.
  • The air mechanics have been changed to be more dependent on depth than time. It can also be upgraded to increase the amount of time the player can spend underwater, as the player starts with a low air capacity.
  • Before diving, the player can now choose to dive with a human partner, each with their own distinct ability.
  • Many new tabs have been added to the tool bar.
    • The Pulsar tab allows the player to use the Pulsar, which can calm aggressive creatures and heal sick ones.
    • The Multisensor tab allows the player to use the Multisensor, a sonar that detects salvages, letting them to be picked up.
    • The item tab allows the player to view key items, salvages, and miscellaneous items at any time.

Creatures

  • Certain creatures can now pose a threat to the player, who upon being attacked is penalized by losing air. Click here for a list of all dangerous creatures.
  • Many new creatures have been added, most to go along with new environments not present in Endless Ocean, such as polar seas and tropical rivers.
  • Focusing on a creature for the first time now gives the player its trivia, as opposed to needing to interact with it in some way first.
    • Additionally, most creatures only have one piece of trivia about them to read, with some select creatures having two. The second piece of trivia is unlocked in a method specialized to each creature, such as by taking a photo of it or feeding it.
  • The marine encyclopedia now includes a section in each creature's entry with a map highlighting said creature's location in every stage.
  • Small creatures will no longer follow the player if touched or pet with a high enough friendship level.
  • Most returning creatures have updated models and animations.
  • Creatures encountered while ashore can now be fed.
  • Seasons have been removed, in favor of creatures appearing according to the current time of day, and occasionally the current moon cycle.

Dolphin Partners

  • Endless Ocean only allowed players to keep up to three dolphin partners. In Endless Ocean 2, players can keep one of every species (11 in total).
  • Befriending dolphins is now done via side-quest, except for two which are befriended during the plot.
  • Upon being grabbed, dolphin partners swim forwards automatically, with players able to control its direction. Additionally, riding the dolphin now provides a speed boost.
  • The dolphin training system has been streamlined in several ways. Tricks can be chosen by pressing a button on the screen, or done automatically using an auto-train feature. Dolphins have dynamic moods, which will affect their ability to perform tricks.
    • Upon calling a dolphin to train using the bell on Nineball Island, only the dolphin selected to train will appear.

Other

  • A quest system has been added, with multiple different types of quest unlocked at varying points in the game, leading to a wide variety of rewards to earn for their completion.
    • These can be kept track of in the newly-introduced Notebook, along with information about the game's locations, characters, and mechanics.
  • A certificate on Nineball Island allows records to be viewed, as well as titles, which can be earned by meeting certain requirements.
  • Salvaging has been introduced as a mechanic, replacing the collectable treasures in Endless Ocean.
    • A new type of collectible has also been introduced in the form of constellation coins, which get their own side-quest.
  • In addition to the two types of client request introduced in Endless Ocean, the player can also fulfill salvage requests and dolphin show requests.
  • The player now earns money through completing a variety of tasks, such as requests, side quests, appraising salvages, and curating the aquarium. As a result, the player can now purchase cosmetics, equipment, and other amenities.
  • A private reef has been added, which the player can decorate with coral, seaweed, and various other objects, attracting fish to inhabit it.
  • Through a side-quest, filters can be applied over photos upon being developed.
  • The player no longer receives emails.
  • SD cards containing .mp3 files are not compatible with this game.
  • The Ancient Mother cannot be placed in the aquarium, nor can any other legendary creature.

Credits

Main article: List of Endless Ocean 2 Staff

Development

Post-Release Developer Interview

Most of the known information regarding Endless Ocean 2’s development comes from an interview conducted by Nintendo Online Magazine with some members of the development team shortly after the game's release. Unlike the Endless Ocean post-release interview, which was only released in Japanese, an English translation of this interview was viewable on the game's official website for a time. The link to said interview has been archived, albeit with some encoding errors.

EO2 Promo Image 2009 Multiplayer Humpback

A 2009 Endless Ocean 2 promotional image, depicting two players riding a humpback whale in a different location to that seen in the final game.

According to the account presented in this interview, thoughts of a possible sequel began almost immediately after the release of Endless Ocean. Ichiro Mihara, vice president of ARIKA and co-producer of the Endless Ocean series, was quoted as telling the development team "If we had a little more time, we could do this and that" - specifically wishing they could have spent more time working on the game's story. These thoughts carried into the planning stages of Endless Ocean 2, along with the sentiment of wanting to create a "more dynamic ocean", where both the tranquil and frightening aspects of the real-world ocean can co-exist.

After work on Endless Ocean had concluded, all of ARIKA took a celebratory trip to the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan, except for Mihara, who was too busy with work to attend. This trip influenced the increased scope and importance of the aquarium in the sequel, with multiple new functions, rooms, and related quests. The addition of quests relating to the aquarium seemingly sparked the creation of the quest system seen in the final game, as during work on the aquarium content there was said to be an "enormous increase in side stories" separate from the main story.

About two months after the release of Endless Ocean, ARIKA had finished work on a tech demo using a "new system", built using the knowledge they had accrued working on their previous game. This demo could reportedly display three times the density of fish on screen as Endless Ocean could, instilling confidence in the team that they could create a game that presented the ocean in its truest form, and that could allow the player to have fun in multiple different ways. In a separate experiment, Mihara created a scenario in which a large whale and 3,000 sardines could move around without dropping any frames. This ambition for technological advancement was characteristic of the entire development process, as ARIKA pushed the limits of what the system could do to accomplish the things they couldn't quite fit into Endless Ocean.

Endless Ocean 2's story draws significantly more from fantasy than its predecessor, but there were supposedly even more fantasy elements that Mihara lobbied to add, which the other team members pushed back on. One idea involved a woman walking on water, and another with traversing time and space. The development team wanted the game to still be somewhat grounded in reality, relying on the real mystique of the ocean rather than a synthetic mystique. The story was constantly tweaked throughout development, by moving events around and deciding where to introduce new gameplay elements in order to make the experience feel as smooth as possible.

Hitoshi Yamagami, the game's co-producer, felt the game's story should have a sort of "world tour" feel, and instructed those in charge of the game's story to stick to this principle. As such, the idea of diving in various locations all around the world was solidified fairly early on in development. The locations were chosen selectively as the most disparate and unique diving experiences, both those that are world-renowned, such as in the Mediterranean and Red Sea, as well as those that would be difficult to do in real life, like polar seas and sunken ruins. Some diving locations ended up being scrapped; the two mentioned were an "ancient sea" and "red-colored sea".

EO2 Promo Image 2009 Multisensor

A 2009 Endless Ocean 2 promotional image, showcasing the use of the Multisensor.

Creating a "sense of a living ocean" was a priority for the team, which extended to multiple aspects of the final game's design. This lead to including more realistic cutscenes involving facets of nature not expressed in the previous game, such as the struggle for survival or the rearing of young. It also inspired the expansion of land mechanics, such as being allowed to leave the ocean and interact with land animals. ARIKA supposedly had an "obsession with land scenes" for a time, with the philosophy that the inclusion of a fleshed-out land makes the sea feel more lively and fresh, as the sea becomes dull if that's the only environment to explore. The team was also told to "make it cute", hence the begging and food catching animations used for many land animals.

The Multisensor was added fairly late in development, meaning it was one of the last major new features to be added. Originally, the items the player could find on the sea floor with it were mostly "realistic, scholarly items", but they supposedly weren't very interesting, so more modern items, as well as those of higher value, were included in the mix as well.

External Links

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