Petz Rescue Ocean Patrol – NDS – Review

Last year’s Petz Wild Animals:
Dolphinz stood out as a game that not only stood out against the rest of
Ubisoft’s Petz franchise, but was also a surprisingly fun on its own merits.
Now, the publisher is releasing a direct sequel to the game, Petz Rescue: Ocean
Patrol. Ocean Patrol takes the story driven elements that worked well in its
predecessor and adds in some cool new elements that will keep the experience
fresh for fans of the series.

Petz Rescue: Ocean Patrol once again
follows the protagonists of Dolphinz, Greg and Mila. When we meet up with them,
they are on a well-deserved break from their previous exploits from the previous
game. However, this is short-lived, as they are kidnapped and moved on to the
secret island of Djanowai and work for the secret aquatic life organization from
Dolphinz, WAZAPS (World Association for Zoological and Aquatic Parks Survey),
and forced to create a brand new wildlife sanctuary for aquatic creatures.



Stepping beyond the rest of the
“virtual pet” genre, Ocean Patrol instead is more about rescuing injured animals
and nursing them back to health within the game. You’ll rescue animals from the
ocean and spend a lot of hands on time rehabilitating their injuries and
spending time with them getting them into shape.

You won’t be alone when
rehabilitating these animals, as you’ll have ample help from several other
characters. Uncle Bob returns to manage the affairs of the oceanic reserve, with
a new assistant, the easily-stressed Britannia, in tow. Additionally, you’ll
have a wannabe-pirate boat driver, Jacques, who will take you out onto the ocean
in order to rescue animals, a trainer, a communications expert, and a few
others.



The gameplay is pretty varied and
uses the DS’s control scheme quite well. Controlling Jacques’s boat requires you
to turn the wheel and adjust your throttle on the touch screen with the stylus.
Additionally, you’ll be able to operate on animals in a Trauma Center-styled
mini-game where you’ll have to use the stylus to “fix” a variety of ailments. In
a nice move, you’ll have to keep checking up on the animal’s wound after the
surgery, replacing bandages and so on.

Graphically, the game looks pretty
good, with brightly colored character models and environments. The characters
all have a great deal of personality, which carries the story elements a long
ways. The music and sound effects are nothing new, however, largely recycled
from its predecessor.

Petz Rescue: Ocean Patrol is a nice
addition to the Petz franchise and one that stands above a good portion of the
“virtual pet” games on the market. While not for everyone, kids will likely get
a lot out of it.



Review Scoring Details for Petz Rescue: Ocean Patrol

Gameplay: 8.0
The gameplay is pretty varied, allowing you to perform tasks like driving a
boat or swimming in the ocean and Trama Center-inspired mini-games, with plenty
to keep you entertained and engaged throughout.

Graphics: 8.0
The character models are colorful and filled with personality, and the
environments are very well done.

Sound: 7.0
Nothing new here, but the same music as pretty entries.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.5
While the Petz moniker may suggest otherwise, there’s a lot of fun to be had
in this varied adventure.

Overall: 8.0
Petz Rescue: Ocean patrol is a surprisingly varied and fun approach to the
virtual pet genre that kids should enjoy.