Postcards from the Tides of Time #18

Ecco the Dolphin: C a t a c l y s m reimagines the classic Sega Genesis game, Ecco: The Tides of Time as a parable for the Anthropocene told through a series of postcards and looping animated GIFs. Works were created by glitching ROM files of the 1994 game, recording the ensuing game performances, and crafting looping videos from these recordings. Ecco: The Tides of Time was the sequel to Ecco the Dolphin, a game franchise that has earned a cult reputation for its unique graphics (designed by László Szenttornyai and Ed Annunziata) and post-human storyline, influenced by John C. Lilly's controversial research with psychedelics and dolphins. In Ecco the Dolphin: C a t a c l y s m, the threat of an alien invasion has given way to ecological collapse and the resulting collective chaos, exemplified through endless glitches and corrupted gameplay mechanics.