CAUTION! SEAMAN!

From the moment I dropped the egg into the tank I knew I was in for an experience like no other.  Deep down at it's core SEAMAN is a basic question and answer program designed to learn about you and in a way, teach you about yourself.  The only catch is that it does it in the strangest way possible, through a fictional, man/fish/frog hybrid creature, which is why it works so well.  I call it 'addition by distraction' game play. 

SEAMAN is an exercise in trial and error as you are somewhat guided by Leonard Nimoy (as himself) through the steps and life-cycle changes of this creepy and fascinating creature.  From the tiny 'mushroomers' through the supremely disturbing 'frog-man' stages you'll interact with your creature in ways that will both enthrall you and curdle your milk at the same time.  He's a nosy little guy and he asks you many series of complex questions and learns about you the whole time.

What's interesting to me about this game is that 'playing' the game is really secondary to the interaction you have with the SEAMAN creature itself.  The basic elements of rinse and repeat gameplay are there to sustain the life of your seaman and maintain his tank.  You moisturize the tank, you breed and distribute food, and you watch in horror as the SEAMAN species are actually amphibious highlanders in disguise.  Ultimately this 'game play' is just going through the motions and it's the question and answer sessions that really carry this game and keep you into it.  

This is a niche title that is worth playing casually.  I'd recommend popping it into your Dreamcast (or PS2) daily for a good 15-20 minutes until you complete it for greatest effect.  Since he's a bossy and temperamental little creature neither of you will get annoyed with each other this way.  You'll also be surprised at how much he (it?) remembers throughout the experience, recalling past conversations and having you do a lot of elaborating on subject matter previously 'discussed'.  If you are into sitting down and playing a game start to finish, you will most likely be frustrated with SEAMAN.   The graphics are dated anymore but the interaction holds up surprisingly well given that this game is over 10 years old now.

I recently let my kids play it and even though my son (6) complained about the slow start, he and my daughter really were spellbound by the way the creature seemed alive and wanted to get to 'know' them.  They did lose interest when they found out it was a casual 15-20 minute a day game and didn't stick around long enough to finish it, but I think that has more to do with the age and attention spans of kids than it does with the nature of the SEAMAN game.  If you have a chance, give it a whirl.  It's truly a unique experience in gaming, and one you won't soon forget, even if you end up not caring for it.

-caddad