Many say that the meaning of a video game is in its challenges. That is to say, when you play a video game and engage some obstacle, that engagement is meaningful.In Ecco the Dolphin, the meaning isn't always apparent. Mazes and enemies have a certain "arbitrary" feel to them.Here, in an effort to put our finger on what makes Ecco feel arbitrary, we discuss naturalism. We look for ways in which Ecco mimics reality, and we ask if its gameplay finds inspiration in the real world.