Echo Generation Reviews
There’s a lot to like about this game. The setting is intriguing, the characters are fun, and the art style can be spectacular. However, problems with some pretty core concepts bring the overall experience down. In conclusion, while Echo Generation has solid visuals and music, these are sadly out shadowed by clunky combat and frustrating game design.
t’s beautiful to look at and has an engaging turn based combat system but Echo Generation has a few core issues that undermine its best qualities. An unfocused narrative leads to confused and unclear quest lines which, combined with some curious design choices, means the game doesn’t manage to fulfil its obvious potential.
So overall, fans of RPGs, fans of the occult, fans of aliens, ghosts and crazy science experiments, I would seriously recommend checking out Cococucumber’s Echo Generation especially over Halloween which is the perfect time for this kind of story. Well written dialog and an interactive and engaging combat system supported by an amazing soundtrack, this is going onto my Game of the Year list.
All in all, there’s a lot of heart to this little gem. It’s got some rough edges, particularly in its refusal to hold players’ hands. Players might find they need the extra help, and for that, we’ll have a plethora of guides to help smooth over that issue. But the fact does remain that there’s a lack of guidance where it counts here. It’s worth keeping in mind that this game doesn’t want, nor need, to take itself seriously, so someone hoping for a long-lasting, deep plot should approach with caution. Lastly, if there’s one thing someone could take from this game, it’s that voxel’s back baby, and Cococucumber proves it in spades. The shading, atmosphere, and vivid coloring make the whole world pop in ways that only Cococucumber could’ve pulled off. If you’re in the mood for an ’80s-inspired sci-fi adventure with solid combat and beautiful, voxel-based visuals, Echo Generation has exactly what you’re looking for.
There are so many odd design choices in Echo Generation that grinds my gears. However, the more frustrating game design elements were often overshadowed by how much I enjoyed exploring the world, taking in the fantastic art design and listening to the game's music.
Echo Generation does an excellent job of combining nostalgic feelings for the 90s with modern game development in a way that makes every second an enjoyable time. The characters are diverse and interesting, the combat is varied and fun, and the world is about as beautiful as it gets. Combine all of that with the fact that it’s launching on Xbox Gamepass, and it’s impossible not to recommend Echo Generation.
Echo Generation has potential to be an indie darling. Perhaps if it eased up its combat prompts and set some clear goals in its storyline, then it wouldn’t be a pretty but aimless experience that it is now.
Echo Generation does require its players to think a bit more than we're currently used to, and some may run into a couple of snags along the way, but even that adds to the experience, and solving the puzzle of where to go and what to do next is a huge part of the charm.