Chained Echoes Reviews
Chained Echoes builds on what makes older JRPGs great to feel familiar and new at the same time.
Fans of SNES-era games (and especially JRPGs) will certainly love Chained Echoes, but there are plenty of quality-of-life improvements (like being able to save at pretty much any time) that keep the game feeling new and distinctly 21st-century. For all the aesthetics of games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6, Chained Echoes doesn't feel like a '90s game (a trap that many retro-leaning indies fall into). Chained Echoes is a fresh, smart adventure that celebrates classic JRPGs while not being afraid to push into new directions. It's sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking - and always fun. It's a must-play.
Valendis is a beautifully pixelated world with a rich history in this story-driven RPG. The initial introductions drag on a bit long, but once the story picks up it pays off in the end. Chained Echoes manages to introduce useful mechanics to its combat with the Overdrive system that work with the player while challenging them to change up their gameplay and strategy at the same time while still affording plenty of room for customization and accessibility.
The best sequel to Chrono Trigger there's never been, with a pseudo-Japanese role-player that maintains a delicate balance between retro homage and modern indie game.
Chained Echoes is a title that knows how to honour the past, celebrate the present and embrace the future through a development inspired by the great tradition of the JRPG genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Chained Echoes is a must-play for fans of classic SNES, PS1, and PS2 RPGs.
No matter how you look at Chained Echoes, it's undeniable that this is a project whose mere existence impresses. Developed by a single person, it is an exceptional game in everything it proposes to do, from its story to the graphics, passing through the engaging combat and rich universe. It's a must-have game for all RPG fans around the world.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Chained Echoes isn't a perfect old-school RPG but it sure as heck is top-tier. I imagine that if it released on PS1 back in the mid-'90s, it would have either been a huge hit or gradually garnered a massive cult following and how many games can you say that about?
A product of a 7 years of hard work, Chained Echoes is a very, VERY successful debut game for a game made by a single person. I recommend it not only to JRPG fans, but to anyone who is interested. Who knows, maybe your entry into the JRPG genre will be Chained Echoes.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Don't look at Chained Echoes as a throwback to the 16-bit JRPGs of yesteryear, just look at it as an amazing game with an engaging battle system and wonderfully paced story. You can also look at it as one of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2022.
I’ve played a lot of retro-inspired games this year, and Chained Echoes easily stands out as one of the best – and it’s not even particularly close. With gorgeous artwork, addicting mechanics, and a world that blends steampunk with high fantasy seamlessly, Chained Echoes is a loving homage to old-school RPGs while still managing to proudly blaze its own path. If you’re looking for a challenging (but not punishing) RPG with an engaging story, enjoyable characters, and mechanics that will keep you coming back for hours at a time, Chained Echoes is an absolute must.
Chained Echoes is simply one of the best games of the genre, worthy to be remembered like the others iconic classics.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Even if inspired by classic franchises, Chained Echoes delivers what it proposes and even more: I'd dare say future games will be inspired by it. That's the case because its story and soundtrack wipe the floor with [what] many renowned games [have to offer], not to mention its multiple combat styles. The Overdrive and Overheat gauges are a smart choice to make battles dynamic and fun. Extra content also helps, being inserted in the right measure. Actually, is there anything in Chained Echoes that isn't perfect?
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
"JRPG with German precision.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Regardless of the criticisms I have with Chained Echoes, the fact that it was created is astounding and it is clear that the developer has a ton of love for RPGs and why they are so special. The game is unapologetically dense, making a perfect title for those that put in the extra time it takes to learn its world. This is a full-sized adventure in a classic style, making it an easy-to-recommend game for fans of the genre.
Chained Echoes is a JRPG that captivates thanks to a centered and smooth narrative. The story told, classic but nonetheless engaging, impresses especially because of its protagonists. If nothing else, it is amazing how one person managed to come up with such a work, succeeding in the complex attempt to get to the goal and surprise. A unique way to bring nostalgics and newcomers alike closer to a genre that is always fascinating.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A modern RPG classic; a game that would have made a splash on SNES, even surrounded by all-time greats like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.
Matthias Linda and his collaborators sign the perfect title to close the 2022 just passed, packaging a hit that - we are sure - has made the Christmas holidays of many JRPG fans unforgettable. It's true, Chained Echoes is a love letter to great classics of the 90s and early 2000s but it is also an adventure with a spirit of its own, unique and special. We sincerely hope that Linda decides to make Chained Echoes a saga and we believe that she will be able to treasure this experience and its (few) flaws to create, in the future, other equally memorable adventures. Meanwhile, Chained Echoes is destined to become a new, great classic, inserting itself into the illustrious firmament to which it refers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's hard not to expect a little hyperbole when people start throwing around comparisons to beloved hits, but boy does Chained Echoes really deliver. Having played through the game on Switch over the course of the holiday season, I was amazed at how well it plays, and while it certainly wears its inspirations on its sleeve, it also does a fantastic job of carving out its own unique mix of mechanics to make for a pretty memorable experience.
Chained Echoes is an incredibly uneven RPG heavily inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears. With bad writing, poorly thought out mechanics, and an overly complex… everything it can be hard to get through. Even so, there is a little fun to be found here, mostly near the beginning.