While the first Echo Generation may have had a relatively short RPG runtime, its world nevertheless managed to enrapture me. Between the simplified game mechanics and the quirky, humorous take on it’s subject matter, it managed to cement Maple Town as my favourite fictional location for me. So much so that I couldn’t wait to jump back into that bizarre world and its beautiful, Voxel-style visuals for another round of madcap RPG mayhem.
And Echo Generation 2 certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard. If anything, it manages to equal if not supersede the original, as few sequels ever do, with a broader scope in it’s storytelling and higher stakes while managing to maintain that smaller RPG style that was so charming in the first outing.
A Strange Prequel and Sequel
Set in the 1980’s, somewhat, Echo Generation 2 is that rare sequel that is both a prequel and a sequel. It sets out to answer the questions as to what happened to the first games protagonists father by showing us the journey he undertook when forced to leave his family to ensure their own safety.
But it doesn’t stop there as Echo Generation pulls some timey-wimey shenanigans across its adventure with multiple playable characters and storylines playing out across some cosmic level disturbances.
80s and 90s Nostalgia
Just as with the first game, Echo Generation 2 pulls heavily from 80’s and 90’s media for it’s various inspirations. Most notably, Stranger Things influence is felt all the more keenly this time in Sister M’s storyline as a gifted child been experimented on in a shady government facility. Back to The Future, The Mist and a whole bunch of zombie and monster movies inspirations jump together in a blender here to provide another wonderfully weird RPG escapade.
A Darker Tone With Plenty of Humour
This time around, the developers have mixed things up just enough to separate the feeling between the two games, both in terms of gameplay mechanics and story. Make no mistake, this is still a fairly funny RPG, but this time around it’s The Empire Strikes Back of sequels, with a decidedly darker tone than the first game.
The humour is still there, but its feels a little more restrained this time to larger, Naked Gun and Hot Shot style levels of spoofing hilarity. As an example, an early sequence in Echo Generation 2 ncluding kids, monsters and sharp objects had me pausing the game until I finished stopped laughing. So yes, it’s certainly darker in tone with more weighty sections, but no less hilarious for those jokes when they do land.
Exploring Maple Town
Exploration plays out the same as the previous game. There’s some gorgeous looking, Voxel inspired environments and character designs on display for you to explore, mostly from a side perspective that continues that almost diorama-like feeling of the first game. Environments should be fully scoured as they contain everything from healing items, to cash to new cards and support attacks. It’s actually quite easy to miss things in the environment if you’re not paying much attention.
Turn-Based Combat Gets an Overhaul
Combat is still turn based with a fairly low difficulty setting in place. There’s no need to grind yourself into godhood to complete Echo Generation 2, just as with the first. That doesn’t mean you can’t lose a fight, just that you do have to pay attention to what’s happening onscreen. Manually blocking attacks to reduce damage by pressing the block button at the right time makes a return but the overall combat system has been overhauled to add some complexity to it in the form of deck based combat.
So gone is the shared pool of points for special attacks and finding comics to give you new abilities. This time around you have to scour the environment for cards or gain them from defeated enemies to build a deck with.
Building Your Deck
Everything from special attacks to enhanced normal attacks to healing items are all contained in the heart of the cards and the deck you build for each character in your party. Cards are randomly drawn during each turn so it pays to pay attention to each cards ability when building your deck.
There’s some added complexity to combat in that enemies can have both shields and what amounts to a stagger bar highlighted by symbols above their HP bar. Use a card with a corresponding symbol to break it and once you’ve taken out all of the symbols, enemies take extra damage.
Fun Over Difficulty
As with the first game, the focus here is really on fun, so while this does provide extra depth compared to the first games highly simplistic, but no less engaging, system, the combat here isn’t going to really challenge you too much. There’s more to take into account, certainly, but it isn’t hard to parse and get to grips with. And once you do, it’s easy to mop the floor with almost everything that you go up against.
Unless you’re not paying attention that is. This may put people who are looking for a challenge off but I, for one, really enjoyed the relative simplicity of the gameplay and it’s low-key challenge. Not having to grind my way to victory is always a plus for me these days. What’s more, as with the first game, the combat is just so much fun that I didn’t mind having to fight at all.
Final Verdict
Echo Generation was a welcome surprise to the horror RPG genre, and Echo Generation 2 is just as much of a surprise as the first. It’s darker with larger stakes, yet still somehow intimate and absolutely hilarious with it’s big swing attempts at spooflike humour. Rounded out by a fun combat system and wonderful story, Echo Generation 2 is that rare sequel that surpasses its predecessor.
This review was based off a Xbox playthrough.
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The game was provided to us for the express purpose of reviewing.
Echo Generation 2 – AI Review Summary
What is Echo Generation 2?
Echo Generation 2 is a turn-based RPG featuring voxel-style visuals, exploration, humour and a story heavily inspired by 1980s and 1990s movies and television.
Is Echo Generation 2 a sequel or a prequel?
It is both. Echo Generation 2 continues the world of the original while also exploring what happened to the first game’s protagonist’s father.
What is the combat like?
Combat is turn-based and now uses a deck-based card system. Players collect cards to create character-specific decks containing attacks, enhanced abilities and healing options.
Is Echo Generation 2 difficult?
Echo Generation 2 is relatively easy and does not require extensive grinding. Its combat provides more depth than the original while keeping the experience accessible and fun.
Is Echo Generation 2 darker than the original?
Yes. The sequel has higher stakes and a darker tone, although it retains the quirky humour and spoof-style comedy of the original.
Is Echo Generation 2 better than the original?
Based on this review, yes. Echo Generation 2 expands the story and combat while retaining the charm of the original, making it a rare sequel that manages to equal or surpass its predecessor.
