“Everything old becomes new again.”
An apt phrase that we continue to see bear truth as old styles, decades and music keep reappearing.
And for about the last decade or so, it’s been the 1980’s and early 1990’s that have been rolling around in the entertainment industry as everyone and his uncle has been trying to cash in on that ‘80’s kids adventure vibe amidst the golden age of practical effects. Some have been mediocre, but some have also been great and come close to capturing that special 80’s vibe that was more than just big hairstyles, synth music and colourful outfits.
No one has come as close to that perfection as season 1 of Stranger Things, which has, in turn, gone on to inspire many other creatives to dive into that vibe.
So it should come as no surprise that Echo Generation is a video game that has the feel of Stranger Things mixed into its DNA, along with a whole lot of ‘80’s and ‘90’s tropes, movies and weirdness. And while Stranger Things may be the most recognisable inspiration in today’s age, it’s the one least prevalent in Echo Generation.
Instead, Echo Generation takes a whole bunch of ideas, inspirations and homages and smooshes them together into one humorous and irreverent RPG that is rather colourfully dark.
Echo Generation’s Story, Setting and Characters
Demonic toys? Check. Strange alien? Check. A creepy Pet Cemetery? Check. A whole bunch of Goonies meets The Monster Squad vibes? Check, check and double check. Echo Generation gobbles all of these disparate parts into one, discordant whole that shouldn’t work and yet does. Wonderfully so at that.
Set during the ‘90’s, Echo Generation throws you into the shoes of your personally named character and sister Lily as they investigate the strange happenings around their typical Mid-Western suburban American town. Still dealing with the disappearance of their father, the kids are searching for a way to get into the secret research facility he used to work in.
Answers, they’re sure, can be found there. But their quest will be waylaid by all manner of strange and uncanny things boiling beneath the facade of their sweet little town. Missing kids, strange growths in the field and raccoon’s trying to take over your neighbourhood are just the beginning of the madness that will waylay your investigation.
A Dark Story With a Lighthearted Sense of Humour
From a child murdering lunatic to ancient dragons and a dog looking to chew on human bones before joining your party, Echo Generation has some rather dark subject matter sprinkled throughout its narrative. And yet, the game handles everything with a goofy, tongue-in-cheek sense of humour that makes it more charming than truly disturbing. And that highlights just one part of the games charm as it keeps the narrative relatively light and breezy while focusing on making sure that you’re never stuck for long on what to do.
Whether the humour hits or misses will be a personal choice I feel. But I enjoyed the surreal and breezy nature it lent the game.
Echo Generation Gameplay and RPG Mechanics
That lightheartedness also compliments the gameplay as well which, in itself, is also as straight-forward and simple as an RPG can get. By comparison, Echo Generation is a simple game compared to other RPG’s. While there are enough places to explore, the game keeps it’s setting rather small with small, explorative zones that feel like a diorama and a turn-based combat system that places an emphasis on easy and compelling combat mechanics.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go in without a plan or paying attention, but it’s pretty rare that you will struggle at any of the games encounters.
Party Members, Pets and Special Abilities
Your party consists of the two kids and one pet. Throughout the game, you’ll be able to recruit other pets to join your cause and these are the only characters that can be swapped in and out of your party. Each pet comes with their own attacks and special abilities. Like the kids, new abilities for all aren’t gained through levelling up, but rather found in the environment or gained as a reward from the games sidequests.
Keeping in touch with the age of our heroes, finding comics will reward you with these new abilities. There’s a shared TP pool to use special abilities, which range from your cat Meowsy licking you to restore your health or an uppercut that sets your enemies on fire. The games tougher fights require you to manage your normal and special abilities for maximum effect.
Experience, Money and Character Progression
Wiping the floor with enemies gives you the requisite XP you need to level up your base stats and a small amount of money to spend on healing items and other quest related bits and bobs. And yes, you’re going to be debating on how best to spend that $15 you’ve hoarded up.
Echo Generation Combat System
As basic as the combat system is, it’s also part of what makes the game so enchanting. You don’t have to worry about oodles of stats or hundreds of pieces of equipment to manage, just how best to spend your TP while punching the ever loving ectoplasmic snot out of undead, skeletal cats. The most complicated it gets, is in timing button presses to add extra ‘oomph’ to attacks or to get a perfect block when attacked and reduce damage. It’s wonderfully compelling gameplay.
Echo Generation Side Quests and Exploration
The games side-quests, or tasks as they’re called here, are all tracked in a notebook. There’s a little bit of an old school adventure game feel to the progression systems here. You pick up item A to give to person B or insert into object D to move you forward. It’s all rather strealmlined, yet again, to make sure you’re never stuck in one place for too long. And, as with everything else, it’s this basic approach that keeps you compellingly moving forward.
Echo Generation Review Verdict
Echo Generation is a small RPG with big aspirations in it’s storytelling. It’s ‘90’s setting and humorous approach to it’s dark material combined with fun combat make it an RPG that you shouldn’t let slide under your radar.
This review was based off a Xbox playthrough.
Read more awesome reviews >>here<<.
The game was provided to us for the express purpose of reviewing.
Echo Generation Review FAQ
What is Echo Generation?
Echo Generation is a turn-based RPG set during the 1990s, combining supernatural events, comedy, exploration and a variety of 1980s and 1990s-inspired influences.
What is Echo Generation’s gameplay like?
Echo Generation uses a straightforward turn-based combat system combined with exploration, side quests, character progression and timing-based attacks and blocks.
Does Echo Generation have a 1990s setting?
Yes. Echo Generation is set during the 1990s in a suburban Mid-Western American town and uses numerous 1980s and 1990s cultural influences throughout its story and presentation.
How difficult is Echo Generation?
The review describes Echo Generation as relatively straightforward compared with other RPGs. While players still need to pay attention during tougher encounters, the game generally avoids making combat overly difficult.
What score does Generation Xbox give Echo Generation?
Generation Xbox gives Echo Generation a score of 8/10.
