Before the Echo

About

Before the Echo is a single-player Comedy Role Playing game with an intriguing story and perfected game mechanics, featuring stunning visuals and an outstanding soundtrack by Ronald Jenkees and Michael Wade Hamilton. Engage in a 10+ hour story mode with deep item synthesis and spell customization while encountering quirky characters. Enjoy full integration of Steam achievements and cloud saves.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,185 reviews

music345 positive mentions

grinding155 negative mentions

Innovative gameplay that combines rhythm mechanics with RPG elements, providing a unique experience.
Engaging story with humorous dialogue and well-developed characters, keeping players invested.
Catchy soundtrack featuring music from Ronald Jenkees, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.

Repetitive gameplay due to limited song variety and the need to grind for item drops, which can become tedious.
Some players may find the voice acting and writing cringeworthy or overly self-aware.
Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially when transitioning between levels and facing bosses.

music
805 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
4%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and enjoyable tracks, primarily composed by Ronald Jenkees, which enhance the overall experience. However, a common criticism is the limited variety of songs, leading to repetitiveness during gameplay, especially as players often find themselves grinding the same tracks to progress. While the music is generally well-produced and fits the rhythm-based combat system, the lack of diversity can detract from the enjoyment for some players.
- “The music, composed by Ronald Jenkees, is equally impressive, with catchy electronic beats and memorable melodies that drive the rhythm gameplay and set the tone for each encounter.”
- “A brilliant gem with amazing gameplay, great music, and an interesting story.”
- “The music is great, and the gameplay is fun.”
- “The music is absolutely terrible, but what can you expect from an indie game? I guess the only real complaint I'd have about it is that all of the songs are so similar that it kind of sounds like you're listening to the same song over and over again.”
- “The music is boring, and the gameplay is kind of terrible in that it's basically DDR, but DDR on those annoying songs that you can never get the rhythm for.”
- “The music variety could be bigger though. The only real flaw to Sequence is the general elevator-esque feel to the very little music in the game, and the poorly thought out randomly generated number system that governs the drop rates and crafting rates.”
story
474 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
47%
4%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it surprisingly captivating and well-integrated into the gameplay, while others criticize it for being lackluster or overly simplistic. Many appreciate the humor and character interactions, noting that the narrative keeps them engaged despite some repetitive grinding. Overall, the story is seen as a notable feature that enhances the rhythm game experience, even if it doesn't always reach deep complexity.
- “The story is surprisingly captivating.”
- “A brilliant gem with amazing gameplay, great music, and an interesting story.”
- “The story itself puts a bit of a twist on the caught-in-a-video-game trope and is well worth the play, and the characters are quirky and unique enough to be interesting.”
- “While some may find value in the story, I found the dialogue excessive, and it didn't hold my interest.”
- “Sadly, the story and writing are a little lackluster, and some floors can become a real grind due to the low drop rates.”
- “The protagonist is unlikable, his personality is 'snark' and 'blows up at people for little to no reason', and he is treated as the smartest being in existence by the story.”
gameplay
422 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The gameplay of "Before the Echo" (formerly known as Sequence) is a unique blend of rhythm and RPG mechanics, requiring players to manage three different screens for casting spells, recovering mana, and defending against attacks, all while keeping in time with the music. While many players find the mechanics engaging and the music enjoyable, some criticize the gameplay for being repetitive and grind-heavy, with a few noting that the controls can feel clunky. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach and fun gameplay, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its rhythm-based nature and potential for grinding.
- “The gameplay revolves around managing three different screens: one for gaining mana via directional inputs tied to a beat, another for avoiding damage by inputting directions, and a third for casting spells based on specific inputs.”
- “The gameplay is extremely good and unique as a combination of RPG-style real-time turn-based fighting and falling arrow rhythm game.”
- “Before the Echo is a captivating fusion of rhythm-based mechanics and RPG elements that offers a fresh and engaging gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay loop is highly repetitive.”
- “However, the mechanic of flipping between three rhythm tracks would be fine if there was a feeling of groove which continued between tracks, but with the randomly generated button prompts, it is impossible to achieve this.”
- “The tutorial is too long - the gameplay is boring - the system of battle is idiotic.”
humor
190 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its witty dialogue, clever item descriptions, and engaging banter that often elicits genuine laughter. However, some find the humor attempts cringeworthy or overly reliant on dated memes and edgy jokes, leading to a divide in reception. Overall, while the game features a strong comedic element that resonates with many, it may not appeal to all due to its varying styles of humor.
- “The writing is delightful and funny without being too goofy and while telling an interesting story.”
- “Hilarious writing, with fun easter egg jokes all over the place.”
- “The dialogue is clever, the art is gorgeous, and the item descriptions are hilarious (example: broken pencil [utterly pointless]).”
- “Whether it's the memes that were dated when this was new or the incredibly unfunny Reddit-/v/ hybrid jokes.”
- “Edgy, unfunny, badly balanced.”
- “I dunno, it's got a lot of cringey humor and some mediocre voice acting.”
grinding
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often described as tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the reliance on RNG for item drops and crafting materials. While some players find the grinding manageable or even enjoyable, especially in the context of a rhythm game, many express frustration with the limited song selection and the necessity to replay levels multiple times. Overall, the grinding can detract from the experience, making progression feel padded and monotonous, especially in the later stages of the game.
- “When used in rhythm games, it's a good challenge towards the end, but the joke is that at some point you're required to grind ridiculous amounts of stuff to be able to finish a boss before: a) the song finishes due to not being able to deal enough damage b) the available RPG elements make you fail due to not grinding enough.”
- “With each enemy, there is a song associated, so you'll repeat some of them quite a lot for their items/experience, but it's not too grindy.”
- “The tl;dr of it is that there aren't enough songs, the game is too grindy, and the writing is incredibly cringey.”
- “The main weakness is that it can be very grindy - you have to use drops and pay XP to craft items, meaning you have to fight the same monster over and over again to get the items (each with a different percentage chance of dropping) and XP you need.”
- “Unfortunately the way progression in the game is very grindy, but the core combat mechanics are more than fun enough to keep you playing.”
graphics
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
36%
3%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant and colorful art style that many players find appealing, with well-crafted characters and backgrounds that enhance the overall experience. However, some reviews note that the battle graphics and animations are relatively weak and unpolished, detracting from the otherwise strong visual presentation. Overall, while the artwork is praised for its beauty and consistency, the lack of dynamic animations and variety in character designs leaves some players wanting more.
- “Before the Echo is a story-driven RPG rhythm game that defies expectations with its colorful artwork and attention to detail.”
- “Visually, Before the Echo boasts a vibrant and colorful art style, with character designs and environments that pop off the screen.”
- “The graphics are wonderful, the game's artwork is spectacular, and the writing is witty and interesting which makes for a fun playthrough.”
- “One weakness of the game is the battling and UI, though simple enough, the weak graphics jar with the otherwise well-crafted characters and backgrounds.”
- “The dialog is atrocious, the story is insignificant, and the graphics are the kind of crappy animatics that have now become standard fare in a sea of indie game dev mediocrity.”
- “The graphics are very basic; the art looks okay, but there are basically no animations.”
replayability
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
52%
14%
Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short length and lack of diverse content. While there are multiple difficulty levels and some unlockable features, many players feel that the experience does not warrant repeated playthroughs. However, its low price and enjoyable mechanics may still encourage occasional revisits.
- “It has some replay value, too: there are multiple difficulty levels, should you want to go back through and play on a harder mode.”
- “It has a nice amount of replayability since the game allows you to change difficulty up to the third floor, an incredibly low price, decent RPG mechanics, fairly unique rhythm mechanics, and serviceable art.”
- “Some replayability since the gameplay is just super fun, but more (and different) music tracks would have been nice.”
- “The game itself, I'll warn, has little replay value.”
- “A cute story with solid mechanics, but lacking on replayability.”
- “Replayability and extras are limited (unless you opt for a higher difficulty, I started on the highest), but the game is well worth one playthrough.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
Overall, the character development in the game is praised for its clever writing and engaging voice acting, contributing to a vibrant and colorful presentation. While some reviews note that the focus on antagonistic dialogue detracts from deeper trait building, many agree that the characters are interesting and that the game successfully incorporates character development throughout its narrative. The combination of strong character design and innovative gameplay mechanics enhances the overall experience, despite some critiques regarding the prioritization of gameplay over character depth.
- “Characters are interesting and there is character development throughout the story, and the voice acting is very well done.”
- “The writing is clever and meta, and while the game is short, it still finds the time to whip up some fun characters and even has room for character development.”
- “Great character development.”
- “The voice acting was well done too, though similarly with 'There Came an Echo', the character development was not endearing, focused too much on antagonistic dialogue rather than meaningful trait building.”
- “This game has a ton of personality, is meta AF, and does pretty much everything right in terms of storytelling and character design, but just playing a keyboard dancing/rhythm game as a way to fight monsters and cast spells is innovative enough.”
- “The voice acting and character design are well done for a game of this scope, but in my opinion that time could have been better spent improving the core game loop.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, recalling fond memories and music that evoke nostalgia. However, some also feel a sense of frustration or inadequacy, as the game can create a feeling of not meeting expectations or goals.
- “Remembered a song from this game and decided to give it another play after not touching it for 10 years.”
- “So maybe that's my gripe -- the game always made me feel like I wasn't doing what I should be doing.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The game delivers smooth performance consistently, particularly optimized for Xbox 360 controllers, which may lead to a less favorable experience for players using a keyboard.
- “Smooth performance at all times.”
- “The game is more optimized for Xbox 360 controllers, so buyers beware if you only use a keyboard.”
- “This means the game is more optimized for Xbox 360 controllers, so buyers beware if you only use keyboard.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game's stability is mixed; while some users report no glitches or crashes, others experience frequent crashes when alt-tabbing and encounter various audio issues, indicating a need for improvement in this area.
- “I had no glitches of any sort, and it never crashed on me.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any hiccups or interruptions.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; it allows me to fully immerse myself in the experience.”
- “The game does, however, get a huge minus for being very buggy. I can understand not liking alt-tabbing very much, but the game crashes often when it loses focus, so no multitasking allowed. Not to mention, there are some audio issues here and there.”
- “The game is riddled with stability issues, leading to frequent crashes and frustrating gameplay interruptions.”
- “I experienced multiple crashes during my playthrough, which severely impacted my enjoyment of the game.”