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.
"Echo Generation is a turn-based adventure game with a 90s setting, featuring a heartwarming story about the supernatural and small-town life. Explore Maple Town, battle monsters, complete quests, and uncover secrets with the help of adorable pet companions. Collect comic books to unlock minigames, skills, and stat boosts."
Charming aesthetic with a nostalgic 80s-90s vibe, featuring great visuals, art style, and music.
Engaging turn-based combat that incorporates mini-games, keeping players focused and entertained.
Short and sweet gameplay that doesn't overstay its welcome, making it perfect for casual gamers and quick play sessions.
Lacks depth in combat and overall gameplay, with many fetch quests and minimal challenge.
Some quests can be frustratingly vague, requiring excessive backtracking and pixel hunting for items.
The game is short, leading to concerns about its value at full price, with many recommending to wait for a sale.
story
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
46%
11%
The story of "Echo Generation" is a charming coming-of-age narrative set in the mid-1990s, featuring memorable characters and a vibrant pixel art style. While the plot is engaging and easy to follow, some players noted flaws such as an underdeveloped ending and a tendency to focus on inconsequential characters. Overall, the game offers a briskly paced experience that players find enjoyable, though some wished for a longer and more fleshed-out story.
“The story is easy to follow, and the mid-1990s setting is an absolute vibe.”
“Great soundtrack, memorable characters/NPCs, and a creative, interesting story are the highlights here.”
“Finally released on PC after 2 years since its initial release on Xbox, Echo Generation: Midnight Edition is a short but solid turn-based game featuring an endearing story, likable characters, fantastic visuals, and a memorable pixel art style.”
“While you do have a journal to assist with quests, I did occasionally find myself running laps around the world in order to try to figure out how to advance the story.”
“Also, the story feels like it pulled its punches too much, spent too much time with inconsequential characters, but not enough time with the characters that impact the narrative.”
“Another simple coming-of-age story that doesn't overstay its welcome.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
34%
12%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique aesthetic, featuring excellent art style, character designs, and a blend of pixel and voxel art that creates a visually appealing experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's charming visuals and animations, noting that while cutting-edge graphics are not the focus, the strong artistic vision compensates for it. Some users expressed a desire for more interactivity within the environments, but overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
“It's definitely an acquired taste, but personally, I think the art style, soundtrack, and animations are all fantastically done.”
“Finally released on PC after 2 years since its initial release on Xbox, Echo Generation: Midnight Edition is a short but solid turn-based game featuring an endearing story, likable characters, fantastic visuals, and a memorable pixel art style.”
“At times, graphically stunning.”
“Proves that cutting edge graphics are secondary to a strong aesthetic vision.”
“Proves that cutting edge graphics are secondary to a strong aesthetic vision.”
“It's definitely an acquired taste but personally I think the art style, soundtrack, and animations are all fantastically done.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fantastic quality and memorable battle themes, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. While some players noted a lack of music in certain areas, the overall soundtrack, combined with the charming art style and creative story, enhances the gaming experience. The music is described as an acquired taste, but many found it enjoyable and integral to the game's appeal.
“The music was amazing, had the volume up the whole time.”
“The music is fantastic and the vibes are immaculate.”
“I liked Echo Generation a lot; the story is charming, the combat switches up the typical 'Paper Mario' action commands to make the gameplay more engaging, and the music is awesome.”
“There's also a lack of music in some areas, which is strange, and later in the game, near the end, the puzzles and objectives become very obscure and difficult to find.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
Gameplay is characterized by slow pacing and a lack of challenge, as RPG mechanics simplify encounters that should feel more daunting, often resolving them through level-ups and powerful attacks. While some players find enjoyment in this approach, many feel that the mechanics need refinement to enhance the overall experience.
“I did enjoy it, and I would absolutely return if I ever had the patience for some really slow gameplay that isn't aiming to be challenging at all.”
“The RPG mechanics further emphasize this by de-escalating threats that thematically and visually should be imposing or impossible, but are simply resolved with level ups and finding overpowered attacks in the world.”
“All of this and the RPG mechanics are not even worth the squeeze.”
“Yeah, it could do with some tightening up of the mechanics.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
While the game's visuals, including character designs and art style, are highly praised, reviewers feel that the character development lacks depth, particularly in the final act, which could have benefited from more exposition to enhance its emotional impact.
“The character design of the game is fantastic, and the bosses are especially stunning.”
“The final act would have been more impactful with a little more exposition and character development.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be charming yet somewhat tedious, with humorous moments like pacifying raccoons through repeated battles. While the RPG features old-school item-based progression, some reviewers note that the combat is simple enough that grinding isn't strictly necessary. Overall, the experience is described as a blend of nostalgia and lightheartedness, despite its grindy nature.
“There was obviously some charm in times like farming the gang of raccoons until they told me they wouldn't fight anymore since kicking their butts had turned them into pacifists, which I found quite silly and interesting as I was using them to farm experience.”
“Charming albeit grindy RPG with some old school PC adventure item-based progression... almost had an Earthbound / Stranger Things / Twin Peaks vibe.”
“The fighting is not complicated and there isn't any need for grinding.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for being overly simplistic and lacking depth, with users noting a significant reliance on advertisements.
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the comedic dynamics between the two main characters, who are portrayed as amusingly manipulative. Additionally, the absurdity of serious entities like the FBI and NSA being juxtaposed with mechanized robots and heavily armed soldiers adds to the comedic effect. Overall, the humor is well-received and contributes positively to the game's appeal.
“The comedy was funny as well; the two main characters definitely feel like evil manipulators, which is awesome.”
“The FBI and NSA, with mechanized robots and fully armed, highly trained soldiers, is quite funny to me.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has a short playtime of around 7 hours and offers minimal replayability, leading many users to suggest purchasing it only during sales.
“As it's only 7 hours long with very little replayability, I recommend buying it on sale.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game performs well on the Steam Deck when the frame rate is locked at 60 FPS, ensuring stable performance. However, without the frame rate lock, the device can become quite loud and heat up quickly.
“Great game for Steam Deck with stable performance if FPS is locked at 60. Without the lock, the device can be quite loud and heat up really fast.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its immersive 1980s atmosphere, filled with numerous nostalgic references that enhance the overall experience.
“One really great thing about this game is the 1980s atmosphere with a lot of references.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report a lack of significant bugs or glitches, indicating a generally stable experience with the game. However, some minor issues were noted, but they did not detract from overall gameplay.