Echo Point Nova
- September 24, 2024
- Greylock Studio
- 10h median play time
"Echo Point Nova" is an open-world FPS where you, as a skilled explorer, navigate a mysterious planet and combat a ruthless mercenary force. Traverse the seamless world using various abilities, engage in epic battles with colossal bosses, and experience flexible single-player or cooperative gameplay for up to 4 players. Discover ancient technology and craft deadly weapons as you progress through the main quest or explore at your own pace.
Reviews
- Incredible movement mechanics that allow for fluid and fast-paced gameplay.
- Satisfying gunplay with a variety of weapons and perks that enhance combat.
- Open world design encourages exploration and creativity in gameplay.
- The game is relatively short, with many players completing it in around 10 hours.
- Some boss fights can feel repetitive and lack complexity.
- Minor bugs and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer mode.
- gameplay257 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Echo Point Nova" has been widely praised for its fluid movement mechanics, satisfying gunplay, and engaging combat systems, often compared to titles like "Titanfall" and "Ultrakill." Players appreciate the game's emphasis on fun and exploration, with a variety of mechanics that encourage creativity and skill expression, despite some concerns about its overall content length. The combination of a well-designed open world, diverse weaponry, and a rewarding gameplay loop makes it a standout experience for fans of fast-paced shooters.
“A game that feels like every decision was for the sake of fun, super fun gameplay and gunplay as well as fantastic movement.”
“The gameplay is fresh and fun, and the co-op works great out of the box.”
“The movement and the satisfying FPS mechanics are at the core of this, plus the exploration.”
“If anything negative comes to mind, it would only be that the boss fights are a bit too similar in gameplay, and that the difficulty has some spikes based on which perks and weapons you have.”
“The movement is incredible, and definitely the game's main focus over combat. The combat's simplicity gives the game a much smoother feeling, without being repetitive, as throughout the game the boss fights and enemy waves, while being mechanically very similar, feel so different each time due to the brilliant design of the arenas that challenge your movement over your combat.”
“The gameplay loop can be samey, but you can spice things up with different perks and weapons.”
- music163 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its dynamic and engaging soundtrack that enhances both the gameplay and atmosphere. The blend of genres, including breakcore and drum and bass, creates a unique auditory experience that complements the fast-paced action and exploration. While some players noted minor issues with the dynamic music system, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyment.
“To bring it all together, you have a downright banger-fest of a soundtrack which dynamically pumps up and cools off as you flip and float through the unraveling mystery of this world.”
“The soundtrack is one of my recent favorites as well, blending a very PSX-era inspired D&B with airy, dreamlike soundscapes between the different zones on the map.”
“The movement feels incredibly natural, very fast, but controllable, beautiful graphics combined with the fantastic soundtrack really adds to the feel of the game.”
“My only hang up is that the soundtrack, while pretty, isn't for me.”
“The only gripe is the OST is nothing to write home about, so feel free to play your own music over the game and get into a flow state of movement tech to demolish your enemies.”
“Only thing I dislike is that the dynamic music can bug out pretty often, making it so that you get intense music when you do nothing or hear nothing while fighting an army of enemies.”
- story116 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in this game is minimal and often feels like an afterthought, primarily delivered through brief text snippets that players can easily overlook while engaging in the fast-paced gameplay. While some find the lighthearted narrative amusing, it serves mainly as a backdrop to the game's focus on movement and combat, with many players noting that the gameplay experience is far more compelling than the plot itself. Overall, the story is simple and short, with the main quest taking only a few hours to complete, but the abundance of post-game content and exploration opportunities keeps players engaged beyond the narrative.
“The story is simple and fun, not really deep or dramatic, which is enough for a game focused on the gameplay first and foremost.”
“The story was enjoyable.”
“The story is the shortest end of the stick; if you're looking for a movement shooter with an engaging narrative, this one isn't for you.”
“The story was barely existent, and even then I missed some of it because I was moving too fast, and if you move too far away some messages will just disappear.”
“The story is intentionally simple as well so as not to get in your way.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the minimalist and low-poly art style that complements the gameplay, while others find it generic or lacking in identity. Many highlight the vibrant and colorful environments that enhance the overall experience, though some criticize certain visual elements as being overly simplistic or "meh." Overall, the visuals are seen as effective in creating an engaging atmosphere, even if they don't stand out as particularly unique.
“4-player co-op shooter, with PvP available and an enormous map to do it on, really clean visuals.”
“The visuals are stunning, with the floating islands giving off a dreamlike vibe that’s both beautiful and challenging to navigate.”
“Awesome gameplay - polished and fine-tuned - combined with an amazing art style and graphics.”
“I personally dislike the art style of this game, but that just goes to show how great the gameplay is because I still loved every second of playing it.”
“The graphics are quite meh though.”
“The art style doesn't really have any identity, so it doesn't really stand out.”
- optimization22 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players experiencing smooth performance at high settings, including 1440p with ray tracing. However, some users report occasional serious performance issues, particularly in scenarios with numerous flying enemies, leading to stuttering and dips in frame rates. While most players find the optimization satisfactory, a few are awaiting further patches to enhance performance, especially on lower-end systems like the Steam Deck.
“The combat mechanics are tight, and the performance is great.”
“Its also well optimized running a usually consistent 144hz maxed out with RTX on.”
“The game feels complete with a well-paced campaign filled with surprises, good optimization on release, a significant amount of options including multiple for accessibility, 4 player co-op from the very beginning until the very end, post-campaign content, and a roadmap for future updates, game modes and content, all for the low price of 30 bucks (considering most games are starting to cost 100).”
“I also had some occasional (but serious) performance issues in parts where there's a ton of flying enemies all grouped together. The bonus scans with extra enemies and flying enemies only were almost unbeatable for me due to this specific performance issue.”
“Only flaws I have encountered thus far are occasional stuttering (perhaps explained by running it at max with ray tracing on) and some questionable design on the first boss - however, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the game.”
“Performance is really bad on my machine, and the characters that narrate everything are kind of cringe (no voice acting, thank god), but those are the only complaints I have so far.”
- grinding19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 79 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding mechanics in the game to be engaging and enjoyable, enhancing the movement system without feeling tedious. The ability to master weapons and complete challenges is straightforward and rewarding, allowing for a satisfying 100% completion experience. The combination of grappling, wall-running, and hoverboarding creates a dynamic gameplay flow that keeps the experience fresh and fun.
“Unlike most boomer/movement shooters, there's a catalogue of weapons that you can master, and I mastered everything right at 100% completion, with no farming required.”
“100%ing this game was not tedious, and ended right when things started to feel as if they were slowing down.”
“No grinding for garbage, no ridiculously convoluted cosmetic system, gameplay doesn't feel repetitive, and it's a full release $30 game.”
“Fun game 8/10 because of the price and grinding out weapon mastery at the end.”
“The 100% can be done by non-completionist players due to its straightforward and not tedious way, and it was an extremely fun 100%.”
“Fantastic movement system, rewarding exploration, and fun open world mechanics without the experience becoming tedious or overdone.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying the diverse gameplay mechanics and potential for future content updates. While some users note that the main campaign is relatively short and may lack replay value after 100% completion, the inclusion of customizable features, speedrun potential, and community-driven content could significantly enhance long-term engagement. Many players express excitement for the game's roadmap and the possibilities for additional game modes and challenges.
“Legit, even the demo is a competent micro game that you can easily get hours of replay value from.”
“Would be awesome to see workshop support introduced for things like weapons, skins, maps, etc. The grapple, hoverboard, and gunplay flow so well together, and including custom maps from game recreations, cities, obstacle courses, PvP arenas, etc. would really increase the replayability of this game, and for sure keep me coming back.”
“Has crazy fast and responsive movement, bullet time, a grapple hook, wall running/riding, terrain destruction, fun weapon mechanics and enemy types, and it's all set in an endlessly replayable, very well-designed sandbox open world map.”
“The game has a lot of potential for replayability but doesn't have much to do after reaching 100% completion at 10 hours.”
“The game is pretty short, and given the nature as an open world, there's not much replayability once you get everything outside of endless in the scan arenas.”
“Hope the devs will make something that makes the game more replayable.”
- stability14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, particularly in single-player mode, where it runs smoothly on both PC and Steam Deck. However, players have reported occasional bugs and glitches, especially in multiplayer, including UI issues and desynchronization, which can detract from the experience but are not game-breaking. Despite these quirks, the gameplay remains enjoyable and engaging.
“Runs great on a Steam Deck.”
“Runs great, both on PC and Steam Deck.”
“My one piece of feedback is the game is just a little buggy in multiplayer; specifically, singleplayer is smooth, but in multiplayer the UI to start combat can sometimes get stuck and everyone needs to back up and wait for it to reset. Also, a little bit of desync occasionally, and I just notice a lot more crashes in multiplayer. I'm sure it will get ironed out with time though, and it definitely isn't enough to detract too much from this very high-quality game.”
“There is a few glitches I've seen, like the tutorial quest windows not disappearing like they should and lingering for a few hours after the tutorial was even finished.”
“Other than that, there were some quirky glitches here and there, but nothing that could be worked around or game-breaking that ruined my experience.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its witty dialogue and amusing design choices, such as the slow-motion effects and the ability to perform acrobatic moves while sniping. Players appreciate the comedic elements of the gameplay, including the absurdity of weapon mechanics and destructible environments that lead to funny interactions. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging gameplay, making it a source of laughter and enjoyment for players.
“What little story there is is delivered through short text squirts that are surprisingly funny at times.”
“The weapons are diverse, ranging from hilariously inaccurate to hilariously overpowered, and balance is present though pretty tough to conserve.”
“All the exposition is done via bits of (actually very funny) dialogue delivered via text boxes when you touch particular map markers.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting the exhilarating movement mechanics that make them feel alive and powerful. The ability to navigate arenas with fluidity and style evokes feelings of excitement and satisfaction, with some even describing the experience as "cool" and reminiscent of iconic movement shooters. The emotional impact is further amplified by the game's engaging combat and rewarding gameplay, culminating in a memorable and thrilling experience.
“This game made me feel alive again.”
“I love this game so much and the ending made me feel sick :)”
“Titanfall would shed a tear.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by an exceptional soundtrack that enhances both intense combat and relaxing exploration, creating a unique blend of excitement and tranquility. Players appreciate the seamless integration of music with gameplay, which elevates the overall experience and makes traversing the open world enjoyable. This combination of fast-paced action and a chill ambiance results in a refreshing and immersive atmosphere that stands out in the genre.
“Amazing music, lovely atmosphere, great movement and fun as hell.”
“Atmosphere?”
“Probably worth every dollar without shooting a single enemy just to cruise around in the open world to the beats, a triumph of simplifying FPS movement tech into entertaining traversal, and then giving that a solid coating of atmosphere.”
“Soundtrack fits perfectly with each encounter, and the tone of the game meshes fast-paced action with a chill, open atmosphere that's indescribably refreshing.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly addressed in the provided text, which focuses more on gameplay mechanics and the effectiveness of gunplay. Therefore, no specific insights on monetization can be drawn from this review.