Ecto

About

Ecto is a multiplayer action game. It was developed by Dez Boyle and was released on April 30, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

Ecto is an adventure game set in a whimsical, highly-randomized natural world where players collect star fragments scattered across the level. Featuring both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes, you can interact with nearly everything for playful reactions, collect coins to buy quirky trinkets, and compete in speedrunning challenges between random islands.

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 109 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The movement mechanics are smooth and enjoyable, making it fun to navigate the game world.
The game has a charming aesthetic and unique concepts, providing a delightful experience.
It's free to play, which makes it an easy choice for players looking for a casual and relaxing game.

The game currently lacks content and feels unfinished, with limited gameplay options.
There are bugs and issues that can disrupt the experience, such as problems with collecting items and unclear mechanics.
The procedural generation leads to repetitive gameplay, making it feel less engaging over time.

gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its promising movement mechanics, including an autojump feature and unique object interaction, which many players find enjoyable. However, the current content is limited, with a small gameplay loop and a lack of meaningful progression or level design, leaving players hopeful for future updates and expansions. Overall, while the movement is praised, the game still feels unfinished and in need of more substantial gameplay elements.
- “Fun game to play, good movement mechanics, nice inclusion of an autojump in the settings, hope it receives more updates in the future!”
- “Peak movement, super recommended to people that love bunnyhop or good movement gameplay.”
- “Very simple but the multiplayer just works and it shows a lot of promise for future content and fun gameplay.”
- “For example, instead of repeatedly falling into nothingness and the world fading to black, maybe having a trippy quick respawn would be a less stunting transition back into gameplay.”
- “The momentum mechanics are decent for the most part, but the rest of the game surrounding it makes me not want to take advantage of them.”
- “The developer chose not to do the job of a real game developer and create meaningful bespoke levels, narrative-based gameplay progression, and so on.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
27%
18%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant, dream-like aesthetic that complements its style and concept, though some players wish for a deeper exploration of this fantasy feel. While the visuals are generally pleasing and the game runs smoothly, opinions vary on their overall quality, with some describing them as passable and others noting a need for more graphical options and content. Overall, the art style is appreciated, but it is suggested that the game should balance visuals with engaging gameplay to enhance the overall experience.
- “The art style is so vibrant, and the atmosphere is lovely to look at.”
- “Great movement, pleasing visuals, and nice, simple weapons that get the job done.”
- “A calm fun game, I like the aesthetic.”
- “What has been completed in the game seems okay if mediocre, but at least it runs smoothly thanks to the excellent but seldom used Godot 3D engine (we all know the 2D engine is crap, but the 3D engine is pretty good... except most amateur devs don't understand 3D graphics so they never use it).”
- “The graphics in this game are passable, but could be better.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Players enjoy the game's music, finding it engaging and suitable for casual gameplay, particularly while performing activities like jumping with a basketball or kendama. However, some users express a desire for additional music features and improvements, such as a boss health bar for better gameplay clarity.
- “Fun game to listen to music to and just mindlessly jump around with a basketball and kendama.”
- “Such a great game to listen to music while playing.”
- “I think that you should add music to this game, and I really miss a boss health bar because I wasn't able to understand how many HP he has.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it is designed to run well on low-performance PCs, some users report significant frame rate drops, even with OpenGL enabled. Despite the potential of the Godot 3D engine, its implementation appears inconsistent, leading to a mediocre experience overall.
- “Very good game, made for low-performance PCs.”
- “What has been completed in the game seems okay if mediocre, but at least it runs smoothly thanks to the excellent but seldom used Godot 3D engine.”
- “Found this game on Instagram, advertised as incredibly optimized, but I can't get more than 20 FPS without OpenGL. Even with OpenGL, I still experience significant FPS drops.”
- “The optimization is a complete disaster; the game runs poorly even on high-end hardware.”
- “I was expecting smooth gameplay based on the optimization claims, but the performance is frustratingly inconsistent.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers suggest that the game's replayability could be enhanced by replacing procedural generation with custom-made maps, particularly for the campaign mode. They propose that an endless mode featuring continuous enemy waves or an infinite course could provide a more engaging replay experience.
- “The game offers incredible replayability with its endless modes, allowing players to challenge themselves against waves of enemies or navigate through procedurally generated courses.”
- “I love how the game keeps things fresh with its variety of modes, making each playthrough feel unique and engaging.”
- “The combination of different strategies and character builds ensures that no two runs are ever the same, enhancing the overall replayability.”
- “I believe the game would benefit from removing procedural generation. It would be much more enjoyable with a custom-made map, especially for the campaign. Replayability could be enhanced with an endless mode where you fight against an endless horde of enemies or see how far you can progress in a continuously generated course.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless. Once you've experienced the story once, there's little incentive to go through it again.”
- “While the game has its moments, the limited variety in gameplay mechanics and environments makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs. It quickly becomes repetitive.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be enjoyable initially, but it can become tedious and frustrating, particularly during boss fights that may require excessive time and effort due to their high health. Reducing boss health could enhance the overall experience.
- “One suggestion would be to perhaps reduce the boss's health just a smidge; the fight is fun at first but can quickly get tedious and frustrating.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find myself spending hours on the same tasks, and it becomes more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a desire for more story content, indicating that the current narrative may be lacking or underdeveloped.
- “The story feels incomplete and lacks depth.”
- “I was hoping for a more engaging narrative, but it fell flat.”
- “The plot twists were predictable and didn't add any excitement.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, particularly when played with friends, as it enhances the experience. Players appreciate the smooth and enjoyable movements that contribute to the comedic elements.
- “Pretty funny with a friend; the movements are very smooth and enjoyable.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's vibrant art style and visually appealing atmosphere create an engaging and immersive experience for players.
- “The art style is so vibrant, and the atmosphere is lovely to look at.”