Pale Echoes

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 21 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Pale Echoes Game Cover
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In "Pale Echoes," players explore a mysterious world filled with puzzles and decaying remnants of civilizations. As they journey through this surreal landscape, they must uncover the truth behind the apocalypse that destroyed humanity. With its unique narrative and atmospheric visuals, Pale Echoes offers a hauntingly beautiful experience that challenges the mind and stirs the soul.

  • PC
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 21 reviews
story11 positive mentions
  • Engaging and unique puzzle-like combat system that requires strategic thinking and planning.
  • Rich worldbuilding and a thought-provoking story that keeps players invested.
  • Short playtime with replayability options, making it accessible for those with limited time.
  • The game is quite short, which may leave some players wanting more content.
  • Combat can become repetitive, and the lack of distinctiveness among memories may lessen engagement.
  • Limited control options and resolution settings can hinder the overall experience.
  • story30 mentions

    The story of "Pale Echoes" is generally regarded as solid and engaging, with memorable characters and a thought-provoking exploration of themes like apocalypse and human response to crisis. While some players appreciate its unique storytelling methods and immersive lore, others feel it lacks depth and detail, resulting in a somewhat simplistic narrative experience. Overall, it offers a charming blend of gameplay and story, appealing particularly to those who enjoy shorter, heartfelt narratives.

    • “A unique core gameplay loop with an incredibly engaging setting and a thought-provoking story.”
    • “The story was interesting enough to keep me hooked, and the lexicon entries which contained extra lore made for an interesting read.”
    • “By far, I would say the reason to play *Pale Echoes* is the ambient environment and story.”
    • “The story is where the game really falls down for me.”
    • “I like games about restoring a world, but the story structure here is lacking something.”
    • “Not enough detail in the story, not enough background, and I finished it with almost 100% in 3 hours.”
  • gameplay8 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a unique core loop that combines engaging environmental and combat puzzles within a linear structure, complemented by a thought-provoking story and immersive setting. Players appreciate the game's concise length, avoiding prolonged gameplay fatigue, while the RPG Maker system adds a casual, visually and aurally appealing twist to the experience. Overall, it offers a refreshing and interesting take on puzzle-solving and narrative exploration.

    • “A unique core gameplay loop with an incredibly engaging setting and a thought-provoking story.”
    • “Plus the more puzzle-like gameplay elements make the game something incredibly interesting and unique; I thoroughly recommend this one.”
    • “Pale Echoes is a short game with a good flow, engaging gameplay, and a solid story.”
    • “Gameplay is split between environmental puzzles that are pretty rudimentary, as the game is mostly linear, and combat puzzles that are not.”
    • “No dragging on for 30-60 hours, until you've gotten sick of the gameplay.”
    • “It's an interesting twist on the RPG Maker system, and it fits the more casual, visual- and aural-based gameplay.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game features a variety of unique assets, with an option to listen to all tracks after completing the game. While the soundtrack is described as charming and immersive, it lacks standout originality, with some tracks being reminiscent of previous works. Overall, the inclusion of alternate music sets adds a nice touch, but the overall impression is that the music is not particularly special.

    • “After beating the game, it presents you with all manners of goodies to check, including the music box (to listen to all in-game music and also oldies), playing as different-looking characters, or turning on the dev diary mode.”
    • “The story, characters, soundtrack, and combat system (memories) are all quite charming and immersive.”
    • “However, the rest of the game uses various sets of music, so you might recognize a few of them. The alternate set of music that can be unlocked was nice, but I remembered several from 'Moonchild's' soundtrack.”
    • “Music isn't anything special.”
    • “However, the rest of the game uses various sets of music, so you might recognize a few of them (the alternate set of music that can be unlocked was nice, but I remembered several from 'Moonchild's' soundtrack).”
    • “However, the rest of the game uses various sets of music, so you might recognize a few of them (the alternate set of music that can be unlocked was nice, but I remembered several from 'Moonchild's' soundtrack).”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The game's graphics primarily utilize default RPG Maker assets, which some reviewers note as lacking uniqueness. However, these assets are effectively employed, resulting in a visually engaging experience that surpasses many higher-budget games. Overall, the graphics demonstrate a commendable effort to maximize the potential of the available resources.

    • “The graphics are the default RPG Maker graphics (a.k.a. RTP), however, they are put to very good use, which brings me to my next point.”
    • “Overall, I think it made a great effort to utilize the default RPG Maker graphics to the best of its abilities, and my only regret was that the game was not longer.”
    • “It's far more engaging than many games with better graphics that cost five times as much.”
    • “That said, graphically the game isn't unique, supposedly using lots of default assets.”
    • “The graphics are the default RPG Maker graphics (a.k.a. RTP); however, they are put to very good use, which brings me to my next point.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting that features like dev diaries, plus mode, and perfection mode enhance the experience, allowing for extended playtime beyond the initial completion. The game's shorter length also encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “The replayability provided by finding all of the dev diaries, the plus mode, and the perfection mode extended my playtime to 11 hours.”
    • “The short length of the game promotes replayability.”
    • “That said, the replayability provided by finding all of the dev diaries, the plus mode, and the perfection mode extended that to 11 hours for myself.”
    • “Short length promotes replayability.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game resonates with players seeking a heartfelt narrative experience, particularly appealing to those with limited time who still wish to engage in a meaningful story.

    • “This game offers a beautifully crafted narrative that tugs at your heartstrings.”
    • “The emotional depth of the characters makes you truly care about their journeys.”
    • “It's a touching experience that resonates long after you've finished playing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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