Echo Generation – Review
Our Score: 8/10
Echo Generation by Cococucumber is a turn-based adventure game about a gang of kids investigating supernatural occurrences while battling monsters and mechs to save their small town. From just that, you can get a sense of what this game is all about. This is a tale that we see quite frequently, But Echo Generation does things in its own way instead of chasing the norm which makes it stand out from its contemporaries.
The game takes a lot of influence from other games and media but it feels like it’s paying homage to them rather than outright copying them. Echo Generations is a warm, fun tale that is probably perfect for Halloween.
What is Echo Generation?
“It’s the summer of 1993. You and your friends set out to investigate the source of a mysterious crash. Complete quests, battle monsters and level up your party to save your hometown from danger in a heroic tale of childhood adventures.”
The simplest way to explain Echo Generation is that it feels like Stranger Things but also Earthbound at the same time. It’s got such an interesting style and feels that it immediately pulls you in.
The game is a turn-based adventure with fights against supernatural creatures as well as mechs. The combat is fun and so are your companions. And the Earthbound homage is clear in the combat which I enjoyed a lot.
As in every RPG, you need to level up your party to be able to stand up against the various threats that you’ll encounter. The game is a somewhat open-world game where you explore areas and levels from a third-person perspective. There are environmental puzzles aplenty that make exploration fun and interesting.
And since the developers are Canadian, the Canadian influence is ever-present. And you know there’s going to be a lot of ice-hockey references all over. Using a hockey stick to whoop some ghost is something I imagine all Canadian kids dream about.
Look and Feel
The game has a 3D pixel art style that goes well with the story and the world. What stands out here though are the vibrant colors and the lighting. I absolutely loved the various hues of the sky. Not to mention, the sheer variety in level and enemy design that isn’t just your regular old drab design. Given its retro theme and aesthetic, I didn’t expect the saturation and vibrancy that was on show.
The music is [chef’s kiss]. The dark synth main theme is incredible and I can’t get enough of it. The rest of the soundtrack has a lot of different genres. From energetic city pop to rock battle music, it doesn’t just stick to synth-wave.
Final Verdict
Echo Generation by Cococucumber is a turn-based RPG that has a lot of heart and even more character. It does a fantastic job of creating this robust world that sucks you in and delivers a memorable experience.
For fans who enjoyed games like Earthbound and Undertale, or who enjoyed Stranger Things then you will enjoy this as well. From the aesthetic to the vibes that you’ll get when you play, it will all hit the right notes.
