ECHO

 PlayStation 4
ECHO Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

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  • Summary: After a century in stasis the girl En arrives at her destination: a palace out of legend, a marvel of the old civilization eons gone, still awaiting its first human occupants. Out here, using forgotten technologies, she hopes to bring back a life that shouldn’t have been lost.

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ECHO - Reveal Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Oct 17, 2017
    100
    Backed by gorgeous production values and, critically, voice acting that's able to carry the nuance this script demands, Echo is distinctive, characteristic and artful. It’s not a stretch to say it’s probably the smartest shooter that I’ve ever played, and it’s exactly the kind of thing that I’ve been waiting for from the genre.
  2. GameCritics
    Oct 16, 2017
    85
    Although Echo fizzles out instead of building to a crescendo, I still loved it. I mean, we’re talking instant entry into the Top 5 games I’ve played this year. It’s just a shame that Ultra Ultra didn’t keep layering in mechanics and that the story lost focus. However, despite these issues, Echo remains an incredibly strong debut from a developer I’ll be keeping my eye on in the future.
  3. COGconnected
    Oct 21, 2017
    85
    After completing ECHO, I can’t wait to see what ULTRA ULTRA does next, hopefully refining and then incorporating the system they’ve developed for this learning AI. Beating yourself at your own game feels satisfying, and losing yourself feels fair. Now, if they can just make the protagonist feel more powerful but throw in some enemy variety and more complications to deal with that power level, they’ll be set.
  4. PlayStation Country
    Oct 16, 2017
    80
    ECHO is a game with a compelling central idea, a top notch sci-fi plot and some excellent stealth mechanics. It also demands you understand its rules and play it at the pace it dictates. If you can either get on with, or get past, the plot you’ll experience some fantastic gameplay moments.
  5. Hardcore Gamer
    Oct 23, 2017
    80
    ECHO is a puzzle game disguised as a third-person action-adventure game. The puzzle is everything and the action-adventure is exploring the lavish environments of the Palace. Backed by an exceptional story of intrigue, love and general weirdness, ECHO knows how to make the player think in more ways than one. Mirror enemies are nothing new for video games, usually reserved for boss battles or mini-bosses, but what happens when every enemy is the player? That’s where ECHO steps in, showing that the biggest challenge in life is ourselves.
  6. God is a Geek
    Oct 19, 2017
    75
    Echo is an example of an exceptional idea that is enough to carry a whole game. The clever use of AI creates unique challenges, but the lack of environmental changes and same enemy type throughout means that it does slightly out-stay its welcome.
  7. games(TM)
    Dec 3, 2017
    60
    A unique take on a stealth experience. [Issue#194, p.75]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Daikenkini
    Feb 7, 2018
    10
    Echo is one of the greatest games I have ever played. I have read through the other reviews, and I do not share a single complaint the othersEcho is one of the greatest games I have ever played. I have read through the other reviews, and I do not share a single complaint the others have. My personal experience has been close to flawless, the enjoyment I got out of this title alone is just unreal. I bought it while it was on sale in the PS4 store (it is right now if you are reading this in February 2018!), and I can say that to me it has been worth every penny. I realize how biased this sounds but I cannot say a single bad things about this game, I love everything about it. The voice acting, the graphics, the level design and the gameplay are all fantastic, I also recommend watching the Echo Gameplay Trailer if you are still undecided because many people seem to miss that one. I personally think the gameplay trailer could have shown even more things and presented the game even better than it has, but I can safely say that there is not a single thing in it that you are not getting in the game. I 100% recommend buying this title, it's a 10/10 experience to me.… Expand
  2. Kumasimc
    May 8, 2020
    9
    Never before have I been so excited by a team and then so quickly devastated as they close their doors. Ultra Ultra came like thunder out of aNever before have I been so excited by a team and then so quickly devastated as they close their doors. Ultra Ultra came like thunder out of a clear sky and made one of the most fascinating games I have ever played and then promptly closed their doors. I'm not sure if it was due to sales, internal strife or something else, but regardless it is a major loss of an innovative team in an industry that desperately needs it.

    The main conceit you've probably heard about this game is the AI, which is truly fascinating. Surrounded by clones on a planet sized palace, the gameplay loop is 'Lights On, Lights Off'. When the lights are on they come at you as enemy npcs, all the while reading your movements and attack patterns, right down to eating grapes or playing a harp. Lights go off and it's a free for all. No longer can they read your movements, giving you a chance to use your best tactics. Why save your best moves for the dark? Because when the lights come back, everything you did during the previous 'Lights On' has been learned and adapted by the AI. If you snuck around a lot, you'll turn around to find 3 clones crouching right behind you. If you play it safe from afar, you'll find yourself getting sniped from across the level. It's not perfect, but it is brilliant, think-on-your-feet, fast and tactical combat.

    But that's not why I love this game so much, or more accurately that's not the only reason I love Echo. If you're someone who adores narrative design, who pours over details, who drinks in atmosphere, this game will leave you breathless. For the action heavy there is a "skip to action" option, but the opening of this game blows me away every time I play it. It takes its time, lets you get to know the two protagonists, hints at things the player will never see. It both mesmerizes and builds suspense leading into the main core of the game.

    While Echo manages to accomplish in drawing a lot of gameplay from a few basic ideas, it accomplishes even more with world-building. The opening of this game gives you little drops of information, names, keywords, "Foster" "Palace" "Resourcefuls" "Pre-Requisition Rush". They don't tell you very much, but they paint a broad universe that starts to fill in the more you think about it. Never before have I gleaned so much information from so little. The universe of Echo begs to be colored in, divined, painted by the player themselves. By the time the first bullet was fired I felt enveloped in the world of Echo, and wanted to fight for any angstrom of information I could find.

    On top of all of that, the basic story, art direction, dialogue and voice acting (Rose Leslie and Nicholas Boulton deserve more praise and awards than they'll ever get, I'm sure) are firing on all cylinders. Little details again make a big impact, En's hair and teeth, the crack in her voice after waking from a long slumber, London's begrudged loyalty, a lighter, a red cube, all seemingly inocuous but all making a huge difference.

    The only faults (and only reason I gave a 9 instead of a 10) is it can get a bit taxing toward the end (again, the story had me eager to continue at all costs) and sadly I have experienced a crash in one, and only one, spot towards the very beginning. Unfortunately it happened multiple times, which is a shame because, to reiterate, this game has one of my all time favorite openings.

    I can see certain folks not getting into it, it takes patience, it gets a bit repetitive, there's lots of stealthing about but if this sounds intriguing, and/or you really look for strong narrative in your games, absolutely buy Echo right now, just go, do it, seriously, it's amazing....

    Ultra Ultra is no more, which truly makes me incredibly sad. There are rumors about a possible movie, and honestly I would take anything that delves further into the universe of Echo. I only wish there were a physical copy to put proudly on my shelf. Sadly it is digital only, and remains one of the few games I will never uninstall. I honestly don't ever want to risk losing it. Echo is wondrous, give it a look.    … Expand
  4. SuperkenGaming
    Oct 11, 2017
    8
    Echo
    Facing yourself
    You’re going to think echo is a really great game, a really annoying game, or you’re going to think it’s a mix a both    Echo
    Facing yourself
    You’re going to think echo is a really great game, a really annoying game, or you’re going to think it’s a mix a both
    This is one giant 5 hr. puzzle where the enemy is you
    Here you play as En who enters a palace to right a wrong.. To resurrect someone she killed...
    You arrive at the missive palace and the lights are out...
    Then as you progress bantering with your ai, which is some of my favorite parts of this game... the lights start to flicker... you notice life forms on the ground that slowly become larger every time the lights come back on.. To realize they’re all copies of you…
    This palace is crawling with clones trying to stop you from accomplishing your goal…
    there isn’t much to the level design or mission...
    The mansion is gorgeous but slowly it feels less impressive and the gameplay loop is the same throughout…
    The greatness comes in dealing with the hordes of clones as you go deeper into the lower parts of this palace..
    You slowly start to realize that these clones are learning from you...
    As you play the gamer the lights go on and off…
    You would think the lights going off is the terrifying part.. But it isn’t...
    The scary part is when the lights are on... because this is when the house is watching you…
    You have plenty of tools at your disposal... you have charges that you can do special moves with... initially 2, but every 5 blue orbs you find will give you another charge.. 1 refills by itself the others are refilled by white orbs that are in abundance…
    You have a lethal gun that can shoot through multiple enemies at a time... you have a non-lethal shot that can knock enemies in range down… you take out enemies from behind, the issue however is that enemies don’t stay down..
    When the lights go off, or when they come back on every enemy you took down is back... and this time each and every one of them is doing what the house saw you do...
    If the house sees you shoot, enemies will now shoot….
    Though either way they are coming after you… it’s just up to you how aggressive and deadly they are... this is where the puzzle comes into play... are you patient enough to scout things out while the lights are on and do the killing and item grabbing in the dark, or do you think you can run through a room, killing everything in your way, get what you need and get out
    this forces the player to be careful with their choices and what they do.. Don’t touch the water when the lights are on and enemies will be afraid of water…
    don’t open doors when the lights are on and enemies won’t know how to open doors...
    What they know resets every checkpoint... and checkpoints in this game can be frustrating.. especially the orb missions that cap every one of this games 6 chapters
    This is where all of your skill, timing, and risk taking comes into play.. As the game doesn’t save an ounce of progress and doesn’t care how close you got to collecting all 40 orbs...
    if you die with only 3 to go... you’re starting all over again...
    these are the moments that will break you... these are the moments that will make you rush, pull out your gun in a desperate situation because you’re so close and you think you can handle the guns until you’ve collected what you need…
    these are the moments that make this game just as frustrating as it is great…
    My only complaints with the game are of course the 0 checkpoints in the orb sections.. but I get it…
    enemies not permanently staying down…
    I feel this could’ve been done for an easier difficulty as the concept of the game could stay the same... of enemies still alive learning,
    it feels a bit frustrating at times when I feel I just got out of a tough situation only to be jumped and die when the lights come back on
    And lastly the banter sort of stops as you get deep into the game which is actually my biggest issue..
    I loved this games dialog and I would’ve liked more
    But the gameplay here is great and challenging
    Beating Echo is no easy feat
    you need patience to get through even on its easiest difficulty...
    I give Echo
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  5. destinyfan1
    Oct 19, 2017
    7
    This is a game worth playing , except if you rage easily , this game is very hard ,the stealth is frustrating and even more small frustrationThis is a game worth playing , except if you rage easily , this game is very hard ,the stealth is frustrating and even more small frustration ,like to less checkpoints
    But the story is very good and so where the dialogs
    And overall i really had a good time playing this game
    Its not for everyone so I suggest for a sale    … Expand
  6. 011_Sentionaut
    Nov 28, 2017
    7
    Echo is a beautiful, challenging stealth game with an array of fresh, new and impressive gameplay mechanics. Stunning visuals, and voiceEcho is a beautiful, challenging stealth game with an array of fresh, new and impressive gameplay mechanics. Stunning visuals, and voice acting by Rose Leslie and Nick Boulton. Interesting level design for stealth gameplay. However the AI's ability to learn from my play-style did not force me to change my tactics as I had hoped. Instead the AI simply mimicked my actions rather than develop counter tactics. Otherwise its an interesting stealth game. I was drawn into the lore of the universe and En's story but the game did not reveal the details of the narrative I had hoped for. I did enjoy my playthrough and appreciate Echo for it's unique aesthetic and fresh approach to the genre. I had a lot of fun with game mechanics that I've never experienced in any other game before it. Unfortunately Echo offers very little replay value.… Expand
  7. RMDsilva
    Oct 12, 2020
    6
    Interesting mechanic, but not much else. Becomes a chore rather quickly.

    The tone and ambience of the game are interesting. Since it's    Interesting mechanic, but not much else. Becomes a chore rather quickly.

    The tone and ambience of the game are interesting. Since it's short, it was enough to get me going until the end, but the game mechanics were really dragging me down.    … Expand
  8. hoanns
    Jun 6, 2020
    2
    Just quite boring .

Trailers

Awards & Rankings

78
#78 Best PS4 Game of 2017

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