A AA Game With Heart

Myrkur Games, a small 40-person studio, debuts Echoes of the End. The studio claims to be an AA studio, which is exactly what you can expect from Echoes of the End. A solid AA game with heart, passion and charm which had me intrigued by the trailer and my time playing the game.

When you say "AA Studio", many feel 6’s or 7’s for a game. However, that has changed as of late. Though after finishing Echoes of the End there are certainly some questionable puzzles. This isn’t a bad game at all. I’ve rather enjoyed my time playing as Ryn, a Vestige in search of her brother, Cor. A mysterious backstory about her father, a well-capable companion, and of course, the antagonist. Bringing the story back full circle of a more powerful Vestige and others searching for more power.

A Lost Connection

As our family members Ryn and Cor head out on patrol, making sure the route is clear of Durtar and other fowl creatures, the dialogue between our two siblings feels disconnected. The banter is there, but it’s the lack of believability in our starting heroes that feels weak. It was challenging to connect with the voice acting, dropping the quality and richness of the experience in the hoping that it would feel more connected, that Ryn and Cor lived in this world of Aema. It felt as though our actors didn’t believe in themselves and who each of them were portraying throughout the game as much as I would have liked to have seen.

The real star of the game was Abram, an old man, as Ryn liked to call him, looking for answers and a way to change the past. If that is possible. Abram is skilled, charmed and incredibly well acted, outshining his counterparts in their craft. Abram's abilities, chained together with Ryn, felt powerful, though they took some time to upgrade enough skills to feel the full potential. Something I would have liked to have seen a bit sooner.

Waiting a bit long to gain these badass powers for use nearing the end of the game, instead of becoming a force early on. A decision by the dev team to keep the game challenging instead of a walk in the park.

The game has a solid foundation. However, it lacks the finishing touches that would catapult the game into the higher 9’s. The world is stunning, the direction and location of Aema is beautiful with its panoramic views that beg for a photo mode, the realistic textures, the Icelandic villages and castle setting instantly pulled me into the world. Visuals will be one of the many things that others will notice first.

Ryn’s abilities in combat feel powerful. However, combat quickly becomes repetitive with only a few different kill animations. As you expand your arsenal of abilities, it will help add to the gameplay and various maneuvers, keeping the combat fresh and exciting, but somewhere underwhelming. There was always a desire to see more, wanting Ryn to grow further in powers and animations. One can only take so much of the same kill camera, before getting tired of the animation.

It can be challenging to create a puzzle that feels as though it belongs in the world with its gameplay and connecting with the experience. In my time of playing the game, most of these puzzles, though some more challenging than others, were exceptional. Using Ryn’s powers to slide objects from one location to another, time your maneuvers and proceed onto the next challenge was fun.

Does It Pay Off?

Endings are often tough. Leaving many of us with more questions than real answers. Wondering if the dev team knew the final outcome of the game, or quickly wrapped it up with a tattered bow. Echoes of the End, wraps up nicely. It has a concluding end with an opportunity for future titles. Will we see a sequel remains to be seen. However, there is a chance to directly carry the story forward or leave well enough-alone and move onto something else.

My time playing Echoes of the End was on a press build of the game, which at the time of playing fell short of polish. From some rather un-optimized loading, to completely falling through the world, which led me to having to start a brand-new playthrough of the game. These things happen when playing early versions of a game. However, Echoes of the End’s foundation is solid. The world is visually stunning; the story is strong with lore scattered throughout. The combat is intriguing, abilities are fun and Abram, your companion, is there to aid you on your journey, not hinder the experience. I enjoyed my time in Echoes of the End, an AA game with potential.