In Echoes of the End, we plunge into a vibrant fantasy world and try to prevent an impending war – but do we succeed?
Echoes of the End is the first game from Myrkur Games, developed in collaboration with Deep Silver. The game lays a solid foundation for the studio, providing a solid basis for future development. While it draws inspiration from action-adventure games like God of War, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of those blockbuster titles. We took a closer look at the game and will tell you about its strengths and weaknesses.
Linear Adventure
In Echoes of the End, we follow Ryn and Abram on their journey through a fantasy world. Their focus is on stopping an invading army that threatens their homeland. While this sounds rather generic, it is, as we’ve seen and heard similar stories a few times before. Nevertheless, the conversations between the two characters bring the story to life. They provide background information on the scenery we encounter and the monsters we have to face.
While there are a few surprises along the way, it’s a fairly linear adventure. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as traveling through the various locations is quite enjoyable. After all, we don’t always see the same scenery; from burning villages and erupting volcanoes to ancient cities, there’s pretty much everything.
Puzzle Solving
We repeatedly encounter puzzles on our journey that need solving. We find clues to the solutions along the way, but even without them, the puzzles aren’t too difficult. Solving them is also quite fun, although some platforming sections can be quite frustrating—as is typical. As the game progresses, we gain new options for solving these puzzles, allowing us to try out different approaches.
In some places, we even encountered illusory walls, similar to those in Dark Souls, which initially appear unassuming but then reveal what lies behind them. The same applies to paths that don’t actually exist. This is how some puzzles can be solved.
Inspiration
As mentioned earlier, Echoes of the End takes inspiration from God of War, among other things, which is particularly evident in the combat system. While the surface of the combat is quite simple, it can become quite complex when we use the various abilities that we can unlock for Ryn. We also have a companion named Abrams, whom we can’t control, but who performs well even without our direct influence. He helps keep our enemies at bay or drop-kicks them. While he doesn’t deal much damage, he’s still a valuable asset.
Ryn’s abilities are divided into four skill trees, one of which is primarily for companion abilities. The different paths are divided into sword skills, Vestige power abilities, and defensive abilities. None of the abilities we can unlock feel truly useless—although some definitely are. We often simply don’t get a chance to use certain skills because the enemies recover and counterattack. That’s a real shame.
Vestige Powers
On the other hand, the Vestige powers are all the more impressive, as they strongly reminded us of the Force from the Star Wars universe. We can hurl enemies in different directions, lift them up and slam them to the ground, or create a vortex that pulls our foes into one spot. However, these powers can’t be used indefinitely. Instead, we have a stamina bar that replenishes during combat, and the stronger the power we use, the more stamina it consumes.
The game’s visuals, however, are anything but worn out. The landscapes, in particular, are often picturesque, inviting you to linger and appear very realistic. The character models are also quite impressive. Unfortunately, some effects are simply poorly implemented. The soundtrack isn’t particularly outstanding either, remaining rather neutral – neither especially good nor particularly bad.
Conclusion
“Echoes of the End is definitely a lot of fun. While the premise of the story isn’t exactly the most original, it doesn’t need to be. This is especially true because the characters tell the story well and believably. The beautiful landscapes and the interesting puzzles, which are never truly difficult, are much more enjoyable – even if some platforming sections can be frustrating. The combat system is similarly mixed. While it’s well-designed and offers depth, some abilities are simply superfluous because we never really get to use them. Overall, Echoes of the End is a game that will primarily appeal to those who enjoy strolling through picturesque landscapes while following a story.“
- Story/Atmosphere: 70/100
- Game Design: 80/100
- Balance: 70/100
- Scope: 70/100
- Presentation: 80/100
The review key for the PC was kindly provided by Deep Silver.
