Echo Generation 2 Review

Echo Generation 2 is the latest instalment in a turn-based adventure that was released on the Microsoft Store in 2021, before releasing onto Steam in 2024. It received awards for Best Indie Game, Best Narrative, and Best Soundtrack. This time around, though, developer (and publisher) Cococucumber has decided to switch from classic RPG combat with active timing mechanics to deckbuilding and card-based fights. Seeing that I love cards, I decided to check it out… despite not playing the previous game.

Back to the 80's... to save the future.

The story is told across dimensions through the perspective of several heroes: a father trying to protect his family, a teenage psychic who wants to save her friends, a zombie bride looking for what she's lost, some weird furball, and a bounty hunter about to make a name for herself, along with her pet. An event has put the multiverse in danger, spreading across space and time, and somehow these heroes’ stories will come together to save it.

I actually quite liked the narrative. The characters are fun and likeable, the dialogue is well-written, and the narrative itself keeps you hooked all throughout. It’s also split into chapters you can beat in an hour and a half at most, so each story is easily digestible. If you're worried about not understanding the story because you skipped Echo Generation (or Echo Generation: Midnight Edition), it's not too big of a problem. Echo Generation 2 is a prequel, so you can play the game without encountering too many spoilers, though those who have played the previous title will likely enjoy the references to it.

You know things are going great when you can explode soldiers with your mind!

But I have to give props to the presentation, using a combination of voxel-based models (though not all models are blocky) and wonderfully done pixel art. Character portraits are detailed, though I don’t think they change expression; the real flash comes in the card art. They’re all animated, making every card recognisable at a glance. I don’t think I’ve seen this much effort put into card design itself.

However, what’s really special are the different dimensions, which all have different themes, looks, and styles. You could be exploring the neon-lit streets of a rainy cyberpunk city in one chapter and then trudge through a graveyard that hides the gore underneath a monochrome hue in another. The narrative shifts genre with every dimension, so you're rarely going to experience something twice. Plus, the animations are wild with tons of flashy effects. It's almost animesque in a way with laser beams, fire punches, great sword attacks, and… shooting a gun. One of these is definitely not like the other…

Man, do all cyberpunk cities have to be so rainy?

But enough about that; let’s get into the gameplay, with card combat being the first feature we get into. It does something a little unique compared to all the card-based RPGs I’ve played. You don’t have a mana pool, but just a set number of actions you can take per turn (starting off with one). Not only that, most cards (usually the more powerful ones) have a set number of uses before they are removed from your deck for the rest of the fight. You could very well lose all your cards should a fight take too long, so I recommend keeping at least a few cards with infinite uses.

There are six characters you can play as, each with their own playstyle, decks, and abilities for you to use. For example, Jack loves putting Marks on targets, having plenty of cards that inflict and take advantage of that status effect. Playing to a character’s strengths is what wins fights. Not only that, you can have two other party members to support you, although there isn’t a speed stat or anything. It’ll just be one Player turn (with one of your party members), then one Enemy turn. You’ll need to plan your decks carefully, as the max deck size is only 12 cards, which isn’t a lot, but it at least makes sure you draw your good cards more frequently.

Just a zombie wielding a minigun in a noir horror. Nothing special.

However, just playing your most powerful cards to end fights quickly may not be enough. Many foes will have a Stance bar containing any randomised combination of red, yellow, blue, and green symbols… which match the symbols on your various attack cards. Use attacks with the corresponding symbol, and you’ll break their Stance, which causes your opponents to take way more damage. That will be your basic strategy: do your best to break an enemy’s Stance, then use your best cards to take them down, while also making sure to keep your HP above zero. It might seem a little repetitive, but every enemy has their gimmicks that can seriously mess with you.

That being said, it is a little unfair that there's very little to indicate how much damage you’ll take from the enemy, from which one, and what effects they have. The only warning I got before they performed their action was whether an attack would have Pierce (attacks that ignore Block) or how much Block damage I would take. Speaking of, when an enemy attacks, you can defend against it by timing a button press correctly… sort of. To be honest, you either get it or you don't, as the timing is really generous. Regardless of how early you are, you’ll get a Perfect every time, reducing the damage you take. It does make a difference, but it feels less like a skill and more like how fast you can press a button.

...Was it really a good idea to give the toddler knives?

Overall, I found fights to be rather exciting and flashy affairs, although it can feel at times like you’re just going through the motions. Once you find all the cards you like, you might as well just stick to what you know unless you stumble across better cards.

As you go through this multiversal journey, you’ll find cards to upgrade your deck (either bought from shops, found in the world, or gained from enemies) and badges to equip for passive buffs. You’ll also level up, allowing you to learn skills that will make you far more powerful, like gaining immunity to poison, dealing more damage, or playing more cards per turn.

You can switch up your skills at any time! Don't be afraid to change your build!

Though you’ll always start a new character at level 1, levelling up isn’t an annoying endeavour every time. You can totally get through the game casually without worrying about grinding; just defeat whatever enemy is in your way. Not only that, if you’re struggling against a particular enemy, you can always switch your skills around and modify your deck, which is great when a boss makes a certain strategy unviable.

Besides, it’s not all about battling monsters and aliens with cards. There are plenty of distractions throughout the explorable levels, which will give you opportunities to improve your combat prowess, such as the many little mini-games that you can find. They aren't too bad, though they are sometimes easily exploitable. For example, there was a Dance Dance Revolution mini-game that could be cheesed by rotating your sticks. I’m not exactly the best rhythm gamer (I still play Rock Band on medium), but it’s still fun… if it didn’t cheat! It started off normal, then the arrows started spinning halfway through, which would even throw a veteran off. It took me several tries before I beat the thing… by a measly five points. A win is a win, I guess…

Dozens upon dozens of cards... only 12 slots.

I had an overall positive experience with Echo Generation 2, and I didn’t encounter any glitches or frame rate issues all throughout. However, I do have some issues that sort of bothered me, such as if you missed an achievement, you can’t go back into the chapter to go grab it, at least during an initial playthrough. If you want to unlock them all, make sure you have the achievement list easily available and make sure to explore the level thoroughly. There is always an opportunity to grab everything you missed before you end the chapter.

I also would’ve liked an objective reminder or a task list because you may find yourself lost on what to do if you spend some time away from the game. Though I should point out that the chapters are short enough that it wouldn't matter all too much. Just make sure to explore as much as possible, and you should be fine.

Taken moments before disaster.

Echo Generation 2 is an excellent game that both newcomers and fans of the original should play. It’s a fun adventure through the multiverse that’s only held back by just being a little too forgiving at times.