Get ready for a blast to the past in this new 16-bit RPG game, Chained Echoes. Developer Matthias Linda takes us back to the days of early Final Fantasy back when the game was still releasing in single digits. Not only have they revived beautiful pixelated graphics that include character design, profiles, world design and fight animations, but it’s only increased its charm by amping up an amazing soundtrack for each scene and layout. This game is a trip down nostalgia lane, but with innovations of this decade, Chained Echoes is an incredible experience that you need to try for yourself.
Overall Look and Elements
The first thing you will notice about Chained Echoes is the attention to detail and renewing the feel of RPGs set back in the 90s. With an updated color palette and set animations from the moving grass to animals in the landscape, this game has truly brought the childhood of early gamers back into the twentieth century. Set in a fantasy land of diverse creatures, Chained Echoes vibes with Steampunk by using a Gundam-like set of armor called Sky Armor to battle in fights. Each tailored with their own personality, they bring powerful attacks and stronger defense to protect your characters whenever they equip it. These suits can fly through the sky and in the first few minutes of the game, you get to experience for yourself just how powerful they are in battle.
Battles in Chained Echoes are turn-based and strongly resemble the many types of games released in earlier decades that use a vast range of weapons and skills in order to defeat enemies. The animations for the different fighting styles are smooth and clean, offering a range of different tactics you can use in order to defeat your enemies. And what’s even better about Chained Echoes is that it brings back the classic type of soundtrack the RPGs were so known for. Whether in battle or exploring around town, music can set up the atmosphere of a game better than any amount of quality graphics. But Chained Echoes has some quality graphics and with its tense music in the midst of battle, it challenges players to pay closer attention and sit at the edge of their seats. Likewise in town, where festivals begin to play, the jolly nature coupled with the rising excitement of a new adventure reflects in the music that accompanies you. It’s one of the best features in the game thus far and that’s just on a list of positive things that have already been a mind-blowing nostalgia trip.
Key Mechanics and Gameplay
Turn-based RPGs were, without a doubt, some of the most popular and beautiful games. Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the greatest games that were released for that genre and Chained Echoes has brought back all of that amazing content from the story to the music and yes, even to the mechanics.
Now the game naturally has Skills invested into it as well as tactics like poisoning enemies or debuffing them to help your party land better hits. There are even buffs you can add to your team depending on your party members. All things that every turn-based gaming expert is going to know. But Chained Echoes also has a system within the battle called Overdrive, a device within the battle to help boost your team’s playstyle and help you dish out more damage while expending fewer Talent Points to do so. However, not every system is without its Achille’s heel, you can enter an exhausted state if you are not careful with where your cursor lands on the bar. But playing around with the moves your party knows about can help balance your cursor to consistently stay in Overdrive for max playability and damage dealt to your enemies.
The mechanics of this game as well as its playability are smooth and easy to understand. With Skills that can be leveled up and learned by all team members, you can customize your character’s playstyle to how you like for what best fits your needs. Exploring is rewarded as well as the good old grinding system where you fight enemies for Skill Points and more so you can level up your team to its max potential.
And while RPGs are known to be less open-world, the game does reward a curious gamer. You can discover chests and special items, hidden dialogue to help you learn more about the world and more. Hidden passageways and steep cliffs to climb, there is plenty of room for exploration to gather treasures and items alike to help out your journey.
Chained Echoes really brings back some of the best elements of RPGs from the hay days and is an experience that employs modern story-telling with beautiful art and music to completely ensnare players into attempting to finish the game in one sitting. Because with a game as good as this one, who would want to turn it off even for sleep?
Jordan is a student studying Digital and Print Journalism at the University of North Texas. After discovering how much fun gaming journalism can be, she hopes to make a career in it once she graduates. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys playing games such as Genshin Impact, Ace Attorney, and Fire Emblem or watching Murder, She Wrote late at night on weekdays.
