Echo

When Half-Life 2 came out, the new AI being able to actually circle around and break through doors to get to you was the wave of the future. Smart enemies who had the power to hunt you down became more and more present in modern gaming, and while guards in stealth games often still seem dumb or inept, we’ve come a long way. ECHO offers something new, an AI that learns and unlearns through your actions as you play. It seems ULTRA ULTRA set out to create something different and by gosh they’ve done it.

I have never played another game quite like Echo before. Folks are always rallying for innovation in the industry, and I can’t think of too many better examples of that in recent years. It’s not all perfect, but what’s there is extremely refreshing. This is not an easy game. You will die a lot. You will get angry. However, when you finally defeat your opponents, it’s like sex. A huge release where, for a few small minutes, you genuinely feel like you just accomplished something. It’s glorious.

The game follows En, well voiced by Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones), a woman traveling in space with her A.I. partner, London. After the pair reaches the Palace, a vast and seemingly limitless structure, En sets out to use its own technology to bring back another life. ECHO’s story is filled with dialogue between En and London as both argue the necessity of her objective on the Palace. The story is driven by En’s curiosity in both the world and herself, while London’s harsher personality puts the pair at odds. I like the premise of this sci-fi story but the constant back and forth of the two cha...

ECHO’s lacklustre story, slow pace and restrictive character control mildly detract from what is otherwise one of the most refreshing stealth titles to come along in a good while. Make no mistake; fans of the genre will find much to like in ECHO.

And while the story and mystery carry you through the game, the gameplay scenarios can be a little repetitive.  ECHO is a short-ish game though, clocking in around 8-10 hours, so it doesn’t quite overstay its welcome. It’s a slow burn, but when it gets going it doesn’t really let go. If you’re keen on tense stealth games, with a good sci-fi story, then look no further. ECHO is destined to be a cult hit like the movie Event Horizon, and that’s no small praise from me.