Chained Echoes Reverberates With Classic JRPG Feels
I was recently approached by indie game publisher Deck13 to review a game that I came across on YouTube recently. This title is an homage to 2D JRPGs like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, and it goes by the name Chained Echoes.
The 2022 game was developed by Matthias Linda, who, according to the game’s Wikipedia entry, “grew up making fan games with RPG Maker. His favorite games included Xenogears, Terranigma, Secret of Mana, Suikoden 2, Breath of Fire, The Legend of Dragoon, and Final Fantasy VI, all of which influenced his development of Chained Echoes. He was mindful not to copy them, instead trying to capture his experience of playing them, which he remembers ‘in my head, all these games look and play better than they actually did.’ “
The story of Chained Echoes takes place on a continent called Valandis, which consists of three kingdoms. The land was devastated by a long lasting, terrible war, but there is peace now for a while and people will meet to celebrate the peace treaty in the southern Kingdom of Fonset. Players will then get familiar with the characters Glenn, Kylian, Princess Lenne, Robb, Sienna and Victor, each of whom has their own reason to be at the palace at this very time.
The fragile peace suddenly is shattered by events no one could predict.
As previously stated, this game drew heavy inspiration from SNES and Sega Genesis JRPGs, which is obvious from the sprites to the soundtrack. Little touches like the use of mechs later in the game show the inspiration taken from games like Xenogear and FF6.
The turn-based combat system is simultaneously innovative and nostalgic. Each character in the player’s party has a standard attack, several special abilities, items, and a defensive stance. Party members use attacks and abilities that raise the “overdrive” meter, which reaches an optimal green zone where abilities are more effective. However, the overdrive meter can overheat, and the party must discharge some of the excess by using specific abilities, such as defenses and “Ultra Moves.” This all makes for an engaging combat experience.
I found the story to be entertaining, however when you have played through this genre for as long as I have, you realize that there is nothing new under the sun and that is no exception with Chained Echoes. It’s not necessarily to the game’s detriment, it’s just the reality of any art form — there will always be some sort of overlap and Matthias Linda is simply telling the story that he wanted to tell.
I am absolutely a fan of the soundtrack. The orchestral score reminds me of SNES games but much more refined. Going for a top-down perspective also adds to the nostalgia factor. It’s a feast for the eyes. At a price of $25, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth, and I honestly can’t recommend this enough to all my ’80s/’90s babies out there.
I give Chained Echoes a 4 out of 5.
