Chained Echoes

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 131 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 156
  3. Negative: 15 out of 156

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  1. Zeag
    Jan 17, 2023
    10
    This is essentially what happens when somebody who grew up playing JRPGs in the 90s ends up making his dream game. This is filled to the brim with references to SNES and PS1 classics but at the same time eschews the time-consuming and tech-limited aspects of the era. If you like Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, Final Fantasy and Breath of Fire, you'll be supremely entertained with this little gem.
  2. Peetftw
    Jan 11, 2023
    10
    this game is outstanding in almost every way. Probably best jrpg since the 90s
  3. TiamatBR
    Jan 15, 2023
    10
    Definitely the best RPG I played in 2022! The end result is a gameplay and pixelart lesson.
  4. Pifflungs
    Jan 8, 2023
    10
    I actually played this game on my steam deck and I could never get enough. Between the fresh new take of the overdrive bar to the lush-16bit art style, this game brought back the glory days of turn based JRPGs. The story line constantly evolves and never gets stale, new mechanics are added at the perfect time. Honestly this is the game of the year contender to me atleast in its category asI actually played this game on my steam deck and I could never get enough. Between the fresh new take of the overdrive bar to the lush-16bit art style, this game brought back the glory days of turn based JRPGs. The story line constantly evolves and never gets stale, new mechanics are added at the perfect time. Honestly this is the game of the year contender to me atleast in its category as a jrpg at the very least. I never leave reviews but must let you guys know about this one. $25 is a steal for this masterpiece. Hats off to the developers this game has become an absolute favorite of mine.… Expand
  5. Nesslake
    Jan 8, 2023
    10
    Great soundtrack and combat system, awesome history, beautiful pixelart, nice exploration, and endearing characters! best JRPG game that i've played in years
  6. gabriot
    Feb 26, 2023
    9
    I would describe the game as simultaneously very rough around the edges while also being quite polished. Allow me to explain what I mean by that:

    Rough around the edges: As I understand it's largely developed and designed by one person, so all the dialogue and story falls on his shoulders. It's a bit of a task for a game of this size, and it does unfortunately show in quite a few    I would describe the game as simultaneously very rough around the edges while also being quite polished. Allow me to explain what I mean by that:

    Rough around the edges: As I understand it's largely developed and designed by one person, so all the dialogue and story falls on his shoulders. It's a bit of a task for a game of this size, and it does unfortunately show in quite a few areas
    -spelling/grammar mistakes which are forgivable but can hurt immersion
    -a few overused tropes (everyone in this game loves to suddenly kill themselves a bit too much)
    -A very rushed ending, with quite a lot of anticlimactic moments that could have been handled a bit better in my opinion
    -some odd moments where you kind of see your sprite jolt around in between cut scenes that could have been cleaned up a bit better

    The polish:
    -the pixel graphics are quite well done, very beautiful and it always impresses me when a small team (one I believe?) can accomplish something of this scale
    -the world building in this game is FANTASTIC! Unique spin on a few races and in general I would love to see more games in this world, he laid the groundfloor for an amazing series.
    -The music is incredible and I find a lot of the tracks playing through my head throughout the day, especially some of the quaint town themes. It also can invoke emotion which is hard to do from me.
    -he did a good job of making me invested in the story of quite a few of the characters, and made me have characters I both loved and hated
    -the battle system is a unique spin on things and I felt it was quite well done, gives a way to char about more than your typical limit of 4 characters, and somewhat forces you to use a larger variety of moves than just spamming the same ones over and over (though once you over-level that does unfortunately not become the case anymore).

    Overall I loved the game and was sad when it ended. Pacing-wise I think you really want to push through act 1 because the game truly opens up and becomes something special starting in act 2 in my opinion, act 1 is all just setup for the rest of the game. I do wish a bit more effort was put into the final act as I did felt is was rushed, but to be fair I generally feel that way about most games, it's rare an ending can leave me feeling completely satisfied. That being said without getting into spoilers, it just felt like they built up a lot of characters to be faced at some point and a lot of them you never end up facing, felt a bit underwhelming.

    Still though this is such a solid rpg and I am glad I played it, for my play style it took around 50 hours to complete, so plenty of content to be had.    … Expand
  7. Meon0007
    Feb 6, 2023
    10
    Thank you all for this great adventure!!! Crying at the ending))) (boy 30 years old)
  8. zerg24
    Feb 18, 2023
    10
    I check metacritic for my new games for about 13 years. This game is the first to make me go through the trouble of creating an account. Matthias Linda is just a genius, so much achieved by 1 person is incredible.
    If you liked chrono trigger, secret of mana, ... just buy it eyes closed
  9. Schmaltz
    Dec 10, 2022
    10
    The best turned based RPG I have played since persona5. It’s a true throwback that doesn’t hold your hand. Lots of exploration and a fun battle system. Anyone giving this game a score lower than an 8 is trolling.
  10. seojoon98
    Dec 11, 2022
    10
    It's a great game. It is a game with a pretty good fighting method, map design, and above all, high completeness. I think this game could be nominated for the 2023 TGA Indie Game of the Year.
  11. papermario88
    Dec 13, 2022
    10
    Ich habe noch nie einen dermaßen guten RETRO JRPG Titel wie diesen gespielt. Und ich habe so einiges gesehen.

    Dieser Titel bedient sich an dem BESTEN was Klassiker wie Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, FF Tactics und co zu bieten haben und bringt es auf ein neues Level. Extrem guter Soundtrack, tolle Charaktere, innovatives und packendes Skillsystem und eine interessante Story mit einer    Ich habe noch nie einen dermaßen guten RETRO JRPG Titel wie diesen gespielt. Und ich habe so einiges gesehen.

    Dieser Titel bedient sich an dem BESTEN was Klassiker wie Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, FF Tactics und co zu bieten haben und bringt es auf ein neues Level.

    Extrem guter Soundtrack, tolle Charaktere, innovatives und packendes Skillsystem und eine interessante Story mit einer wunderschönen und qualitativ hochwertigen 16-Bit Grafik.

    Und das auch noch von einer einzigen Person entwickelt aus Deutschland.

    Diese Person lebt meinen Traum und teilt ihn mit uns allen.
    Wie oft habe ich mir gewünscht, dass jemand kommt und uns das beste aus den Klassikern vereinte Spiel präsentiert. Wo andere riesen Spielekonzerne gescheitert sind, hat dieser Entwickler genau ins Schwarze getroffen.    … Expand
  12. Leviathanos
    Dec 14, 2022
    10
    A great modern take on a traditional style of jrpg. The pixel art is good, the music is fantastic, the gameplay is addicting, the story is decent, the challenge is moderate, and it has a reasonable length especially for its price. Chained Echoes is definitely a traditional jrpg enthusiast's dream.
  13. WholesomePepper
    Dec 13, 2022
    10
    The creative genius feels especially present. The direction cut from the slaps, the turtle race and the homage to previous RPG legends remind me that I'm not slogging through a cliche. I'm frequently left in these moments, savoring the game's efforts to impress me.

    The source material respects itself as much as its homages respect previous masterpieces. The world building is thoughtful.    The creative genius feels especially present. The direction cut from the slaps, the turtle race and the homage to previous RPG legends remind me that I'm not slogging through a cliche. I'm frequently left in these moments, savoring the game's efforts to impress me.

    The source material respects itself as much as its homages respect previous masterpieces. The world building is thoughtful. It is succinctly detailed without excessive exposition; you are informed and then left to either follow along or Google to catch up with the plot. I am reminded of Final Fantasy Tactics not only from character art but from how that plot unfolds through clean dialogue.

    I could go on forever about other stuff but I hate walls of text. I'll say that the characters don't piss me off, the combat is the right amount complex - not overloaded with clutter like Xenoblade 3 and the music I've left idling while making tea/coffee because I've got COVID and feel like hot garbage.

    This is a love letter to Deck 13 and Matthias Linda. Take my money. Thanks for helping me through COVID. I will be watching what you guys do moving forward. This is a hot take but, to me, you are one of the modern greats akin to FromSoftware or Santa Monica Studio.    … Expand
  14. kirkender
    Dec 20, 2022
    9
    I'm so happy. Chained Echoes is fantastic and super fun. Great story and characters, Great mechanics. It's a JRPG from the 90s but made today with plenty of quality of life changes. SO GOOD.
  15. Cabbage1976
    Dec 19, 2022
    10
    Simply superb. Made by one man who obviously knows his way around an rpg. Since starting it, I simply cannot put it down, and even find myself thinking about the game during the times I am not playing it!
    Do yourself a favor - go play this now!
  16. Niceandunaware
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    A fantastic JRPG with hints of nostalgia paired with a unique battle and progression system. Also it’s got Mec battles similar to Xenogears and that’s all you really need to know to determine if this is a game for you or not.

    The only reason it’s gets a 9/10 for me is that navigating the in game menus is a little clunky sometimes. Specifically, when using the crafting menu to combine    A fantastic JRPG with hints of nostalgia paired with a unique battle and progression system. Also it’s got Mec battles similar to Xenogears and that’s all you really need to know to determine if this is a game for you or not.

    The only reason it’s gets a 9/10 for me is that navigating the in game menus is a little clunky sometimes. Specifically, when using the crafting menu to combine crystals or upgrade weapons/armor with crystals if you don’t have a valid paired option then you cannot deselect the original item without completely existing to the main character menu to try again which is really annoying considering how often you have to do this. It’s really a minor thing but between that and a few other menu issues, which I’m sure will be patched eventually, I’m not able to give it a perfect score.    … Expand
  17. Mianargo99
    Dec 12, 2022
    10
    Se siente especialmente cautivador ver todos estos elementos de los RPG's puestos en un juego, es un verdadero tributo a la nostalgia, con una historia bastante entretenida.
    Me gusta la mecánica del overdrive, hay que prestar bastante atención a estos elementos para que las batallas no resulten tendenciosas y complicadas, pero tampoco bastante simples al estilo machaca botones.    Se siente especialmente cautivador ver todos estos elementos de los RPG's puestos en un juego, es un verdadero tributo a la nostalgia, con una historia bastante entretenida.
    Me gusta la mecánica del overdrive, hay que prestar bastante atención a estos elementos para que las batallas no resulten tendenciosas y complicadas, pero tampoco bastante simples al estilo machaca botones.
    Particularmente el apartado gráfico es bellísimo y la música inspira bastante ambiente según el contexto, es un juego memorable.
    Espero que Matthias continúe haciendo juegos, una secuela no vendría mal para ser honestos, pero primero hay que ver si aportará algo más al juego, quizá más adelante.
    Hasta entonces, yo le doy esa calificación, me parece un juego excelente para estas navidades.    … Expand
  18. Halftone
    Dec 18, 2022
    10
    One of the best jrpg game in years. Chained Echoes is a gem and should be played by anyone who love this genre.
  19. Deadheadbill
    Jan 6, 2023
    10
    I'm not the biggest fan of JRPG's but this is one of the best rpg's I've played in the last few years. It really is amazing. Great cast of characters, awesome combat system that is reminiscent of classic jrpg's but innovative on it's own and a really good story. Highly recommended.
  20. Dubeau
    Jan 1, 2023
    8
    Good retro style game with a lot of nice gameplay novelties. The story is really good, even the side quests are something fun. The fighting is good but some bosses are difficult at the end. And I pretty much hate grinding. I give the game 85%. Finally a non generic JRPG that doesn't feel like a RPG maker clones.
  21. RicardoDavid
    Jan 2, 2023
    10
    Great JRPG. Amazing story, made me remember the good old days. If you liked Chrono Trigger, you are going to love this.
  22. Ryannnkl
    Dec 29, 2022
    10
    é incrível como jogar por meia hora te traz um sentimento nostálgico de jogos como, Pokemon (game boy/Nintendo DS), Legend of Zelda (Super Nintendo), uma trama que você reconhece como animes e combate de turnos que não fica enjoativo com tantas possibilidades de alterar golpes e habilidades, jogo fascinante para aqueles que sentem falta de um bom RPG pixel art em um mundo distópico eé incrível como jogar por meia hora te traz um sentimento nostálgico de jogos como, Pokemon (game boy/Nintendo DS), Legend of Zelda (Super Nintendo), uma trama que você reconhece como animes e combate de turnos que não fica enjoativo com tantas possibilidades de alterar golpes e habilidades, jogo fascinante para aqueles que sentem falta de um bom RPG pixel art em um mundo distópico e personagens para ficar na memória.… Expand
  23. orangenius
    Dec 26, 2022
    10
    Very well-made RPG!
    Finished the game with 50 hours playtime. Best RPG in 2022 for me.
  24. lucasoresende
    Dec 29, 2022
    10
    I can't stress enough how amazing this game is! It's a love letter to the classic JRPG's from the SNES and PS1 era. Although it's inspired by these games it has a personality of its own, a lot of new and creative mechanics, like the overdrive mechanic, an almost impeccable story and captivating characters. Oh and let's not forget the primorous soundtrack that takes you back directly to theI can't stress enough how amazing this game is! It's a love letter to the classic JRPG's from the SNES and PS1 era. Although it's inspired by these games it has a personality of its own, a lot of new and creative mechanics, like the overdrive mechanic, an almost impeccable story and captivating characters. Oh and let's not forget the primorous soundtrack that takes you back directly to the 90's. If you're a fan of turn base RPGs you'll definitely love this game, give it a try!!!… Expand
  25. eded9999
    Dec 12, 2022
    1
    It has those stupid "dumb down the game for me" option on the settings, so that's an instant garbage, lazy and boring game for me. Make a proper hard mode or something.
    Thanks god we have refunds on PC.
  26. bmesick
    May 9, 2023
    3
    I feel like I’m taking crazy pills with all the praise this game gets. The writing is *bad*. Whether it’s a metaphor or idiom that is used incorrectly or just super awkward phrasing, the dialog feels like bad fan fiction. On top of that, every character speaks with the exact same voice. It feels like it was written by someone that plays a lot of RPGs and does not actually read much toI feel like I’m taking crazy pills with all the praise this game gets. The writing is *bad*. Whether it’s a metaphor or idiom that is used incorrectly or just super awkward phrasing, the dialog feels like bad fan fiction. On top of that, every character speaks with the exact same voice. It feels like it was written by someone that plays a lot of RPGs and does not actually read much to know what makes a story interesting to begin with.

    The artwork is decent, and so is the music. Gameplay is a grab bag of various RPG concepts that feel very messy. Sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes it’s a complete slog. Play the demo to see if it’s for you.    … Expand
  27. Marston12345
    May 16, 2023
    0
    Not spanish subtitles, gameplay boring, los graficos son malos, no merece la pena ni jugarlo, de los peores juegos del año
  28. sienc
    Jan 15, 2023
    10
    Rarely I type a review down to Metacritic but for Chained Echoes it is my pleasure to help other people and convice them to try Chained Echoes. It is really a true JRPG which no one should skip. Play this modern JRPG in 2023.
  29. slothjaw
    Feb 5, 2023
    5
    It's okay. The writing is the biggest detractor for me.

    Summary I can tell this game has many inspirations from both older 16 bit JRPGs and anime. You can see elements lifted directly from various mechas, Chrono Trigger, Berserk, Final Fantasy, or their derivatives. But from what I can tell on the surface, the game it borrows most from is surprisingly Final Fantasy 12 from 2006. The    It's okay. The writing is the biggest detractor for me.

    Summary
    I can tell this game has many inspirations from both older 16 bit JRPGs and anime. You can see elements lifted directly from various mechas, Chrono Trigger, Berserk, Final Fantasy, or their derivatives. But from what I can tell on the surface, the game it borrows most from is surprisingly Final Fantasy 12 from 2006. The influences from FF12 are all over with lizardmen and pigmen, teleport crystals, palace heists, the political shenanigans, magical stones of mass destruction, and more. The similarities go on and on. But the best parts of FF12 were it's tight stylized dialogue, the openness of the world (by 2006 standards) and the freeform rpg progression. This game has poor writing and the rpg progression is fairly gated. Despite being inspired by some of the greatest RPGs and anime stories of all time, this game fails to reach their heights.

    Writing
    The prologue got me engaged and excited about where things were going but the writing took a dive immediately after. Many issues with the writing could be improved with another pass through the script, I think. The script's issues are with diction, cliche phrases, and awkward syntax. These problems are most apparent in the English dialogue, which feels clunky and inorganic. You can clearly feel when a character is saying something not because it makes sense in the situation but because the game needs to inform the audience of some fact about the world or plot. Making the dialogue feel more natural would fix the bulk of this.
    The writing unfortunately also has deeper issues. The game has a tell don't show style overall and dumps exposition and character descriptions on you that detract from the experience. The game doesn't trust the player to engage with the story or characters motivations or to comprehend what's happening just from the course of events. Instead it prefers to spell everything out in a way that resolved all curiosity or interest I might've had in the characters or plot at the onset. Exposition appears on screen to tell you exactly who everyone is. Characters explicitly state their motivations in what approaches soliloquy. It throttled whatever interest I started with.

    RPG Structure
    Chained Echoes starts with a pretty barebones rpg progression. You heal after every battle which is nice in theory but in practice makes the battles often feel kind of pointless. Because you aren't getting worn down over multiple encounters, only the most challenging battles pose any real threat, so why even have the easier battles at all? The game doesn't seem to want you to grind either, limiting both the opportunity and the rewards for doing so. Most progression seems to be gated by story content. The design here feels at odds with itself. I appreciate the anti-power leveling measures, many people who hate grinding will enjoy its absence, and removing the tedium of healing between fights is nice, but these ideas need to be executed in a way that make them compatible with each other.

    Combat
    The combat itself is decent. I wasn't too fond of the overdrive meter which felt somewhat random in what it required of me. I have other nitpicks, but they weren't a huge deal. Overall this stuff was passable.

    Conclusion
    I don't hate this game, but it's far from a great RPG. The main thing I look for in a game like this is decent writing (especially if the game is going to spend so much time delivering story). That alone is enough to keep me from recommending it.    … Expand
  30. alissonvisa
    May 10, 2023
    10
    [PT-BR] Um dos melhores jogos RPG de turno, que joguei nos ultimos anos, nao fico contente com jRPGs renomados se tornando algo mais proximo de Action RGP ao estilo Devil May Cry, e Chained Echoes mostrou que pra fazer um excelente jogo com uma historia que te prende, nao precisa de nada mais do que talento, esforco e carinho. Jogo muito divertido, mapas bem diversificados, boa dose de[PT-BR] Um dos melhores jogos RPG de turno, que joguei nos ultimos anos, nao fico contente com jRPGs renomados se tornando algo mais proximo de Action RGP ao estilo Devil May Cry, e Chained Echoes mostrou que pra fazer um excelente jogo com uma historia que te prende, nao precisa de nada mais do que talento, esforco e carinho. Jogo muito divertido, mapas bem diversificados, boa dose de segredos a serem desvendados pelo mapa. Tudo que um JRPG precisa, graficos pixelados muito bonitos, mecanica de batalha inovadora. Recomendo muito!!… Expand
  31. Pmstz
    Jan 25, 2023
    6
    A pretty nice RPG, but his fighting system is frustrating and limiting.
    +++
  32. ricardolbsda
    Jan 28, 2023
    3
    I was baited into this game, people always claiming it was a good old school RPG made me try, but the thing is, the plot is really boring, bland characters and repetitive battles.
    the soundtrack is fine, the graphics, but i couldn't get into the story, i have no idea what was going on, confusing narrative and extensive dialogue with little and no information.
    this overheat system is    I was baited into this game, people always claiming it was a good old school RPG made me try, but the thing is, the plot is really boring, bland characters and repetitive battles.
    the soundtrack is fine, the graphics, but i couldn't get into the story, i have no idea what was going on, confusing narrative and extensive dialogue with little and no information.
    this overheat system is annoying actually.    … Expand
  33. Tintler
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Oyunun atmosferine girmeye çok çalıştım. Fakat sanırım modern oyunlar beni fazlaca şımarttı ve bu oyuna bir türlü alışamadım. Sıkıldığım ve bıraktığım tüm oyunlara 2 puan verdiğimi belirtmek istiyorum.
  34. JonnyNormus
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    This is the best old-school style jrpg I've ever played. The story, characters, and combat are all in point.
  35. Augusto
    Apr 22, 2023
    9
    I had old PS1 JRPG feelings playing this game. Every mechanis have layrs of strategy for you to manage which strong contributes for the flow of your fun.

    If you like JRPGs you HAVE to play Chained Echoes, if you don't, there is a good chance you will also like this one.
  36. Mandulum
    Sep 8, 2023
    7
    Took a while but it grew on me. I liked the retro RPG feel with some nice extras like battle switching, weapon/armor upgrades, crystals, and sky armor.

    Date Completed: 2023-09-09
    Playtime: 41h
    Enjoyment: 7/10
    Recommendation: It's worth the time
  37. Sharp
    Jan 8, 2023
    10
    After 45hrs, the fantastical journey full of cultures, people, beasts & monsters, politics and mechs has come to a very moving end. I have not experienced anything like this since in the 90s, and let me just say that my bar is quite high on games. Xenogears, FFVI, FFVII, Suikoden games, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics came to mind when I went through the world of Chained Echoes. TheAfter 45hrs, the fantastical journey full of cultures, people, beasts & monsters, politics and mechs has come to a very moving end. I have not experienced anything like this since in the 90s, and let me just say that my bar is quite high on games. Xenogears, FFVI, FFVII, Suikoden games, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics came to mind when I went through the world of Chained Echoes. The game is very detailed, has a great way of telling it's lore and history of the countries. Music is incredibly familiar yet new and of high quality.

    The game is a solid 9/10 and a modern classic in my books. The gameplay is deep, and at the same time the quality of life improvements from the 90s classics are so well implemented that your time will go very fast.

    The only thing Matthias and the gang can improve on this is with slightly more distinguished and personable writing for each character, slightly sharper and less American English colloquial text, slightly more advanced Suikoden II type of sprites and more complex animations for them and higher fidelity 2D backgrounds, more variety of music, longer story, and overall more complexity in enemy design and the world.

    However, what he has achieved here is on par with the 90s classics and everyone knows that they could have been improved upon as well. The game is simply stunning, so play it and support Matthias as he is one of the top game designers in the world right now.

    9/10 score comes from a critically-minded gamer with 35+ years of experience across multiple genres. I'll give it a full 10 on Metacritic simply because of the stunning achievement of making this happen. What a fantastic, and surprisingly good RPG!    … Expand
  38. Orangefizz
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    My 2022 GOTY. Hands down. A nod to a better age of gaming where combat and story actually mattered. Beautiful work.
  39. essjaydubya
    Jan 17, 2023
    9
    JRPG’s from the SNES, Genesis, and PS1 era are better in our heads than they are in reality when you go back to play them now. We remember the stories, the timeless pixel art, the beautiful music, but we forget that random encounters, repetitive battles, and unintuitive AI. Chained Echoes takes the “Shovel Knight” approach to retro inspired design, by trying to recreate these games as weJRPG’s from the SNES, Genesis, and PS1 era are better in our heads than they are in reality when you go back to play them now. We remember the stories, the timeless pixel art, the beautiful music, but we forget that random encounters, repetitive battles, and unintuitive AI. Chained Echoes takes the “Shovel Knight” approach to retro inspired design, by trying to recreate these games as we remember them, not as they were. Obviously it nails the presentation. It looks and sounds incredible, but that’s to be expected. The story and world building, while maybe a bit too convoluted for my liking, are overall very well executed. But it’s the combat where this game really shines.

    Chained Echoes has one of the best turned based battle systems I’ve ever played. Each character plays uniquely and brings their own strengths. The Overdrive system keeps you on your toes, adding a fun risk and reward mechanic to every battle. There are fewer battles overall than your standard JRPG, but each one feels consequential. Even a few low level enemies can give your party a hard time if you’re not playing by the game’s rules.

    Just like with the story, there are a few too many mechanics to deal with in the core gameplay. For example, crystal fusing, shop deals, weapon and armor upgrades, the rewards board, keeping your whole team’s gear and Sky armor up to date. It can be a bit too much. But everything else is so great, its well worth it.    … Expand
  40. LudicSavant
    May 15, 2023
    10
    Unlike many modern 2D JRPGs, this is not merely a game that seeks to cash in on nostalgia for the golden age of JRPGs (Chrono Trigger, FF6, etc). It feels instead like it could have *been* one of those genre-defining games, not merely capturing their spirit but building upon it with impeccable taste.
  41. Padudu
    Feb 3, 2023
    8
    Good story, rich world with much to explore and fun characters that are all elevated with the addition of an outstanding soundtrack and fantastic art. There was definitely room for the game to approach a more unique style and to "get out of the comfort zone" but the classic experience also didn't disappoint. The combat really stood out with very fun and innovative mechanics that enabled aGood story, rich world with much to explore and fun characters that are all elevated with the addition of an outstanding soundtrack and fantastic art. There was definitely room for the game to approach a more unique style and to "get out of the comfort zone" but the classic experience also didn't disappoint. The combat really stood out with very fun and innovative mechanics that enabled a more strategic style rather than a "spam the strongest ability" style. Some playable characters are introduced very late into the game and it becomes harder to include them into your already defined play style. Great game to reminisce the experience brought by classic turn-based RPG's.… Expand
  42. SLTYSPTOON
    Jan 28, 2023
    7
    The 1st half of the game is almost perfect, 9.7-9.9 for sure. The combat system is unique and engaging with it's overdrive system, amazing animations and characters. The graphics are very good, the story is interesting and the boss battles are very fun and engaging. Even the random encounters are somewhat fun with my only small gripe being very limited characters to select from compared toThe 1st half of the game is almost perfect, 9.7-9.9 for sure. The combat system is unique and engaging with it's overdrive system, amazing animations and characters. The graphics are very good, the story is interesting and the boss battles are very fun and engaging. Even the random encounters are somewhat fun with my only small gripe being very limited characters to select from compared to endgame. The game then introduces a new combat system that I strongly dislike, you get completely new gear with bland attacks and a very different overdrive system that is annoying to manage. There are specific boss battles and enemies that you are required to use this new system for and they are so damn strong that you can't use the more interesting character based system to defeat them. The ending gets even worse and overstays it's welcome with convoluted maps that feel impossible to traverse, more annoying and required battles with the new combat system. The ending is honestly a 4/10 and ruins what could have been a 10/10 game, it is still worth playing for the beginning alone and you might not be as pissed off about the ending as I was… Expand
  43. Nywax
    May 10, 2023
    10
    It's very rare for me to stop and write a review about a game but Chained Echoes it's just a box full of surprises, the game never stops to try to add to the experience and it always does so completely respecting players time which is one of the major caveats I've always had for turn based rpgs.
    This is a gem that you can't miss.
  44. LuckyMeybFan
    Apr 22, 2023
    10
    This game is the culmination of the things RPGs done right in the past decades. It reminds me of a lot of things: Chrono Trigger, Xenoblade, Xenogears, Final Fantasy, and heck, even a little bit of FMA. It draws out inspiration from past titles but keeps its own flavor. The music, characters, atmosphere, and story are all enthralling. The sarcastic, intelligent, and sometimes funnyThis game is the culmination of the things RPGs done right in the past decades. It reminds me of a lot of things: Chrono Trigger, Xenoblade, Xenogears, Final Fantasy, and heck, even a little bit of FMA. It draws out inspiration from past titles but keeps its own flavor. The music, characters, atmosphere, and story are all enthralling. The sarcastic, intelligent, and sometimes funny dialogue makes the experience interesting. The combat is different and challenging; I love it! I can't stop playing! This is simply an RPG done right, and it's all that need be said.

    At first I was a bit disappointed because the game lacks mouse support but after a while I discovered that you could change the control keys. After experimenting with what works for me, I now play with only one hand. It's so convenient; I'm glad that I could customize the controls.

    This game is much better than most triple A games I've played in the past months.    … Expand
  45. NoM3rcy
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    This game is a masterpiece for beginning to the end. Soundtrack, progression system, puzzles, fights, skills. The Story is one of the best I've ever seen. The producer is a Chrono Trigger fan. Enjoy!
  46. belloeaitante
    May 18, 2023
    9
    Each character of Chained Echoes has an interesting back story and I found myself wanting to play more just to find out how their adventure was going to end!

    I'm giving a 9/10 and I don't even like JRPGs...
  47. zexred
    Aug 12, 2023
    8
    A fine JRPG with interesting gameplay .. story and pacing was a bit meh but good overall
  48. Hyperfailure
    Apr 29, 2023
    5
    A good JRPG with all the expected combat mechanics, story cliches and character traits. Combat being turn-based but more sporadic and tactical than grindy was good. Character levelling and equipment is deep, sometimes too deep. I skipped most of the story and dialogue in the second half due to genre fatigue of the isekai-anime-esque style of the game.
  49. Ours_Oisif
    Sep 3, 2023
    10
    Ce jeu est absolument génial. à faire absolument pour tout fan de J-RPG. Même si c'est un Allemand qui l'à fait. Et tout seul en plus.
  50. Cosines117
    May 9, 2023
    10
    Lovely homage to old RPGs while introducing new generation mechanics. Smart and meaningful all the way through.

    My real score is a 8.5 but I'm giving it a 10 because this game is being review bombed for no reason.
  51. Cragnous
    May 9, 2023
    9
    Excellent game, I haven't been able to play a turn based jrpg in a while but this game had enough of that nostalgic feeling with new QoL and advancement to make it feel Nostalgic, generic and new all at once.

    Totally impressed, hopes he makes another one.
  52. TrueFeyQueen888
    May 10, 2023
    10
    THE indie JRPG-inspired game to play this year.

    Chained Echoes is an awesome JRPG inspired game and reignited my love for both pixelart games, JRPGs, and indie games. The story and characters are really good and intriguinging, the combat is fun and interesting, the dialogue is great and there is a lot humor and easter eggs found within, and there are fun mini games as well. Oh and tbere    THE indie JRPG-inspired game to play this year.

    Chained Echoes is an awesome JRPG inspired game and reignited my love for both pixelart games, JRPGs, and indie games.

    The story and characters are really good and intriguinging, the combat is fun and interesting, the dialogue is great and there is a lot humor and easter eggs found within, and there are fun mini games as well. Oh and tbere are mechs. You dont get your own mechs until later but there are mechs which is always a plus. To clarify there is both normal out of mech combat and situations and mech versions.

    It's a really cool game that made me feel a sort of nostalgia, not for this game itself but for playing pixelart JRPGs on my gameboy, or later my DS. If you grew up playing pixelarr JRPGs on your nintendo or sony game consoles/handhelds while watching Saturday Morning cartoons on Jetix, Toonami, 4kids, etc. and eating sugary cereal, then llay this game. If you like quality indie games, pixelart games, JRPGs, or all 3, then olay this game.

    I should clarify this isnt technically a JRPG but is heavily JRPG inspired, so much so if you didnt know it wasnt from Japan, I doubt you'd suspect otherwise. It's great.

    My one gripe is I do wish character advancement happened a little quicker, at least early on, but that may be my bias as a gamer who likes adding new skills, abilities, features, and bonuses to my character and I'm also from the generation who loves instant gratification, so...     … Expand
  53. GSquaredDad
    May 10, 2023
    10
    Chained Echoes is an amazing, nostalgic adventure that really harkens back to the old SNES JRPG days. You cannot go wrong with trying this game!! I tried it and cleared it in about 70h, and that's truly my only complaint about the game - when you have hit that 100% marker, you feel like you want MORE. Yes, it has a unique combat system that could use some polishing and adjusting, but itChained Echoes is an amazing, nostalgic adventure that really harkens back to the old SNES JRPG days. You cannot go wrong with trying this game!! I tried it and cleared it in about 70h, and that's truly my only complaint about the game - when you have hit that 100% marker, you feel like you want MORE. Yes, it has a unique combat system that could use some polishing and adjusting, but it isn't that bad when you figure out how to use it properly. The story is fun, it has some cool twists you didn't expect, and it takes you on a journey. The music is enveloping, the sound effects work, and most of the characters feel like they have some depth to them.

    As with any indie developer, there are a few things that could be tweaked, but I refuse to rate it down because one person made a few mistakes in grammar or didn't quite code something properly, and since this game was made by one person, it gets a 10. Honestly, I really enjoyed the game and would probably give it a 10 even if it was from a team of developers, because I really had a great time with Chained Echoes and didn't know the game was made by one person until I'd already beaten it.    … Expand
  54. TheNFROMO
    Jul 26, 2023
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gameplay (1.5)
    This game has a perk-type system where you select which and how you want to level up (skills,passive,buffs). No level system because they want to keep it balanced but the way you truly level up is by getting a new weapon. party switch feature is nice but barely useful honestly. the dealer feature to via selling your junk to get access to deals where you can buy but only useful for endgame gear. combat is very basic in nature. skyarmor system is basically doing 10x more damage then on foot but allows you access to more areas. most the game then becomes skyarmor battles then.you can speed up the battles somewhat, it felt like 1.5-2x the speed. the boss battle were interesting because they are balanced which you can’t just spam but actually use skills and what-not. the overdrive system was interesting to use, but nothing ground-breaking. use this mechanics to get the arrow inside this range to do more damage, get into the red zone you take more damage. the crafting system was simple enough that anyone can get into. upgrade weapons and armor twice to slightly more but useless until you get into end game. There are 12 potential party members but honestly 4-6 are only viable enough. reward board is an interesting mechanic to make players strive toward collectible grinding. collectible system in this game is very on a simple level. a limited enough post game content that can sate you but not satisfy you. I just feel the gameplay is taking the annoying parts and kicking them out but the game becomes really basic. The gameplay feels very basic compared to other turn-based games.
    Story (1.0)
    I’m going preface this by saying massive spoiler warning for dragons dogma, attack on titan and this game saying the review score early on because I need to deep dive on how badly they messed up.
    The game started as good as any game could get, massive explosion fade to black. legendary status. This game basically pulls a game of thrones esque from the brother does the that I pulled all the hate in the world then kill myself so you have a better chance at peace. Literally their was peace and you wanted war and that’s your excuse when you literally killed all of your generals not even 10 minutes earlier like what in the actual He literally killed 10000s of people and this happens what in the actual Glenn kills himself, wants to be free, gives some excuse of wanting to be a bird, basically pulling a game of thrones esque last season Their was no indication that he wanted to die even though he lived through multiple lives. The place that glenn was born in was only talked about once and talked about how hard it was to live their and wanted to be free. You know who he gave his god like power to, the guy who basically wanted to kill the big bad of the game in which they took over his body because he wouldn’t listen, the guy to killed 1 of the 8 kings because he wasn’t the chosen one, the guy who literally brought down the church location by supply the brother the information where innocent priest and children and workers were at. the guy who tried to capture one of your friends as a hostage. he only reason he gave it to him was “friendship” like what the hell is wrong with you. What happened with the vaen that were still in kylian body. They are not dead then? like what the actual **** the stupid ending with one of the main antagonist, and the ending with kylian is one of most horrible things to do with a game dealing with dark undertones and dark settings. they took a good act1, act2, a good part with act 3, and took a on it. dragons dogma even did it better because to stop the cycle but it in A game with a legendary beginning, mostly good middle and horrible ending. I believe an ending can truly ruin any piece of medium like game of thrones. The story deserves a 1.0 for the they did with the brother and the ending. the only reason is not 0 is because of how they built up in the beginning and act 2.
    Music (2)
    The music is really really good in this game. I was really bopping to the game throughout my whole experience. I could see myself buying the soundtrack if the ending was not horrible.
    Performance (2)
    I had hang-ups a good amount of time once I started a game or a battle which was weird.
    otherwise than that the performance is really really good.
    PricePoint(-1)
    This indie game is priced at msrp at 24.99 in the states. as for an indie game it has a high bar to fulfill. The game fails to fullfill at that mark in my own opinion. It feels like a 10 to 15 dollar game at the utmost because how the story took a **** but the gameplay, music, performance are good. I’m subtracting 1.0 to the total score because it fell off by how bad the story was and how basic in my opinion the gameplay was/is.
    Summary (5.5)
    Character Limit. Video Review Coming Out In the coming weeks.    … Expand
  55. Niarama
    May 17, 2023
    10
    Excellent classic JRPGs à l'ancienne :)
    Peut faire rappeler un peu FF6 ou Chrono Trigger pour les anciens
    J'ai lancer le jeu juste pour test pour le fun et je decroche pas^^ Excellent gestion des partenaires et des gears.
    Vraiment je recommande pour les fans de JRPGs
  56. mdk567
    Jun 11, 2023
    9
    재미있고 빠른 템포의 전투. 육성방향에 따라 플레이 스타일을 바꿀 수 있는 동료들
    곳곳에 숨겨진 아이템들과 탐험요소

    스토리 전개가 아쉽다. 진행하는 내내 전형적이라는 인상을 받았음. 결말의 반전은 좋았다.
    세련된 도트 jrpg
  57. pabloAsp17
    Aug 7, 2023
    10
    É incrível o que uma pessoa com "coração" pode realizar. Chaine Echoes é uma aula para grandes empresas de como se fazer um gênero clássico, com inovação. História incrível, lore e cenário bem construídos e excelentes personagens. A escrita do jogo também é um destaque.
    Ressalto que a exploração do jogo é sempre recompensadora, com o sistema de recompensas que encoraja a busca e o    É incrível o que uma pessoa com "coração" pode realizar. Chaine Echoes é uma aula para grandes empresas de como se fazer um gênero clássico, com inovação. História incrível, lore e cenário bem construídos e excelentes personagens. A escrita do jogo também é um destaque.
    Ressalto que a exploração do jogo é sempre recompensadora, com o sistema de recompensas que encoraja a busca e o desafio. O combate é desafiador, e estratégico, com o sistema de "overdrive" muito dinâmico.
    Um jogo que deveria ser conhecido e jogado por todos que gosta de videogame e um bom RPG.    … Expand
  58. Fate49
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    Chained Echoes est un chef d'oeuvre du RPG indé et un jeu que je pourrais mettre au même niveau que certains jeux de l'âge d'or de Square. Ca me dépasse qu'un jeu de cette qualité aie pu être fait essentiellement par un seul développeur.

    Là où Chained Echoes réussit là où beaucoup ont échoué, c'est que malgré toutes les références dont il s'inspire, le jeu se crée une identité propre et    Chained Echoes est un chef d'oeuvre du RPG indé et un jeu que je pourrais mettre au même niveau que certains jeux de l'âge d'or de Square. Ca me dépasse qu'un jeu de cette qualité aie pu être fait essentiellement par un seul développeur.

    Là où Chained Echoes réussit là où beaucoup ont échoué, c'est que malgré toutes les références dont il s'inspire, le jeu se crée une identité propre et amène parmi ces références old school, des mécaniques modernes.

    Le jeu est une masterclass de gamedesign.

    Le scénar est très bon avec de très bonnes surprises, les personnages sont attachants et certains ont une grosse évolution au fur et à mesure de l'histoire.
    Toute la partie annexe est exemplaire, avec de l'exploration récompensée et des quêtes scénarisées intéressantes
    Les combats sont bien foutus avec de la stratégie, de la difficulté, et un sentiment de progression au fur et à mesure du jeu
    Visuellement le jeu est très propre, pas aussi beau qu'un Sea of Stars mais tout de même très agréable à l'oeil

    Les seuls points noirs du jeu sont je dirais le système de craft qui est mal fichu et l'écriture générale assez bancale qui est le seul point qui te rappelle qu'un seul mec a construit tout ça.

    Qu'il soit passé sous les radars est criminel, Chained Echoes est le meilleur RPG que j'ai fait depuis Persona 5. C'est un chef d'oeuvre.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PC Game of 2022
43
#43 Most Discussed PC Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. RPG Site
    May 12, 2023
    90
    Chained Echoes is an extremely impressive game, especially considering the bulk of the game's creation came from just a few people, led by Mattias. As trite as it might be to say, this isn't just a pale imitation of great RPGs, Chained Echoes is a great RPG in its own right. A few small quibbles won't stop me from recommending this game to anyone, especially those fond of the golden era of RPGs.
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  2. INVEN
    Jan 27, 2023
    88
    Chained Echoes is a well-made turn based RPG with 16-bit nostalgia and classic JRPG identity. Although there are some elements that are not quite fitted to the story as it flows, it is a highly recommended title for those who love JRPGs.
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  3. Game Rant
    Jan 17, 2023
    90
    Considering the hubris of Chained Echoes, it should not work, but it does, and beautifully. Matthias Linda has created a broad world that is ripe for further exploration. The only worry now is that the bar is set too high, but it's hard to imagine the team creating anything with less passion and polish. After playing through a creative, familiar, yet distinct game that engages players in nearly every way, one can only hope that there will be more from the brilliant team behind Chained Echoes.
    Read full review
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