Review of Echoes of the End, long life to double A games

Don't miss our analysis of Echoes of the End for Xbox, an odyssey that won't leave you indifferent if you know where you're going.

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Finally, after many days of playing, I can tell you that I’ve been impressed by this new game, Echoes of the End. This title is the first game developed by the studio, Myrkur Games, and it brings a small gem for all those who love games that don’t follow the guidelines of more commercial games. This means that Echoes Of The End shines in many of its own ways and, although it’s not a perfect game, it does have many interesting and well-accomplished aspects to enjoy a proposal like those of the past, without pretensions.

Here, we find a proposal in third person that combines an epic story with elements of combat, exploration, puzzles, and a touch of magic that makes the difference, along with a very interesting story from the beginning. All of this is set in a fantasy world inspired by Iceland, with a visual job that seeks realism thanks to Unreal Engine 5 and motion capture. The story follows Ryn, a powerful vestige with unstable abilities, on her mission to rescue her brother from an empire on the brink of war. Sounds good? Let’s take a look.

Technical Aspect

Visually, Echoes of the End is a true presentation card for a debut studio. It not only meets expectations but also shines in many moments. The use of Unreal Engine 5 is noticeable from the first minute: textures, character modeling, and, above all, dynamic lighting, provide a very immersive atmosphere. The light filtering through clouds, the sun’s reflection on the snow, or the heat waves in volcanic areas are clear examples of how well this aspect has been worked on.

The motion capture and facial animations manage to convey emotions in a convincing way, something vital in a game so focused on narrative. The world of Aema feels alive thanks to small ambient details like fauna, floating particles, or the movement of vegetation with the wind.

In terms of sound, the original soundtrack by Viktor Ingi Guðmundsson is another of the great successes. It mixes ambient compositions with nuances of traditional Icelandic music, achieving that each scene and combat has its own musical personality. The sound effects are impactful, especially in sword clashes or the use of magical abilities.

However, it’s not an aspect without flaws. In certain large areas or with many on-screen effects, you can notice slight performance drops, and some impact physics aren’t as fine-tuned as they should be. Nothing serious, but details that an attentive player will notice.

Gameplay

In terms of gameplay, Echoes of the End combines several elements in a balanced way. The sword combat and magical abilities are the core of the experience. It’s not a combat system as deep as that of a soulslike, but it’s varied enough to maintain interest throughout the adventure. As you progress, you unlock improvements and new ways to chain attacks, making battles against enemies and bosses require strategy and some experimentation.

Ryn’s magic isn’t just there to cause damage. It integrates organically into exploration and puzzles: manipulating gravity to move heavy objects, creating illusions to distract enemies, or remodeling the terrain to open new routes. This gives a unique touch and differentiates the experience from other similar games.

Exploration also includes many platforming sections, with precise jumps, ropes to cross from one side to another, and puzzles where you have to rebuild parts of the environment to progress. On some occasions, these sections can become somewhat repetitive, but if you get the hang of it, they become very fun and satisfying moments.

The combat is one of the great pillars. It alternates between sword attacks and magical powers, allowing for spectacular executions, parries to counterattack, blocks to slow down enemy impact, and rolls to dodge at the right moment. These movements not only allow you to survive but also create strategic openings to strike back. The scenario becomes an ally, allowing you to use obstacles, traps, or height advantages to tilt the balance in your favor.

Plus, you’re not alone: Abram, your companion, is an active ally who can cover you, distract enemies, or help finish off the most dangerous ones when you ask him to. This cooperation adds a very interesting tactical layer, making confrontations feel more vivid, dynamic, and strategic.

The cooperative puzzles with Abram are another interesting point. They’re not limited to pressing switches or moving levers: many of them require coordination and using the abilities of both characters to progress. This strengthens the narrative connection between Ryn and Abram and prevents the player from feeling that one of them is just “for show”.

Exploration has a significant weight. The game rewards those who stray from the main path with secrets, alternative routes, and collectibles. Additionally, the scenario design is meant to always have some point of visual interest guiding you, preventing the player from feeling lost.

The overall rhythm is well-measured, although there are some more linear sections that can break the feeling of freedom. Still, the variety of situations (combat, platforms, puzzles, exploration, and cinematics) manages to keep the game interesting throughout.

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Duration

Echoes of the End took me around 15 hours to complete, spread across a total of 10 chapters that are well-differentiated. Each one offers its own rhythm and challenges, alternating between combat, platforming sections, puzzles, and more paused narrative moments. It’s not an excessively long title, but long enough to develop its story and mechanics without artificially prolonging it. If you dedicate yourself to thoroughly exploring, searching for secrets, and experimenting with all abilities, you can scrape together an extra hour or so, but its proposal feels measured and compact. If it were longer, it would likely become a bit heavy, so this duration is perfect for the game’s style.

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Conclusion

Echoes of the End is not a perfect game, but it’s a brave and personal bet that shows Myrkur Games has arrived with something to say. Its setting, the charisma of its protagonists, the combat that improves over time, and the use of magic to solve puzzles make it a very recommendable experience for those seeking something different from the usual.

Visually, it’s notable, its soundtrack fits well within the game, and its proposal mixes action, story, and exploration nicely. It has room for improvement in the technical aspect and in the variety of some phases, but the final feeling is that of having lived an adventure with personality. That’s why I highlight these double-A games, which come to fill the gaps that others don’t reach.

We thank Plaion for the material provided to carry out this analysis.