Indie games and the Metroidvania genre have become a staple of the gaming industry in recent years. Now, with the release of Somber Echoes can another indie title strike gold? Or are you left longing for games of old?
Family Squabbles
Indie games continue to flood the market with quirky, bold and inventive titles, but in this era they’re in danger of becoming typecast in certain genres. Nowadays you expect an indie title to be either roguelite, retro or Metroidvania. Somber Echoes sits squarely in the latter. Developed by Rock Pocket Games in collaboration with Lav Games, Somber Echoes sets out to a unique tale in a fascinating location and succeeds, if not in its entirety. The story fuses Greco-Roman mythology with a sci fi setting as it tells the tale of Adestria,who at the start of the game, is resurrected aboard the space ship Atromitios. Her main task is simple: stop her twin sister, Harmonia from eviscerating the universe. It’s a truly brilliant setting and idea that is a real breath of fresh air in this era of rehashed and reused plot points.
Whilst the premise is simple, there’s much more at play here within the narrative. Having been resurrected, Adestria is suffering from memory loss, and so throughout the game, she is slowly piecing together the events prior to the story and what caused her sister to attempt to enact her plan. It’s a drip feed of minor plot points which adds famous and recognisable Greek gods and this is just fantastic in its creation and execution. I constantly found myself wanting to know more and more about Adestria.
It’s a tale of lovers scorned, betrayal and the complexity of family, all at the forefront. It’s a pretty bleak tale so don’t expect much comic relief but it really is a powerful story of having to fight against someone you loved. The developers crafted a total of four unique endings to the game which are satisfying and varied in their approach and all are obtainable, thanks to the game’s relatively short run time of around five hours. My only real issue with the narrative lies within its presentation. Most cutscenes boil down to still characters just mindlessly staring at each other, whilst dialogue appears on the screen from the narrator. I am sympathetic to the fact that this is an indie game but the lack of cinematic cutscenes and true voiceover work really hurts the overall effect of the narrative. Still, this is a truly unique tale of sci fi horror mythology that is really refreshing.
Follow The Light
It’s often important for smaller titles like Somber Echoes to stand out in the gameplay department with a unique aspect. Many games attempt different gimmicks to freshen up gameplay and surprise players but in this instance, the developers have chosen a simple, yet hugely effective loop. The crux of the gameplay revolves around the speed of Adestria, giving her the ability to morph into a ball of light to dash around the environment. With this being a Metroidvania, the dash mechanic works fantastically in both exploration and combat. Whether it’s utilising the dash to uncover hidden areas, avoid an incoming attack or even ride electrical panels (so cool it never gets old!), it’s an absolute joy to pull off! The game clearly has a focus on verticality. The movement in this game is an outstanding achievement by these small studios and should be lauded.
Similarly, the core combat of the game succeeds, albeit if it’s not very basic and simple in nature. You have the basic attack along with block and parry abilities, with all three upgradeable through resources you find throughout the game. Simple, yet effective. There are some more complexities within the weapons, such as the sword being able to deflect bullets or the spear allowing for long range combat. With fights happening in tight spaces, it’s important to keep yourself on the move. The basic enemies you encounter can deliver some challenging moments depending on the environment, yet the boss battles felt underwhelming to me. These boss battles feel far too short and uninspired. Overall, a fantastic effort with the traversal and movement, complemented by a solid, yet basic combat system.
Is It Dark In Here?
The visual presentation on display in this game is superb. The developers have nailed a Greek mythology sci-fi horror look and feel with hauntingly beautiful environments aboard the Atromitos space ship. Areas within the ship are beautifully designed, with varying locations and biomes making new areas feel unique and fresh. Most areas have some wonderful background environments and details hidden in the distance, making you want to stop and admire the view as you explore this vast ship. Characters look detailed, whilst the enemy and boss design is especially terrifying. They have really nailed the horror and mythological tones. However, the one major downside to the visuals is that sometimes it’s way too dark, creating difficulty for combat encounters that can end up making you feel frustrated. Menus and UI are minimal and as bog standard as they come.
Unequivocally, the sound design and score have been absolutely nailed! Monsters wail in the distance, leading to such tension as to what you are about to encounter. Footsteps echo throughout the hallowed halls of the ship, it’s just mesmerizing. Adrestria sounds phenomenal in combat as she screams and exerts herself around the battle arena. This is a wonderful effort in sound design that really adds to the tone and helps create an unnerving atmosphere for players. Finally, the musical score strikes a deft and impactful tone, with a mix of orchestral and electronic music which perfectly fits the genre and storytelling of the game. In boss fights, the orchestral pieces take control and create real cinematic moments – a real treat.
Verdict
Somber Echoes succeeds, for the most part, in crafting a unique tale of sci fi horror and mythology. A captivating story, a great movement system and solid combat will satisfy fans of the Metroidvania genre and keep them coming back for more with multiple endings to unlock. It’s a shame though that middling story presentation and some areas being too dark will result in frustrations for players along the way. I can really admire and respect the developers for taking a leap of faith with this game. More games need to take narrative swings like this!
