I didn’t need to see Fading Echo for long before I knew it would be something worth playing. I’ve said before that one of the best things about being a critic is how, when you have to pay attention to so many games, you often get surprised by things that flew under your radar. It’s the double-edged sword of the industry—the rare moments where you can miss the forest for the trees.
I hadn’t seen anything about Fading Echo, but once I did, it immediately captivated me with its unique sense of style and dynamic combat. I thought I would be getting a fairly straightforward action platformer, but the game is actually simpler and yet more dynamic than that. At its core, it’s a game that’s all about its environments and its elements.
Fading Echo’s story is straightforward, but also a bit of a mystery—starting somewhat in medias res. Players take on the role of a young woman named One who, while journeying with her mother, gets pulled into an alternate dimension and awakens her latent abilities to turn into a little blob of water (I swear I’m not writing that to be glib). With her newfound powers and the help of an Artificial Construct known as Vellum, she must fight off the Paradox Corruption and restore the natural power of Aether to the world.
While the story of a natural world being destroyed by some kind of “blight” has become somewhat common these days, Fading Echo does a good job of telling its story through incredibly stylized single-frame animatic cutscenes—which utilize the in-game graphics—alongside some pretty sharp dialogue between characters that does a good job establishing the lore while also highlighting each character’s distinct personalities.
But where Fading Echo really stands out is in its gameplay—namely its combat. When I started playing, it reminded me of a PS2 or GameCube game from the mid 2000s—a unique blend of action and platforming that combines combo-heavy fighting with unique abilities. But it’s both more straightforward and more interesting than that. While Fading Echo does prioritize its combat, it’s not really built around complex combos and mixing up different attacks.
Instead, what it prioritizes is its unique system of elemental effects and their counters. Fading Echo utilizes four different elements—water, lava, toxic waste and Corruption—that each have unique effects for enemies. Players are given a fairly basic combo, but their most effective attack is a kick that will launch enemies into whichever elemental pools surround each battlefield. What makes things even more interesting is how, thanks to her Water Blob form, One can take on any elements that are around her, creating little pools on the floor and setting up unique situations for combat advantages.
“But where Fading Echo really stands out is in its gameplay—namely its combat.”
Players need to be aware of each enemy type, the elemental goo they’re leaving on the ground and how to push enemies into it in the most effective way. Lava enemies can be solidified when pushed into water, rendering them weaker to attacks; water enemies can be weakened by toxic waste, and most enemies can just be burned by lava. One herself can also be affected by lava, toxic waste and corruption, so moving between the elements while also getting enemies in them becomes a hazard that needs to be considered during combat.
And the elements also play a vital role in the platforming as well. As a water blob, One can slip through cracks or grates; toxic waste allows for big, explosive jumps and touching lava will turn One into a steam ball for long, gliding descents. So while players are often given the elements they need for certain platforming segments, they’ll also need to consider how to bring different elements to necessary areas, giving some platforming segments a bit of a puzzle element. When it’s all working together, it’s an incredibly smooth, interesting experience that utilizes its core concept in a really satisfying way in both combat and platforming.
Visually, Fading Echo has a really bright, almost comic-book aesthetic. It does a great job of highlighting the colours of each element against fairly monochrome environments, while mixing things up with dynamic and esoteric “alternate dimension” areas. The visuals are backed by an incredible voice cast that go a long way to fill some of the more quiet ambiance and dreamlike musical arrangements.
Fading Echo was definitely a welcome surprise and a genuinely impressive first game from Emeteria. It’s a game that, while not mechanically complex, takes a couple of really solid ideas and builds a great experience around them. If you’re looking for something colourful, interesting and fun, definitely check Fading Echo out!
