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This single-developer passion project sets a standard for how the classic 16-bit JRPG can still be improved upon
Having walked into Chained Echoes without really knowing anything about it, I was pretty quickly blown away and left wondering what kind of team put this together. Finding out it was more of a solo effort left me absolutely gobsmacked, as the game not only looks terrific, but most critically it also has come up with a great way to help keep you from zoning out on repetitive turn-based combat that can plague even well-made projects. The game’s overdrive system, which will force you to keep a careful eye on your gauge as you use skills in combat, really helps keep things interesting as you try to keep your gauge in the green so as not to start taking heavy penalties. The thing is, the smart quality of life changes hardly stopped there. Hate the slow pacing of moving around the overworld or in different areas? Great news, not only does your party practically run everywhere at a good clip, there’s also no such thing as being blindsided by random encounters every few steps, as you’ll be able to see your enemies and avoid them if you’d like. Add in a variety of interesting and diverse characters, some novel story beats, and just a whole lot of polished charm, and this is one of the best RPGs on the system.
Justin Nation, Score:Nindie Choice! [9.1]