There Came an Echo Review

It’s a devilish mistress, is voice control. A saucy little addition that makes life so much easier when it works, an unrepentant pain in the arse when it doesn’t. Which, then, was it going to be for There Came an Echo? The real-time strategy release from Iridium Studios places a very heavy focus on vocal control, putting the player in the shoes (and vocal chords) of an omnipresent mission controller, directing your squad in battle and making sure they all stay alive while ensuring the enemy does the opposite. So how did they do?

Sadly, the answer is not extremely well. The voice control is incredibly inconsistent, and it doesn’t help when the game advises you to speak your commands clearly and calmly after failing to understand the same sentence three times in a row as this is liable to lead to controllers travelling through television screens at high speeds. Thankfully this issue is not a constant one, but with it occurring at least once or twice per mission it can totally drain the immersion out of the situation, and when the gameplay is so heavily focused on the vocal aspect it is very easy to get bored and switch to another game that isn’t going to cause as much undue stress.

There is however the option to play the game without making use of the voice control feature, presenting the commands to you instead within a multiple choice format. Having lost my microphone when I first received the game this was my initial method upon starting the game, and I have to say the vocal control is MUCH better. The options are presented in an awkward format, and the command you require doesn’t always pop up first time, leading to you having to fiddle about with the map in order to get your troops where they need to go.

The commands themselves are very limited, consisting of pre-determined points you can move the characters to or actions such as reviving a teammate or switching weapons. While this is initially good fun, in the long run it will leave you yearning for a little bit more control as you realise that your position as mission controller is, in turn, very controlled itself.

That isn’t to say that the game isn’t without its good points, however, as there are redeeming qualities despite the disappointing gameplay. The voice acting is of particular note, with Star Trek alumnus Wil Wheaton heading a cast which includes prominent voice actors Ashly Burch, Yuri Lowenthal and Laura Bailey among others. The characters all mesh well together, with an Avengers-esque clashing of personalities leading to some initial squabbling which inevitably dies down once they begin to bond as a team. The story is engaging, bringing each character into the fold and explaining their individual parts to play in the plot which draws from many sources in the science fiction realm; indeed, the first mission where you must guide Wil Wheaton’s Corrin out of his office while avoiding enemy agents is essentially lifted directly from The Matrix, with Corrin even referring to you as Morpheus at one point. While the narrative sometimes loses itself in techno jargon, on the whole it keeps you hooked in and even gets your brain working overtime at certain points.

The graphics on display are pretty impressive for an indie title, with a clean, polished look that definitely fits the tone of the game. The environments are nothing to write home about but they do the trick, and your focus is always going to be on the characters and the action on hand as opposed to the surroundings. Speaking of the characters, the design around each is nicely done, with each team member’s look and outfit distinguishing their background and general role within the group.

Where There Came an Echo gets major brownie points from me is with the soundtrack. If you’ve read my previous work you’ll know that I am an absolute SUCKER for a good score within a game, and Iridium Studios have hit an absolute home run here. Composed by Big Giant Circles, the music is suitably ethereal and sounds like it could have been sent back to us from the future with a full electronic orchestra and haunting vocals drawing us into their world of futuristic dystopia and technological marvels. Soothing and eerie at points, and electrifying and intense when the story requires it, this is a masterclass in how you score a video game to match the tone and setting of the plot.

While it wasn’t quite the revolutionary gaming experience I was hoping for, there is some definite fun to be had with There Came an Echo. The story has enough substance to keep you interested, the voice acting boasts some impressive performances and that soundtrack is just absolutely exquisite. Had they been able to tighten up the voice controls and given players a bit more freedom in the commands available, Iridium Studios may have had themselves an absolute gem here. As it stands, what they have created is a fun little number for their debut, which leaves me very excited for the future of this company.

There Came an Echo was reviewed on PS4 with a developer supplied copy of the game.