Echochrome

Reality Bending Puzzle Game is a must have for PSP gamers

Posted 4 years ago By - Marcie McIndoe

Bending Reality

How to explain the gameplay for Echochrome? Imagine an M.C. Escher etching, those are the ones that feature stairs that go all over the place, and don’t conform to the laws of physics. Okay... now solve that.

See it? Solve it!  (image is entitled Relativity by M.C. Escher)

Yes, that is it in a nutshell. You have a map that your mannequin must walk through. The mannequin walks forward through the maze, and if there is a junction, will turn left. Now, when you look at the map it doesn’t make sense, there are walls in the way, or there are holes that your mannequin will fall through. The place where you may need to get to is floating on the other side of the map. So how do you get from A to B?

The answer is deceptively simple. The Echochrome universe is governed by 5 laws of perception; what you see becomes reality. Twist and turn the map to make your new reality. Is there an obstacle in the way of your character? What if you twisted the map such the pillar blocks your view of the obstacle? Is the obstacle still there? If you can’t see it, it must not exist, so, viola! No more obstacle. Your mannequin can walk through with no problems. Twist and turn the map on its axis, and you can line up two seemingly unconnected pathways, or make it seem like your character can fall or jump to impossible places. As a friend of mine said, it’s like training your brain to think like a 4 year old. Your reality is what is before you, not what the laws of physics tell you.

There are 8 levels with 8 maps in each level. Basically the object of the game is to get your mannequin through the map, to make him walk into 3 echos. You have a certain time limit to get through each level. You can either pick a level, or a map, or you can do a feeform and solve random maps.

There is also a canvas section where you are able to make your own Echochrome maps. These maps are a great place to really learn how the maps “click” together. You will put block A on top of block B only to realize the two blocks are on opposite ends of the map.


Elegant and Simple

The graphics and sound are amazingly elegant. All graphics are in wireframe, black on white background it couldn’t be simpler. But the simplicity is nice. I showed this game to my father in law. He really appreciated it, he said that for, ahem, older eyes, it was easy for him to see, and to not be distracted by junk on screen.

Simply beautiful

The music too is both fantastic and spartan, classical violin, and one soothing voice. Refreshing in a world where there is often too much noise.

Twist n Turn

Some people hate gaming. They think that it’s stupid, and juvenile; or on the other hand, that it’s too hard and the controllers intimidating. This is the type of game that can change all that. The gameplay is intuitive, no confusing controllers here. Use the joystick to twist and turn the map. Simple. Nothing is there to distract you. During one of my testing sessions with the PSP version, a non gamer buddy of mine got a hang of it right away. Same with my non gamer father in law. They both were able to play it right away, but more importantly they both really enjoyed it.

But as simple of a game that this is, it is very refreshing. It’s new; there is nothing like it. It is also smart. In order to bend the map to your own reality, you have to bend your brain. Thankfully, it’s more intuition and creative learning, it’s more like exploring something new rather than taking a calculus test. The difficulty ranges from are you kidding me easy, all the way to, are you serious? How is this possible?

The game is great, but not perfect. This game could have had a really cool vibe, however there is always a time limit. You can’t just have fun and explore each map to your own delight. This is unfortunate. It would have been easy to have the freeform game be totally open. The map creation is a little clunky. It’s a bit difficult to get the hang of, and because of the limited controls, it can take a long while to make even the simplest of maps.

Fantastic Value

This game will not have you glued to your PS3 or PSP for hours on end, but it is refreshing. There is no one way to finish each puzzle, you can always learn new ways of beating the game. Every level is timed, so those who like a challenge can keep hoping to beat the game just a little bit faster. In an artistic mood? You can create whole new levels.

All this for only 10$! Can’t beat it.

Bottom Line

Great game. If you have someone in your life who thinks gaming is a stupid waste of time, you have to get them to at least see this one in action. It’s just so cool looking, beautiful.

Verdict

Buy it! You just have to see this thing in action.

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