Moving around the world of Chained Echoes is quick and snappy, characters you control move quickly, certainly more so than the sluggish 2D sprites of 16-bit history. Likewise, Chained Echoes gameplay looks and feels reminiscent of the past, but the battle system and upgrade mechanics are all unique. It doesn’t attempt to copy popular composers like Mitsuda or Uematsu, and instead crafts a unique audio feast for your adventure that feels classic right out of the gate.

Along with the excellent visuals, the soundtrack of Chained Echoes composed by Eddie Marianukroh is a fantastic companion to the look and feel of the world. The bosses really stood out to me, they are generally just huge and monstrous, very unique, and feel like legitimate threats on their looks alone. The overall look of Chained Echoes will likely be your first positive takeaway, the retro styled pixel graphics really shine here, with lots of detail, animation, and some amazing enemy and boss designs throughout the lengthy adventure.

Having played through the game on Switch over the course of the holiday season, I was amazed at how well it plays, and while it certainly wears its inspirations on its sleeve, it also does a fantastic job of carving out its own unique mix of mechanics to make for a pretty memorable experience. It’s hard not to expect a little hyperbole when people start throwing around comparisons to beloved hits, but boy does Chained Echoes really deliver.

Last month saw the release of a new RPG by solo developer Matthias Linda on multiple platforms, and you’ve likely seen it heralded as an amazing retro throwback to RPG classics like Chrono Trigger and the SNES Final Fantasy games.

Also On: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS4, Xbox One

Free download chained echoes ps5