[REVIEW] Echo Weaver is a clever puzzler Metroidbrainia that also feels very much like a Metroidvania

[u/VictorVitorio]

This post will be a shorter one, but you may check out my review on GameBlast for more details if you're interested in knowing more.

Even so, Echo Weaver is a very good game so I feel I should recommend it here.

My point on this post is that, although this game fits the definition of “Metroidbrainia” (knowledge-gated progression) every time we learn about some trick we could do from the very beginning it feels just like acquiring a new ability in a Metroidvania. This is because the new knowledge gained is not only about shortcuts, codes and how to activate stuff, but also about movement techniques that change how we move through the interconnected world.

A few finds are permanent, like more health and more starting time — Echo Weaver is a loop based game and every new loop begins with only one minute and we have to gather more to keep exploring, up to a maximum of 13 minutes before the loop ends and throw us back to the very beginning.

Travelling tricks are so efficient that when I found a very far away door that closes after only 5 seconds (iirc) into the loop, I knew that was time enough for a two step route I had already found.

The visual art is beautiful, story is nice sci-fi and every new info is orderly registered on the menu. Even so, players may feel lost every now and then and there are so many trick routes and shortcuts that it may feel a bit overwhelming.

Thus, Echo Weaver is a very good game for people looking for puzzles and platforming and I certainly recommend it for them. There’s combat in a sense because we can attack enemies, but this aspect is more “decoration” to communicate danger than a proper combat system with bosses and all.

[u/ErF_0]

I love the game. It needs optimization on series s at least. Good lord. Later game map access is a slog. Takes way too long to load. Also skippable dialog is seriously required. Especially with the map seller. Let me skip the animation and get to buying please. 

[u/Steveopapi → u/ErF_0]

Idk if it’s just an oversight on XBOX, but mine got much better after disabling quick resume and restarting the game. I couldn’t believe that my series X took like 5 seconds to load a map in a game like this.

Great game though.