Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
by Dreamcatcher Interactive
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Video Game Reviews of Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
Customer Review: Beautiful graphics - disappointing game play
Summary: 3 Stars
I was very curious when I first saw this game and read the reviews. Up to this point I had only played the Harry Potter games (the first 3 -didn't like the 4th one) and a couple of the Nancy Drew. The work that went into the graphics on this one was phenominal! I got a little stuck on some of the challenges, though. I am hopelessly stuck on the grid-matching unicorn (or whatever animal it's supposed to be!)in the cave. Dead in the water or, perhaps I should say, up against a stone wall! There aren't any hints or helps to try and figure these challenges out! I found a walkthrough, but for some reason, the directions for the wall grid didn't work. I'm really stuck. Well, I'll keep trying. I found the other aspects rather frustrating and sometimes boring. You have to figure out what implements you'll need to make tools, and it's all cut and dried so that you can't continue until you have everything in place and in the proper order. I know I'm new to computer games, but I like puzzles and challenges so I thought I'd like this one. There isn't much interaction with other characters in Echo but, I have to admit, it's a lovely place to visit! Kind of makes one yearn for the simpler way of life! Customer Review: Short puzzle based game
Summary: 4 Stars
I happen to be a big fan of the Stone Age/Ice Age eras and RPGs, so I thought this would be a perfect game for me. Outside of how short it was (4-5 hours without a walkthrough for me), I was right on.
The graphics and sounds are wonderful! I spent quite a bit of time just looking around and enjoying the detailed scenery. With my imagination I could close my eyes and picture myself standing there in Arok's place. I wasn't disappointed in the least with the visuals or audio.
I had no problems figuring out the interface. The user's manual explains it all, just in case you do have trouble.
The puzzles vary in how hard they are. I had an advantage with some of the puzzles because I've made fire and some of the items in real life before. The handprint puzzle and the blocked doorway puzzle later on in the game were the hardest ones for me, but I was still able to stumble through them without a walkthrough by trial and error. I played the game twice and would like to mention that I had an "extra" puzzle I encountered in one of them: to fight off the wolves when retrieving an item for Klem's assistant (I forget his name at the moment). The only difference was real life time spent to get there and to finish the puzzle. It makes me wonder what other little surprise puzzles may be waiting in the game!
I noticed a small bug that doesn't really effect the game at all: you can get multiple flint knives. I just found it funny and wondered how it got passed the game testers. (No, I will not tell you how. If you really wish to have more than one knife, figure it out for yourself... it'll make the game last a little longer at least.)
The characters, for the most part, are unique to themselves. However, if you've read Clan of the Cave Bear (or any of the sequels) then the only female character (again, forgot her name, sorry) might remind you of Ayla. Just something else I noticed.
The in-game growing encyclopedia offers a variety of information and should most definately be read. It expands on what is explored in the game by Arok. Despite reseaching the topics myself long before getting the game, even I found new information!
Truthfully, there is very little replay value, unless you want to go back and look at the scenery that you missed before or to try and uncover "hidden" aspects of the game. It gets 4 stars instead of 5 because of the short play time and the low replay value.
I really hope they come out with a second (longer) game. I know I'd buy it.
Customer Review: dislocated
Summary: 3 Stars
One very important aspect of this game that I missed was feeling the part. The pointer system is not my style. After playing Siberia 1 an 2 I felt I was that character, seeing the character as I moved it. If anyone can let me know of any games similar to siberia plese email me. Thanks!
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Customer Review: Unique setting, decent execution
Summary: 3 Stars
Kudos for the developer dedicating themselves to putting the player into the role of a prehistoric cave painter, and keeping it realisitc and entertaining at the same time..Obviously this game does play the myst school of gaming style, providing the usual item huntin, puzzle clicken blues, but whereas most games of this type seem generic in their mechanics, this game uses the same old mechanics in a different setting giving players a pretty unique experience...Customer Review: An interesting game in an interesting setting
Summary: 4 Stars
I just finished playing Echo together with my husband and we both liked it a lot. This was the first game that we solved completely without resorting to a walk-through.
I thought the puzzles were intuitive for the most part - but perhaps that is in part because I have always been interested in prehistory and many things in the game were familiar. I liked that one of the tasks in the game was to find food for the main character - I have played too many adventure games were the character never seems to eat, sleep and can run on continuously. This helped making the game seem very realistic.
One big plus is the very well researched prehistoric background of the game and the documentary about the Cro-Magnon period and the Lascaux cave-paintings. The historical information was very well tied into the game - often it helped us solve a puzzle.
The graphics were very nicely done as well and fun to explore. I wish the game had been a little longer but it certainly was a satisfying experience.