Chained Echoes

While Chained Echoes has the advantage of decades of distance from the games it looks to for inspiration, it’s a better experience in many instances than those vaunted games from which it arose. I prefer this combat, storytelling, and approach to progression and exploration to many of the JRPGs I grew up so enamored with playing. That’s the highest praise I can heap on a game so removed in time from the games to which it might be compared. Whether you currently count yourself a JRPG connoisseur or fondly recall the ʼ90s heyday of the genre, Chained Echoes is well worth your time.

Chained Echoes is a wonderful mash-up of '90s JRPG tropes, masterfully woven together to produce an experience that feels simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. A well-paced story, unconventional progression system, tactical combat system, and expansive world all come together to make for a game that is shockingly one of the very best RPGs that we've played this year. Really, there's no place where it feels like Chained Echoes drops the ball, which is all the more impressive when you consider that the vast majority of it was put together by one person. If you consider yourself a fan of JRPGs, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up as soon as possible. Even if you aren't a fan of the genre, we'd still encourage you to snap this one up; it stands as a shining example of everything that makes RPGs great.

Many independent RPG creators are inspired by the classics, but few succeed in their genre aspirations in the same way that Mattias Linda has.

Chained Echoes is a must-play for fans of classic SNES, PS1, and PS2 RPGs.

Indie JRPG Chained Echoes is a polished new 16-bit JRPG that brings out the best of the golden age.

Chained Echoes is not just a tribute to JRPGs, but a true evolution that looks to the past. From the strategic complexity driven by the Overdrive system to the visual appeal of pixel art with meticulous attention to detail, every aspect of the game contributes to creating an epic adventure. If you are looking for a JRPG that is modern and suitable for new players, Chained Echoes is a train you don't want to miss.

Whether a longtime fan of games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Chrono Trigger, or Golden Sun, or just looking for a rich RPG with great combat and memorable characters, you owe it to yourself to give Chained Echoes a shot. It’s the kind of game that potentially reminds players why they fell in love with the genre in the first place.

Modern JRPG that is a must-play on Nintendo Switch

Chained Echoes is fantastic. Not only does it capture what made 90s JRPGs special, but it elevates and modernizes it to deliver an unforgettable experience. With an engaging narrative, attractive characters, a well-built world, and a combat system full of good ideas, it has become one of the best JRPGs I've played in over a decade. Chained Echoes didn't copy old JRPGs, it understood them to create something that lives up to their legacy.

I enjoyed my time in Valandis so much that I experienced as much of the side content as I could. This full length RPG stands as a love letter to the games I grew up with. The inspirations are clear, and yet this is a wholly unique RPG experience that anyone who has an affinity for the style–and 90s' RPGs in particular–owes it to themselves to enjoy.