Introduction

Several weeks ago, developer Cococucumber — still love that name — reached out to us here at SunsetNerdVerse to try a demo for their upcoming sequel, Echo Generation 2. I remember coming away from that demo genuinely excited — there was quite a bit to enjoy, and I gave it a 9.5 based on what it showed me. The potential felt undeniable. Now the full release is in our hands, and the scary question has to be asked: was I right? Does Echo Generation 2 live up to that early promise? Let’s find out in our full Echo Generation 2 review for PC! Once more, big thanks to developer Cococucumber for the review copy!

Gameplay

Echo Generation 2 is the product of two genres fused together. On one side, you have a traditional RPG — exploring varied landscapes and settings, talking to NPCs, and engaging in turn-based combat. On the other, a card-based system where you build a deck of abilities your team can draw from in battle — attacks, defense, healing, and status buffs and debuffs. What makes Echo Generation 2 feel so distinct is how those two halves interact.

Where most RPGs anchor themselves to a single theme — fantasy, sci-fi, horror — Echo Generation 2 throws everything into a blender and hits play. One story follows a zombie traversing a barren, trash-strewn wasteland with a singular faded memory: save her daughter. Another puts you in the shoes of a powerful psychic trapped in a research facility, searching desperately for her friends. These narratives are radically different in tone and setting, and each one shapes how you explore and interact with the world around you. I never grew bored of any particular story thread — and they all interlock into a bigger, grander picture. You can switch between chapters freely to follow different characters and piece together the larger world of Echo Generation 2 at your own pace.

When you’re not picking up new cards or items scattered across the world, you’ll be in combat. Echo Generation 2‘s turn-based system is anything but traditional. Each turn, you draw a hand of cards and decide which to play and when. Deck balance is everything — as I learned in the demo and confirmed in the full game. Stack too many healing cards and you’ll find yourself unable to deal meaningful damage when the pressure is on. Load up on attacks and you’ll have nothing left when your health bar starts to dip. You can guard against incoming hits with a QTE prompt, but that only carries you so far. Echo Generation 2 rewards diverse, thoughtful deck construction and punishes those who stack a single strategy — and I genuinely loved that about it.

After each battle, you’ll earn new cards or level up your characters. Every character comes with a branching skill tree — you can explore both paths, but I found it more effective to commit to a role early. One character built as a defensive healer, another as a pure attacker or hybrid. You’ll also collect badges that can be equipped for various passive effects. The depth isn’t overwhelming, which means some battles do carry an element of luck, but the deck-building mechanics alone provide enough room to experiment with each character meaningfully.

Graphics

The voxel art was impressive in the demo — but seeing it deployed across the full game in a variety of creative ways was a genuine treat. One standout chapter plays out entirely in black and white, channeling the look and feel of an old black-and-white film. The voxel aesthetic works beautifully in this context, lending everything a creepier atmosphere and giving enemy designs a sharper definition that color sometimes softens. When color returns — which is the majority of the experience — Echo Generation 2 is simply gorgeous. Character designs are blocky by nature but carry a surprisingly impressive amount of detail in their clothing and visual identities. No two characters look alike, and that variety speaks to the care put into the art direction. Voxel art is having a moment in the indie space, and Echo Generation 2 is one of the best examples of why.

Sound

I need the soundtrack. I need it. I’ll compose myself. Seriously — I loved the handful of tracks featured in the demo, but hearing the full breadth of Echo Generation 2‘s score is something else entirely. Pusher — the artist behind both Echo Generation 1 and 2 — absolutely delivers, ranging from 80s synth to modern synth-pop with total confidence across every area theme and battle track. Every time I entered a new location, I genuinely couldn’t wait to hear what was coming next. The OST is phenomenal, full stop. My only wish is that the game had some voice acting — I think it would have added another layer to the storytelling. But as it stands, the sound design in Echo Generation 2 is as close to flawless as an indie game gets.

Story

Where Echo Generation 2 loses me a little is in its story. I’ll be upfront — I still haven’t played the first Echo Generation, which may have colored my experience here. I did read up on the original’s story before diving into the sequel, and even with that context, the narrative left me tilting my head more than once. Echo Generation 2 tries a little too hard to be a hodgepodge of narrative genres, and while some combinations work beautifully, others don’t quite gel. There are genuinely strong storytelling moments scattered throughout — but as a whole, the story never quite took off for me the way the gameplay and presentation did.

Overall Impression

Echo Generation 2 is not without its minor flaws. The combat could use a touch more depth in places — the deck-building system is great, but it doesn’t always fire on all cylinders — and the story isn’t as engaging as the world surrounding it. Even so, I really loved my time with this game. The music is endlessly catchy, the voxel art is wonderful, and the deck-building RPG gameplay is deep enough to genuinely play around with across multiple characters and builds. The variety of themes and world settings keeps you consistently curious about what’s coming next. At $24.99, Echo Generation 2 is a great indie game and well worth every penny.

Conclusion

Echo Generation 2 is a fantastic indie game that deserves real love and attention. Yes, it has minor problems and isn’t without flaws — but I genuinely enjoyed every session I spent with it, and I think fans of the first game and complete newcomers alike will feel the same way. I’m sure a microscopic examination could surface more small failings, but I have no interest in doing that — and no real reason to. I highly recommend Echo Generation 2, and I hope Cococucumber gets the recognition they deserve for delivering such a fun, polished, and creative indie experience.