E3 2009 Demo Impressions: echochrono (WT)

Over at the Sony Booth, there are quite a few PSPs set up with a bunch of new games.  echochrono caught my eye, and I got to play through a few levels.

For those that have played Cursor*10, this game will come naturally.  Our character (the same one used in SCEJ’s previous game in the series, echochrome - an animated mannequin, similar to the ones artists use for full-body studies) is led through a course, attempting to get from one door to another.  Although the puzzles themselves are linear in terms of scope, the way it can be solved is anything but.  Throughout the levels, there are switches and panels that materialize floors and remove obstacles – all of which are color coordinated.  However, in order for these to remain active, you must remain standing/pressing them.  So how are you able to cross a bridge if you cannot leave a switch without it shutting off?

As the title suggests, echochrono is about time. When you first start a level, you are able to pan back and forth to gather a plan.  When you feel comfortable with the level layout, you can enter the game and take control, and a timer starts to count down.  When it runs out, your turn ends and you are returned to the starting point.

When that round starts up, you will see your shadow (or “echo) from the previous turn.  All actions made in the past happen also in the present; if you decided to step on a switch and wait until the end of the turn, the corresponding bridge or obstacle will be active and cross-able for your new character.  There are a set amount of turns in a level; the less you use, the higher your ranking.

As I said main objective of the game is to get from a door on one side of the level to the other.  It takes a lot of planning and forethought to actually do so, however.  Sometimes, you may need to use one turn to step on a few switches, timing correctly so that they are in effect long enough that they can be crossed later.  This kind of puzzle game appeals to me and, quite frankly, I enjoyed the small amount of time I played with it more than I did with echochrome.