Echo Generation is an eerie game with a sweet exterior Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Echo Generation is an eerie game with a sweet exterior Stranger and stranger. Feature by Kaan Serin Contributor Published on 20 Nov 2021 8 comments Echo Generation is an interesting indie game released earlier this year on Xbox, PC and Game Pass. It's a mix of Paper Mario combat, adventure game puzzles and beautiful voxel art. The story is one you'd be familiar with if you've ever seen Stranger Things, or other paranormal 80's shows. Two young siblings and their pet - which could be anything from a cat, to a robot, to an alien cat - make some creepy, supernatural discoveries in their suburban town and decide to take care of it themselves, since the adults are incompetent. Echo Generation Developer: Cococumber Publisher: Cococumber Availability: Released 21st October on Xbox and PC (Windows) for £20.99, and included in Game Pass You'd be forgiven for thinking that Echo Generation is another wholesome release cashing in on some nostalgia, at least from the opening. The game welcomes you with massive, pixelated grins on every face and a charismatic 8-bit theme playing, which could've been ripped straight from a Pokémon game. The tutorial section pits you up against bad-mouthed racoons as you rummage through neighbours' trash in your white-picket-fenced suburbia. Watch on YouTube The Echo Generation launch trailer. As I ran around the streets with my cat and younger sister, I wasn't just reminded of the 80's - when I was approximately minus-20 years old - I was also reminded of my own childhood in the 2000s. The sights and sounds were distinctly old school, but it was the benign adventuring that had me reminiscing of my childhood days wandering through nearby streets - at least if you remove the part about beating up racoons. As far as first impressions go, Echo Generation seems like a snuggly blanket; this is what retro games would feel like if they were made today. It's cute, it's happy and it wants you to be happy, playing out in your neighbourhood with the same street kids. But something turns a bit sinister after a while. Echo Generation's disturbing creature design, spooky environments and occasional jumpscares morphed my experience with the town. The game graduates from raccoon fights to battles with a towering worm pretty quickly. After my first encounter with a twisted, murderous clown, the permanent toothy smiles and wide eyes didn't feel welcoming, they just felt odd. The frequent blunt, dark humour also contributes to deforming the town and making it all feel a bit contradictory. This is a well seeming town with something askew beneath the surface. Of course, the supernatural monsters have a part to play in that but it's the town itself that feels off. My suspicions surfaced when I gained access to the school headmaster's basement. Sure, I broke into the school to steal his keys. And, sure, I guess I was trespassing when I entered his house in the first place, but the kids made him sound like a dictator and I still have bad memories of strict teachers. In the end, I was justified as all that was down there was a toddler trapped in a cage. His face was uncanny and the basement was more than a little eerie. After a boss fight with the creep I realised that I was right, there was a rot in the town that went further than the supernatural occurrences. Maybe it's a commentary on how our childhoods are never innocent in hindsight. Maybe it's saying something about how disturbed things can be, despite outside appearances. Or maybe Echo Generation is just a really weird game. Either way, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More Features Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Feature What games get wrong about horses And what they could do about it. 28 Feature Shout out to all the Overwatch supports - where would we be without you? 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