Fading Echo

About Fading Echo

Fading Echo is a fast-paced action-platformer with RPG elements that drops you into a dying desert world overrun by a mysterious corruption. Developed by New Tales and released on December 31, 2026, it runs on PC, Xbox Series, and PS5. You play as One, a Legend armed with Ætheric powers that let you manipulate water and create chain reactions. The game’s core hook is its surreal, shifting environments, each level feels like a distorted dream. Combat mixes quick platforming maneuvers with elemental creativity, like turning water into explosive force. It’s a single-player story about time, identity, and saving a collapsing world. Think Metroidvania meets alchemy, with a heavy dose of urgency.

Gameplay

Fading Echo’s gameplay revolves around fluid movement and elemental experimentation. You spend most of your time sliding, vaulting, and chaining abilities to cross levels that twist into impossible geometries. The Ætheric powers let you freeze water into ice for jumps, melt it into scalding steam, or detonate it for area damage. Combat is reactive, enemy weaknesses to specific elements force you to adapt mid-fight. The game’s levels often double as puzzles, requiring you to manipulate environments to unlock paths. Each session feels like a dance of timing and creativity, with tight controls that reward fast reflexes. Sessions rarely last longer than 20 minutes due to the punishing difficulty spikes, but the payoff of discovering a new elemental combo keeps you coming back.

What Players Think

Critic reception is strong (90% average score), with players praising the game’s visual design and combat depth. On PlayPile, it holds a 4.2/5 rating from 12,000 reviews, with 75% of players achieving full completion. Average playtime is 18 hours, though 40% of reviews mention the final act’s platforming sections being unfairly punishing. Community moods are split: 60% “Eager,” 25% “Frustrated.” Review snippets include “The elemental combos keep things fresh, but the last boss felt like a chore” and “Surreal world design is the star here, every level looks like a fever dream.” The game has 50 achievements, with 35% of players hitting 100% trophies.

PlayPile's Take

Fading Echo is a bold, ambitious game that thrives on creativity but stumbles in its execution. At $50, it’s worth the price if you enjoy fast-paced platforming and experimental combat. The 50 achievements and high replayability make it a solid pick for fans of Metroidvanias who don’t mind occasional unfairness. Skip it if you struggle with twitchy platforming or prefer linear stories. For those who love solving problems with elemental chaos, it’s a rewarding, if uneven, ride.

Storyline

You play as One, a young Legend with a tangled past and a dangerously short timeline. Your mission? Stop the Paradox Corruption before the world vanishes under its grip. Armed with Ætheric powers and a nasty talent for turning water into destruction, you’ll slide, shift, and smash your way through surreal realities to defy oblivion and rewrite your escape.