Making an attempt to explain Echo Level Nova, a newly launched PC shooter, is a difficult factor. I might describe it as a sport that mixes Titanfall’s motion, fashionable Doom’s gunplay, Minecraft’s destructibility, Skyward Sword’s floating islands, and depraved rad hoverboarding into one oddball package deal—although that in all probability simply makes it sound like a horrible mess. However belief me, Echo Level Nova isn’t a multitude. As a substitute, it’s top-of-the-line shooters I’ve performed in years.
Right here’s the setup for Echo Level Nova: You’re a cool soldier with a candy hoverboard and grapple hook. You crash on a planet that’s nothing greater than a whole bunch of floating islands. The place has been invaded by a big group of asshole mercenaries seeking to exploit the traditional know-how that seemingly led to the planet’s destruction within the first place. To cease them, you’ll have to journey across the varied islands utilizing your aforementioned hoverboard and grapple hook when you unlock new weapons, upgrades, and perks to tackle larger fights and big bosses.
On paper, I’ll admit that Echo Level Nova doesn’t sound like a lot. However when you begin taking part in this new FPS, you’ll shortly uncover a shooter that gives a ton of freedom and choices, all of that are enjoyable and awesome-looking.
I misplaced observe of what number of occasions I zipped up a wall utilizing my hoverboard, spun round, killed some enemies with my assault rifle, grappled towards a unique wall, triple-jumped to an enemy mech, after which killed it with a grenade launcher earlier than slowing down time and sniping some flying baddies from afar whereas the wrong way up. It sounds sophisticated, it seems spectacular, however Echo Level Nova’s controls and gunplay are silky clean, tremendous responsive, and straightforward to grasp.
It is a sport that’s extra enjoyable to play when you’ve got somebody behind you watching you do wild acrobatics as you battle off waves of enemies to unlock new upgrades or weapons. And since it’s an open world, you management how exhausting or straightforward you need issues to be. You possibly can give attention to simpler outposts first or goal difficult missions to get higher gear. It’s as much as you! You see that enormous floating desert within the sky, you may go there.
However it’s not simply Echo Level Nova’s fight and motion that gained me over. The sport has eerie and unusual vibes. You’ll be hoverboarding throughout tiny little islands floating within the sky after which attain a half-buried temple. You possibly can discover it, utilizing your choose axe to mine out a tunnel ala Minecraft, or simply preserve shifting on to your subsequent goal. Different occasions I encountered large valleys, hidden underground bases, deserted navy outposts, or unusual structure that appeared virtually medieval. And outdoors of the large fights, until you play in co-op, you’re on their lonesome on this big open world of floating islands and forgotten locations.
It’s a wierd combo, Doom-like FPS motion with empty and lonely alien vistas, however it works rather well in Echo Level Nova— particularly as a result of exploring these locations occurs at 200 MPH whereas on a candy hoverboard.
Echo Level Nova has a couple of tough edges, like the primary massive boss battle being a ache within the ass and the well being system feeling a bit too punishing for gamers who won’t be down with flying round like maniacs on a regular basis throughout main fights. Nonetheless, I believe Echo Level Nova is value taking part in because it’s one of many weirdest shooters I’ve ever performed, but additionally a few of the most enjoyable I’ve had in a online game in 2024.
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