Dopamine incarnate. Simple as that. Echo Point Nova is such an addictive... shooter? Explorer? Parkour game? It’s largely unclear, as the title grabs every “cool thing” known to man, and combines it together into this beautiful, expansive experience that’ll have your eyes glued to the screen from beginning, to end, and beyond... and I absolutely love it. First up, with the gameplay—oooh, I just have to get into it immediately. Every movement you make in EPN oozes flourish and style, and it’s so refreshing! Dashing through the sky at Mach 10 is somehow both engaging and relaxing depending on how many enemies are swarming you. Combat consistently feels fresh, as enemy types are distinct from one another. I love how the difficulty curve responds to the player rather than the narrative; it’s so essential, you feel like a badass—even when you fall flat on your face. The game’s rhythm thrives on that momentum; enemy patterns and scaling keep you consistently challenged. Death feels like a sleight of hand—a silly little mistake you made that’s easy to fix next time—not like you’re stuck in a fight designed for someone 10x your level. Combat becomes reactive in both directions, as the player adapts, and the game pushes back just as hard. Now, the hoverboard. It’s so awesome. Gliding around arenas practically supersonic aside, you can also bash people with it and do sick flips... which is all you need in a game if we’re being honest with ourselves. It’s genuinely such a fun mechanic, and a weird tonal shift when you’re emptying mags from an SMG, while breezing across the battlefield like a weightless spirit. It’s not even inherently strategic; it’s just so incredibly cool that you naturally incorporate it into your playstyle. I’m charmed to play a game where ideas truly were just thrown at the wall—refined thereon with enough care to make everything cohesive. It’s what makes EPN stand out from the countless other FPS titles trying to be different. Imagination truly went wild here—but that’s the nature of art, isn’t it? Yes, Echo Point Nova is absolutely art, and you will not convince me otherwise. Moving onto the world itself, wow, is it beautiful! For a game so focused on shooting and moving, the island terrain and vast, open skies are a wonder to behold. There’s a dreamlike quality that contrasts beautifully with the chaos of combat. I could traverse these floating monoliths for hours without getting bored—and that’s exactly what I did! The insistence on having a world that feels joyful to both gawk at and cruise around is why travelling from place-to-place is not only bearable, but truly enjoyable. The awe factor is never truly gone—and the flourish exists all the same—yet you’re still invited to take a breather. I’m tacking on the expansion mode “Under the Clouds” here too. They’re equally as beautiful! I appreciate such a powerful balance like this, and to see the devs thought this through is a marvel in and of itself. Furthermore, the customisation is extensive. Everything: buffs, debuffs—hell, switching up the entire genre can be tweaked with; and that only enhances the replayability. There’s always a new challenge waiting, even before touching the editor. Sure, it’s a great option for those who love customisation to the very specifics, but the game also makes casual customisation accessible, keeping things fresh without overwhelming the player. In addition to this... the progression. 100%-ing this game was an absolute treat, as the side content, which you’d expect to be an afterthought, somehow feels in-tune with the main experience. Stamina orbs are interesting environmental puzzles, requiring rigorous trial-and-error to reach. New weapons introduce new playstyles, and the mastery system encourages experimentation, instead of barring them to your inventory forever to gather dust. It’s astonishing how the game allows you to develop, push forward past the credits into postgame without chucking in uninteresting filler to pad it out. Nothing feels wasted, and even the ridiculous “find all collectibles” sub quest matches the game’s presentation and flow. Essentially, it’s the same people, with the same love and effort, at all times—and that’s what sets EPN apart from others in the genre. I can only compliment it. If we’re really fishing for criticism, I suppose the plot falls relatively flat. There’s little inclination as to why we’re in this world, and what we’re here to do. In all fairness—as per the Developer’s Commentary—the story came later, after the gameplay/mechanics were long into development; truly, the plot acts as a thematic core for the world to exist around... not to mention an excuse to have cool ♥♥♥♥ happen. How else can we excuse the jetpacks and giant mechs? See, now you’re getting it! Ultimately, I can hardly blame the story—especially for a game this gameplay-first, it’s not like they tricked us or anything. The only thing they tricked me into is believing I’d be capable of putting it down once I started. In the end, Echo Point Nova is the perfect pick-up-and-play with some of the most addicting gameplay elements I’ve seen since Titanfall; and I’m telling you now, that’s a high bar to reach... but they did it, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥! If hoverboards were rated on a 1–10 scale, most would sit firmly on the ground—while Echo Point Nova is already miles above, dancing in the sky. In plain terms: it breaks the scale. 11/10.