Released back in the late part of 2022, while it may have missed the cutoff for many to consider its merits for that respective year’s top releases, one-man developer Mathias Linda’s 16-bit styled RPG, Chained Echoes, nevertheless quickly found itself with ample acclaim and highly positive ratings, to become one of 2022’s best RPG’s and arguably best games of the year overall.
From its detailed pixel art, to its engaging world and well-written characters – topped off with a turn-based battle system with a few interesting and unique ideas of its own – Chained Echoes quickly garnered a reputation as a “retro”-styled game whose 16-bit attire was anything but nostalgic for nostalgia’s sake.
Chained Echoes is a Worthy Tribute to Classic JRPGs
New Banner, Same Continuity
Now, under the new banner of Unami Tiger – the new development studio established by Linda – Chained Echoes will see its first piece of DLC content, more than two years after release, titled Ashes of Elrant. Planned to release in the second quarter of 2025 across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch & PC, Ashes of Elrant takes players to a new land – seperate from the base game’s main setting of Valandis. The presser for today’s announcement stating that the events of the DLC take place just before the final fight of Chained Echoes.
Alongside new areas, over 40 new monsters, new bosses and 15 new tracks to accompany the DLC, a new playable character referred to as simply the White Wolf, will also feature. There’s also mention of grabbing a fishing rod along the way – implying that some form of fishing mini-game (a staple of many a JRPG, if one has any degree of knowledge on the genre, will know) will also feature. Chained Echoes is available now across all platforms.
