Players Like...

❤ Unique Mimicry Mechanic

As you explore the ancient Palace, you will encounter copies of yourself, called "Echoes". These Echoes learn and perfectly mimic your actions over the course of each "cycle" - a set period before the Palace resets. If you sprint, the Echoes will learn to sprint. If you use a weapon, they will learn to use weapons. If you sneak, they will learn to sneak. The Echoes essentially become mirror images of your own behaviors and abilities. This creates a constant strategic challenge, as you must carefully consider each action, knowing the Echoes will adapt accordingly.

❤ The Blackout Window

The Palace undergoes regular "blackout" periods, where all the lights go out. During these blackouts, the Echoes temporarily forget what they have learned, and you are free to act without consequence. Once the blackout ends, the Echoes "reboot" and begin imitating your most recent behaviors. This cyclical gameplay loop forces you to continually adapt your approach based on what the Echoes have learned and unlearned in each cycle.

❤ Balancing Stealth, Action, and Manipulation

As the Echoes constantly evolve to match your tactics, the game requires you to skillfully balance stealth, action, and manipulation. A simple run-and-gun approach quickly becomes untenable as the Echoes gain the ability to shoot back. Likewise, pure stealth can become difficult as the Echoes learn to sneak as effectively as you. You must thoughtfully choose your actions, knowing the Echoes will use those abilities against you in the next cycle.

❤ Emergent Unpredictability

Due to the Echoes' ability to learn and adapt, the gameplay becomes highly emergent. No two sessions are exactly alike, as the Echoes' behaviors and the challenges they present will shift based on your choices. This encourages experimentation and rewards creative problem-solving, as you try to outmaneuver your evolving adversaries. The unpredictable nature of the Echoes also introduces tension, as you never know exactly what you will be facing in the next cycle.

❤ Praised for Innovation

Reviewers have widely praised this unique "echo" mechanic as one of the game's strongest features, creating a truly novel gameplay experience that forces constant reevaluation of your approach. The clever cyclical nature of the gameplay loop, with the Echoes learning and unlearning abilities, has been highlighted as an effective way to challenge the player. Overall, the game's mimicry mechanics have been lauded as a refreshing and innovative take on stealth-action gameplay.