In Echo Generation 2, six playable characters, each with their own story, face a cosmic threat. This sci-fi, Stranger Things-inspired deck-building RPG from Cococucumber is fully inspired by the '80s and '90s.
In Echo Generation 2, players take on the role of Jack, a former special agent who is torn away from his family life and forced to return to battle in order to save his reality - and his family - from destruction. Five additional heroes join Jack, each bringing their own perspective, and they must solve the puzzles and uncover the secrets behind this cosmic threat. Alongside Jack's narrative, the game features character-driven chapters that explore the journeys of Annata Z, a mother searching for her child; Noliva and Strix, a bounty hunter duo navigating a neon cyberpunk metropolis; Bulder, a being from another world; and Sister M, who must harness her psychic abilities to escape the FST Research Centre. Notably, Sister M was already playable in the demo.
Echo Generation 2 © Cococucumber
Thus, players experience a character-driven narrative told from multiple perspectives. Each chapter follows different heroes in distinct worlds ranging from noir horror to neon-lit cyberpunk. While these different perspectives provide various angles on the action, the overall experience can feel somewhat disjointed. The threads don't really come together until the end.
"For Echo Generation 2, we are leaning more directly into the turn-based and deckbuilding communities. We are positioning Echo Generation 2 as a mix between a deckbuilder and a JRPG-style adventure. Fans of the first game will notice the biggest evolution in the combat system. The original Echo Generation used more Paper Mario-style timing mechanics, while the sequel introduces a tactical card-based system inspired by games like Slay the Spire. The first game developed something of a hidden gem reputation. It resonated strongly with the players who discovered it and built a passionate niche audience. With the sequel, our goal is to expand that audience while continuing to deepen the connection with fans who already love the series." - Vanessa Chia, Producer / Director & Co-founder, Cococucumber
Unlike its predecessor, Echo Generation 2 has a card-based battle system. However, it is not a roguelike or roguelite game, but rather a turn-based RPG. The previous game drew inspiration from titles such as Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG, incorporating small quick-time events and reaction-based minigames to increase damage. Defence worked in a similar way. Instead, Echo Generation 2 uses turn-based battles, cards, and deck-building mechanics. The game follows a linear, story-driven campaign divided into fixed chapters. There are no procedurally generated levels. The game world, locations, and enemy placement are fixed. In addition, the emphasis has shifted towards combat, which is more pronounced than in the first game.
Echo Generation 2 © Cococucumber
The player's actions and attacks (i.e. the cards) are determined by the deck they have assembled. Focusing on a dynamic deck-building combat system, Echo Generation 2 invites players to wipe out opponents with card combos. Players can choose from over 150 cards found throughout the game to create a powerful deck, combining shield buffs, summons, attacks, defence and healing. Additionally, matching symbols lets players effectively break through their opponents' defences.
Ultimately, the key is to find synergies between characters in battle, especially since three characters can be included in the active team. Jack's strength lies in his ability to play the long game; he supports his allies with status effect cards. Bulder, on the other hand, focuses on burst damage, which becomes more powerful the lower his health is. Annata Z takes on the role of a tank. Not only can she absorb damage, but she can also inflict status debuffs on enemies. Sister M excels at multi-target damage. Noliva specialises in single-target damage. Her companion, Strix, fits in perfectly with his ability to reverse enemy debuffs into team buffs. Players can customise their playstyle with deck choices, skill trees and badge upgrades.
Echo Generation 2 © Cococucumber
Overall, the game offers a diverse range of playstyles for the characters. It features a surprising number of status effects and synergies, although the exact mechanics are rather sparsely explained in the menus. However, the game suffers from erratic difficulty spikes, making certain encounters feel unpolished.
Inspired by films from the '80s and '90s, Echo Generation 2 features cohesive yet unconventional voxel graphics that take some getting used to in terms of character design. As with its predecessor, the musical score was provided by Canadian musician Pusher.
Echo Generation 2 © Cococucumber
Echo Generation 2 was developed by Cococucumber, a Toronto-based indie studio led by Martin Gauvreau and Vanessa Chia which develops and publishes games for PC and consoles. The studio's titles include the narrative puzzle-platformer Planet of the Eyes, the voxel dungeon crawler Riverbond, the fantasy adventure Ravenlok, and the turn-based adventure Echo Generation. Echo Generation 2 is the studio’s first sequel and was self-published.
Echo Generation 2 was released on 27 May 2026 for PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Game Pass. The game costs €22.99.
"Xbox has been an important platform for the Echo Generation series from the very beginning. The original game launched as a timed exclusive on Xbox and Xbox Game Pass, and a large portion of our player base comes from the Xbox community. With Echo Generation 2, we wanted to continue that relationship while also launching on Steam at the same time. Echo Generation 2 will release on Xbox and Xbox Game Pass on day one, and we are very excited to be working with Microsoft again. They have supported our studio across several titles, including Riverbond and Ravenlok. We do plan to bring the game to additional platforms later, and we appreciate our fans' patience while we work toward that." - Vanessa Chia, Producer / Director & Co-founder, Cococucumber
Echo Generation 2's bold transition to the tactical deck-building genre has paid off. Despite its fragmented narrative and a few minor polishing issues, it remains an atmospheric tactical RPG with a wealth of strategic options.
