Somber Echoes, developed and published by Lav Games in collaboration with Rock Pocket Games, sets out to deliver a fresh take on the Metroidvania genre with a strong sci-fi twist rooted in Greek mythology. Out now on PlayStation 5, it’s a visually ambitious and thematically rich experience that offers both rewarding moments and moments of frustration, ultimately standing out thanks to its unique atmosphere and traversal mechanics – even if its execution occasionally stumbles.
The narrative, centered on Adrestia’s pursuit of her sister Harmonia across the devastated, Greco-Roman-inspired spacecraft Atromitos, offers an intriguing premise that sets it apart from more conventional sci-fi stories. Echoing classical tragedy, the game leans into a mythological tone that lends weight to Adrestia’s journey, even if the storytelling sometimes lacks clarity in how it delivers key plot beats. The setting itself helps anchor the experience: the biome diversity – ranging from organic, moss-covered sanctuaries to sterile, decayed labs – makes exploration visually rewarding and provides a strong sense of identity.
Where Somber Echoes distinguishes itself is in its traversal mechanics. The use of Aether Lanterns – glowing orbs that allow Adrestia to perform multi-directional dashes and gravity defying leaps – is not only novel, but a clear highlight of the game. Mastery of this movement system brings a sense of exhilaration, especially once additional lanterns are unlocked and chained together in rapid succession. That said, the learning curve here is steep, and some players may find the controls less intuitive at first, especially during more complex platforming sequences where precision is required under pressure.
Combat is stylish and responsive, with a focus on parrying and chaining moves mid-air. However, it doesn’t always reach the same heights as traversal. Enemy types can feel limited, and while boss encounters are visually impressive, they sometimes drag on or suffer from mechanical repetition. The game’s controls mostly support the action well, although certain default button mappings can feel awkward, and a few sequences – particularly those requiring tight movement and timed attacks – can be more frustrating than they should be.
Visually, Somber Echoes benefits from its Unreal Engine foundation, presenting stylized environments with impressive lighting and sharp detail. The shift from one biome to the next is often striking, reinforcing the sense of scale and decay that pervades the Atromitos. While character animations can appear stiff in cutscenes, the fluidity of movement during gameplay balances this shortcoming. The soundtrack complements the narrative well, though it tends to fade into the background instead of elevating key moments.
Despite its occasional lack of polish, Somber Echoes leaves a memorable impression thanks to its ambitious traversal system, memorable world design, and mythologically-infused storytelling. It’s a game that doesn’t always nail its pacing or mechanical balance, but it dares to do something different – and in moments when everything clicks, it feels genuinely inspired. For fans of Metroidvania games looking for a title with both aesthetic flair and mechanical novelty, this is one to keep on the radar.
Score: 7.0/10
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