I… have a confession to make. What? No, not THAT kind of confession! Siddown! And keep those grubby mitts to yourself, pal!

As I write this review, I have never played Echo Generation 1. If it’s anywhere as radical as this demo is, though, I might have to pick it up. Cococucumber’s Echo Generation 2 combines stylish RPG action with a robust deckbuilding system that lets you tune combat your way. Coupled with snappy writing, unique art, and a story that leaves you hungry for more, this demo’s worth trying out.

Generational Wealth

The Echo Generation 2 demo explodes onto the scene with an action-packed intro. Sister M, the protagonist, is escaping! From where? Well, you’ll just have to find out, but I’ll give you a hint: it ain’t Disneyland. Two steps from her dormitory, however, the girl is attacked by a troop of… troopers. They have guns and armor, but M has something better: CARDS!

Well… not really. They’re psychic powers played like cards. Echo Generation 2 uses a card-based combat system where the cards you collect become powerful moves. Some of them deal damage to one foe, others target multiple, and some even heal or shield you. You acquire plenty from winning battles, but you also earn them by completing quests and picking them up. Since you only equip eight cards in your active deck, you never have to wait long for your favorite moves. Besides doing damage, most cards also stack status effects and more on foes, so choose wisely. 

It’s Time to DUEL

Just like a traditional trading card game, combat in Echo Generation 2 goes by pretty quickly. So much so, in fact, that enemies are often fought in waves. The whole group only gets about one attack off when it’s their turn, but every enemy attacking en masse can really sting. Like Paper Mario, however, if you press a prompt before the enemy attacks, you can mitigate some damage. Moreover, badges you find lying around the lab give you extra perks and effects in battle. 

All this coupled with a leveling system that rewards you with spendable skill points makes Echo Generation 2 easy to pick up. You never feel really underpowered in the demo, but by the end (save for the boss) you’ll feel like a GOD. Echo Generation 2’s combat is fun and novel for what it is… but like most games, it’s not without faults.

Not Playing With a Full Deck?

Echo Generation 2 left a flashy impression, but a few choices also left me raising an eyebrow or two. First and foremost is the difference between the full game and demo. The demo serves as something of a ‘prequel’ to the final release. This isn’t bad, but I can’t help but wonder if I’ll enjoy the setting and characters in the full game. I certainly didn’t dislike the demo’s setting, but will the full game compare? Guess we’ll see how it plays out in the full release.

On a mechanical level, I also wouldn’t mind doing more or something different to block enemy attacks. At the moment all you have to do is press a button when a prompt comes on screen to lessen damage. My issue, whiny though it may be, is that the button never changes. Coming from games like Expedition 33, I wouldn’t mind having to perform different actions. It doesn’t have to be crazy, mind, but as it stands it almost feels… placeholderish.

Wheeling and Dealing?

My other gripe with Echo Generation 2 lies in the difficulty. Save for the end part, the whole demo felt a bit too easy. See, most moves hit all enemies on the screen and drop two or three status effects on said enemies! One particular move stuns a foe making them lose their turn, and yes, this works on everyone. Game-breaking? No. Wacky? Definitely. Imagine playing, say, Persona 3 and having a move that strikes multiple elemental weaknesses and costs NOTHING to use. Sounds like endgame content, right? This is how most of the Echo Generation 2 demo feels.

I’m eager to see where Cococucumber takes this–it makes sense to provide ‘oomph’ when you’re solo in the demo. Based on the full game’s Steam page, however, you’ll be running with a crew. How they’ll balance this remains to be seen, but I hope they succeed. All gripes aside, Echo Generation 2 was heaps of fun to play!

Echo Generation 2 was part of SteamNext Fest: February 2026. As of publication, the demo is still up. Try it on Steam or on Xbox.

Join the Official Discord, and follow the game’s progress on Twitter.

Read all of our coverage in our Steam Next Fest February 2026 page.