echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin' - Kotaku Comments

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Ryumeka — Sun, 11 May 2008 12:19:44 MDT

Is there anyway to turn the time limit off?

Ryumeka

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kneehighspy — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:23:40 MDT

well i picked it up for my psp, it was 'on sale' on giganews in the a.b.sony.psp section.

so instead of firing up the ps3 to play it each time, i've been relaxing in my recliner and playing it.

it makes it much nicer to play and the games suits the psp's screen much better than on my hdtv / ps3. kinda like playing exit and exit2 on psp is alot more fun than playing the xbl arcade version.

kneehighspy

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

fergilicious — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:47:16 MDT

i have to buy this game! this looks challenging

fergilicious

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Awoken — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:21:18 MDT

I played the demo as well and was fairly underwhelmed. This review makes me want to try it again thinking I didn't give it enough time. Well, at least the demo is free!!!

Awoken

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

HobbaHobba — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:38:27 MDT

@Barbara:

Yeah, I bet the "penis" puzzle is "pretty hard" ;)

I wonder if it's fun to play..... waitaminute....

HobbaHobba

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

TheIrishNinja — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:49:56 MDT

@UltraMagnus: ...really? ive actually been loving the PSP's lineup this year more than the DS'. odd.

@Barbara: i see whut you did there.

TheIrishNinja

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kneehighspy — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:17:06 MDT

@slomo788:

i figured i could get more involved in the game if i didn't have to fire up the ps3 every time i wanted to try to figure it out.

kneehighspy

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

ceilingFANBOY — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:18:18 MDT

I just wish it had some type of shadow or something that let you know where you are going to land after going through a hole or walking over a jump pad.

ceilingFANBOY

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Erwin — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:59:15 MDT

@huffdaddy: Week in Komments: "Want to nominate comments? Send to tips any insightful or funny comments you read from other commenters. (Read: NOT YOURSELF). Be sure to include the post's URL, the commenter's page, the actual comment and your commenter page."

Erwin

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

crashlanding — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:24:09 MDT

@berribrand: I had the same problem. The ability to upload/download user created levels is only on the PS3 version, so that sealed the deal for me. I've uploaded three so far so if anyone's played them, I hope they don't suck lol

crashlanding

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kspray-dad — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:50:29 MDT

BTW...inspiration from here?

[www.nhk.or.jp]

kspray-dad

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kspray-dad — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:48:09 MDT

@Laxcat: Um...when it times out your progress is lost and you start the level over.

kspray-dad

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

dh4645 — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:34:31 MDT

it's a great game, just go buy it instead of reading about it.

dh4645

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Laxcat — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:21:31 MDT

I've not really understood the complaints about the "time limit". It doesn't prevent you from completing the level. In fact, I can't really tell WHAT it effects... Nothing, so far as I can see. So why worry about it? It seems more like a "target time". A "if you get this time, you're that much cooler... but your still cool anyway" type of thing.

Laxcat

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Dir_en_grey — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:59:49 MDT

On time limit, I think you're supposed to look at the puzzle, think about it before you start. Unlimited timed trial and error wouldn't be much of a puzzle since it pretty much requires no thinking if that's the case.

Dir_en_grey

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

FP_slomo788 — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:50:30 MDT

@kneehighspy: Well if you didn't like it on PS3 why would you get it on PSP? Save those 10 bucks for another downloadable game or something. All you can expect is shitty graphics (hehe) and worse controls.

FP_slomo788

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kneehighspy — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:30:01 MDT

spent my $9.99 on it for ps3. played through the tutorial and the first few levels.

got bored and quit, haven't played it since, think i'll see if i can 'get' it for psp.

kneehighspy

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kingclip — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:24:57 MDT

I think it's a truly outstanding title, but I have to agree that clock running out on certain levels is a very, very bad thing.

kingclip

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

OldManGaming — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:26:14 MDT

I've been playing the PSP version. I make sure I don't "just" line up the edges, but move a little past, if that makes sense. The graphical departure is nice. Solid title at ten dollars - it's a hit. Even if it is missing some of the modes of the Japanese version. lol probably see expansion packs on the NA Store in the next few weeks.

OldManGaming

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

NPlace — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:24:30 MDT

@Barbara: What you did there, I see.

NPlace

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

kw4k — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:24:27 MDT

great review, mike

i bought this on day one. i enjoyed the demo and thought 56 puzzles was a steal (on top of that, you get to play other users' creations).

kw4k

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

berribrand — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:21:42 MDT

I find the game actually very calming and relaxing. The music is soothing to me. If this came as a discounted PS3/PSP bundle, I'd totally go for it. I'm not sure which platform I want it for?!

berribrand

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Americo — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:17:36 MDT

@Barbara: I want to play with it.

The level, people. The level.

Americo

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

SAKY — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:02:23 MDT

agreed on the white jump circles. From playing the demo it's a bit difficult to guage the what the perspective should be.

SAKY

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

jackal888 — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:02:19 MDT

I think it is better fpr PSP. The controls feel better.

jackal888

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

def PD — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:59:57 MDT

If I had known this game was $10 in the US I would've waited instead of getting it from the JPN store.

def PD

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

jp182 — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:38:54 MDT

@Scorpi: hmmm see i found that the controls are usually spot on. So I found it alittle weird that everyone is having issues with minute movements. I use the analog sticks with R1 for fast movements and just the analog stick for slow and subtle movements. SQUARE allows you to "lock" two pieces together and it ALSO usually gives you an audible cue that you did it correctly as well (in addition to using the other perspectives).

ALSO, you guys know that you can make the guy stop walking while you figure out what to do next right? I usually do that from the beginning which is why I don't worry about little movements.

The music REALLY helps the experience relaxing and less stressful which is probably why it doesn't show the time limit; they don't want to stress you out.

jp182

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:38:01 MDT

@JustJake: Formatting error. Should be fixed soon. Sorry about that. It's a good game, undeserving of an all red bottom half. :P

Michael McWhertor

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Accordion — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:36:36 MDT

I would have liked to see some 'kula world' type navigation of paths. Having fully three dimensional control and needing to rotate a path while the player character was hidden would have made for interesting echo locations.

Would have filled out the Escher theme.

Accordion

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

JustJake — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:36:30 MDT

Why is the rest of the review after the negatives all red?

Sounds like a very interesting and unique game. I might have to pick it up. Also I am happy to see its only 10 bucks.

JustJake

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

badasscat — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:36:03 MDT

Put it in a box, Sony!

badasscat

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

OldManGaming — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:33:27 MDT

@Barbara: LOL x10. now cleaning keyboard and monitor.

OldManGaming

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

huffdaddy — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:29:48 MDT

@Barbara: Can I nominate this post for some sort of award. Hahaha

huffdaddy

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Brian Crecente — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:27:34 MDT

@Barbara: hahahahahahaha

Brian Crecente

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

liquid_kore — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:25:17 MDT

I'm glad it is digitally distributed. Sounds like one of those games that (if it was in retail stores) would be great but if you didn't find a copy of the game when it launched good luck finding one later.

liquid_kore

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Barbara — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:22:54 MDT

The level editor is difficult at first but after some time it makes sense. I created a penis puzzle and it's pretty hard.

Barbara

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Scorpi — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:21:21 MDT

I thought exactly the same thing - everything works well, except for the jump pads. Those are just a bit... odd, and not very well explained, either.

I think the game should have an option "lock" button, where if you move your edges close enough together form a straight path, you can press a button that just automatically moves the camera angle that extra millimetre to help you out - preventing losses that are more due to minor variations rather than your own skill.

Scorpi

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

BassForever — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:19:51 MDT

I kinda want to pick this up, but it seems to be just an over glorified flash game that if should be easy to make.

BassForever

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

UltraMagnus — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:16:22 MDT

I love the concept and the presentation, but the control (on the PSP at least) makes me want to throw up. I will probably play it just because PSP has so few worthwhile titles, but I think that says more about PSP than it says about echochrome.

OOPS! OOPS! OOPS! ><

UltraMagnus

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

jpneiswi — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:16:13 MDT

The game's a lot of fun and trumendously innovative. Can't wait to beat the whole thing! Great review..i do agree sometimes it seems as though the edges are lined up, but the guy still falls through...this will just take time, but that's only minimally a problem. Definitely worth more than its $9.99 price.

jpneiswi

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

FP_slomo788 — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:15:58 MDT

I can't help but thing Portal everytime I see echochrome. Great review by the way!

FP_slomo788

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

SeedyXX — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:15:08 MDT

Colour and sound effects would ruin this little gem. I can't think of a single thing I would change to improve it, except for adding more levels, which are probably going to come out faster than I can play through them.

The level editor took a bit to get used to, being a 3D environment on a 2D screen, but your pieces have little blocks on the edges to indicate which directions correspond to the controls. It works quite well. Enjoy!

SeedyXX

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Sunjammer — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:13:47 MDT

The weird thing for me is that i have absolutely no interest in the gameplay of this one, but what i've heard about the music makes me want to pick it up nonetheless.

Another game like this is DEFCON; gameplay didn't hold up for long, but the music and sound keeps me coming back.

I want to boot up Bioshock or Splinter cell chaos theory for the same reasons.

Ahh game soundtracks. How you've kept me afloat.

Sunjammer

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Uzumaki_Kiba — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:11:07 MDT

Neat.. This is the kind of thing that occasionally makes me want a PS3. I wouldn't, of course, buy a PS3 for Echochrome. But it does make me think, "Aw... I wanna play that."

Uzumaki_Kiba

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Truvill — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:10:45 MDT

Price alone = awesome

Truvill

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

Xayzer — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:08:36 MDT

Great review as always. This game is definitely worth a look.

Xayzer

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

risingphoenix — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:07:36 MDT

Interesting. I played the demo a bit, but not nearly long enough to appreciate it. I may have to give it a second look.

risingphoenix

echochrome Review: Poppin', Lockin' and Thinkin'

spargo_1 — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:07:16 MDT

Nice Review. I think I may get this now. Thanx Kotaku! ^___^

spargo_1