Getting a first look at new games for old consoles is always a pleasure. We first reported on Echoes of the Unread back in October 2024, and we now have a preview demo to get stuck into. The game is being developed for the NES by Clever Cat Games with retro experts Mega Cat Studios taking up publishing duties. Echoes of the Unread will be heading for a crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter soon, but in the meantime, let’s see what it’s all about.
The game centers on Rhapsody, a schoolgirl who falls asleep in the library. When she wakes up, the library has come alive, and she will need to use her vocal talents to find her way home. Echoes of the Unread is broken down into different areas, with the library acting as a hub world to gain access via books. Each book transports Rhapsody to a different world, such as the wild west or an underwater paradise. In each world there are ten pages of the book to find by exploring, solving puzzles, befriending the locals or defeating enemies.
As you progress through the different worlds, Rhapsody will find new powers with the main one being a perfect singing voice that can be used on tuning forks to open doors or create platforms. From what we’ve seen of the demo, most of the puzzles will revolve around finding the tuning forks and uncovering secret areas to keep Rhapsody continually moving forward. The gimmick is fun to use, and hopefully the final game builds on the mechanics by enhancing the powers as the levels progress.
Rhapsody controls well and feels responsive throughout. The platforming sections are well thought out, with ideas such as jumping on eagles’ heads to get a lift up higher. Although we only heard two tunes in the demo, they had that lovely chiptune charm you would expect from a classic NES title as well as the beeps and boops you might also expect. Graphically, Echoes of the Unread has a good use of colour and the enemies, obstacles and platforms are very clear and it’s easy to see what is happening. Some of the rooms became a bit repetitive, but given the big differences in the level varieties, this doesn’t feel like a major issue at this stage.
Overall, Echoes of the Unread is set to be a quality NES adventure that will please those who enjoy puzzles, platforming and a fun story. Mega Cat Studios has promised multiple endings, 50 pages to uncover, lots of secrets and a hard mode for those that want a tougher challenge. Those interested should sign up to get notifications when the Kickstarter goes live. No doubt there will be physical options as well as digital for those using emulators.
