Survival games continue to attract countless players up and coming Echoes of Elysium on Steam he hopes to join the ranks of his uber successful contemporaries. If you have ever been tempted by games like Valheim or Upthen this upcoming multiplayer title might be one to keep an eye on.
Like many promising indie games on Steam, Echoes of Elysium is actually the debut of developer Loric Games. Naturally, this means he has a lot to prove, but it also suggests the potential for greater innovation and creativity, as Loric isn't necessarily bound by many of the same conventions, workflows and expectations of his more established counterparts. It seems to be working for the developers so far Echoes of Elysium: Airship builderthe free airship customization kit launched in March 2025, already receiving positive reviews before the base game was released. This Airship builder is obviously just a sliver of the final product, but hopefully Loric will continue to enjoy a strong reception in a sea of similar-looking projects.
Echoes of Elysium looks like an awesome survival experience
Echoes of Elysium sure to make a good first impression. Its cell-shaded graphical style isn't unusual, but with a purposeful mix of creamy lighting, compelling character design, and steampunk/solarpunk visuals, the game manages to feel inviting and unique. Combining fantasy and sci-fi tropes through art direction Echoes of Elysium it seems appropriately mysterious and mythical. It's similar to franchises Final Fantasy and Zelda thus.
It's a good thing the game world looks as good as it does, because it looks like players will play a significant role in creating it. As already mentioned, one of Echoes of ElysiumThe company's biggest attraction is its shipbuilding system, which appears to be quite complex: ships can be modified piece by piece, allowing you to create completely new rooms, additions, facades and much more. This goes far beyond the realm of linear upgrades and promises full creative control over the shape, size and functionality of your airship in the game.
Perhaps even more significant than Echoes of ElysiumA ship's customization is its ship-centric mechanics. Since these controllable airships essentially fulfill the role of inland shelters in traditional survival games, they act as bases of operations. You can use your ship to cook and craft the materials you find while exploring the various floating islands of the overworld, but you can also install defensive tools to protect it from imperfect wells. So, Echoes of ElysiumSurvival and action RPG systems are supported and defined by the ship customization sandbox.
Action ARPG and cooperative mechanics can help Echoes of Elysium rise above its competition
Loric Games said “shared fun” is the driving philosophy Echoes of Elysium. Each server is procedurally generated, and each player (there can be up to six) creates their own airship. Loric believes this will lead to the natural formation of team systems and division of tasks. Because each player can not only express themselves through their own characteristics in the game, but also play a unique role on the server. For example, one player might create a massive battleship, while another might opt for a faster freighter. Ideally, this will result in a good balance of resource gathering, exploration, and defense.
Team mechanics should also form naturally as a result of different play styles. Consider a diverse group of six Echoes of Elysium players: two are mainly interested in foot movement and combat, two are interested in cooking and crafting, and two are interested in ship customization. Due to Echoes of ElysiumDistinct game systems that all lean on each other in different ways, each of these theoretical players would contribute to a more balanced and ever-evolving ecosystem of in-game roles.
The above example may represent a harmonious and well-optimized team, but Echoes of ElysiumThe potential of a co-op RPG can go even further. This idea of progression through teamwork could probably lead to even more interesting, unbalanced team compositions. For example, a group of six friends might try a pacifist game, focused more on resource accumulation and sustainability than combat. Of course, the opposite could also play out: a team could go all-in on ship defense and foot combat, boosting their position.
Naturally, we'll have to wait and see how these systems really shake out over time Echoes of Elysium's early access period, which will hopefully provide the data needed to fine-tune the game's most promising mechanics. The crown jewels seem to be purpose-built co-op, customization, and playstyle flexibility Echoes of Elysiumand are likely what will determine whether it can stand out in the ever-growing genre space. It's definitely looking pretty interesting so far, so I'm hoping it can be another co-op survival darling.
