Final Fantasy XVI Echoes of the Fallen review: Short by interesting expansion.
Review:
NOTE: This review is only for the Echoes of the Fallen DLC. Nothing about the Rising Tide wil be present.
When it comes to story expansion DLCs, there's always a division that's caused by fans. Is it going to be a good investment? Or are the people behind the game lazy? For this particular example, Echos of the Fallen from Final Fantasy XVI, they have shown that some story elements are worthy to be expanded upon.
According to the story, just before the final boss of the main game, we hear rumors of artificially made crystals that seem to contradict the lore of the actual crystals in-game. As you track down their origins, you come face to face with what remains of an ancient civilization known as The Fallen, whom you have encountered through the main story, but never expanded upon. From their horrible experiments, to their data about how the eikons can be simulated, to even horrible beings that make you use every ounce of your skill to overcome. It’s a bit shorter than most of the other story levels in the game, but it is worth the money, especially the boss that awaits at the end of it. I won't say what exactly happens here to ensure that the players are surprised by it all.
The gameplay is the same as the base game, but you get to face off against corrupted and experimented versions of the enemies from the game, all while traversing through an eerie spire where these fake crystals come. The design makes the setting class a bit, but I like seeing people from ye olden times face against technology beyond their comprehension.
The music has also been a highlight of the DLC, with how mysterious the climb can get and how off-the-wall insane the boss theme is, perfect for those who play FF XIV. The sounds are the same as well, but the added mechanical effects do bring out the sci-fi elements of this quest.
There are even bonus tracks that can be played at the hideout and a new sword to use for gameplay: Cloud Strife’s Buster Sword from FF VII. The stats are pretty weak, especially at this point in the game, but luckily, with how the game makes any sword have any skin on it, all the more worth it.
Overall, despite the shortened length of the mission, the impact of this DLC still lingers in my head, especially how insane the boss was. It was a nice bonus quest that gave you some closure on the Fallen lore, even if everything wasn't revealed here. If you have some cash to burn, then I recommend playing this for yourself and experiencing this short but interesting quest.
8/10