Echochrome
Encyclopedia
is a puzzle game created by Sony's JAPAN Studio
and Game Yarouze, which is available for PlayStation 3
from the PlayStation Store
and for PlayStation Portable
(PSP) on either UMD
or from the PlayStation Store. Gameplay involves a mannequin
figure traversing a rotatable world where physics and reality depend on perspective. The world is occupied by Oscar Reutersvärd
's impossible constructions
. This concept is inspired by M. C. Escher
's artwork, such as "Relativity
". The game is based on the Object Locative Environment Coordinate System
developed by Jun Fujiki—an engine
that determines what is occurring based on the camera's perspective.
The game was first announced at E3 2007. The game was released in Japan on March 19, 2008 on UMD and for download on the PlayStation Store with a demo released on the Japanese PlayStation Network on March 6, 2008. The North American release of Echochrome is only available on the PlayStation Network. A demo was released in North America on April 24, 2008. It was followed by the full version on May 1, 2008. Updates that rotate the set of user created levels occur periodically.
The Asian versions of the game were released on UMD and contain 96 levels. There is also an African version on the way. North American versions are available only by download, and contain 56 levels.
The game was released as a UMD in Europe on July 4, 2008, with 315 levels. It was then released as a download in Europe, with 56 levels, on July 10, which was dubbed Echochrome Micro. Echochrome is also a playable arcade mini-game in the Bowling Alley/Game Space of PlayStation Home
.
PlayStation 3 Trophies were made available for the console version in North America via a patch on December 11, 2008, which features 10 trophies. It includes 2 gold trophies, 1 silver trophy, and 7 bronze trophies. Europe and Japan have now received the trophy patch. A sequel to the game, Echochrome II
, was released for the PlayStation 3
utilizing the PlayStation Move in December 2010. A spinoff was released on the PlayStation Portable
in 2009 titled Echoshift
.
However, the character cannot be directly controlled by the player: it moves autonomously, following a path along the surface of each shape in a manner which keeps the path's boundary on the character's left (that is, in order of preference, turning left, proceeding straight ahead, turning right, or turning back on itself).
The unique aspect of the game is that the path can be altered merely by rotating the shapes and viewing them from a different perspective: for instance if a gap or obstacle is obscured, the character will behave as if the path continues behind the object which currently obscures the gap or obstacle from view. Similarly, if discontinuous shapes or parts of the same shape appear, from the chosen camera angle, to form a continuous path, the character will traverse from one to the other.
Although the character cannot step off the surface of a shape, there are certain points where it may hop off or fall. It then falls downwards to whatever appears to be below it, or off the bottom of the screen to be rematerialized at a previous position. This behaviour forms one of the most compelling aspects of the game because the player must deliberately interpret the three dimensional world as if it were two dimensional in order to determine where the character will land.
at the Tokyo-based sound design company Noisycroak. Most songs on the game score consist of a string quartet including two violins, a viola and a cello. However, three tracks include operatic vocals by singer Rumiko Kitazono. These are the opening themes to the Playstation Portable and Playstation 3 versions of the game, plus an additional theme that is unique to the soundtrack album.
Team Entertainment published the original soundtrack to Echochrome (無限回廊 オリジナルサウンドトラック) on May 21, 2008 under the catalog number KDSD-00209. The performers included Hitoshi Konno (1st violin), Nagisa Kiriyama (2nd violin), Kazuo Watanabe (viola) and Ayano Kasahara (cello). The composer had originally considered naming the game's individual tracks after philosophical terminology to match the title's abstract qualities, but later decided to use prime numbers so as not to color the songs with subjective interpretations.
SCE Japan Studio
SCE Japan Studio is the Japanese production and development arm of the parent company Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc , most noted for the Ape Escape and Loco Roco series. SCE Japan Studio operates as part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios...
and Game Yarouze, which is available for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
from the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
and for PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
(PSP) on either UMD
Universal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...
or from the PlayStation Store. Gameplay involves a mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
figure traversing a rotatable world where physics and reality depend on perspective. The world is occupied by Oscar Reutersvärd
Oscar Reutersvärd
Oscar Reutersvärd , "the father of the impossible figure", was an artist who pioneered the art of impossible objects. These are images such as what was later renamed the Penrose triangle that appear to depict solid objects, which, however, are impossible to construct in reality...
's impossible constructions
Impossible object
An impossible object is a type of optical illusion consisting of a two-dimensional figure which is instantly and subconsciously interpreted by the visual system as representing a projection of a three-dimensional object although it is not actually possible for such an object to exist An impossible...
. This concept is inspired by M. C. Escher
M. C. Escher
Maurits Cornelis Escher , usually referred to as M. C. Escher , was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints...
's artwork, such as "Relativity
Relativity (M. C. Escher)
Relativity is a lithograph print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher, first printed in December 1953.It depicts a world in which the normal laws of gravity do not apply. The architectural structure seems to be the centre of an idyllic community, with most of its inhabitants casually going about their...
". The game is based on the Object Locative Environment Coordinate System
Object Locative Environment Coordinate System
The object locative environment coordinate system, known as OLE coordinate system, is a coordinate system used for virtual environments in which movement constraints are not only defined by the 3D coordinates of objects but by the position of the camera, as well...
developed by Jun Fujiki—an engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
that determines what is occurring based on the camera's perspective.
The game was first announced at E3 2007. The game was released in Japan on March 19, 2008 on UMD and for download on the PlayStation Store with a demo released on the Japanese PlayStation Network on March 6, 2008. The North American release of Echochrome is only available on the PlayStation Network. A demo was released in North America on April 24, 2008. It was followed by the full version on May 1, 2008. Updates that rotate the set of user created levels occur periodically.
The Asian versions of the game were released on UMD and contain 96 levels. There is also an African version on the way. North American versions are available only by download, and contain 56 levels.
The game was released as a UMD in Europe on July 4, 2008, with 315 levels. It was then released as a download in Europe, with 56 levels, on July 10, which was dubbed Echochrome Micro. Echochrome is also a playable arcade mini-game in the Bowling Alley/Game Space of PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
.
PlayStation 3 Trophies were made available for the console version in North America via a patch on December 11, 2008, which features 10 trophies. It includes 2 gold trophies, 1 silver trophy, and 7 bronze trophies. Europe and Japan have now received the trophy patch. A sequel to the game, Echochrome II
Echochrome II
is a 2010 puzzle game developed by SCE Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 utilizing the PlayStation Move. The game is the sequel to the 2008 video game, Echochrome, and was released on December 21, 2010...
, was released for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
utilizing the PlayStation Move in December 2010. A spinoff was released on the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in 2009 titled Echoshift
Echoshift
Echoshift is a puzzle video game for the PlayStation Portable system. The game uses events known as "Time Bounces" in which a small section of time repeats itself over and over again. By exploiting time bounces, the player can overcome various obstacles that would have been otherwise impossible to...
.
Gameplay
Echochrome requires the player to control a moving character—which resembles an articulated wooden artist's mannequin—to visit, in any order, particular locations on the surfaces of collections of three-dimensional shapes. The locations to be visited are marked by shadows ("echoes") of the moving character. When the last marked position has been visited, one further echo appears which must be reached in order to complete the level: scoring is simply a matter of timing completion of each level (or a course containing several levels).However, the character cannot be directly controlled by the player: it moves autonomously, following a path along the surface of each shape in a manner which keeps the path's boundary on the character's left (that is, in order of preference, turning left, proceeding straight ahead, turning right, or turning back on itself).
The unique aspect of the game is that the path can be altered merely by rotating the shapes and viewing them from a different perspective: for instance if a gap or obstacle is obscured, the character will behave as if the path continues behind the object which currently obscures the gap or obstacle from view. Similarly, if discontinuous shapes or parts of the same shape appear, from the chosen camera angle, to form a continuous path, the character will traverse from one to the other.
Although the character cannot step off the surface of a shape, there are certain points where it may hop off or fall. It then falls downwards to whatever appears to be below it, or off the bottom of the screen to be rematerialized at a previous position. This behaviour forms one of the most compelling aspects of the game because the player must deliberately interpret the three dimensional world as if it were two dimensional in order to determine where the character will land.
Audio
The music of Echochrome was composed by Hideki SakamotoHideki Sakamoto
is a video game music composer who has contributed songs to the soundtracks of Echochrome, Yakuza 2, and Yakuza: Kenzan!. He serves as the representative director of Noisycroak, a Tokyo-based sound design company focused on game soundtracks....
at the Tokyo-based sound design company Noisycroak. Most songs on the game score consist of a string quartet including two violins, a viola and a cello. However, three tracks include operatic vocals by singer Rumiko Kitazono. These are the opening themes to the Playstation Portable and Playstation 3 versions of the game, plus an additional theme that is unique to the soundtrack album.
Team Entertainment published the original soundtrack to Echochrome (無限回廊 オリジナルサウンドトラック) on May 21, 2008 under the catalog number KDSD-00209. The performers included Hitoshi Konno (1st violin), Nagisa Kiriyama (2nd violin), Kazuo Watanabe (viola) and Ayano Kasahara (cello). The composer had originally considered naming the game's individual tracks after philosophical terminology to match the title's abstract qualities, but later decided to use prime numbers so as not to color the songs with subjective interpretations.