Echo of Soul, EoS for short, is a 3D fantasy MMORPG with a focus on fast-paced combat in a traditional MMORPG environment. The game was developed by several key members of the Lineage II team and features polished gameplay.

Save the World Tree and all of creation from an evil force determined to destroy all life in Echo of Soul. Echo of Soul is a free-to-play 3D fantasy MMORPG originally released in South Korea in 2013. The game was developed by several key members of Lineage 2 and focuses on providing a polished MMORPG experience. Echo of Soul doesn't have any big innovative features and instead focuses on creating a fun PvE and PvP environment. Echo of Soul is one of the only client-based MMORPGs to feature a mobile APP where players can manage their auctions, inventory, and even chat with friends online.

Full Review

Echo of Soul Review

By Marc Marasigan

Echo of Soul, or EoS, is a fantasy-themed 3D MMORPG from Korean game developer Nvius. EoS was ported over to North America and Europe by Aeria Games, who also currently publishes the game. The game officially hit open beta on May 28, 2015 and is available on Aeria Games’ game portal, Aeria Ignite, and on Steam.

EoS is set in a medieval fantasy world, and is yet another game based on the concept of the World Tree. Evil forces are threatening to destroy the World Tree and all of creation by reviving an ancient evil who corrupted the land with his dying blood. As a Hero chosen by the gods, it’s up to the player to stop this from happening while purifying the corrupted souls roaming the land in the process.

The Chosen

Players start the game with a quick intro movie recounting the history of the game world. Cut-scenes and movies have been something I’ve always looked forward to when playing games and this one didn’t disappoint. Players then pick from five gender-locked classes before customizing their character’s appearance. The game gives plenty of options to make your character stand out from the crowd by way of face tattoos and accessories, but sadly, lacks the detailed sliders that allow players to make truly unique-looking characters. The anime-inspired character models look great as they are and I’d gladly play them right off the bat. However, a few extra customization options would have certainly made a big difference.

After creating their characters, players are taken to the starting town of Breya, a small town shrouded in flames and under attack from demons. Speaking to Levina starts players on a quest that will eventually take them all over the world. For players new to the genre, or for players looking for a tutorial, the game features an unobtrusive tutorial system that requires players to click on one of the exclamation points on top of the hotbar if they need more info on what’s going on. These exclamation points pop up when a player encounters something new. The entire tutorial is also voiced, which adds a bit of flare while also appealing to players who don’t care much about reading. It’s also worth mentioning that, as far as I could tell, the tutorial, dialogue, and the NPC voiceovers seem to have been translated flawlessly, so hats off to the translation team.

A World in Chaos

Echo of Soul features stunning visuals comparable to ArcheAge, Tera, and Final Fantasy XIV, and absolutely awesome visual effects. The game’s audio is also quite good – specifically the background music which gives the game a high-fantasy vibe similar to Final Fantasy games. As I mentioned earlier, the game features voiceovers for the tutorial as well as NPCs, which, in my opinion, were also done remarkably well.

Sticking With the Formula

Echo of Soul follows the standard formula for MMORPGs, including breadcrumb quests, item enhancements, dungeons, professions, pets, mounts, and basically “everything an MMO player could want,” according to Junhyung Jung the game’s Global Development Project Manager. Surprisingly, the game lacks a player housing system, which seems to be a standard feature of more modern MMORPGs. The game, however, stands out from the crowd with its unique Soul System where players gain corrupted souls whenever they kill a mob or a boss. These souls then need to be purified near Soul Sanctums, which are located in populated areas. Purified souls can then be used to activate powerful buffs during combat, which grow more powerful as they’re used, or to craft special items. Players can also perform co-op purifications, which consumes only 1 soul instead of the usual 2, with the added bonus of being able to purify souls without needing to be near a Soul Sanctum. Players don’t need to be friends, or even know the other player to perform a co-op purification. All they have to do is right-click on the player and choose co-op Purification from the menu.

Combat and movement is also pretty standard. Players can use both the mouse and the WASD keys to move. A two-tiered hotbar is bound to both the Function Keys (F1, F2,…) and the number keys. Targeting is Tab-based, which makes moving while attacking a bit tricky. Normal mobs are easy enough to take down while dungeon bosses prove to be more of a challenge. Also, unlike normal mobs, dungeon bosses telegraph their special skills, giving players time to get out of the way with the very useful, although awkwardly placed, roll button (default key is F1). Another unique aspect about combat in EoS is that there is no dedicated healing class. This throws the usual Tank, DPS, Healer setup for a loop. All healing is done through consumables that allow players to heal themselves and other members of the party. This requires more organized parties and raid groups since players not only need to monitor their HP gauges but the tank’s as well, and be ready to help heal him, or other players, when needed.

The Daily Grind

Another unique aspect of Echo of Soul is that the in-game quests only require the players to do two or three things to complete them. This keeps grinding down to the barest minimum, which is always a good thing. For players who like a bit of grinding, even with the virtually infinite number of quests available, the game features Infinite Hunting Grounds where players can complete repeatable quests to their hearts content. Infinite Dungeons are also available for players who want to run previously completed dungeons for additional exp and items. Keep in mind that the mobs and bosses will be out for revenge and will be a bit stronger the second time around.

Character progression is pretty fast in EoS. I got to Level 10 in only about an hour and went through several sets of equipment without spending anything, so getting to Level 60, the current level cap, shouldn’t be much of a problem. Again, this is a good thing, considering that the game seems to be focused on end-game dungeon runs and raiding. Class skills are automatically unlocked upon reaching certain levels. At Level 10, players are given the chance to specialize in one of two sub-classes, which unlocks the chosen path’s skills. Path skills are learned by spending skill points, which players gain every two levels. The next skill tier is then unlocked by reaching certain level milestones, which is usually every four levels or so.

Battling on the Battlefield

An MMORPG that claims to have everything an MMO player could want just wouldn’t be complete without a way for players to beat the cr…*cough cough* test their skills against each other. Players can challenge other players to Duels as early as Level 1 and can join Battlefields when they reach Level 10. In Battlefields, player levels and stats are automatically adjusted to create a balanced and fun playing field. Currently, only two battlefield maps are available and are chosen at random. Hopefully the devs will add more soon.

Cash Shop

Echo of Soul is a free-to-play games, and like all free to play games, has to make money through an in-game cash shop where players can exchange Aeria Points (AP), which they can purchase using real-world money, for premium items. The cash shop offers a whole lot of cosmetic items, like costumes, hats, and face types, along with a bare handful of “convenience” items, like buffs as well as items used to safely upgrade and refine equipment. There are no experience boosters, even with a Founder’s Pack, so everybody more or less starts off on even footing.

Final Verdict – Great

Echo of Soul looks like a great game right from the get-go. Like most new MMORPGs, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the genre, but it definitely lives up to having everything a player could want in an MMORPG – well, everything except for a healer class. Not really sure if this setup will work for or against the game, but at least they’re trying to mix things up in a genre that’s gone staler than last week’s bread. Definitely one to try.