Congratulations to EchoProject for the amazing game, art and soundtrack. I'm in love with the story and will prob never be the same. I hope that eventually there will be a playlist somewhere cause i love the musics in this game.
I looked online for a suggested route and I was happy when I did this route:
Leo -> Flynn -> Carl -> TJ -> Jenna (due to completed route, of course)
In that order, to me, it felt like each route I gradually learned more and more about "it" and about their past. Until you get TJ, who spells it all out for you and, in my opinion, has the biggest reveal.
McSkinny agreed with the route order R65 -> Carl -> Leo -> Jenna -> TJ -> Flynn.
I am a very strong proponent of Flynn going last. I would also recommend playing TSR too before starting. It makes one of the routes a lot more impactful imo.
I am too, but I think their relationship problems are very nearly insurmountable! Leo is obsessive and didn't treat Chase the way he should have. Also Chase enables him and keeps him hopping they can be together by leading him on and ghosting him!
I think they could have worked out their problems, but it would be very hard! They really are cute together, but it'd be so hard for them to actually work things out!
I see Jenna's route (without Chase being with her) leaving it open ended. She admitted to being jealous and Leo only admited to Chase being his Ex. If they talk it out off screen, they might have ended together, which is my personal headcanon.
Absolutely amazing visual novel, some of the best I've read, masterful writing, theming and immersion. while I haven't read the update yet I know its going to be amazing , every character is lovable despite their flaws. The writers attention to detail is immaculate. This whole VN is a roller coaster ride, (make sure to bring some tissues!) Their whole collection is absolutely amazing, for me this one takes the cake!
I started playing Echo a few months ago and basically binged each route within 2 weeks. Now having just finished the last of Jenna's route... I'm speechless. Her good ending is nothing short of phenomenal, especially losing the authority to chose what music to play at the restaurant. Seeing the "..." has never been so impactful and it was actually jaw dropping. Out of all the endings, Jenna's is definitely my favorite and I hope that her good ending is the one that is continued from in Arches. It tied everything into a really nice bow, gave closure to a lot of hanging threads like Leo's obsession plus redeeming his character, and finally showing how Sam's influence on Chase is laid to rest (while also revealing Sam as the one who was haunting him in the first place). Initially I thought it was Sydney or just a sadistic version of Chase himself but Sam's introduction in Jenna's route really goes a long way after having played through what is available of The Smoke Room. It makes me wonder how Sam ended up in that position at his death. At the very least it seems like he was old when he died so we know for sure he lived a long life.
Anyway, enough derailing. This VN is remarkable, nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. I can't wait to see what genius is in store for us in the future, and thank you Echo Project for creating these series of masterpieces, including Adastra and it's extensions. You all deserve so much more than Patreon crowd funding.
Echo had been on my list of VNs to play ever since finishing Adastra last year but put it off because i was partly turned off by the idea of the horror genre plus Adastra seriously pulled at my heartstrings so much i cried my eyes out when it was over and was weary about going through that again so soon. I only started playing Echo 5 days ago and i'm glad i waited as long as i did, not knowing the VN wasn't complete yet. Some seriously good timing on my part!
Safe to say i was sucked right into the game and having just completed my final route i'm emotionally broken again and yes i did cry again. Genuinely i just want to cuddle TJ, I'm both in love with and disgusted by Leo, feel sorry for Flynn despite his behaviour, hopeful for Carl, proud of Jenna and really relate to Chase. For those curious i played the following:
TJ > Leo > Flynn > Carl > Benefits > Route 65 > Jenna
I still have The Smoke Room and Arches to play but they won't be with the core group so it won't really feel the same. Without a doubt though this is definitely one of if not my favourite VN i've ever played. Thank you so so much to the EchoProject team for producing the wonderful pieces of art that you make. I hope you can continue for many years to come!
Here's a though t that may be helpful. Andean communities have long had the notion fo an Apu. This is an entity which gathers on or around a peak near a community, embodying the harmony with which that community lives. A mature apu strives to keep the community in harmony, and so ensure its own health. Apus can become over-enthusiastic and roboticise their community, forcing people into rote activity in th epursuit fo harmony. This drifts into another state, in which strong feelings, but always negative, are harnesed. This flow is caled "hucha", and results in parasiticisationa nd ultimate destruction fo the community. Echo isa hucha-fuelled apu.
The complex cosmology that supports this notion has two blocks, one of total order, th eother toal disorder, with a flow of th eopposite of hucha, Illya, flwoing fromt he one to the other. Our world constitutes a mebrane that stops these two instantly annihilating each other. It is constructed and maintained by a layer of order called the hanaq, at the orders of another layer, called the uchu. Apus arerooted in the uchu. Other beings - saqras - exist as partial inteligences, spun off from apus and their activities. Echo has a number of such, from the haunted van to Sam rebooted, to ultimately, the unfortunate Flynn.
I'm glad I supported an followed this to end, such good work <3 Really my only question is if the knowledge of other paths is supposed to inform the other paths or if we are supposed to assume they are all seperate.
Need a bit of help! (SPOILERS AHEAD! ONLY READ WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED JENNA'S ROUTE)
Since apparently there are 2 endings for Jenna's route, does anyone know how to get the "bad" ending? No matter how many times I've replayed and tried different options, I always get the ending where everyone survives the night and regroups at the diner. The last option to pick whether to let Jenna or Micha do the talking only leads to a slight variation but ultimately identical ending. Unless those are the two endings, can anyone tell me how to get the other ending (presumably bad) ending? Thanks in advance!
the bad ending can actually be played if you choose either option! i chose that i was bisexual, and i got the bad ending. but, i think talking about this helps in singling out which option provides the bad ending or the good ending.
so....it's over? can't really believe it. Can't say I wasn't expecting this but I was at least expecting several more updates until it was completed. This vn has put me through a lot and inspired me to even start writing myself. I haven't been following for that long but it seems like forever and with no more updates to look forward to it's like a there is a hole in my chest just like when I finished reading each of the others routes. Guess I could re-read it from time to time.
Luckily, they're going to make "Arches" which will be the sequel. The teasers have been showing the gay couple Devon and Cameron (the coyote and bear) that show up at the end of some of the routes. There's also the prequel "The Smoke Room" that's come a decent way but far from over itself.
This game has also inspired me to start writing horror myself, and it's amazing to think how this game has inspired and affected so many people. It's no arguement that the team of EchoProject is very talented with what they do, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the future.
I can't really describe how much this game has impacted me, so I'll just keep this as short as I can haha. Thank you so much for all the work and love you poured into this thing. This is such a horrifying, powerful, incredible story, and I'll never forget it. ❤️⚓
I've just finished Leo route and I'm just shocked. But I did notice a lot of people saying chase was bad to leo, I know it was kinda mean to live him like that, but I can understand chase and how he couldn't stay in echo and wanted to leave, I mean would you want to live there the town is twisted, plus didn't leo wanted to stay in echo instead of leaving?
I thought that I hate the Leo route just because chase and him didn't have a good closure or broke up, not that thing of braking in the train that feels awfuls and more cuz' they both are in love with each other like True love but then they just broke up like nothing xd I'm pissed for that
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED IN THIS ROUTEEEEEEEEEEE I didn't expect anything of all the kidnappin' and brian-duke crazyness, WTFFFF It's was so terrifying the brian stuff and how He NEARLY violate chase chocking him and then killing him, It was so scary and gross. (Tysm Sam for saving us)
I love the way Chase act in the route, just the same Chase as carl's route and that's recomfortin' , but jeeeeeze I didn't thought of all the hysteria happening again just like in Flynn's route even it was the same process!! But GOD I love how we look for everybody and how we save them.
With That I REALLY REALLY love Leo (just the sane Leo and the leo without a ghost controlling his guts) and I really think that it's a shame of how his route antagonized him, it's not his fault and nearly everything that he did it was for the sake for all of his friends (Still he went mad and then he messed everything LOL) But Jesus I don't like it, I really hate the final of his good ending, that shit didn't fell like "Good" and I HATE IT cuz the story have everything to make a good ending even if we left Leo behind.
It would be perfect an ending where all of us stayed as friends after seeing all that crap and realizing how we really care about each others (even Flynn cares about TJ, and Jenna cares about Flynn) and then we broke up with Leo but with could AT LEAST took him on the train and then to a therapist. Cuz' This ending of everyone escapin' and then everybody mad at each other (not talkin' to each others like in Carl's ending) feels off and more with all the trauma thing. I Dunno, I really love this game and it have a perfect storytellin'
All I can say is Chase really wasn't loving Leo anymore after seeing what he did and everything that happened he just had to get out of echo and realized Leo would keep him there.
One of the routes has the voices mentioning the day Chase learned what water feels like for everyone else: SUFOCATING. So I thought he and Sydney almost drowned together. But after reading all routes, the only moment Chase nearly drowns is during Carl's route. Are the voices pulling information from alternate timelines?
I think of it like the way Chase got his trauma, it's the way of how he realize what Syd had feel while he was dying, that he was SUFOCATING till he passed out
Ok, now I'm really hoping Chase and Leo get together at the end of Jenna's route. Spoiler:
It's the only route with a heavy focus on Leo where he also fully opens up. We get the whole story on why shadow Chase exists while Leo recognizes it is just his fake idealized version of Chase. Jenna also seems to get more and more annoying with her psychoanalysis BS. We know for a fact that Chase and Leo do love each other, so let those fuckers be together, dammit!
I'm pretty sure the obsession is one sided, I hear ya but I doubt chase cares about Leo all that much, Leo is just a friend and an ex he is trying to avoid
I sympathize with Leo and think he deserves better, but that "better" is most likely a new relationship, chase is an asshole.
I really simphatized with Leo, we just need to think how chase """broke""" with him and then dissapired for 3 years, and then come back and treat Leo like nothing happen. That's awful and really messed up, anybody would act like Flynn towards Chase treatin' him like a liar and bad bf but Leo STILL treat chase like he is some god and a perfection of human being
But I think their pretty messed up, and it would take a lot of work for them to have a healthy relationship now. Not to mention that Chase is pretty put off by what he learned about Leo...
SPOILERS CARLS ROUTE (also TJ and Flynn. I write so much God I'm in love with the game xd)
I just finished Carl's route and I'm feeling like i'm going to explode for all the Roller coaster of emotions.
Firts of all I LOVE the final, It trully feels like a Good ending, my only doubt it's Leo, I wish that he would went with us in all that time traveling shit, so just like that he would be happy with us and he would got rid of him problem (So in this final we could see that at least our group of friends it's better than in any other final, we were 6 and got down to 4/3 depending if Leo had been stayed with us). But I'm kinda sad/disapointed that we didn't see much about sidney, I stan sidney and I love him LOL
AND OMG I'm shocked of how many answers this route gave me, We know that there are 3 o more ghost (james, john and the Socklet face) each of them with their own desires!! And we saw what the hell happened on TJ's route, about Why Chase saw the fox (john) hanging on the forest, why on Flynn's route we saw how the town condemn a person killing it (The haging process of Jonh), Why chase saw a little kid hanging himself in the motel for later saw the socklet/james in the mirror telling him to kill Flynn (I'm guessing that this a clue of the Missing native Kid, and why James said that Echo need secrets)
But still this route feels odd cuz' they never explained wha the hell happened with TJ, even on his route with didn't see what it's his f*ckin' problem, Why TJ attack jenna? Why TJ has that trauma of sidney? And why HE. CAN'T. JUST. SAY. IT?. I really hate TJ in all tge routes, I can't tolerate him xd
I just realized another reason about why I LOVED this route, it feels really good to see how chase is chase (baing himself and not a f*ckin' murderer or a crazy dude), and watch how he get rid of all the problem around him and hia group (I like the way the crazy people here is Jenna and carl but not chase). Another reason it's how he REALLY did his project, not like in TJ's route where he didn't give a crap about his study.
Pd: I really love Raven, he is one of the highlights of carl route, it's not like daxton or the stupid deer, he is REALLY supportive, wise and useful in the story, that and I wish they had a final where Leo it's with us.
Pd.2: That f*cking creepy/horror/screamer laugh on the night killed me, I wasn't ready for it and I spilled my soul to heaven at the moment it just scared me. I hate it and I love it.
On TJ route we got the confirmation that Chase killed Sidney, but why? On that route it looks like Chase is super protective with TJ and that's why he just killed Flynn when there was 'danger' (and i bet he would've killed even the Deer guy if he could), but when they were kids he didnt seem to be so obsessed with TJ (i believe it's because of Echo that he was acting that weird) and he doesn't seem to hate Sidney that much, so why did he actually killed him? And who tf did the whole treasure hunt? Was Socket Monster (Flynn)?, it couldn't be anyone on the group but Jenna who knew about the hanging man but only TJ knows what happened on the lake.
I don't know why Chase killed Sydney, the only thing I can think of is either it was an accident or the Echo entity made him do it!
As for the treasure hunt, fans have a lot of opinions! Mine is that TJ was possessed by possibly Sydney and made the letters, but that doesn't explain why the letters appeared old.
Sidney kinda wanted to die, bc Micah said that he dreamed with Chase killing him on the lake but he was "grateful about it". My guess is that the Echo entity was tormenting him because Sidney technically killed his dad, and then he was acting weird and maybe tried to kill TJ under the influence of Echo and Chase got nuts.
From what I gathered, in Flynn's route, we see the accidental death Sydney did to his father, giving context to the rumors Chase, TJ, and Carl know in TJ's route in their flashback scene: the rumor of him killing his father. So, a kid that bullied you and your friends now having talk that he killed his own dad stacked on top of all that?
This...did not look good for Sydney's reputation at the time along with how much of a dick he acted to the group in general with his roughhousing and bullying. So Chase was already wary of Sydney from the get-go once that secret was out.
In TJ's route, The day Chase saw Sydney mess with TJ at the beach with pulling him about in the water, he assumed the worst with intentions and He finally got fed up with Sydney's antics, thus leading to Chase killing him and the possession taking over him from that point onwards, changing him for the manipulator we see controlling TJ now in the present.
Now, whether or not it was from pure hatred or being controlled by the (socket man?) spirit when it appeared at the beach, I'm unclear of. Everyone disliked Sydney but Flynn. So I wouldn't doubt that Chase would go that far.
Well, it's not the first time Chase confronted Sydney about this! Recall when he did just that at the railroad tracks, pushing him about to show how it feels. When he fought with Sydney at the beach, he was screaming about Chase trying to kill him and the situation just escalated from there.
Ummm Okay, I just finished the TJ's route and I'm sure that I hate TJ's for being a cry baby Xd
SPOILERS
Okay ummm I just love how in this route we saw more about Sidney (that's the highlight of the route, I just hate TJ personality). But I can get it, Is it true that Chase killed sidney and TJ saw it?! That's so shitty!! And I quite don't understand it cuz' in Flynn's route he told the story about Syd's dead different (like the Sand castle, Carl sleeping, Jenna playing with TJ but leaving for stuff, Leo nowhere) but in this Route the story is different so I don't know if it's my fault xD
And God I think that my main love in this game is Sidney. I just love him so much
So far i have completed these routes and this is what i remembered
Leo's route best scenario - I believed this is the neutral ending and the most "logical" ending i've played. Leo stayed in Echo, while everybody went out, i think that's what happened?
Flynn's route - I still can't understand this, can anyone explain it better. I have played and see the ending when Flynn become a monster. Is the shadow Chase in the car is when Chase possesion broke? Is the Chase Duke's saw is shadow Chase? And is the Chase all along the story is the real Chase? If it's not, then how is the real chase? And what happened to Flynn? Why he died and become monster? He was with Carl and Dax right? Also is the Chase in the end of route (5 years later after it happened), is the real Chase? And what happened to the others afterward? "To be continued...", does that mean that story hasn't been finished yet? Or it is for a new story?
TJ's route - I forgot a bit about this route. What i remembered is that Chase and TJ are the one who playing a role in Sydney's dead. Who killed Sydney? And what happened afterwards this route? Is TJ in his route is the real him? Is Chase in this route is shadow Chase? I need more explanation...
And then, the most "logical" ending is in the Leo's route? This game doesn't have "good" ending at all? I'm confused but the story is... really well-written.
Or anyone has written the story conclusion somewhere?
Thank you! Yeah i'm confused really much until the points there are too many questions in my head. Now i understand how Flynn dies and what happened afterwards. Is Flynn becoming the socket monster that is haunting them? So the socket monster has ability to travel through time? Who is the kid in front of the wardrobe where Flynn's monster is?
Well yes, Leo's good ending is where everyone is safe (But i feel sad tho, he ends up depressed, well he was obsessed to Chase and that is a no-no but it was tragic to see that.) But someone said the Chase Leo loved is not real Chase? I heard that the real Chase isn't gay and isn't the Chase Leo loved.
I haven't played Carl's and Jenna's route (i will later, i just finished Flynn's route and one route already take so much time)
I think Flynn's route is the route with most story explained, but still a bad ending. TJ's route... it's obvious it's the worst ending.
I heard Arches will adapt from Flynn's route, does that mean that Flynn is died in Arches? Sad to hear that though. Do you think the curse will ever end? I think it's going to be a loop forever if it's like that.
The little kid at the end was Jenna, she sees the monster he most!
I just can't hate Leo! He became obbsesed over Chase because as a maned wolf he would mate for life. Also Chase didn't treat him very well and broke up with him in a pretty bad way, then the forces of Echo twisted Leo's thoughts!
About the possession and love, its complicated. Leo already had a crush on Chase before he was possesssed.
After thinking about it and go through the routes again, it seems Chase really was himself, just altered by the entities.
Leo loved both versions of Chase, and never seemed to notice the difference.
I could be wrong about that though!
Anyway, I think Flynn's ending and TJ's endings are the most tragic, and Leos ending is kinda depressing!
I wish there was a better end for Flynn and an end where Leo doesn't get mental trauma and stays friends with chase.
Yeah, Leo still had chance to recover tho from his depression, but he might will never be with Chase again. Still sad but... well this game don't want you to be happy - Echo curse.
For Flynn's route, i think it's the real route, because if Flynn didn't became the monster, then they will never saw any monster in the first place, but the possesion still likely be there - again, Echo curse, that what i called it. If Flynn still had control to his emotion, he would likely be a good monster, but seeing what happened and where the monster appear, i think Flynn still cared to them but he did wrong things, instead of helping them it make more mistakes. Like how he appeared when Jenna's parent is arguing.
I'm sad, but i think there is no way to escape the curse in this game and the prequel, i hope the sequel will have good ending or i might cry lol (jk). If it's not then it will be complete loop, until nobody lives there again (which mean, dead, or if they hop into the train [maybe it was the only way to escape from Echo])
Anyway thanks for discussing this, now i understand more than before.
After I finished Leo's route, I was depressed for at least 2 days...
I mean, even though Chase didn't like echo, he shouldn't left Leo alone like that. He should've at least communicated with him for the past 3 years, but damn...
That was why Leo's obsession with Chase got worse that it even influenced THE entity in echo.
Its reveled in Jenna's route that Chase would text Leo at night when he was at collage. He even said he loved him and would come back someday! So Chase added to Leo's obsession.
I think Chase should have stayed with Leo and not gotten on the train...
I just did the Flynn's route and my mind is so messed up!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED????? I can't understand anything with that final! Tho I loved the soundtrack and the POP song xD that was my favorite (I'm in love with sidney and leo :( )
But why?? That's what I don't understand, It was because he went crazy for didn't forget sidney and want to see him again? because I can understand why he died but not how the monster took the control of him
"Sam" used Flynn's desire to learn the truth to mutilate Flynn into a body that he can use to ride the "ebb and flow" of Echo. Flynn desperately wanted to know what happened to Sidney and he was ultimately denied that possibility when he traveled back in time to the incident and his eyes dissolved. You'll see more of the Sam/Flynn monster in other routes but it doesn't seem to be evil. In fact it seems to play the part of a vigilante at times. "We make the justice we are given"
OMGGGG now I get it!!!! now I understand why he said that (We make the justice we are given). And It's so true that this route is so cruel and like a tragedy with all the Sidney's dead and the crazyness of Flynn :( He deserved a better ending where he could forget about sidney and where he would live in peace with carl
I don't hate him at all. He makes some terrible mistakes but his feelings are genuine and we can understand his reasons for being pissed by reading multiple routes. Any problems he might have can be solved through dialogue. I hope he and Chase end up together in the canon ending.
I think Leo is afraid of the future and losing what he once had. HE wanted to get his childhood friend group back together, but they kinda didn't get along. So he wanted his ex boyfriend back, but went about it in a ridicules and unhealthy way! His natural tendencies where twisted and exaggerated by the hysteria. Also Chase and Jenna really didn't treat him right!
I don't think his problems can be solved just by talking, he needs to be happy about what he does have, and also leave Echo!
Then some of his problems seem to just be part of who he is and would be very difficult to change.
In the end Leo is a tragic character!
Also unfortunately there will be no canon route added.
i hate people who feel like talking to a brick wall when youre arguing. like hes clearly dumb as at least half a sack of doornails but whatever he says or however he sees it in his own head is right no matter what and inarguable. At the same time i still feel bad for him though.
Where can I find explanations for the dream sequences? I'm really curious about the one on TJ's route, the one right after the diner scene
With the maggots, the creeping paw in the bush, the bodies in the water and toolshed near the lake, everything I have seen in it was confusing and I had no context for it.
Well its kinda complicated and I don't know if I interpret it right!
Spoilers!!!!
First I think the bodies where Chase's friends and possibly himself too! A possible vision of the bad ending of Jenna's route. The shed I really don't know.
The maggots where to show that TJ was dead, and the creeping paw may have been the socketman reaching out to take TJ's body!
I could be wrong and crazy, but thats what I got from it.
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((SPOILERS))
Does Jenna have a bad ending? I keep getting a good ending no matter what? if there is a bad ending how do I trigger it?
Choose option to make her view the town as evil place, 'Agreed with her opinion about Leo, 'This town break people'
Thank you kindly!
Is it by coincidence that some of the locations in this Visual Novel is in real life?, or is it intentional?
Ok, Thanks!
Congratulations to EchoProject for the amazing game, art and soundtrack. I'm in love with the story and will prob never be the same. I hope that eventually there will be a playlist somewhere cause i love the musics in this game.
It's nice to see a finished product lol GRATS TO ECHOPROJECT AND EVERYONE THAT HAS BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING :D
Played these months ago and gonna start replaying all routes soon. Dang excited for new content!
From a story perspective and w/o spoilers can anyone recommend a route order? I'm thinking of doing them one character at a time.
There seems to be a lot of recommended route orders.
Mine is Carl>Flynn>TJ>Leo>Jenna.
I looked online for a suggested route and I was happy when I did this route:
Leo -> Flynn -> Carl -> TJ -> Jenna (due to completed route, of course)
In that order, to me, it felt like each route I gradually learned more and more about "it" and about their past. Until you get TJ, who spells it all out for you and, in my opinion, has the biggest reveal.
McSkinny agreed with the route order R65 -> Carl -> Leo -> Jenna -> TJ -> Flynn.
I am a very strong proponent of Flynn going last. I would also recommend playing TSR too before starting. It makes one of the routes a lot more impactful imo.
Spoilers!
I'm still sad that there isn't a ending where Chase and Leo actually solve their problems and stay together :c
I am too, but I think their relationship problems are very nearly insurmountable! Leo is obsessive and didn't treat Chase the way he should have. Also Chase enables him and keeps him hopping they can be together by leading him on and ghosting him!
I think they could have worked out their problems, but it would be very hard! They really are cute together, but it'd be so hard for them to actually work things out!
I see Jenna's route (without Chase being with her) leaving it open ended. She admitted to being jealous and Leo only admited to Chase being his Ex. If they talk it out off screen, they might have ended together, which is my personal headcanon.
damn, I didn't expect Sam to die like that..
In Echo he's been dead for a long time!
Or did you mean the flashback scene?
it was the flashback scene, the one that Mr. Bronson ran over Sam in Chase's dream
Yeah, I see.
Absolutely amazing visual novel, some of the best I've read, masterful writing, theming and immersion. while I haven't read the update yet I know its going to be amazing , every character is lovable despite their flaws. The writers attention to detail is immaculate. This whole VN is a roller coaster ride, (make sure to bring some tissues!) Their whole collection is absolutely amazing, for me this one takes the cake!
Wow. I'm awestruck.
(General spoilers for every route ahead.)
I started playing Echo a few months ago and basically binged each route within 2 weeks. Now having just finished the last of Jenna's route... I'm speechless. Her good ending is nothing short of phenomenal, especially losing the authority to chose what music to play at the restaurant. Seeing the "..." has never been so impactful and it was actually jaw dropping. Out of all the endings, Jenna's is definitely my favorite and I hope that her good ending is the one that is continued from in Arches. It tied everything into a really nice bow, gave closure to a lot of hanging threads like Leo's obsession plus redeeming his character, and finally showing how Sam's influence on Chase is laid to rest (while also revealing Sam as the one who was haunting him in the first place). Initially I thought it was Sydney or just a sadistic version of Chase himself but Sam's introduction in Jenna's route really goes a long way after having played through what is available of The Smoke Room. It makes me wonder how Sam ended up in that position at his death. At the very least it seems like he was old when he died so we know for sure he lived a long life.
Anyway, enough derailing. This VN is remarkable, nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. I can't wait to see what genius is in store for us in the future, and thank you Echo Project for creating these series of masterpieces, including Adastra and it's extensions. You all deserve so much more than Patreon crowd funding.
Yeah, truly!
Jenna's good ending is so satisfying!
They all remain friends and it seems they are starting to overcome their problems!
(although I still ship Chase x Leo)
Echo had been on my list of VNs to play ever since finishing Adastra last year but put it off because i was partly turned off by the idea of the horror genre plus Adastra seriously pulled at my heartstrings so much i cried my eyes out when it was over and was weary about going through that again so soon. I only started playing Echo 5 days ago and i'm glad i waited as long as i did, not knowing the VN wasn't complete yet. Some seriously good timing on my part!
Safe to say i was sucked right into the game and having just completed my final route i'm emotionally broken again and yes i did cry again. Genuinely i just want to cuddle TJ, I'm both in love with and disgusted by Leo, feel sorry for Flynn despite his behaviour, hopeful for Carl, proud of Jenna and really relate to Chase. For those curious i played the following:
TJ > Leo > Flynn > Carl > Benefits > Route 65 > Jenna
I still have The Smoke Room and Arches to play but they won't be with the core group so it won't really feel the same. Without a doubt though this is definitely one of if not my favourite VN i've ever played. Thank you so so much to the EchoProject team for producing the wonderful pieces of art that you make. I hope you can continue for many years to come!
What happened to my legs and feet on Leo's route
They become free jerky.
They ran off
Here's a though t that may be helpful. Andean communities have long had the notion fo an Apu. This is an entity which gathers on or around a peak near a community, embodying the harmony with which that community lives. A mature apu strives to keep the community in harmony, and so ensure its own health.
Apus can become over-enthusiastic and roboticise their community, forcing people into rote activity in th epursuit fo harmony. This drifts into another state, in which strong feelings, but always negative, are harnesed. This flow is caled "hucha", and results in parasiticisationa nd ultimate destruction fo the community. Echo isa hucha-fuelled apu.
The complex cosmology that supports this notion has two blocks, one of total order, th eother toal disorder, with a flow of th eopposite of hucha, Illya, flwoing fromt he one to the other. Our world constitutes a mebrane that stops these two instantly annihilating each other. It is constructed and maintained by a layer of order called the hanaq, at the orders of another layer, called the uchu. Apus arerooted in the uchu. Other beings - saqras - exist as partial inteligences, spun off from apus and their activities. Echo has a number of such, from the haunted van to Sam rebooted, to ultimately, the unfortunate Flynn.
More on this here: http://www.darksunbrightmoon.com/ See 'plot summary' for a more analytical view of the cosmology.
Well, thats really weird and interesting!
Not sure it applies to Echo as its strongly implied that whatever causes all that weird stuff has always been evil.
Can somebody explain what happened to Jenna's Bad Ending? :3
I think Jenna finished what Heather was about to do:flood the town.
I just finished Jenna route good ending!
Its really satisfying after all the other endings!
I wish there was an epilogue that shows them all staying friends...
Maybe Arches will be lighthearted! maybe...
Arches?
Arches is the continuation of Echo (I think) https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-project-40585641
Haha you wish
I saw the artist who makes the backgrounds for Arches say its the darkest things he's ever worked on!
Paintfox mostly does wholesome arts so i'm really interest what he can do to bring out dark element to Arches :D
Yeah! I look foreword to it!
I'm glad I supported an followed this to end, such good work <3 Really my only question is if the knowledge of other paths is supposed to inform the other paths or if we are supposed to assume they are all seperate.
Need a bit of help! (SPOILERS AHEAD! ONLY READ WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED JENNA'S ROUTE)
Since apparently there are 2 endings for Jenna's route, does anyone know how to get the "bad" ending? No matter how many times I've replayed and tried different options, I always get the ending where everyone survives the night and regroups at the diner. The last option to pick whether to let Jenna or Micha do the talking only leads to a slight variation but ultimately identical ending. Unless those are the two endings, can anyone tell me how to get the other ending (presumably bad) ending? Thanks in advance!
the bad ending can actually be played if you choose either option! i chose that i was bisexual, and i got the bad ending. but, i think talking about this helps in singling out which option provides the bad ending or the good ending.
(spoilers)
when talking to jenna on thursday, agree with her and say "this town breaks people". that will lock you into the bad ending
Yep i can confirm this. Thanks for the help!
Before i download the completed version how many routes r there
5 routes for all the friends (Jenna, TJ, Flynn, Carl and Leo.) Some of them have varied endings.
I'm about to download completed Echo!
I can't believe its finished!
so....it's over? can't really believe it. Can't say I wasn't expecting this but I was at least expecting several more updates until it was completed. This vn has put me through a lot and inspired me to even start writing myself. I haven't been following for that long but it seems like forever and with no more updates to look forward to it's like a there is a hole in my chest just like when I finished reading each of the others routes. Guess I could re-read it from time to time.
Luckily, they're going to make "Arches" which will be the sequel. The teasers have been showing the gay couple Devon and Cameron (the coyote and bear) that show up at the end of some of the routes. There's also the prequel "The Smoke Room" that's come a decent way but far from over itself.
This game has also inspired me to start writing horror myself, and it's amazing to think how this game has inspired and affected so many people. It's no arguement that the team of EchoProject is very talented with what they do, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the future.
Sequal not prequal :P the prequal is The Smoke Room
I can't really describe how much this game has impacted me, so I'll just keep this as short as I can haha. Thank you so much for all the work and love you poured into this thing. This is such a horrifying, powerful, incredible story, and I'll never forget it. ❤️⚓
i tried update mac on Itch app but i keep get error: 'This title is hosted on an incompatible third-party website'
not even sure what that mean
The download button sends you to MediaFire, so I'd assume the itch.io app can't update off of it. Try downloading it off the itch.io website instead!
alright that make sense, thank for reply :D
Seems to have been repaired now!
The time has come and so have I.
SPOILER!!
I've just finished Leo route and I'm just shocked. But I did notice a lot of people saying chase was bad to leo, I know it was kinda mean to live him like that, but I can understand chase and how he couldn't stay in echo and wanted to leave, I mean would you want to live there the town is twisted, plus didn't leo wanted to stay in echo instead of leaving?
Yes, it was shocking and sad.
Yeah Chase had to get out of Echo.
I wonder if there was anything he could have said to make Leo get on the train with him?
Or if Chase could have stayed after all?
I thought that I hate the Leo route just because chase and him didn't have a good closure or broke up, not that thing of braking in the train that feels awfuls and more cuz' they both are in love with each other like True love but then they just broke up like nothing xd I'm pissed for that
I don't know, it seems Chase fell out of love with Leo.
Its pretty sad as I just never found Kudzu as interesting as Leo!
I want to see an ending where Leo and Chase get a chance to talk about their problems and maybe stay friends.
*SPOILERS LEO'S ROUTE*
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED IN THIS ROUTEEEEEEEEEEE I didn't expect anything of all the kidnappin' and brian-duke crazyness, WTFFFF It's was so terrifying the brian stuff and how He NEARLY violate chase chocking him and then killing him, It was so scary and gross. (Tysm Sam for saving us)
I love the way Chase act in the route, just the same Chase as carl's route and that's recomfortin' , but jeeeeeze I didn't thought of all the hysteria happening again just like in Flynn's route even it was the same process!! But GOD I love how we look for everybody and how we save them.
With That I REALLY REALLY love Leo (just the sane Leo and the leo without a ghost controlling his guts) and I really think that it's a shame of how his route antagonized him, it's not his fault and nearly everything that he did it was for the sake for all of his friends (Still he went mad and then he messed everything LOL) But Jesus I don't like it, I really hate the final of his good ending, that shit didn't fell like "Good" and I HATE IT cuz the story have everything to make a good ending even if we left Leo behind.
It would be perfect an ending where all of us stayed as friends after seeing all that crap and realizing how we really care about each others (even Flynn cares about TJ, and Jenna cares about Flynn) and then we broke up with Leo but with could AT LEAST took him on the train and then to a therapist. Cuz' This ending of everyone escapin' and then everybody mad at each other (not talkin' to each others like in Carl's ending) feels off and more with all the trauma thing. I Dunno, I really love this game and it have a perfect storytellin'
Oh wow!
All I can say is Chase really wasn't loving Leo anymore after seeing what he did and everything that happened he just had to get out of echo and realized Leo would keep him there.
spoiler
One of the routes has the voices mentioning the day Chase learned what water feels like for everyone else: SUFOCATING. So I thought he and Sydney almost drowned together. But after reading all routes, the only moment Chase nearly drowns is during Carl's route. Are the voices pulling information from alternate timelines?
Odd, I never thought of it like that!
I don't think thats what it meant though. I'm not sure however.
I think of it like the way Chase got his trauma, it's the way of how he realize what Syd had feel while he was dying, that he was SUFOCATING till he passed out
Ok, now I'm really hoping Chase and Leo get together at the end of Jenna's route. Spoiler:
It's the only route with a heavy focus on Leo where he also fully opens up. We get the whole story on why shadow Chase exists while Leo recognizes it is just his fake idealized version of Chase. Jenna also seems to get more and more annoying with her psychoanalysis BS. We know for a fact that Chase and Leo do love each other, so let those fuckers be together, dammit!
I'm pretty sure the obsession is one sided, I hear ya but I doubt chase cares about Leo all that much, Leo is just a friend and an ex he is trying to avoid
I sympathize with Leo and think he deserves better, but that "better" is most likely a new relationship, chase is an asshole.
Who's talking about obsession? They love each other and that's canon.
I really simphatized with Leo, we just need to think how chase """broke""" with him and then dissapired for 3 years, and then come back and treat Leo like nothing happen. That's awful and really messed up, anybody would act like Flynn towards Chase treatin' him like a liar and bad bf but Leo STILL treat chase like he is some god and a perfection of human being
I'd like to see them at least stay friends!
But I think their pretty messed up, and it would take a lot of work for them to have a healthy relationship now. Not to mention that Chase is pretty put off by what he learned about Leo...
SPOILERS CARLS ROUTE (also TJ and Flynn. I write so much God I'm in love with the game xd)
I just finished Carl's route and I'm feeling like i'm going to explode for all the Roller coaster of emotions.
Firts of all I LOVE the final, It trully feels like a Good ending, my only doubt it's Leo, I wish that he would went with us in all that time traveling shit, so just like that he would be happy with us and he would got rid of him problem (So in this final we could see that at least our group of friends it's better than in any other final, we were 6 and got down to 4/3 depending if Leo had been stayed with us). But I'm kinda sad/disapointed that we didn't see much about sidney, I stan sidney and I love him LOL
AND OMG I'm shocked of how many answers this route gave me, We know that there are 3 o more ghost (james, john and the Socklet face) each of them with their own desires!! And we saw what the hell happened on TJ's route, about Why Chase saw the fox (john) hanging on the forest, why on Flynn's route we saw how the town condemn a person killing it (The haging process of Jonh), Why chase saw a little kid hanging himself in the motel for later saw the socklet/james in the mirror telling him to kill Flynn (I'm guessing that this a clue of the Missing native Kid, and why James said that Echo need secrets)
But still this route feels odd cuz' they never explained wha the hell happened with TJ, even on his route with didn't see what it's his f*ckin' problem, Why TJ attack jenna? Why TJ has that trauma of sidney? And why HE. CAN'T. JUST. SAY. IT?. I really hate TJ in all tge routes, I can't tolerate him xd
I just realized another reason about why I LOVED this route, it feels really good to see how chase is chase (baing himself and not a f*ckin' murderer or a crazy dude), and watch how he get rid of all the problem around him and hia group (I like the way the crazy people here is Jenna and carl but not chase). Another reason it's how he REALLY did his project, not like in TJ's route where he didn't give a crap about his study.
Pd: I really love Raven, he is one of the highlights of carl route, it's not like daxton or the stupid deer, he is REALLY supportive, wise and useful in the story, that and I wish they had a final where Leo it's with us.
Pd.2: That f*cking creepy/horror/screamer laugh on the night killed me, I wasn't ready for it and I spilled my soul to heaven at the moment it just scared me. I hate it and I love it.
That laugh was borderline criminal. Almost shit myself.
Spoilers!
On TJ route we got the confirmation that Chase killed Sidney, but why? On that route it looks like Chase is super protective with TJ and that's why he just killed Flynn when there was 'danger' (and i bet he would've killed even the Deer guy if he could), but when they were kids he didnt seem to be so obsessed with TJ (i believe it's because of Echo that he was acting that weird) and he doesn't seem to hate Sidney that much, so why did he actually killed him? And who tf did the whole treasure hunt? Was Socket Monster (Flynn)?, it couldn't be anyone on the group but Jenna who knew about the hanging man but only TJ knows what happened on the lake.
Spoiler!
I don't know why Chase killed Sydney, the only thing I can think of is either it was an accident or the Echo entity made him do it!
As for the treasure hunt, fans have a lot of opinions! Mine is that TJ was possessed by possibly Sydney and made the letters, but that doesn't explain why the letters appeared old.
Spoiler!
Sidney kinda wanted to die, bc Micah said that he dreamed with Chase killing him on the lake but he was "grateful about it". My guess is that the Echo entity was tormenting him because Sidney technically killed his dad, and then he was acting weird and maybe tried to kill TJ under the influence of Echo and Chase got nuts.
I see, makes sense and is sad.
Spoiler Talk below-
From what I gathered, in Flynn's route, we see the accidental death Sydney did to his father, giving context to the rumors Chase, TJ, and Carl know in TJ's route in their flashback scene: the rumor of him killing his father. So, a kid that bullied you and your friends now having talk that he killed his own dad stacked on top of all that?
This...did not look good for Sydney's reputation at the time along with how much of a dick he acted to the group in general with his roughhousing and bullying. So Chase was already wary of Sydney from the get-go once that secret was out.
In TJ's route, The day Chase saw Sydney mess with TJ at the beach with pulling him about in the water, he assumed the worst with intentions and He finally got fed up with Sydney's antics, thus leading to Chase killing him and the possession taking over him from that point onwards, changing him for the manipulator we see controlling TJ now in the present.
Now, whether or not it was from pure hatred or being controlled by the (socket man?) spirit when it appeared at the beach, I'm unclear of. Everyone disliked Sydney but Flynn. So I wouldn't doubt that Chase would go that far.
I see, makes sense.
Spoiler.
From what I remember of that flashback scene TJ really did appear to be in distress and Sydney was aware of that and thought is was funny!
It is said that Chase was mean to TJ too, but he didn't ever go that far!
Now that doesn't justify Chase killing Sydney, but beating him up would have been fine.
Spoilers
Well, it's not the first time Chase confronted Sydney about this! Recall when he did just that at the railroad tracks, pushing him about to show how it feels. When he fought with Sydney at the beach, he was screaming about Chase trying to kill him and the situation just escalated from there.
Yeah, it was all a mess!
It does seem to me that events where manipulated by the Echo entity though.
(TJ ROUTE)
Ummm Okay, I just finished the TJ's route and I'm sure that I hate TJ's for being a cry baby Xd
SPOILERS
Okay ummm I just love how in this route we saw more about Sidney (that's the highlight of the route, I just hate TJ personality). But I can get it, Is it true that Chase killed sidney and TJ saw it?! That's so shitty!! And I quite don't understand it cuz' in Flynn's route he told the story about Syd's dead different (like the Sand castle, Carl sleeping, Jenna playing with TJ but leaving for stuff, Leo nowhere) but in this Route the story is different so I don't know if it's my fault xD
And God I think that my main love in this game is Sidney. I just love him so much
Spoilers!
I think TJ's route is the most messed up one!
Chase goes totally insane and doesn't even try to fight the Echo entity!
Also TJ gets really weird!
I don't know what else to say about this one.
[ASKING - maybe spoiler alert]
So far i have completed these routes and this is what i remembered
Leo's route best scenario - I believed this is the neutral ending and the most "logical" ending i've played. Leo stayed in Echo, while everybody went out, i think that's what happened?
Flynn's route - I still can't understand this, can anyone explain it better. I have played and see the ending when Flynn become a monster. Is the shadow Chase in the car is when Chase possesion broke? Is the Chase Duke's saw is shadow Chase? And is the Chase all along the story is the real Chase? If it's not, then how is the real chase? And what happened to Flynn? Why he died and become monster? He was with Carl and Dax right? Also is the Chase in the end of route (5 years later after it happened), is the real Chase? And what happened to the others afterward? "To be continued...", does that mean that story hasn't been finished yet? Or it is for a new story?
TJ's route - I forgot a bit about this route. What i remembered is that Chase and TJ are the one who playing a role in Sydney's dead. Who killed Sydney? And what happened afterwards this route? Is TJ in his route is the real him? Is Chase in this route is shadow Chase? I need more explanation...
And then, the most "logical" ending is in the Leo's route? This game doesn't have "good" ending at all? I'm confused but the story is... really well-written.
Or anyone has written the story conclusion somewhere?
Spoilers!
Lots of questions!
Anyway, Leo's good ending and Carl's good ending are the best. There is no happy ending.
Flynn's route is not yet finished, they are still going to add the epilogue.
I think Flynn was hallucinating and walked into a fire and died, but the entities in Echo used his body to create the time traveling monster.
Five years later Chase returns to Echo to help out some guys making their own ghost investigation. Its the Real Chase.
TJ's route! Well um Chase killed Sydney, and nobody believed what TJ said he saw.
Afterwards its not tolled what happened to the others....
I still feel bad for Leo, he ends up so depressed!
[may contain spoiler]
Thank you! Yeah i'm confused really much until the points there are too many questions in my head. Now i understand how Flynn dies and what happened afterwards. Is Flynn becoming the socket monster that is haunting them? So the socket monster has ability to travel through time? Who is the kid in front of the wardrobe where Flynn's monster is?
Well yes, Leo's good ending is where everyone is safe (But i feel sad tho, he ends up depressed, well he was obsessed to Chase and that is a no-no but it was tragic to see that.) But someone said the Chase Leo loved is not real Chase? I heard that the real Chase isn't gay and isn't the Chase Leo loved.
I haven't played Carl's and Jenna's route (i will later, i just finished Flynn's route and one route already take so much time)
I think Flynn's route is the route with most story explained, but still a bad ending. TJ's route... it's obvious it's the worst ending.
I heard Arches will adapt from Flynn's route, does that mean that Flynn is died in Arches? Sad to hear that though. Do you think the curse will ever end? I think it's going to be a loop forever if it's like that.
Your welcome.
Spoilers!
Yes, Flynn becomes the monster that they saw.
The little kid at the end was Jenna, she sees the monster he most!
I just can't hate Leo! He became obbsesed over Chase because as a maned wolf he would mate for life. Also Chase didn't treat him very well and broke up with him in a pretty bad way, then the forces of Echo twisted Leo's thoughts!
About the possession and love, its complicated. Leo already had a crush on Chase before he was possesssed.
After thinking about it and go through the routes again, it seems Chase really was himself, just altered by the entities.
Leo loved both versions of Chase, and never seemed to notice the difference.
I could be wrong about that though!
Anyway, I think Flynn's ending and TJ's endings are the most tragic, and Leos ending is kinda depressing!
I wish there was a better end for Flynn and an end where Leo doesn't get mental trauma and stays friends with chase.
[maybe spoiler alert]
Yeah, Leo still had chance to recover tho from his depression, but he might will never be with Chase again. Still sad but... well this game don't want you to be happy - Echo curse.
For Flynn's route, i think it's the real route, because if Flynn didn't became the monster, then they will never saw any monster in the first place, but the possesion still likely be there - again, Echo curse, that what i called it. If Flynn still had control to his emotion, he would likely be a good monster, but seeing what happened and where the monster appear, i think Flynn still cared to them but he did wrong things, instead of helping them it make more mistakes. Like how he appeared when Jenna's parent is arguing.
I'm sad, but i think there is no way to escape the curse in this game and the prequel, i hope the sequel will have good ending or i might cry lol (jk). If it's not then it will be complete loop, until nobody lives there again (which mean, dead, or if they hop into the train [maybe it was the only way to escape from Echo])
Anyway thanks for discussing this, now i understand more than before.
I see, yes its all sad and is a big loop!
Your welcome.
After I finished Leo's route, I was depressed for at least 2 days...
I mean, even though Chase didn't like echo, he shouldn't left Leo alone like that. He should've at least communicated with him for the past 3 years, but damn...
That was why Leo's obsession with Chase got worse that it even influenced THE entity in echo.
Spoiler!
Its reveled in Jenna's route that Chase would text Leo at night when he was at collage. He even said he loved him and would come back someday! So Chase added to Leo's obsession.
I think Chase should have stayed with Leo and not gotten on the train...
I just did the Flynn's route and my mind is so messed up!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED????? I can't understand anything with that final! Tho I loved the soundtrack and the POP song xD that was my favorite (I'm in love with sidney and leo :( )
Spoiler!
Flynn turns into the monster and is now forever traveling through alternate timelines of Echo.
But why?? That's what I don't understand, It was because he went crazy for didn't forget sidney and want to see him again? because I can understand why he died but not how the monster took the control of him
Spoiler
"Sam" used Flynn's desire to learn the truth to mutilate Flynn into a body that he can use to ride the "ebb and flow" of Echo. Flynn desperately wanted to know what happened to Sidney and he was ultimately denied that possibility when he traveled back in time to the incident and his eyes dissolved. You'll see more of the Sam/Flynn monster in other routes but it doesn't seem to be evil. In fact it seems to play the part of a vigilante at times. "We make the justice we are given"
Very well explained.
Probably the most tragic ending...
OMGGGG now I get it!!!! now I understand why he said that (We make the justice we are given). And It's so true that this route is so cruel and like a tragedy with all the Sidney's dead and the crazyness of Flynn :( He deserved a better ending where he could forget about sidney and where he would live in peace with carl
I think so too!
A good ending for Flynn! Maybe he never finds out what happened, but lets go of the past!
is there any possibility that we can get a playlist with the soundtrack? i LOVE the theme song so much, i could kill someone to have it on spotify
Anyone else gets some brief frozen screens during Flyn's route?
I hate Leo but I also love him, his obsession to chase is something.
Me too! Leo is hot and awesome but also has serious problems!
I don't hate him at all. He makes some terrible mistakes but his feelings are genuine and we can understand his reasons for being pissed by reading multiple routes. Any problems he might have can be solved through dialogue. I hope he and Chase end up together in the canon ending.
I partly agree.
I think Leo is afraid of the future and losing what he once had. HE wanted to get his childhood friend group back together, but they kinda didn't get along. So he wanted his ex boyfriend back, but went about it in a ridicules and unhealthy way! His natural tendencies where twisted and exaggerated by the hysteria. Also Chase and Jenna really didn't treat him right!
I don't think his problems can be solved just by talking, he needs to be happy about what he does have, and also leave Echo!
Then some of his problems seem to just be part of who he is and would be very difficult to change.
In the end Leo is a tragic character!
Also unfortunately there will be no canon route added.
I mean that Jenna's route (with or without picking her as a romantic interest) kinda feels like a canon route.
Hmm, I guess your right! It does kinda revel a lot of stuff!
It would be nice if in this route Chase and Leo get back together, but I don't see how.
I think they key is telling Jenna that you're gay and then choose nobody, then TJ when she asks who else in the group you would like.
i hate people who feel like talking to a brick wall when youre arguing. like hes clearly dumb as at least half a sack of doornails but whatever he says or however he sees it in his own head is right no matter what and inarguable. At the same time i still feel bad for him though.
((SPOILERS))
Where can I find explanations for the dream sequences? I'm really curious about the one on TJ's route, the one right after the diner scene
With the maggots, the creeping paw in the bush, the bodies in the water and toolshed near the lake, everything I have seen in it was confusing and I had no context for it.
Well its kinda complicated and I don't know if I interpret it right!
Spoilers!!!!
First I think the bodies where Chase's friends and possibly himself too! A possible vision of the bad ending of Jenna's route. The shed I really don't know.
The maggots where to show that TJ was dead, and the creeping paw may have been the socketman reaching out to take TJ's body!
I could be wrong and crazy, but thats what I got from it.
Same I hate it I'm spoiled on this bruh!!!
Well, it seems the artist made it for reference or something, but its simply never used in the story.