Just finished Carl and Leo's route in Echo and I have some thoughts.
Spoilers for those two routes specifically!!
Right off the bat, I didn't enjoy the horror in Carl's route very much. I thought it was an expertly written piece of fiction, the reveals were on point, and I really cared about Carl by the end, but the spooky ghost mansion and Jenna's posession just weren't all too scary.
The big twist really feels like it came out of nowhere, and there aren't really any stakes. They kind of just stand around and get attacked over and over while the ghost backstory stuff is playing out. It gets old pretty quick.
Plus, it's not really related to the main point of Carl's route, that being Carl. Its kind of just a traumatic experience that makes him magically learn the moral.
Then I played Leo's route, and it made me cry for the first time in years. This goddamn piece of writing fundamentally changed how I view people and relationships.
The reason it had such a profound effect on me is partially because Leo's hot, but also because I felt a genuine connection with him. The entire route was focused mainly on Leo's obsessive tendencies and how they affect those around him, and the horror played into that perfectly.
When you start off, Leo's described as capable and dependable, and he shows that whenever the horror starts. You begin viewing him as a symbol of security, but as you continue, your view of him shifts, and you lose that security.
It's really effective at making you feel helpless, which is only amplified by the ending.
Good shit. Well written. 10/10
snowghoul
andulkaphoto
baratheonpilled
jacobvanloon
germansingergirl
