PlayStation 2 nostalgia is strong in this RPG freebie that's just landed on PS5

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, and most of us will take any hit we can get.

It’s with that in mind that you might want to direct your attention towards Fading Echo, an action-adventure RPG that’s now free to try on PlayStation 5.

Developed by Emeteria, Fading Echo feels as if it was lifted straight out of the PlayStation 2 era - and that’s a huge compliment.

Its sense of adventure, concise gameplay, and zany, colourful world are so indicative of that period in time.

The player steps into the shoes of One, who’s tasked with attempting to save “a dying desertscape from the grip of the Paradox corruption”.

One is a “Legend” - and by that I mean she can handily transform into an orb of water, allowing for some fun platforming and combat quirks.

One can surf through pipes, slip through cracks, dash across gaps, and more. I could hardly say that Fading Echo captures the essence of the PS2 era if it didn’t feature any platforming.

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In combat, One’s water powers can be used to unleash charged blasts, which can be combined with other elements such as lava and toxic waste.

Combining elements may trigger an explosive chain reaction, expanding the attack’s field of damage.

“Every element reacts. Every encounter escalates. Push the systems far enough, and they push back. Creativity isn’t optional. It’s survival,” devs tease.

Throughout the game, you’ll actually enter fractured realities, which means re-experiencing prior locations that exist within alternative dimensions.

The resources and hazards within those spaces will then adjust. “What worked before may fail,” devs noted, adding, “What was safe may turn volatile.”

Play the first hour of Fading Echo for free on PS5

Fading Echo is strictly single-player, but you don’t need to embark on her mission alone.

You can find allies dotted throughout the game who you can recruit to help you in your plight.

Fading Echo arrived on PC earlier this year but only launched on PS5 on September 22.

It’ll set you back just £15.99 / $19.99, but if you’re not quite yet sure if you want to splash the cash, a free demo has been dropped on the PlayStation Store.

It should give you enough of a taste of Fading Echo’s traversal and combat mechanics.

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As for how the game has fared with players, well, it boasts an impressive ‘Very Positive’ score of 91% on Steam.

“This is a wonderfully fun action and puzzle adventure. It's immensely satisfying being a little water ball that changes based on the elements you encounter,” wrote one player.

Another added, “The game story is the usual good vs evil. Environment design is nice. Using the elements during platforming and puzzle solving is fantastic and probably the game's strongest point. Quite surprised how fun the actual gameplay is. Highly recommended.”

Those are pretty convincing testimonies, but the free demo could just sway you into picking this one up.

The demo is comprehensive and should take you at least an hour to complete. You don’t need a PlayStation Plus subscription, so just search for Fading Echo on the PlayStation Store.