Playing a Cybernetic AI

Echo unit droid concept | Image courtesy Ready At Dawn

In the here and now, however, we have Lone Echo. It’s a great example of the VR form, and another stab at the ‘killer app’ some have been clamouring for in the VR space. It’s unique. You play a sentient cybernetic AI in the midst of the rings of Saturn. Weerasuriya delights in people’s reaction.

“As soon as you say that people say: ‘What? You play an AI? You don’t play a human being?’ And everybody’s first reaction is that it doesn’t make sense, that [the player] should be the human. That’s a trip for other people who jump in for the first time and realise they’re not the human in the game.”

We suggested that Lone Echo, in a literal sense, is a role playing game. After a moment of contemplation, Weerasuriya agrees. “What better way to actually feel in the skin of somebody else—and especially something that you could never be—so yeah, yeah, you could call it an RPG.”

Image courtesy Ready At Dawn

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Check out our review of Lone Echo to see if being an Echo unit might just be a role you’d like to play yourself. And don’t forget that you can claim Echo Arena for free for a limited time.

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  • CURTROCK

    A great read and a treat to get a peek inside what is arguably the best VR experience, so far.

  • Wednaud Ronelus

    This is an excellent article! It’s so well written and so touching. I am looking forward to try this experience and share my thoughts and ideas with you guys via this platform.

    W.J.R

  • Even if I spend the most time in the Vive, while owning both headsets, the sheer scale of this and the evident pedigree of the team, makes me want to absolutely not miss this. I need to either fix up my Rift machine/ space or I guess install Revive :P Hmm…

  • ShiftyInc

    Great article. This game made me feel excited again for the future of VR. Not sure if it’s because we have seen so many bog standard vr games lately that this was so good. Or this game is just that epic. Either way a must have for all VR owners.

  • YmpulsiV

    Great article. Like the fact that the team, unphased by the hurdles of the new VR medium, worked it all out. Kudos!!
    The result… I’ve already logged so many hours “inside” Lone Echo’s environment and I’ve only had it a few days. The game has a lot to offer and there’s also a lot to take in.
    I’ve experienced only a few minor glitches when playing where the game froze. I just re-started.

    • Lucidfeuer

      Where is it possible to try the experience?

  • Ninjai71

    It is an great idea to let the player be an AI. But some little things, I would like to have in Lone Echo too: if you wake up the first time as an AI, this should look and feel more like the grandios awakening scene from the good old Robocop 1 movie. Later on the vision could be also a little more robatic, if know what I mean. Just a very little point so.

  • Lucidfeuer

    I hope there is no tutorials.

    • Ninjai71

      There is a tutorial, but short and not annoyingly. In fact it’s very good integrated in the game.

      • Lucidfeuer

        It was more a way of saying that I hope it works so naturally well that you don’t need a tutorial. I will to try it out.

        • Ninjai71

          Controlling the game is very easy and immersive. Reviews say it’s a masterpiece. I’m very looking forward to play it finally :D

  • beestee

    I just finished playing this game.

    It is the best VR experience I have tried to date, even toppling my previous favorite Robo Recall.

  • Ninjai71

    I finished it too and I am amazed. For me it’s the best vr game ever, too. This should be a blueprint for other VR-Game Developers ;)

  • benz145

    *MASTER THREAD:*

    Key finders, AFTER you claim your key, please comment the key that you found as a reply to this comment. I will compile them here so that other readers don’t waste their time trying to redeem keys that have already been found. There are five keys total.

    • Benoit Djerigian

      Key Found: F933H-GMPNX-QFXEK-9NM37-FGMF4
      Thanks a lot for the update!

      • Newbee

        XKC9C-3MHXX-AEQK3-MF9H4-9TTGW
        Thanks!

    • Oak

      Thanks a lot for the key ! Found Olivia’s one :
      NP94X-XRT63-TEYQC-76TAE-7KPK6

    • Keimator

      Found Key: TNMKK-MRW3F-4XQMH-4R6GM-W4TKX
      Thank you, I’m excited to play it!

    • Leeloyd

      Found a KEY there : 497QR-NERNP-J4GY7-YKXRC-F4693