Once upon a time, turn-based JRPGs were at the forefront of gaming, and indeed, some of the most beloved and classic titles of all-time were released under the genre’s banner. However, such games began to gradually fall out of favor. Though the genre didn’t disappear, it did find itself in something of a lull for a while. Recently, Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been a breath of fresh air for JRPGs. Expedition 33 has earned its praise, outshining many AAA-caliber titles with its unwavering commitment to a strong vision by unabashedly channeling old-school designs and combining them with modern ones from games like Persona. For all of Clair Obscur‘s well-deserved merits, though, there is another fantastic turn-based JRPG that preceded it, and that deserves just as much admiration: Chained Echoes.
Mainly an indie solo project developed by Matthias Linda over the course of seven years, Chained Echoes was released in 2022. Featuring stunning pixel art and taking inspiration from titans of the era like Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy, it is a loving and well-crafted homage to the 16-bit period of JRPGs. And though it may have been overlooked compared to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Chained Echoes stands just as strong as the former does for its implementation of turn-based mechanics and other related elements, and similarly gives many modern AAA titles a run for their money.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Might Be the Face of JRPG Turn-Based Combat Now, But Chained Echoes Did it First
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 may currently be the most high-profile title pointed to as having revived and refined the genre through its hybrid of turn-based and action mechanics. And not to take anything away from it, as it most definitely deserves recognition for the success it achieved in this and other areas. Before Expedition 33 exploded onto the stage this year, though, Chained Echoes had already shown that a firm dedication to the classic JRPG formula while updating it in a few key ways could result in a compelling and satisfying game experience that thrives in the modern landscape.
Chained Echoes‘ decision to keep many core genre elements intact while removing or significantly altering others disproved the recurring thought that the genre had mostly faded into obscurity and was heading into obsolescence. And it can almost be seen as a precursor to Clair Obscur‘s impact this year. Chained Echoes may be a little more under the radar even now, but it still serves as a template that other games, particularly those in the AAA sphere, could do well to emulate and learn from.
Like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Chained Echoes’ Turn-Based Combat and Other Classic JRPG Designs Stand Toe-to-Toe with Any AAA Title
How Chained Echoes Expertly Marries Classic and Modern Sensibilities
Chained Echoes lies on a design spectrum that’s somewhere between Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and acclaimed JRPGs from an AAA developer well-versed in the genre. While it doesn’t use the same 2.5 HD visual style, it’s not hard to spot shades of Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler series and Dragon Quest remakes in Chained Echoes. And though it also doesn’t have Expedition 33‘s mix of turn-based and reactive battle system, Chained Echoes exemplifies a well-designed JRPG with its other major traits:
- Robust roster of recruitable characters with bespoke skills
- An epic and emotionally engaging story spanning 4 major acts
- Overworld map composed of large explorable areas
- Variety of optional side quests
- Extensive customization and upgrade options, akin to Clair Obscur‘s pictos and lumina
- Secret locations and hidden items
While these are all likely pretty standard in many players’ eyes, Chained Echoes contains some great innovative ideas on top of them, particularly regarding its traditional, strictly turn-based battle system. The most notable is the Overdrive mechanic, which tasks players with managing a dynamic meter during fights to maximize each character’s strengths, reduce ability costs, and exploit enemy weaknesses.
Another of Chained Echoes‘ most welcome and convenient updates to established workings is that the entire party fully heals and recovers all ability points after every successful encounter. This eliminates some of the frustrations that can often come with doggedly adhering to older and more limited designs in this regard, and encourages experimentation. All of these aspects seamlessly come together in Chained Echoes, and its incredible job of incorporating and balancing them is reflected in its impressive Metacritic and Steam scores.
Chained Echoes received a substantial DLC in 2025, Ashes of Elrant, which is also highly-rated.
More AAA Games Can Learn Excellent Lessons From Chained Echoes Too
Clair Obscur’s current status as the poster game for the modern face of JRPGs outside the AAA space all but ensures it will serve as inspiration moving forward. Indeed, Square Enix itself stated that it is potentially taking cues from Expedition 33 for the next Final Fantasy game. But it shouldn’t be the only game that the company and others look to. Chained Echoes provides an equally compelling case for developers creating games within the genre to pull from its excellent designs as well, specifically in its commitment to turn-based combat.
Another lauded indie game in the same vein and spirit as Chained Echoes was 2023’s Sea of Stars, with developers citing memorable games like Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG as inspirations.
While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been enjoying its time in the limelight, Chained Echoes should be given its full due as well. It is as absorbing an experience, displaying the same level of quality and thoughtful design, arguably made more impressive given it was the work of mostly a single person. Chained Echoes wholeheartedly embraces its classic JRPG roots to produce a highly engaging title, and if Clair Obscur‘s success signals to AAA developers a return to those roots, then Chained Echoes should be considered right along with it for many of the same reasons.
