{{Short description|2003 video game}} {{for|the Dizzy Mizz Lizzy album|Alter Echo (album)}} {{Infobox video game | title = Alter Echo | image = Alter Echo.jpg | caption = North American Xbox cover art | developer = Outrage Games | publisher = THQ | designer = Andy Crosby | programmer = Chris Pfeiffer | artist = Matthew Long | composer = Jerry Berlongieri | released = {{video game release|NA|August 18, 2003<ref>{{Cite web|title=''Alter Echo''|url=http://xbox.ign.com/objects/481/481818.html|access-date=June 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604055100/http://xbox.ign.com/objects/481/481818.html|archive-date=June 4, 2004}}</ref>|AU|September 12, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Alter Echo'' XBOX |url=http://www.gamesmarket.com.au/details.cfm?ProdID=5432&cfid=5727&cftoken=80776729 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040520084717/http://www.gamesmarket.com.au/details.cfm?ProdID=5432&cfid=5727&cftoken=80776729 |archive-date=May 20, 2004 |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=Games Market}}</ref>|EU|October 3, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=October 3, 2003 |title=What's New? |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/news031003whatsnew |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=Eurogamer}}</ref>}} | genre = Action-adventure | modes = Single-player | platforms = PlayStation 2, Xbox }}
'''''Alter Echo''''' is a third-person action-adventure video game developed by Outrage Games and published by THQ. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on August 20, 2003, in North America, September 12 in Australia, and on October 3, 2003, in Europe.
== Plot == ''Alter Echo'' tells the story of a futuristic world where psychics, known as shapers, can use a special substance called Plast to form anything from weapons to buildings. The world's greatest shaper, Paavo, has made a breakthrough on a faraway planet, creating a new, more powerful Plast called EchoPlast. The player, a young shaper named Nevin, is stranded on the planet with his two friends when Paavo shoots their ship down. The EchoPlast, having achieved sentience, gives Nevin a new EchoPlast suit and tasks him with stopping Paavo from wiping out the entire human race.
== Gameplay == ''Alter Echo'' is an action-adventure where the player controls Nevin from a third-person perspective. Battle is primarily focused on melee combat, though there is some emphasis on long-range weapons.
In battle, the player can morph Nevin's EchoPlast suit into three different forms. The primary form is the Sword form, which is merely Nevin holding a sword. The Sword form focuses on close-range combat. The second form is the Gun form, which morphs Nevin into a massive, slow-moving, gun-toting humanoid. In this form, Nevin can fire various forms of laser blasts and grenades. The Gun form also possesses an unwieldy melee attack. The final form is the Stealth form, which transforms Nevin into a frog-like creature which walks on all fours. This form can use its tongue in order to grab opponents or items and bring them closer to Nevin. This form also has an optional (though brief) cloaking feature to avoid detection, and Nevin can climb certain kinds of walls. Finally, he can latch onto enemies and unleash devastating melee attacks with his claws.
The game revolves around Nevin trying to free the EchoPlast from Paavo by taking control of various Master Nodes and Sync Nodes. To take control of them, the player must complete a puzzle.
A short period into the game, the player gains access to a time dilation power. By activating it in the presence of one or more enemies, a blank version of the node puzzles is presented to the player. The longer the player can keep the puzzle active, the more damage they will deal when it completes.
As the game progresses, the player earns experience points to improve their combat forms, health, and other attributes. Experience is earned through defeating enemies. Larger experience totals are rewarded when the player is able to string many hits in succession, known as combos. A multiplier is recorded at the top portion of the screen and applied when the player waits too long between attacks. It is applied automatically after reaching a certain point (40 for the Sword form, 35 for the others).
== Reception == {{Video game reviews |PS2 = true |XBOX = true |na = true |Edge_XBOX = 4/10<ref name="Edge review"/> |EGM_PS2 = 5.67/10<ref name="EGM review"/> |EGM_XBOX = 5.67/10<ref name="EGM review"/> |EuroG_PS2 = 6/10<ref name="EuroG review"/> |GI_PS2 = 8/10<ref name="GI review 1"/> |GI_XBOX = 8/10<ref name="GI review 2"/> |GamePro_PS2 = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="GamePro review"/> |GameRev_PS2 = C−<ref name="GameRev review"/> |GameRev_XBOX = C−<ref name="GameRev review"/> |GSpot_PS2 = 7.5/10<ref name="GSpot review"/> |GSpot_XBOX = 7.5/10<ref name="GSpot review"/> |GSpy_PS2 = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="GSpy review"/> |GameZone_PS2 = 7.5/10<ref name="GameZone review PS2"/> |GameZone_XBOX = 7.3/10<ref name="GameZone review Xbox"/> |IGN_PS2 = 6.8/10<ref name="IGN review 1"/> |IGN_XBOX = 6.8/10<ref name="IGN review 2"/> |OPM_PS2 = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="OPM review"/> |OXM_XBOX = 7.5/10<ref name="OXM review"/> |rev1 = ''Maxim'' |rev1_PS2 = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Maxim review"/> |rev1_XBOX = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Maxim review"/> |MC_PS2 = 62/100<ref name="PS2 Metacritic"/> |MC_XBOX = 62/100<ref name="Xbox Metacritic"/> }}
''Alter Echo'' received "mixed" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name="PS2 Metacritic"/><ref name="Xbox Metacritic"/> Jeff Gerstmann, writing for ''GameSpot'', commented: "It would have been nice to have seen some more variety in the environments, and the instances of backtracking through areas you've already visited are disappointing. But the game's exciting, free-form combat makes up for those deficiencies."<ref name="GSpot review"/>
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== References == {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Edge review">{{cite magazine |title=Alter Echo (Xbox) |magazine=Edge |publisher=Future plc |author=Edge staff |issue=129 |date=November 2003 |page=109}}</ref>
<ref name="EGM review">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,4364,1304642,00.asp |title=Alter Echo |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |author1=Shawn Elliott |author2=Jennifer Tsao |author3=Jason Babler |issue=171 |date=October 2003 |page=135 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040101163001/http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,4364,1304642,00.asp |archivedate=2004-01-01 |url-status=dead |accessdate=2020-04-28}}</ref>
<ref name="EuroG review">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_alterecho_ps2 |title=Alter Echo (PlayStation 2) |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |author=Tom Bramwell |date=2003-10-06 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330222128/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_alterecho_ps2 |archivedate=2014-03-30 |url-status=live |accessdate=2014-03-31}}</ref>
<ref name="GI review 1">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200309/R03.0821.1119.55498.htm |title=Alter Echo (PS2) |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop |author=Andrew Reiner |issue=125 |date=September 2003 |page=107 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050509012009/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200309/R03.0821.1119.55498.htm |archive-date=2005-05-09 |url-status=dead |access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref>
<ref name="GI review 2">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200309/R03.0821.0930.04690.htm |title=Alter Echo (Xbox) |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop |author=Andy McNamara |issue=125 |date=September 2003 |page=114 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030921085636/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200309/R03.0821.0930.04690.htm |archive-date=2003-09-21 |url-status=dead |access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref>
<ref name="GamePro review">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/29484.shtml |title=Alter Echo (PS2) |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG Entertainment |author=Star Dingo |date=2003-08-19 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212160329/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/29484.shtml |archivedate=2005-02-12 |url-status=dead |accessdate=2020-04-28}}</ref>
<ref name="GameRev review">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33317-alter-echo-review |title=Alter Echo Review |website=GameRevolution |publisher=CraveOnline |author=Ben Silverman |date=September 2003 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001121454/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/alter-echo |archivedate=2015-10-01 |url-status=live |accessdate=2020-04-28}}</ref>
<ref name="GSpot review">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alter-echo-review/1900-6073406/ |title=Alter Echo Review |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |author=Jeff Gerstmann |author-link=Jeff Gerstmann |date=2003-08-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330220810/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alter-echo-review/1900-6073406/ |archivedate=2014-03-30 |url-status=live |accessdate=2014-03-31}}</ref>
<ref name="GSpy review">{{cite web |url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/alter-echo/497697p1.html |title=GameSpy: Alter Echo (PS2) |website=GameSpy |publisher=IGN Entertainment |author=Steve Steinberg |date=2003-08-27 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912052653/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/alter-echo/497697p1.html |archivedate=2015-09-12 |url-status=live |accessdate=2020-04-28}}</ref>
<ref name="GameZone review PS2">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/alter_echo_ps2_review/ |title=Alter Echo - PS2 - Review |website=GameZone |author=Louis Bedigian |date=2003-09-05 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230175540/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20322.htm |archivedate=2008-12-30 |url-status=live |accessdate=2020-04-28}}</ref>
<ref name="GameZone review Xbox">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/alter_echo_xb_review/ |title=Alter Echo - XB - Review |website=GameZone |author=Michael Knutson |date=2003-09-08 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002044832/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20322.htm |archivedate=2007-10-02 |url-status=live |accessdate=April 28, 2020}}</ref>
<ref name="IGN review 1">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/08/20/alter-echo |title=Alter Echo (PS2) |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |author=Aaron Boulding |date=2003-08-20 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104214616/https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/08/20/alter-echo |archivedate=2016-01-04 |url-status=live |accessdate=2020-04-27}}</ref>
<ref name="IGN review 2">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/08/19/alter-echo-review |title=Alter Echo Review (Xbox) |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |author=Aaron Boulding |date=2003-08-19 |accessdate=2020-04-27}}</ref>
<ref name="OPM review">{{cite magazine |title=Alter Echo |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=73 |date=October 2003 |page=116}}</ref>
<ref name="OXM review">{{cite magazine |title=Alter Echo |magazine=Official Xbox Magazine |publisher=Imagine Media |date=November 2003 |page=102}}</ref>
<ref name="Maxim review">{{cite web |url=http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_5996.html |title=Alter Echo |website=Maxim |publisher=Biglari Holdings |author=Alex Porter |date=2003-08-19 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20031010120535/http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_5996.html |archivedate=2003-10-10 |url-status=dead |accessdate=2020-04-27}}</ref>
<ref name="PS2 Metacritic">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/alter-echo/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Alter Echo for PlayStation 2 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023154917/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/alter-echo |archivedate=2010-10-23 |url-status=live |accessdate=2014-03-31}}</ref>
<ref name="Xbox Metacritic">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/alter-echo/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=Alter Echo for Xbox Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501002431/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/alter-echo |archivedate=2013-05-01 |url-status=live |accessdate=2014-03-31}}</ref>
}}
==External links== *{{moby game|id=/alter-echo}}
Category:2003 video games Category:Action-adventure games Category:Outrage Games games Category:PlayStation 2 games Category:PlayStation Network games Category:Science fiction video games Category:Single-player video games Category:THQ games Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games scored by Jerry Berlongieri Category:Xbox games