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Lone Echo 2 interview: Put on the headset and be transported

We speak with Ready at Dawn about the follow up to one of the best VR experiences available, Lone Echo 2.

Chris Jarrard

May 23, 2019 1:25 PM

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The folks who make up development house Ready at Dawn put themselves on the map nearly two years ago in the summer of 2017 with the release of the space adventure Lone Echo. Receiving universal acclaim for its slick locomotion and interaction, the game set a new standard for what was possible with VR gaming. The team at Oculus felt strongly enough about the project that they took on publishing duties for Lone Echo and made it one of the centerpieces of their VR library.

Fast forward two years and coming off the heels of the successful multiplayer release Echo Arena, Ready at Dawn are preparing to deliver the follow up, Lone Echo 2, into the hands of millions of anxious VR headset owners. We got the opportunity to speak with Nathan Pahil-Liff, the Game Director on Lone Echo 2, to find out what the team has been up to with the sequel and what fans can expect from one of the premiere VR development studios.

The original Lone Echo put players into the metal shoes of an android on a space station that was orbiting Saturn. The main gameplay components revolved around exploration and puzzle solving to fix problems on the station caused by a mysterious anomaly. Players were joined by Olivia Rhodes, the only human on the space station.

For Lone Echo 2, the action returns to Saturn’s orbit following the events that occurred at the end of the first game. Once again, players will team up with Olivia to make an attempt at survival. The team plans to take the lessons learned from development on the first game and Echo Arena to expand the experience for the sequel. Olivia is now more autonomous and a more lifelike sidekick, helping to increase immersion.

You can get your hands on Lone Echo 2 in early 2020, exclusively from the Oculus Store. For more developer interviews and game industry convention videos, be sure to follow Shacknews and GamerHubTV on YouTube.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.