EVE Echoes is finally an MMO that stays on my smartphone

On August 13, the mobile MMO EVE Echoes was released for iOS and Android. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch took a closer look at the game and was pleasantly surprised.

EVE Online and I do not have a great backstory. In 2014, I tried the MMO, but after just a few hours, I frustratedly put it aside. Although I found the space setting great, the entry simply overwhelmed me, and I could not get into the game.

However, with the release of EVE Echoes, I wanted to give the franchise another chance for several reasons:

I had been tempted to try EVE again for a while.
In EVE Echoes, everyone starts anew, leading to a completely different dynamic.
I have been waiting a long time for an MMO that I can really enjoy on my smartphone.

In recent years, I have tried many games on my smartphone, including many mobile MMORPGs, some of which have made it onto the list of the best mobile games here on MeinMMO. However, nothing kept me engaged for the long term.

However, EVE Echoes genuinely entertains me after the first hours of gameplay. I would like to tell you in this preview report how the game is structured and what I like about it.

A smooth entry into EVE Echoes

What kind of game is this? EVE Echoes is a space MMO and is in its own EVE universe for technical and narrative reasons, but relies on a lot of familiar content. Those who have played EVE Online should feel right at home, while those who, like me, are complete newcomers will be very well welcomed.

The game offers plenty of tutorials and explanations with German text and English voice acting. This makes Echoes significantly better than its big brother, at least in 2014 when I tried the MMO. In the meantime, this may have changed, after all, the game was officially Free2Play in 2016 and has since received some assistance for newcomers.

The character creation: The game starts with you joining one of 4 factions:

Amarr
Gallente
Caldari
Minmatar

Each faction offers you 3 bloodlines and 8 characters, whose clones you will play. Cloning is EVE’s answer to the fact that we are resurrected after dying in the game.

The first combat: After you have created your character, you are immediately placed into a spaceship and drawn into the first battle. The fights are relatively simple:

You target your enemy
You press the “fire button”
You can repair your shield to withstand enemy fire. However, both repairs and firing use energy. You can only use both simultaneously for a short time.

The first battles involve little strategy. You usually take down your enemies with just a few shots without your ship being threatened. However, this changes the longer you travel in EVE Echoes and the stronger your ship becomes.

In the end, you are forced to lose the first battle, which is why you are cloned again after the first tutorial. With your own small spaceship equipped with minimal technical frills, you can then explore the universe from a space station.

Lots of auto-piloting, but also lots of fun

How does the ship’s navigation work? Both in battles and when flying to new locations or mission objectives, the spaceship is controlled automatically. Shots and repairs are also made automatically, as long as they have been activated and enough energy is available.

You take on the role of a spaceship captain who gives a command, which is then continuously carried out by the crew. However, you also need to rescind your commands. A purely automatic fight is not possible here.

What makes it so fun? In EVE Echoes, it is all about earning money at the beginning, improving your spaceship, and mastering new missions and battles.

The larger and better the ship becomes, the more options you have to earn money:

You can equip your ship with tools, which in turn helps with mining. This allows you to earn materials for missions and sales.
You can also carry better weapon systems and fight against stronger opponents in missions. Enemies also drop loot, which can then be sold.

Moreover, your character develops through battles and completed missions by learning new skills. The missions are varied. You need to fight, transport, collect, or explore.

The game offers a huge world that looks really good depending on the smartphone used.

Playing in a group: EVE Echoes can initially be experienced well alone, but there is also provision for groups. There are corporations you can join, and in some missions, you must do so. There are already many German guilds looking for casual players.

Additionally, you can form a fleet of up to 10 players. This is commanded by one player. Together, you can travel to selected locations, fight battles, and master missions.

What does the endgame look like? Like its big brother, EVE Echoes is also supposed to offer a lot of freedom in the endgame. You should be able to complete missions, farm resources, explore the world, or experience PvP with and against other players.

However, since I am still far from reaching the endgame, I cannot make any statement about the long-term motivation and the tasks there.

High battery consumption and the in-game shop

How is the battery consumption? EVE Echoes consumed quite a bit of battery in my test, at least compared to MMORPGs like RuneScape or games like Teamfight Tactics and Pokémon GO that I usually have on my smartphone.

After about 2 hours of gameplay, the battery dropped from 100% to below 15%. So for really long gaming sessions, you need a power bank or a power outlet.

How does the MMO finance itself? EVE Echoes is Free2Play, but relies on a subscription if you want to experience everything, similar to EVE Online.

For the mobile subscription, you pay 4.99 Euros per month to gain access to all ships and all pilot skills. Additionally, there are bonus progression rewards in the form of special login rewards if you pay 14.99 Euros per month. There is also a shop, which, however, only contains cosmetic skins.

So far, however, after around 8 hours of gameplay, I have not encountered any paywall.

An MMO that finally stays on my smartphone longer

For a long time, I have been looking for an MMO that I can play on my smartphone while on the go or lying in bed in the evening. EVE Echoes is at least after the first 8 hours of gameplay exactly what I was looking for.

The game offers a huge world, many tasks and opportunities to pass the time, and plenty of incentives to keep playing, including new ships and the progress of my clone. Especially in the tutorial, there were also some entertaining scenes, including the AI explaining to me that after so many cloning processes, I would no longer have a connection to my soul, but at least this would have no impact on my physical well-being.

The only thing I am currently uncertain about is whether I would subscribe when I reach that point.

Until then, I will definitely keep playing EVE Echoes and will publish another article about it on MeinMMO.