London: Echoes of the Past – A Detective Tale Drenched in Secrets and Style
- Niels Gys
- Nov 6, 2025
- 3 min read
TL;DR
It’s less “crime thriller” and more “emotional damage simulator with eyeliner and trench coats.”
London: Echoes of the Past isn’t about crime — it’s about consequences. It’s tea, trench coats, and trauma, all served with stunning art. But if you came to CRIMENET looking for felonies, explosions, and a chance to laugh in the face of justice — this is less Grand Theft Auto and more Grand Theft Feelings.
Freedom of Crime
Imagine being told you’re a detective in 1935 London. You picture smoky pubs, coded telegrams, corpses in bathtubs. But instead you get… dialogue choices. And polite ones.
You don’t commit crimes here — you read about people who might have done them, once, maybe, in a tasteful way. It’s like watching Peaky Blinders if everyone spoke exclusively in therapy metaphors and asked for consent before lying.
Criminal Fantasy Fulfilment
There’s potential. A mysterious woman returns from the dead. An ex-girlfriend with secrets. A student who looks like she’s been crying since 1928. The setup screams “noir!”
But the actual gameplay feels more like “a well-written HR complaint.”
Steam players seem divided between “deeply emotional and beautiful” and “what the hell did I just click through for three hours.”
It’s Yuri Holmes and the Case of Mildly Inconvenient Feelings.
Mission Design
No missions, no chases, no lockpicks. Just text, jazz, and the sound of your tea going cold while someone monologues about destiny.
Every “choice” feels like deciding between chamomile and Earl Grey — technically a decision, but no one’s heart rate is going up.
If you’re hoping to shoot your way through foggy London alleys, tough luck. You’ll be scrolling through melancholic flashbacks faster than sliding across a polished floor.
Money & Progression
No money, no XP, no loot, no heist.
You progress by crying a little more each chapter.
There’s a 20,000-word extra story about time travel to Iceland in 1980 — which, frankly, is the most chaotic thing in this entire game. I read that and thought, “Finally! Someone’s taking acid.”
But no, it’s still wholesome, introspective sadness — now with snow.
World & Sandbox
1935 London looks stunning — the cel shading gives it all a soft vintage glow, like Downton Abbey on absinthe.
But it’s not a world; it’s a wallpaper. You can’t move, touch, or throw anything. If you so much as breathe near a streetlamp, the game freezes time to reflect on your emotional growth.
This isn’t a sandbox — it’s a museum where the exhibits are trauma.
Crew & NPCs
You’ve got three women:
The detective — calm, brilliant, could win arguments by sighing.
The student — unhinged in a cute way.
The ex — elegant, mysterious, and 100% the type to light a cigarette and ruin your life for sport.The chemistry? Electric. The pacing? Glacial. You’ll ship them all, but by the time something happens, the Queen’s already abdicated.
Police & Law Response
None. Which is odd for a detective story. There’s more law enforcement in Animal Crossing.
No one chases you, no one arrests you, no one even jaywalks. The closest thing to a police chase is emotional closure.
Style & Atmosphere
This is where the game wins.The art is gorgeous — sharp lines, warm palettes, and a sense of melancholy that could make a brick cry.
If art direction could solve murders, this game would have a 100% clearance rate.
The music? Smooth, jazzy, like heartbreak playing on a gramophone.
Replayability
Three endings, an Iceland DLC, and enough emotional damage to last a lifetime.
But replaying it feels like re-reading your ex’s love letters — beautifully written, but you already know it ends with “we need to talk.”
FAQ
Is London: Echoes of the Past worth it in 2025? Only if you enjoy elegant despair and subtle sapphic yearning.
Do I get to commit any crimes? Just emotional ones.
Is it scary? Only if you fear commitment.
Does the time travel bit make sense? No, but it’s Iceland. Nothing has to.
Will I cry? If you’ve ever loved someone with good posture and terrible timing, yes.
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