Lone Echo II features similar gameplay to its predecessor, revolving around zero gravity locomotion, with the player grabbing and pushing off various objects in the environment. Players are equipped with wrist thrusters and an EVA booster that allows them to full mobility in the zero gravity environment. The gameplay is based around puzzle-solving through interaction with objects in the game world, such as cranes, doors, socketing items, holographic maps, etc. Players have access to a variety of tools including the scanning and cutting tools from Lone Echo. The game differs from Lone Echo in that there are enemies which the player has to avoid and distract.
Plot
After the events of Lone Echo, Captain Olivia "Liv" Rhodes and Echo One "Jack", the player controlled android, find themselves 400 years in the future. They discover they are aboard a mysterious space station that seems to be abandoned. They uncover that the biomass they encountered in Lone Echo has evolved into a mobile form called "ticks" that are attracted energy sources. Liv and Jack must solve the mystery of this future space station if they want to find their way home.
Development
The game was announced at Oculus Connect 5 with the release of a six minute VR trailer experience. The Lone Echo II:Trailer Experience was a VR Awards Finalist for VR Marketing of the Year. For Lone Echo II, Ready at Dawn focused on expanding the game world and building upon the game mechanics of Lone Echo. Lone Echo II added new tools, more complex puzzles, and new enemies for players to avoid. The studio talked about the challenges of adjusting tracking for the game due to the inside-out tracking of the Oculus Rift S. It will be the studio's third virtual reality games. At E3 2019, Ready At Dawn released a demo on the show floor as a part of the Oculus Studios booth. The demo gave players their first look at the newly developed gameplay mechanics and a glimpse into the story. It was announced at E3 2019 that the game was delayed from 2019 to Q1 2020. In a blog post released by Ready At Dawn, they discuss the impact Covid-19 had on the development of Lone Echo II and the further delay of the game's release.
