From my experience with Echo I went into it with this impression that felt as though people were saying things about one particular character or another. But the more time I spent with it, the more I realised how the town itself ... the darkness that pervades it, like an indelible mark, manipulating and taunting all of the characters in various ways, it really was the one in the driver's seat. I came to end up pitying and empathising with all of the characters and what they went through. So many terrible scenarios and situations beating them down over and over. It's a wonder they did as well as they did for so long.
I don't really blame any of them, I know if it were me I'd have left as soon as anything freaky or terrible happened. Echo seems like a nightmare to live. One way too many never escape.