The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom review: Reverberations of courage

As a longtime Zelda enthusiast and someone who’s spent countless hours traversing Hyrule’s vast landscapes, I must say that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a breath of fresh air in the series. This game has managed to strike a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation, much like a smoothie made from ingredients found across Hyrule.

In a shocking revelation during their June 2024 Nintendo Direct broadcast, Nintendo unveiled The Legend of Zelda: Whispers of Wisdom to fans. This latest addition to the Zelda series skillfully combines traditional top-down gameplay with contemporary features such as game mechanics and expansive overworld design found in recent hits like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom from last year.

Tears in the Kingdom

The adventure begins as the player guides Link through a quest reminiscent of old times, aimed at rescuing Princess Zelda who has been imprisoned in a crystal by Ganon, now transformed into a pig. Upon vanquishing Ganon, a chasm suddenly emerges, pulling Link inside. However, before his disappearance, he manages to fire an arrow that frees Zelda from her captivity.

In every corner of the realm of Hyrule, tears have emerged like never before, tearing apart families, communities, and leaving a chaos that would make even a monarch blush. As Zelda approaches Hyrule Castle, she arrives just as her father, the King of Hyrule, vanishes into thin air. With both the king and Link unable to act, it falls upon Zelda to save Hyrule.

In a twist that leaves me shaken, twisted replicas of King Dynasty, General Wright, and Minister Left emerge, accusing Zelda of causing the fissures. As I watch these events unfold, even the soldiers executing the questionable orders seem uncertain.

Following on, you’ll experience an adventure that stands out from other tales in the Zelda series. In this story, the central character finds herself battling a progressively tough environment, aiming to win over a fearful people and ultimately rescue the world.

The Legend of Old Bed

In prison within Hyrule Castle, the initial gameplay involves a stealth mission that serves as a tutorial, helping players escape this well-guarded fortress. It’s during this imprisonment that Zelda encounters Tri, an otherworldly entity fond of triangles and capable of mending rifts. Through her senses, Zelda perceives and communicates with Tri. As a token of their encounter, she is given the Tri Rod and the ability to conjure Echoes.

Right after the debut of Tri, Zelda swiftly embarks on her escape mission. In the initial stages, I mastered the skills of Table, Crate, and importantly, Old Bed. To put it into perspective, I can confidently say that I employed countless Old Bed skills throughout my gaming experience with this title. Certain abilities significantly alter the gameplay dynamics, and the ability to pile up beds or construct a rudimentary bridge using them proved essential on numerous occasions. Occasionally, rapid-firing Sea Urchin abilities saved me from some tricky predicaments.

Battle chess or battle checkers?

the man with the briefcase on Cortex

One aspect I discovered during my gaming experience is that the Echo gameplay can be either complex or straightforward, depending on the player’s approach. Initially, it might seem strategic to engage enemies with an Echo of their own kind, but this may lead to a repetitive and uninteresting standoff. However, as I advanced through the game, more and more Echoes were unlocked, making the combat feel more like a strategic chess game rather than a simple checkers match. Initially, I had some reservations about the Echo mechanic in the early stages of the game.

In simpler terms, the AI of certain adversaries in this game isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, leading to some amusing instances early on. Occasionally, unique gaming experiences might stem from these comical, shareable events, and I believe the different Echoes will provide players with numerous enjoyable methods to engage within the top-down open world.

Tri Hard

In my perspective as an ardent Zelda fan, Tri’s fresh addition to the franchise in Zelda’s latest installment introduces Bind and Reverse Bond abilities that breathe new life into the top-down gameplay style. Although these mechanics share some resemblance with Ultrahand from Tears of the Kingdom, mastering their control system is a learning journey.

In simpler terms, a comparable challenge was encountered by some Tears of the Kingdom gamers, yet it can be reasonably assumed that mastering all of Tri’s powers in Echoes of Wisdom is easier to grasp than learning the gameplay mechanics introduced in the last two 3D Zelda games.

In simpler terms, players can use a Sword Fighter mode for Zelda, which allows her to utilize some of Link’s sword, bomb, and bow skills. Managing this Sword Fighter mode alongside Echoes and Bind abilities might feel quite complex on occasion.

In a crowded scene, it became challenging to use Z-targeting to lock onto enemies since Zelda can also target inanimate objects such as Echoes. However, players have the advantage of summoning all Echoes back quickly by firmly pressing the ZR button when situations become intense.

At the start of the game, players might feel a bit overwhelmed due to the numerous gameplay mechanics they need to manage. However, I found myself slipping into a rhythm or ‘flow’ during the latter part of my gaming experience, which made every error I committed on the journey worthwhile. The inventory system can be cumbersome as more Echoes are uncovered, but this difficulty is alleviated by options to sort items based on Type, Cost, Frequency of Use, Last Used, and Recent Learning.

Occasionally, the game might play tricks on players who choose the incorrect Echo, resulting in amusing demises such as my own when I unwittingly ignited a bridge made of Old Beds and fell to my doom below. Not every spontaneous moment that arises from Echoes of Wisdom will be worthy of a trophy, but I eagerly anticipate the collection of Wile E. Coyote-like blunders that will grace the web in the coming months.

As players become accustomed to their preferred Echoes, games become increasingly enjoyable once you enhance Tri’s power, enabling a higher number of summons. One illustrative instance is capturing enemies with Bind and positioning them before your Echoes, which becomes more intuitive as you advance in the game.

The Adventure of Zelda

Following her escape from Hyrule Castle and acquiring a disguise for stealth, Zelda embarks on her journey. Immediately, players will spot some changes in gameplay when they compare Zelda’s actions to those of Link, as she lacks the ability to leap as high, doesn’t wield any weapons, but instead performs an adorable spin that can trim grass like a blade.

In the game Echoes of Wisdom, Zelda’s inexperience as a warrior significantly impacts gameplay, setting it apart from other series installments. Unlike traditional soldiers or swordfighters, Zelda embodies grace in combat, resorting to hurling rocks at adversaries when necessary.

In certain instances, you’ll notice a significant difference between playing as Link compared to Zelda in the game Zelda, particularly when it comes to the Gerudo Desert. Unlike Link who was required to cross-dress to gain access to a village (a trope that is no longer present), Zelda encounters suspicion from many individuals. Rather than dressing up or making fashionable choices, Zelda must demonstrate her trustworthiness through her actions.

In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, players aid in enhancing Zelda’s standing by closing fissures and assisting in rebuilding the kingdom. Essentially, this game serves as her beginnings tale, with every repaired rift contributing to the creation of Zelda’s legend. Additionally, Tri gains experience points each time, enabling Zelda to summon more echoes as she progresses.

Dungeons, Dekus, and Doh!

In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it’s clear that dungeons are making a comeback! This time around, we’re back to the classic top-down view, filled with Treasure Chests, Keys, a Big Key, and fresh puzzles that have been amped up thanks to Tri’s abilities. Each dungeon boasts a mini-boss leading up to a major foe. What’s more, each dungeon has a map for us to discover, and the most game-changing feature has to be the new Waypoints – they make navigating these sprawling dungeons a breeze!

In recent Zelda games, fast travel has been a helpful feature, but Echoes of Wisdom stands out due to its innovative use of Waypoints within dungeons. Backtracking can be frustrating for some gamers, and the ability to navigate through a traditional top-down Zelda dungeon while using Waypoints significantly enhances the overall experience in this series.

Tri’s abilities sparkle most brilliantly within these refurbished dungeons, elevating every puzzle to present a fresh, complex layer for gamers to decipher. Speedrunners of Zelda will surely devise amusing workarounds, yet I found myself feeling quite foolish at times, overthinking the predicament. A well-crafted puzzle has that power to leave one baffled, and this game is abundant with such intriguing puzzle encounters scattered across Hyrule. The most formidable puzzles undoubtedly shine brightest within dungeons.

In Echoes of Wisdom, the method they employ for utilizing the Still World resembles both the Depths and Sky Islands from Tears of the Kingdom, yet the Still World is broken down into smaller parts within the larger map. All dungeons are situated in the Still World, featuring numerous entrances and exits that significantly alter gameplay dynamics. The combination of exploring an open world and a dungeon expands puzzle-solving and problem-solving possibilities even further.

The Serene Realm offers an ideal setting for dungeons and a progression of Zelda-style puzzles, featuring intricate 3D platforming sections along with difficult side-scrolling levels. Surprisingly, I enjoy navigating through the watery stages! Even in today’s challenging economic climate.

Condé not nasty at all

In her travels across the land of Hyrule, Zelda encounters numerous characters, each with their unique tunes. Notable melodies include those belonging to Stamp Guy, Condé, Business Scrub, and Kakariko Village. The background score of the overworld is equally captivating as are the songs from the dungeons.

This game has a charming side at times. It allows you to converse with cats after completing a particular mission. Each character in the game has their unique tune, and the narratives they present are more intriguing than typical Zelda stories. The Gerudos, for example, showcase a distinctive trait of this new installation as Dohna and Seera’s mother-daughter relationship highlights stories about powerful women and young girls discovering leadership.

In the tale of a young Goron leader named Darston, who grappled with insecurity as he strove to protect his people, yet found himself plagued by doubts about each subsequent move. It was captivating to witness Tri’s growing comprehension of human nature unfold across the game, and this development was particularly evident during Zelda’s interactions with Darston. Reminiscent of Link and Navi’s bond in Ocarina of Time, the connection between Zelda and Tri seemed more organic and less mechanical for a non-player character in this game, making it another engaging aspect.

Which brings me to Condé. I love Condé. This beautiful abominable snowman is wonderful and I would do anything to make sure he is safe and happy. It’s just nice to know that the Hebra Mountains have such a wonderful resident keeping things clean. Condé 2024.

Now we’re playing with princess power

In a refreshing twist for side-scrolling games in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom blends 2D and top-down gaming, incorporating elements from Breath of the Wild. However, there were occasional loading issues when transitioning to different villages or near Hyrule Castle, which may indicate the Nintendo Switch hardware starting to show its age. Overall, my gameplay was generally smooth as I battled bosses, solved puzzles, and crafted staircases using Tables.

In Breath of the Wild, Zelda blends concoctions using items she discovers instead of preparing food as we traditionally think of cooking. Riding a horse in Echoes of Wisdom is delightful; it enables Zelda to gather coins and employ Tri’s abilities while roaming around. Zelda has an array of Accessories at her disposal that boost swimming speed, raise the likelihood of hearts appearing, and offer other exciting enhancements. Scattered across Hyrule and the Still World are heart fragments, allowing players to augment their heart count in a manner reminiscent of previous games in the series. The game offers a sense of nostalgia akin to classic gold NES cartridges while maintaining its freshness and originality.

During my playthrough over a span of more than 30 hours during this review period, it’s clear that the game may take longer for those who strive for completion. The unique experiences each player has, from solving puzzles to navigating dungeons and beyond, are so varied that I can barely scratch the surface without risking spoilers. For seasoned Zelda fans, seeing the credits roll is bound to bring wide grins. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is brimming with delightful surprises, immersive gameplay, and an abundance of activities in the largest top-down version of Hyrule ever.

This review is based on an early copy provided by the publisher. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom comes out on Nintendo Switch on September 26, 2024.

2024-09-25 15:28