The Legend of Zeldaseries holds a residence in the hearts of many gamers Being one of Nintendo’s most successful franchises, the standard of entries has become increasingly high, given that the latest installments,Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, have been met with critical acclaim. The games mostly follow Link, a young Hylian, on his quest to save the Hyrule princess, Zelda, from the grasp of the evil demon king, Ganon. Every iteration provides players with a new perspective and style of the traditional plot line…that is untilEchoes of Wisdomcame along.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomturns the tables and has players control Princess Zelda, who was rescued by Link, who unfortunately disappears into the Still World, leaving Zelda to take the reins. The Still World ravages its way across the land of Hyrule, causing mysterious rifts to appear, which brings forth a new set of challenges to a once-thriving environment. It’s up to Zelda and her trusty fairy, Tri, to journey throughout Hyrule to repair the rifts and rescue those stuck inside.
Nintendo is still the publisher behind this title, but the only difference is that it’s developed alongside the team at Grezzo, whose work is notable withinThe Legend of Zeldaseries. For those of you who can already tell due to the toy-like character designs, Grezzo was behind the 2019 remake ofThe Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Similarly, this game takes that unique art style and brings a new journey to life. Given the positive reviews of the remake, it’s worth noting that Nintendo gave the studio an opportunity to tell a story that breaks the traditional storyline of the beloved series and it pays off beautifully.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Reveals Swordfighter Form, Explores the ‘Still World’
A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view.
Tri Something Traditional in a New Way
Echoes of Wisdomdoesn’t entirely reset the standards of its predecessors, but simply brings different elements from other titles into play. It boasts its dungeon crawling and key item progression as well as adds the wickedly-fun problem-solving mechanic fromTears of the Kingdom. Tri’s powers create echoes of items and creatures, which you can cast using the Tri Rod. While it is odd to not be slashing your sword at enemies the whole time, it’s nice to take a backseat and watch echoes do the job for you.
When it comes to the echoes feature, it’s captivating to use throughout Hyrule provided that you have the best items and creatures. Most of them will be learned as the story goes on and it’s entirely up to you to figure out the best ways to use them. Similar toTears of the Kingdom, there isn’t one way of going through obstacles, which is one of the prominent positive remarks of the last installment.Innovation is something that Nintendo has been keen on bringing to the forefront when it comes to its games and so it’s nice to have that option be featured in anotherZeldatitle.
For those who miss Link, the game doesn’t lose its sights on him, since he does have a part within the story itself. This is Zelda’s story through and through, which Nintendo delivers on excellently by valuing the heroic, iconic storyline of the series, but not necessarily putting Zelda directly into Link’s story. Zelda does take after Link with regard to the usage of the Swordfighter form, which allows players to temporarily wield a sword and battle enemies. Personally, it’s easy to forget that Zelda isn’t Link, considering that the world itself captures your attention more than who is leading the game.
This is Zelda’s story through and through, which Nintendo delivers on excellently by valuing the heroic, iconic storyline of the series, but not necessarily putting Zelda directly into Link’s story.
A New Breath to the Wildlands of Hyrule
As the pastZeldatitles have shown, the land of Hyrule is vast, spanning across about five different regions to explore. The freedom you have when it comes to tackling each region is held back, but due to the progression of the story it doesn’t deter the thrill of journeying across the different landscapes. Something that’s expertly done inEchoes of Wisdomis the musical composition, which pairs fittingly with the stylized worlds. The series always brings great tunes to go along with the different areas like Eldin and Gerudo, which bolster a rhythmic intensity that values drums and orchestral elements.
The added excitement of adventure is brought with its use of new enemies and echoes to collect, some of which will make all the difference in your quest. The use of the bed becomes an added step before entering a battle and the water block (yes, this is actually an echo) waves goodbye to my worries of not making up a high wall. The range in which these echoes can be used is shocking.Looking back atTears of the Kingdom, the game’s mechanics walked soEchoes of Wisdomcould run.
With this being said, the game does run into some technical errors, with one primarily seen with the frame rate. There are times that the game slows down, but it’s only for a few seconds. While it was a glaring aspect in the beginning, over time it doesn’t become a huge damper on the experience. Honestly, given the expansive quality of the game, it shouldn’t dissuade players from exploring the vast world of Hyrule.
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Becoming a Hyrule Warrior (Alongside Your Echoes)
One downside to the echoes is that the battles can feel lackluster, since you aren’t fighting alongside them, but watching them. Although it is fun when you’ve got a powerful echo going up against a tribe of enemies. The use of the swordfighting form is useful in these moments, but being resourceful of the energy bar is to be noted. Another thing is the automaton system, which are single-use bots that you need to wind up in order for them to attack enemies. The range of those is fun and adds another layer of strategy.
Strategy is at the forefront when it comes to the ruins, which test your skills of echo launching and tactics.Echoes of Wisdomallows you to approach any obstacle with a sense of freedom, so becoming creative is one of those key skills that you will learn. With the help of the bond tool, you can attach to anything, whether it be an echo or not, and move it around based on where you are. This can be sadistic at times, especially if it revolves around moving an echo in front of an enemy to avoid being attacked, which I may or may not be guilty of.
Echoes of Wisdomallows you to approach any obstacle with a sense of freedom, so becoming creative is one of those key skills that you will learn.
Provided that the game itself clocks in at around 23 hours, there isn’t a shortage of side quests. Some are on the easier side and play towards the difficulty level and skills granted in the area itself, but some can be tricky as well. As always, a reward is given at the end and the satisfaction of completing it is gratifying. TheZeldafranchise does its job when it comes to making sure the player’s accomplishments are acknowledged.
Closing Comments:
Echoes of Wisdombrings the spark of the latest games, but also dives deeper into the ethos of the old games with its use of dungeons. While the regions are the same, there’s a new life that’s presented in this that nails the aspect of refreshing the franchise in a way that isn’t a total reset. The game delivers on bringing those two elements together and valuing the series.While it isn’t perfect, it goes without saying that the game is impressive and reels you in right at the start and will make you want more after the credits begin to roll.Echoes of Wisdomshould be seen as an addition to the mainline ofThe Legend of Zeldaseries. I mean, Zelda is in the name, so why not?
