As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I must say that my recent foray into “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” has left me utterly captivated. This game is not just another entry in the beloved series; it’s a breath of fresh air, a testament to Nintendo’s commitment to innovation and player freedom.
Back in June, Nintendo unveiled “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom”. From the get-go, its unique appeal was unmistakable. Indeed, the Princess of Hyrule stepped into the limelight as the lead character, and what’s more, she possessed a distinct gameplay style that set her apart from her loyal knight companion. I was fortunate enough to have a hands-on experience with this fresh addition to the Zelda series, to witness how everything harmoniously merged together
The demo commenced with Zelda breaking free from her prison, evading several castle guards as she was considered the cause behind the rifts appearing mysteriously all over Hyrule, taking people away. Echoes of Wisdom promptly introduces its main feature, the Echo system. Various items in the environment will shine golden, signaling that Zelda can acquire an echo of these objects; this ability grants her the power to create duplicates of those items at will
In a similar vein, when Zelda vanquishes an opponent for the first time, they will lose their echo; this makes her a summoner in Echoes of Wisdom. When summoning friendly creatures, they behave independently and often target nearby enemies automatically. Enemies that are locked-on receive priority, thus offering some control over their actions
Echoes, unlike physical entities, don’t dissipate over time. Once Zelda acquires an echo of something, she retains it permanently and can utilize it whenever and wherever she chooses. The only restriction on echoes is their cost relative to Tri’s power. Tri serves as Zelda’s companion in Echoes of Wisdom, enabling her to use the echo system initially. From what I’ve observed in the demo thus far, echoes can require 1, 2, or 3 units of Tri’s power; however, the full game may offer methods to increase the numerical value of Tri’s power
For instance, a wooden table takes up one of Tri’s power and that means Zelda can have up to three wooden tables out at once. Players can also choose to summon other “1-cost” items or enemies besides duplicated wooden tables. Instead, they may call upon a Rope snake and a Keese bat since they both only consume one of Tri’s power.
So long as players don’t surpass the power limit set by Tri (3 in the demo), they are free to use any mix of items or monsters at their discretion. If Zelda seemed low on health, I would deploy my 2-cost Spear Moblin to throw spears at nearby dangers while Zelda rested peacefully on a bed she conjured up to recuperate her health slowly
As I delve into Echoes of Wisdom, it’s clear that the game is brimming with innovative, imaginative, and adaptable mechanics. Right from the get-go, they’re not afraid to pile on those echoes, giving me a veritable toolkit to play around with. The way I navigate platforming and engage in combat is entirely up to my creativity. I can opt for strategic teamwork with synergistic companions, or I can go old school and pummel my way through battles by flinging rocks until the opposition fades away
In terms of platforming, I can opt to carefully pile tables and crates to gradually ascend towards a raised area. Alternatively, summoning Skulltula spiders could serve as a quicker method since they’ll instantly shoot a web upwards when called, allowing Link (or Zelda) to climb their webs like a rope
Water physics also influence the behavior of echoes. Different echo patterns interact uniquely with water, causing denser objects to sink and lighter ones to float. This characteristic of water can significantly impact how one navigates a water body. Are there echo patterns that could form a dependable crossing path across it, or maybe even echo patterns that could circumvent the water body altogether?
Initially experimenting with the fundamentals of Echoes of Wisdom at the game’s onset, I encountered a sequence where Zelda leaped into a fissure and ventured into the Stilled Realm, as revealed in the latest trailer. It appears that everything within this realm, including creatures, flora, and landscapes, is stationary due to the influence of the rift. As sections of the region’s environment fragmented thanks to the rift, I traversed various suspended platforms until I reached the Suthorn Ruins dungeon
In this setting, I learned about the pair of skills called Bind and Reverse Bond. The Bind ability enables Tri to connect with an object or adversary, creating a connection between it and Zelda. Once connected, whatever movements Zelda makes, that object or enemy will move synchronously with her in real time. For example, if Zelda and a rock are bound together, moving Zelda to the right causes the rock to move to the right instantaneously as well
Instead of following an object or enemy that’s moving, Reverse Bond allows Zelda to move independently when attached to a movable platform. If she uses Bind instead, the platform will only move with her movements. This tug-of-war mechanic was frequently encountered in this dungeon, necessitating some clever navigation to collect all the treasures
At Suthorn Ruins, I found a powerful 3-unit enemy resembling an armored knight, moving at a leisurely pace but capable of delivering crushing blows with each sword stroke. Although its high cost might suggest superior stats on paper, the lower utility cost of my preferred team configurations felt more advantageous to me – and remember, what seems best can vary among individuals
I even ran into a miniboss that seemed to be some sort of a shadow of Link. Either way, it was hostile and not the Link that we’re all familiar with, and that was a lot of fun experimenting with different teams of monster echoes against it. Plus, players could even utilize the Bind mechanic to have Zelda support her minions. I struck the final blow against this mean not-Link by briefly freezing it with a Bind as I had its attention, while my trusty Spear Moblin threw a spear into his back. I even subconsciously readjusted the position of the boss with Bind, once I saw that the trajectory of the spear toss wasn’t going to initially hit the boss too.
It’s all these little things coming together that are already starting to spark some kind of magic in Echoes of Wisdom for me. There’s a balance of creativity, improvisation, and fulfillment in every step of the way.
In addition to that, I also had a chance to explore the Swordfighter Transformation for Zelda. Essentially, she momentarily assumes Link’s form; during this phase, Zelda wields the sword in her left hand. A gauge gradually depletes while she’s in Swordfighter Transformation, yet during this period, players can experience a brief return of Link as the main character. The gauge can be replenished by collecting floating orbs within Still World sections and the transformation can be utilized anywhere, at any time, once Zelda acquires it. As always, it’s entirely in the hands of the players to choose when and where they will use the resources from the Swordfighter Mode
Playing The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was an absolute joy! It’s jam-packed with promise, and even a small taste has left me thoroughly impressed. If there’s one lesson that previous Zelda games have taught Nintendo, it’s that they should encourage players to explore their own playstyle. Echoes of Wisdom carries on this philosophy, and the upcoming release of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom on September 26 for the Nintendo Switch promises a new wave of creative problem-solving in the Zelda series!
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2024-09-04 16:27