As a long-time Zelda fanatic who has traversed Hyrule countless times as Link, I must admit that stepping into the shoes of Zelda herself was a captivating yet somewhat perplexing experience with “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom“.
In a long-standing series known for its intricate lore, the idea of “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” instantly sparked curiosity – what kind of Zelda game would this turn out to be? Given the character swap, it’s bound to be something fresh, but still, many insights can be gathered from the way the game shapes its design, mood, and overall atmosphere. Essentially, Echoes of Wisdom is tough to pin down – because in reality, it’s somewhat of a fusion.
In this fresh take on the Zelda series (excluding non-Nintendo adaptations), Princess Zelda’s debut as the main character primarily derives inspiration from three key elements of the franchise. Firstly, it adopts a portable Zelda format similar to Link’s Awakening and its successors. Secondly, the art style, reminiscent of the toybox aesthetic used in the remake of Link’s Awakening, is beautifully reprised here. Thirdly, as a 2D, top-down game, it owes much to A Link to the Past and its sequel, Worlds. However, the most obvious influence is undeniably Breath of the Wild, which establishes itself as the new standard for the Zelda series in this newest escapade.
Firstly, what initially brought delight was the initial glimpse of Echoes of Wisdom, particularly appreciating how the aesthetic and gameplay mechanics from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were rendered in a 2D format within the Zelda universe.
This experience seems to blend the nostalgia of the past with the innovation of the present. The game world resembles that of A Link to the Past, yet it intentionally echoes the diverse landscapes of Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule. Even the user interface is largely borrowed from larger games, making side quests appear and function in a familiar way. Characters express themselves through identical icons and speech bubbles, and the sound effects are consistent when starting a new quest.
In essence, it’s not only about the appearance; the structural elements deeply influence the design of this spin-off as well. The reasoning behind this is that Zelda is a princess, not a warrior, hence her abilities primarily revolve around magic. This isn’t unusual for the Zelda series, where magical gimmicks are common, but in Echoes of Wisdom, you’re provided with some fundamental skills at the outset, which can be creatively applied to solve puzzles in innovative and sometimes unforeseen ways, similar to the approach taken in Breath of the Wild.
In Zelda’s latest power, she can generate ‘echoes’ – hence the name – enchanting replicas of objects found within the game environment. These echoes can take various forms, such as a tree that drops new foliage into the game, a bed for resting or using as a stepping stone to traverse gaps, or even creatures to fight on your behalf since Zelda doesn’t have direct combat skills. There are numerous echoes to discover and master throughout the game world. Once placed in the world, these objects can be physically picked up if they’re light enough, or moved around using an Ultrahand-like magical ability that also assists with puzzle solving.
In this game, there’s a limit to how many echoes you can summon simultaneously at any given time, although this cap increases as the game progresses – serving as a significant obstacle for advancement. However, the methodology for employing these echoes is reminiscent of “Breath of the Wild” – allowing you to summon anything, anywhere, and using them in unexpected ways. Essentially, you have the freedom to do as you please. Since each of the numerous echoes is unique (some more distinct than others, note), inventive, peculiar, or intelligent applications can lead to creative, strange, or clever outcomes. Or, put simply, you can make beds into stairs and rely on them as a dependable mode of transportation. This technique becomes a staple in the game.
In the early stages of my gaming adventure, with only a handful of items in my stash, I managed to improvise a way to snatch a hard-to-reach collectible using a tree and a trampoline – quite a creative hack, I must say! It wasn’t the typical method for grabbing that item, but I made it work with the resources at hand. It felt like a moment of sheer genius. This unique sense of brilliance never left me throughout my gaming journey; it was thrilling!
In essence, this game offers a flexible structure, allowing you to navigate through various zones at your own pace. Initially, it suggests exploring the Gerudo and Zora regions, which serve as your initial dungeons. You’re free to tackle them in any order that suits you. Additionally, feel free to delve as deep into Hyrule as your curiosity takes you. As you progress and complete the first two dungeons, more possibilities unfold for the subsequent phases. Throughout this journey, you maintain a large degree of autonomy in how you choose to play.
In many underground locations like caves or dungeons, you’ll encounter puzzles that are more structured, where a fresh ability is presented to you, followed by one or two puzzles requiring the use of this new skill right away. However, for the most part, you have the freedom to explore and find your own solutions. This is similar to the free-flowing nature of puzzles found in Breath of the Wild, where each puzzle has a suggested solution using specific items and mechanics thoughtfully placed throughout – yet you can choose to find creative or forceful ways to solve them if you wish.
All in all, everything seems to be functioning quite satisfactorily, or at least reasonably well. As the match progressed, I started to sense that each system was operating around 80% of its full potential. Echoes of Wisdom is remarkably insightful, but it occasionally overlooks chances as well.
Some systems I just don’t quite get. There’s a recipe system for crafting smoothies that reminds me both of BOTW and of Ring Fit Adventure (which shares an engine and much technology with the newer Zeldas) – but the buffs gained from these items feel fairly unnecessary, except for those that help you deal with environmental hazards like extreme hot or cold weather. The ability to transform into ‘Swordfighter’ form, which is basically Link, is neat – but it feels like such a cheat and such a betrayal of the game’s core ideas that I deliberately avoided using it except for when it was strictly necessary.
The biggest missed opportunity is doubtless in the use of Zelda herself. For one, the abilities she has feel rather generic – they’re not things I particularly associate with any iteration of the character, be that the ninja-like Sheik, the confident archer of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, or even just the magic wielder we see in Smash. Echoes feel like the standard sort of Zelda series gimmick that could’ve just as easily been grafted on to Link – which is a problem that becomes a bit of a theme.
In this game, Zelda remains silent as she usually does in the Zelda series, where the player character is often an audience-insert character who doesn’t speak. Despite Zelda’s history of dialogue since 1986, this particular Zelda is speechless. I expected Gerudo town to offer a new experience because Link has always had to sneak into these towns as a man, either by disguise, stealth, or deception due to the female-only society. However, it turns out that while Zelda can enter without issue, there’s another obstacle deeper in the town that serves the same purpose. This trope, while fulfilling its function, feels somewhat repetitive and routine.
In simpler terms, I’d say that throughout the game, while I enjoyed it, I didn’t feel like I was truly playing as Zelda. It’s sweet and all, but in essence, everything could have been Link. This seems to be a departure from the traditional Nintendo style, which is disappointing because fans have been asking for a Zelda game for years. They got one, but it doesn’t feel like one entirely. The Swordfighter mode seems to symbolize this compromise – when things get tough, you can effectively transform into Link.
Simultaneously, a part of me, reminiscent of Miyamoto’s thinking, contends that everything presented – the stories, visuals, it’s all background, mere decoration. The gameplay itself holds significance. There may be some truth to this perspective. However, I can’t help but feel profoundly let down.
As a devoted Nintendo enthusiast, the core concept of this game truly resonates with me, overshadowing any minor letdowns. There’s a certain “your experience may differ” factor here, but if you revel in solving puzzles in unconventional manners and delight in combining mechanics to create surprising moments, the echo system will undoubtedly strike a chord, much as it did with me. I could easily spend hours engrossed in that system, but it’s important to note that unlike the polished physics puzzles of Breath of the Wild, this system is not yet fully realized and presents some gaps that I eagerly hope will be addressed in future installments.
The result is a game that is the definition of a truly mixed experience – but if you take the rough and under-developed with the smooth and innovative, there’s a lot of fun to be had. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is perhaps a victim of being part of a series that has one of the highest batting averages of any franchise out there – what is ‘good’ by Zelda standards is great to many other franchises and publishers. This is by no means the earth-shaker that some Zelda games are – but it sits up there with many other classic 2D Zeldas just fine. I just wish Zelda herself felt a bit more defined and present throughout, given this is her first true playable debut.
8
Versions tested: Played on a Nintendo Switch OLED
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2024-09-25 15:26