As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has truly outdone itself. This game is a testament to Nintendo’s commitment to innovation and their ability to breathe new life into beloved franchises.
In The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it is Princess Zelda who takes center stage, ready to save the day. For now, Link must bide his time as this tale focuses on Zelda.
Story
In Echoes of Wisdom, there’s no delay in getting started with the narrative. As soon as you launch the game, you find yourself in the land of Hyrule, unexpectedly taking on the role of Link. Similar to the initial games, you engage in combat, slicing and dicing your way through obstacles until you reach Ganon. However, instead of celebrating a glorious victory, this encounter marks just the start. Link gets captured by the rifts, leaving Zelda with the challenging task of rebuilding Hyrule and preventing its impending doom.
Beginning the game by controlling Link instead of the more familiar role as Zelda, offers a unique perspective. It underscores that while Link possesses the Triforce of Courage, Zelda is endowed with the Triforce of Wisdom. Although Zelda can perform some of the combat moves we’re accustomed to from playing as Link, her real strength lies in her intellect rather than physical prowess, as reflected by her Energy bar. This theme persists throughout the game. If she requires an item or needs access to a certain place, she must devise a strategy to persuade those in control. This could involve discovering hidden cave entrances, helping people cope with their emotions, and utilizing Echoes to find solutions that everyone can accept.
In essence, the narrative unfolds to reflect her essence as the princess of Hyrule, a role that requires her to manage the kingdom’s resources and people prudently for their protection and happiness. Unlike merely arriving to fix a problem, she engages, assesses situations, and strategically finds the optimal solution based on available resources. Concurrently, her problem-solving approach imparts valuable lessons to those she assists, adding depth to the story and giving it the authentic feel of a Zelda adventure, as opposed to just portraying her as a female counterpart of Link.
Nevertheless, the narrative of Echoes of Wisdom remains compelling regardless of Zelda’s involvement. In this rendition of Hyrule, the world is persistently marred by rifts that abduct people, transforming those who have miraculously escaped and wreaking havoc on the land more devastatingly than ever before.
In the realm of Hyrule, every aspect – environments and characters alike – has been crafted with a thoughtful approach. You’ll encounter characters who bear the scars of the rifts, some caring for them, while others express differing viewpoints about the unfolding events through various Non-Player Characters (NPCs). When Zelda is falsely accused by the pretender king as the cause of the rifts, reactions among the inhabitants vary. Residents closer to her in Castle Town show signs of doubt and confusion, whereas those in more distant villages, like Kakariko, exhibit a mix of anger, bewilderment, or simple ignorance about the state of Hyrule.
Additionally, we observe shifts in characters’ feelings as conflicts arise and dissipate, which creates a striking difference between the concern for friends who have been separated by these conflicts and the unity among people when they are resolved. These subtle nuances make delving into the intricate details of the game and its characters an incredibly rewarding experience.
Score: 5/5
Puzzles
Similar to many games within the Legend of Zelda series, solving puzzles plays an essential role in Echoes of Wisdom. However, unlike traditional puzzle designs, these challenges offer a multitude of creative solutions rather than relying on a single method. Your ability to solve these puzzles is only confined by your imagination and the Echoes at your disposal. I happily spent countless hours devising peculiar and unconventional methods to overcome these challenges. For instance, at times I’d stack six old beds one upon another, while other instances required me to rearrange furniture within a room for 15 minutes until I could construct an improvised staircase. Solutions like that may not appeal to everyone, but they definitely tickled my fancy.
It’s worth mentioning that these innovative strategies are effective for both exploring the world and solving problems. Just like scaling Eldin Volcano doesn’t have to be done by sticking to the traditional route; you could stack water blocks between ledges, mimicking a water elevator in Minecraft. For those seeking adventure, summoning a crawling spider for climbing any surface might seem appealing. Not only is it exciting, but the game promotes experimentation by placing items on high platforms that would be unreachable in conventional Zelda games. Despite having completed the game, I’m looking forward to replaying it to test my limits and creativity with the Tri Wand.
Score: 5/5
Combat
In essence, I found the combat style in this game quite enjoyable. Experimenting with various Echoes throughout each fight kept things interesting and gave me freedom to adapt my strategy: I could engage foes from afar using distant creatures such as Wizzrobes, or summon Darknuts for a close-quarters battle; if I preferred a more hands-off approach, I could repeatedly summon rocks to win battles. A tactic I particularly liked was calling forth a swarm of crows to attack enemies that approached me. I’d let them handle the fighting while I collected the rupees they dislodged from nearby enemies.
As someone who has dived headfirst into the captivating world of Echoes of Wisdom, I can wholeheartedly affirm that its combat system is designed for every player’s delight. With a whopping 127 Echoes to select from, you are granted the freedom to engage in battle according to your preferred style. Summon the monsters that resonate with you, harness items to outsmart your foes, or revert to the classic swordplay of Zelda’s Swordsman Form – the choice is yours. This boundless versatility ensures a kaleidoscope of combat encounters, ensuring that the thrill of battle never wanes.
Score: 5/5
Art Style
As I delve into the captivating world of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it strikes me how this game shares an endearing, reminiscent art style with the refurbished Link’s Awakening. Characters in this game are sketched petite with oversized heads and round black eyes, giving off a more adorable vibe than Funko Pops. Typically, I’m not fond of stark black eyes, but these have a hint of Kirby and the Chao from Sonic in their shape that grows on me. Despite their simplicity, the expressions on these characters are rich and lively, breathing life into the game beyond what the art style alone can offer.
“The scenery is equally captivating as the characters within the game.
Score: 4.5/5
Verdict – Zelda stands tall as the Priestess of Hyrule
From the moment Nintendo revealed that Zelda was the main character for this game, I had lofty expectations – and they were more than met! The Princess of Hyrule and custodian of the Triforce of Wisdom, she truly embodied her roles, shaping her actions, interactions with others, and even the types of combat available to players.
In every curve and challenge within the game, I found myself eagerly devising imaginative strategies, ranging from constructing bridges using beds to dispatching crows against any approaching monsters. The delightful puzzle-solving and stunning visuals are surpassed only by the fact that this game excels so much due to Zelda being the central character. The game seems tailor-made for her, leading us to humorously dub it as “The Legend of Link”. Essentially, it’s almost a perfect installment in the Zelda series.
[Disclosure: A free copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purposes.]
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2024-10-04 16:21