Review - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Legend of Link
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Nintendo, Grezzo
Satoshi Terada, Tomomi Sano, Eiji Aonuma
September 26, 2024
Nintendo Switch
For decades, The Legend of Zelda has been one of the most critically acclaimed video game franchises. The series has numerous entries that are brought up on the greatest games lists. Three specific games—A Link to the Past, Breath of the Wild, and Ocarina of Time (what I like to call the Citizen Kane of video games)—are almost always placed in the top ten in most lists. The games mostly follow the same formula following the young hero Link, who sets out on a quest to save Princess Zelda from the monster Ganon. Along the way, he meets multiple characters as he traverses the world of Hyrule and is destined to hold the legendary Master Sword. It’s a formula that has worked because it has set the standard for multiple adventure titles.
However, many have always wanted a game that focuses on Princess Zelda. Nintendo, much like Disney, is no stranger to princesses. She’s become one of the more infamous female video game characters. Some games in the series have had her do more than just be a damsel in distress. In Ocarina of Time, she hides in the future as Sheik, a warrior who helps fight against Ganondorf’s forces. In Skyward Sword, she has her adventure off-camera that’s important to the ending, and in Tears of the Kingdom, she proves to be extremely important in defeating Ganondorf and repairing the world. But, we wanted to play as her and give her an adventure. With Nintendo releasing Princess Peach: Showtime!, the Big N was ready to give its female stars their limelight. So we have Echoes of Wisdom, a game where the player can finally play the titular character. So, does the game live up to the decades-long wait?
Plot, Characters, and Setting
The game starts with the ending of a previous adventure. The series is known for its complicated and controversial timelines, so I'll let you sort out when it takes place, but we start with Link saving the princess from his archnemesis, Ganon. When it looks like we are getting the typical ending and Link defeats the monster again, a mysterious rift appears and swallows him. Zelda escapes the dungeon and is found by Hyrule knights, who take her back to the castle. From here, the princess is told about these rifts spreading throughout Hyrule and taking victims. I don’t want to spoil too much, but the princess needs to go out and investigate the rifts after an event in the castle. She befriends a fairy called Tri, who gives her a special rod to make echoes of objects and enemies you’ve defeated.
From there, you follow an old-school formula the series used to deploy before the recent, more open-world-focused Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. What quickly surprised me as I played was how much I missed this formula. Despite their massive critical acclaim, I’ve seen some Zelda fans who aren’t as in love with the new open-world games of the series as the majority are. Those games differ greatly from how we grew up with the series, but I love those two titles. But I couldn’t help but feel like I was getting reacquainted with an old friend when playing the older style this game brings back. Is it predictable? Let's see: three dungeons, a surprise middle act with a slight plot twist, and three more dungeons before the final boss. Yes, it’s very predictable. Yet, I loved it, and it made me realize I would be okay with a good chunk of those elements coming back in the future. However, the real heart of the story and plot are the characters you’ll meet.
Now, the Zelda series has always had some memorable characters. Of course, the series has the different races that we all know and love: the Gerudo, the Zoras, the Deku, and so on. As expected, our adventure has us run into them, and each has its own subplot regarding the rifts spreading throughout Hyrule. These characters are well-written, memorable, likable, and have all the charm the series always delivers. Some of my favorite characters of the year have come from this game alone. General Wright, the head of Hyrule’s knights, is tough but quirky in the best way. Stamp Guy, a sidequest character that’s the perfect example of making something you love your personality. The Deku Scrubs either help make smoothies for you to heal or boost effects or are busy with their obsession over a suspicious cotton candy-like web. The two arguing Zora tribes, with the River Zora chief in particular being a favorite. Darston, the young Goron chief, has my favorite character arc in the game. There’s so much more, such as a likable Yeti and the Gerudo. It’s just filled to the top with so many well-done characters.
Gameplay and Fun Factor
The gameplay loop for Echoes of Wisdom is around your Tri Rod, a special weapon given to you by Tri that makes echoes of items and enemies you encounter. You will be able to get the ability to use a sword later in the game, but it’s one of those temporary deals regarding the energy you have. I wasn’t sold on this when it was first shown in the trailer. However, it quickly became apparent that this game is essentially a mini version of Tears of the Kingdom. I wasn’t excited for Tears to focus on making and crafting things either, but once I got it in my hands, I was able to see the vision, as the kids say. The same happened with Echoes of Wisdom. You’ll find yourself using the numerous echoes you get, and I do mean NUMEROUS, for solving puzzles and traversing in ways you never thought you would in a Zelda game. From stacking beds to get over a ledge or using fire bats to light torches. If you can imagine it, you’ll most likely be able to do it. It’s one of those you have to play to see what I mean by experiences.
The use of the echoes amazingly works well. Need to heal? Just hop on one of the beds and wait to fill your hearts. A hallway has wind blocking your way? Use a rock or iron box to help cover the hole and stop the wind from blowing you back. A flying enemy is attacking you? Go ahead and get a spear-wielding Moblin out to attack it back. I could go on and on with examples. As Steve Jobs said, it just works. But that’s not where the comparisons Tears of the Kingdom end. There are some areas or enemies that can affect your health, such as elements like fire and ice, which you can make smoothies to fight against. You are also given options on which dungeons you can visit, with multiple markers on the map. As I said, it feels like a mini version of Tears of the Kingdom.
The dungeons in the game are probably a little weaker than some Zelda veterans are looking for in terms of difficulty, but they have some cool concepts and ideas. The use of the echoes makes each dungeon different, and what the developers did is pretty impressive, considering the echoes could’ve broken them. The variety for each is different, too, because none feel like you’re doing the same thing. Some dungeons are more enemy-focused, while a couple are more about puzzles and challenging your echoes use. Each one ends with a boss battle, and I must tell you that the boss battles here are probably my favorite of the year. There are some new bosses mixed with the series regulars, and each one has some really fun ways to fight. The use of echoes and your energy attacks come in handy during these encounters, and while they’re not the most challenging bosses you’ll fight, they’re tough enough at times and just plain fun.
One new gameplay idea in the game I liked and want to see going forward in the series is the pendants and clothing you can wear. These add effects and abilities almost similar to the rings and medallions that Soulslike titles have. I would love to see this more in the next mainline Zelda. We, of course, have a lot of good content for those wanting to stay in this world. The game isn’t as long as the recent Zelda games, but there’s enough optional content to keep its biggest fans happy. You can collect stamps from the eccentric Stamp Guy, fulfill requests from multiple characters, fix rifts to clean up towns and areas, get two Dekus Scrubs in love back together, and more.
Graphics, Presentation, and Soundtrack
If there’s one thing Nintendo is great at, it is timeless art styles, and Echoes of Wisdom does not disappoint. The chibi art mixed with its whimsical score delivers one of my more charming experiences. The world of Hyrule just pops with this art, and it feels like I’m playing inside a massive toy model. The best part is the incredible music that perfectly fits into the world and each moment of playing. The Zelda series is known for its incredible music, and this one continues to make that true. The overworld theme fits the game, with that classic Zelda theme mixed with a childlike, whimsical ambiance that makes the game feel like magic.
I did see many players saying they could see a lot of framerate drops, especially in handheld mode. But I have to say I didn’t personally see those. That being said, as someone who John Linneman of Digital Foundry tweeted for my framerate opinion, I’ve come to realize that for whatever reason, I don’t notice those like everyone else seems to, so I would caution people who are sensitive to framerate and performance about that.
Grade - S
Must Play Masterpeice
I’m going to level with my readers here. There is some bias in this score as The Legend of Zelda is my second favorite video game franchise, but it is ultimately my opinion, and I just couldn’t help but give this the highest score a game could get. This is a perfect middle ground for the newer Zelda games and the old-school style many miss. Princess Zelda finally gets her spotlight and is playing the hero in a fun game that brings back that perfect cozy Nintendo feeling I can’t help but love from the iconic Japanese company. Exploring Hyrule while using echoes in different ways, meeting characters, completing dungeons, and enjoying the music and art style - it’s one of the best times I’ve had on the Nintendo Switch. I would call this a must-play title that everyone could enjoy. The princess knocks it out of the park, and I hope we see more from her in the near future.
Pros
+ The world, childlike music, and chibi art style all mix for a memorable adventure
+ Incredible heart and soul with the characters you’ll meet
+ Well done dungeons and puzzle ideas
+ Some of the best boss fights I’ve played this year
+ Echoes work and don’t feel like a gimmick
+ Some new gameplay ideas I would like to see reused in the series later
+ Princess Zelda gets a proper and awesome game to star in
Cons
- While I liked coming back to it, the typical old Zelda series formula is here, and some may be bored by it or prefer the open-world AAA style of the newer games