Watching footage of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, whether in trailers or regular gameplay, may feel a little strange after The Legend of Zelda: Kingdom of Tears. And I don’t blame you. So one of the best adventure games of all time gets a sequel in the form of yet another one of the best adventure games of all time.
What’s more, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom doesn’t even put you in Link’s shoes. For the first time in series history, you’ll be able to play as Zelda herself. No, I’m not counting those weird unofficial CD-i games. Yes, we know they exist.
But The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is by no means a bizarre spin-off. This is one of the most unique and fascinating experiences in the series to date, making it a worthy entry in its own right. A combination of traditional and unconventional gameplay mechanics makes this latest installment shine in almost every department.
your link is in another castle
Introducing The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you play as Link and raid what appears to be the final dungeon on your way to finding Princess Zelda. Upon finding her, Link is immediately sucked into a series of expanding purple fissures, with Zelda narrowly escaping. She is soon rescued, but it appears as if these mysterious purple rifts are spreading throughout Hyrule, corrupting not only the kingdom but its inhabitants as well.
Zelda must then travel outside again to save the kingdom, rescue Link, and change the process. The story itself is relatively easy to follow, but it becomes unremarkable for most of the 20-25 hour running time. There are some big stakes that I don’t want to spoil, and it’s a shame that they’re dealt with quite intermittently. It’s not a bad attempt at storytelling, just on the lighter side.
However, I can appreciate the choice to expand on certain aspects of Zelda’s life and backstory, even though it relies on certain tropes within the series. It’s definitely mentioned here more than anywhere else.
That being said, the majority of the game relies on core gameplay mechanics, both combat and movement, that pretty much make up for everything else. Accompanied by Comparison Try, a small floating sphere that any Navi fan will remember (hey! listen!), Zelda can utilize and manipulate her surroundings in some interesting ways.
daily echo
Early in the game, Zelda acquires Echo, a special magic wand that can create copies of objects in the environment that can be used in various situations. Items with specific radiance can be added to Echo’s collection, from standard objects such as tables and vases to more unique objects such as different types of enemies. Most objects have a specific purpose or function, typically for traversal or combat.
Although this game is small in scope and size, it’s great to see how much of a sense of creative freedom it maintains when compared to something like Tears of the Kingdom. Most environments and areas feel like little puzzles to solve, and it’s basically up to you to figure things out by playing around with the game’s mechanics and Zelda’s ever-growing collection of echoes.
I also like that extra Echoes can be hidden in hidden locations and off the beaten path, allowing you to find them almost anywhere. I don’t want to spoil the different Echoes you can find in Hyrule, but I won’t deny that the game could generate some decent momentum later on if you could get more Echoes for different situations . There are also plenty of side quests to take on during or after the story, which can lead to another layer of new and useful Echoes.
Zelda can also call on Tri to manipulate and move objects of interest within an area. This is usually useful when exploring or solving puzzles. Some of the echoes feel like they have multiple uses, which makes them all add up a little more satisfyingly, but I’d be lying if I said the combat was just as exciting.
It’s not terrible, but most combat encounters rely on Zelda casting enemy echoes on other enemies, which isn’t always satisfying. For example, Zelda can fire a small green blob that tracks and bounces off enemies in an area. However, they are very slow and usually miss faster targets. The real challenge lies in getting these echoes in the right place at the right time, which can be a bit frustrating.
This is also because Zelda later gains the ability to fight with Link’s sword in “Swordfighter Mode”, resulting in more traditional combat at the expense of Zelda’s energy bar. It is not reliable as it can quickly consume Zelda. Also, while it can be upgraded, I don’t think it will last forever.
However, if combat is a little too difficult or frustrating, players can utilize the automaton system. The system allows small robots to be manually hoisted and released into sticky environments to assist in more demanding scenarios. Certain automatons like the Deku Baba can eat enemies, while the Impregnable Moblin can take down entire areas with a single swing of its sword. This is also something you won’t use often, but it’s certainly useful.
All of this combines to create a balanced web of clever puzzle-solving and combat sequences, constantly challenging players to evaluate Echo’s arsenal, experiment, and ultimately make the right decision. The combat could have been a little more engaging, especially early on, but I simply had so much fun playing around with Echo that it didn’t detract from the experience too much.
look at the part
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom looks beautiful in certain sections thanks to its bright color palette and attractive character models, but it’s hard not to notice the flaws in the Nintendo Switch’s matching hardware. The 1080p resolution when docked can be forgiven for feeling a bit hazy by today’s standards, but the drop in frame rate is not negligible.
It’s not down to single digits here, but it’s stable enough that it feels like the Nintendo Switch doesn’t have anything left to give in terms of complaints. It seems like this is a consistent theme in most of our Nintendo Switch game reviews at this point, so it’s a shame to point this out again, and it’s more of a shame that it applies here.
However, I would say that beyond the appealing and vibrant visuals, there is an equally enjoyable soundtrack that aims for something fresh while enjoying more iconic tracks and soundbites.
final thoughts
Beyond the performance issues and sometimes lackluster combat, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom manages to provide an experience as smart and engaging as any other major Zelda game.
Discovering and experiencing an incredible amount of echoes gives you a sense of creative freedom that is not lost even within that small radius. Compared to the likes of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Echoes of Wisdom retains the unique sense of confidence and wonder that the series has conveyed for decades. Yes, it maintains its uniqueness.
4 stars (out of 5)
Highlights: Great gameplay with the Echoes system. Attractive and vibrant visuals. There are many locations and side quests to explore outside of the main story.
Weaknesses: Erratic performance highlights aging hardware. Combat sometimes takes a backseat to solving environmental puzzles.
Developer: Grezzo, Nintendo Entertainment Planning and Development Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on Nintendo Switch using a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
