The Legend of Zelda! More like the Legend of Link! No, wait, this time it’s really about Zelda – finally, it’s her time to shine! Lander did a great Preview of the game, so I urge you to read that one before you dive into my review. You can find it right here!
Story
Are you all caught up? Good! So, we kick off this game with a decisive battle with Ganon to save Zelda at the Suthorn Ruins; Ganon’s Trident creates a magical Rift in the floor. Link is swallowed into the Still World through the Rift but loses an Arrow on the Crystal holding Zelda before he disappears. Zelda is freed thanks to this heroic act and flees from the Ruins as the Rift grows. She is then reunited with the Hyrulean Soldiers. Zelda returns to Hyrule Castle to report what has happened to her father, the King of Hyrule.
However, a new Rift forms within the Throne Room, capturing the King and swallowing the Castle. Zelda is later imprisoned by an imposter posing as her father, who frames her for the appearance of the Rifts and orders her execution. A Fairy named Tri visits her in the Hyrule Castle Underground to give her the Tri Rod as a means to escape. This magical artifact allows her to create Echoes of Objects and Enemies that she has defeated in battle. With help from Tri and Impa, Zelda escapes from the Castle to investigate the strange occurrences that now threaten the Kingdom of Hyrule.
Gameplay
I must admit that the trailers made the game look a bit gimmicky, like Zelda x Mario Maker, but boy, did they prove me wrong. Its very refreshing gameplay makes this Zelda a much more traditional Zelda in the sense of Minish Cap and A Link Between Worlds-style game. I’m not the biggest fan of the newer 3D Zelda games, and I always preferred the handheld Zeldas (minus Windwaker) over the console Zeldas, so this one hit the sweet spot.
As Lander wrote in his preview, we fight using Princess Zelda, who can use the Tri Rod to create Echoes, imitating everyday Objects such as Tables and Old Beds. These echoes can be used to solve puzzles. To reach higher and more difficult places, Echoes of Objects can be stacked on each other to build makeshift stairways for Princess Zelda to climb. Enemies that have been defeated may sometimes leave behind Shimmers of themselves, which can be learned and recreated as Echoes that will fight for her.
But this ability does not come for free! Each Echo has a cost, represented by the triangle shapes that follow Tri. These shapes disappear from Tri’s trail when an Echo is summoned to hover over the Echo. The cost for each Echo is displayed in a menu when selecting them and when summoned. The menu for these Echoes is displayed in a horizontal row with five sorting options: Last Used, Most Used, Last Learned, Cost, and Type. Echoes are learned by standing near a compatible Object or Enemy Shimmer and pressing the ZR Button. This is probably one of my only negative points on this game – the horrible echo-sorting system. Misclicking leads to another long scroll along the Echoes (which are A LOT).
The Echoes make this a more diverse Zelda game. For example, the Echoes of Flying Enemies can be summoned to allow Zelda to fly and glide through the air, and she can rest on any bed to restore hearts (no more searching in the grass for hours!). Cracked walls? Use an explosive echo. Is it cold? Use a fire echo. Can’t reach that piece of heart? Let’s build a tower out of furniture to see if you can get it. It feels like cheating, in a way, but on the other hand, this is a game that pushes you to your creative limits.
Dungeons
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom features two types of Dungeons. The way towards the Dungeon (Still Dungeons) and the Dungeons at the end of these Still Dungeons (often in the large rifts). Every dungeon features two main mechanics you learn in the Suthorn Ruins. The first ability is Bind, which allows Zelda to move Objects and Enemies with herself. Zelda can also use Bind to pull out stuck objects, such as half-buried Treasure Chests or the Seismic Talus’ ball hinge. The second ability is Reverse Bond, which functions similarly to Bind, although it moves Zelda with other Objects and Enemies instead. Using Reverse Bond, Zelda can glide through the air or climb vertical surfaces with Enemies with these abilities.
The dungeons feel old-school in setting and gameplay – and can be tackled in your order. They feature some old friends and recognizable characters from past Zelda games, which can make these dungeons feel like a blast from the past. I must say that the Dungeons from the mid-game surprised me a lot – especially the dungeon in The Wetlands, one of the most intriguing dungeons I have played in a Zelda game. It shows how much thought was put into designing dungeons with Echoes in mind. Oh, and it features a FUN water temple! I never thought I would write this sentence combined with a Zelda game.
Other mechanics
In the game, Zelda has various abilities to move around Hyrule. She can jump, swim, dive, and climb rock walls without additional items. She can use accessories, clothing, and smoothies to enhance her abilities. Smoothies can be made by exchanging ingredients and rupees at smoothie shops in Hyrule. Zelda can also ride horses to travel around. Similar to “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom,” Zelda’s interactions with the people of Hyrule are recorded in the Adventure Log, which tracks both main and side quests. I loved the accessories options, which can significantly enhance your play – if you combine them with the right echoes.
She can use a Sword and a Bow to defeat Enemies when playing as Link. After encountering a malicious version of Link inside the Suthorn Ruins, Zelda finds the Mysterious Sword, which allows her to adopt the Swordfighter Form. Zelda can use Link’s arsenal in this form for a short time. The Swordfighter Form is powered by energy and can be found in the Still World. You can upgrade this form with Might Crystals, an ancient form of power that reminded me of the TOTK energy spheres.
Conclusion
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom feels like an old-school Zelda in a new-school jacket. It feels refreshing, less ‘we need to put in all these new forced-mechanics’ like with Breath of the Wild, and can quickly become one of my new favorite Zelda games. I’m interested to see if this was a one-time thing or if we get more spinoffs with Zelda in the MC role (the main character, see, I can do Gen Z/alpha stuff!). I would be down for it.
