Following the amazing success of the Link’s Awakening remaster, we now have a new Zelda game in the same style, but Echoes of Wisdom doesn’t quite land its premise.
Seemingly set after Link’s Awakening, we are back in Hyrule, and Link comes along to save Princess Zelda from Ganon. However, after besting the giant pig, Link is swallowed by a large purple rift, but manages to free Zelda just before he is consumed.
What follows is the much-anticipated switcheroo, where the player is now taking on the role of Zelda herself. Admittedly, it took several decades for the Zelda games to allow you to properly control the titular Princess, but at least it has finally happened.
Not long after this, Zelda is imprisoned and is falsely accused of creating the rifts; it’s here she befriends an otherworldly and thoroughly adorable being known as Tri. Previously, Tri and its ilk have repaired these rifts, but something has gone awry, and Tri needs Zelda’s help to fix things. So Tri bestows upon her the Tri Wand, which allows Zelda to create “echoes” of objects she encounters during her forthcoming quest.
This is the whole premise of the game; you use these echoes to solve problems and navigate the game world. You can also copy monsters, which can then be unleashed on other enemies in a slightly real-time strategy-type affair. The whole setup works as it should, and makes for a fun and involved game.
However, the big issue is that Zelda, for all her echo conjuring, can’t really defend herself against enemies on her own. This is partly rectified by unlocking a resource-limited Swordfighter Form, where Zelda is given Link’s abilities.
The problem here is that early in the game, the resources to power this mode are few and far between, and you’re woefully mismatched against the various foes you face without it.
Zelda does get a spin move to cut down grass and bushes for rupees and hearts, but actual combat is relegated to this separate form, which has a finite usage.
Now, just to be entirely clear, I am entirely fine with playing as Zelda. She is one of the bearers of the Triforce with her part being that of Wisdom, hence the game’s name, but the lack of some basic weaponry for her feels off.
Even after unlocking everything in the game, it still felt weird that Zelda cannot directly attack enemies in her base form.
Obviously, you can’t really change the nature of Hyrule and its numerous threats in a series as long running as this is, but to not give Zelda something to defend herself just feels wrong.
I was constantly reaching for what felt like a sword attack, only for various echoes to pop out, and it took a long time for that to even partially subside.
This all maybe because I have been playing these games since I was a kid, and my muscle memory is such that I expect something sword-like to be there. That said, the issue is that the setting doesn’t compensate for this change and the Swordfighter Form is a poor solution to a genuine problem the game has.
This all may sound entirely damning, but this is still a good game. It’s definitely not the greatest Legend of Zelda game, but it’s certainly a good one.
The dialogue, while numerous, is also charming and quite funny. The art style is still as lovely as ever and the whole setting is just great.
Hyrule is also genuinely massive and functional elements from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have also crossed over. From slightly open-world aspects from dungeon selection, to waypoints you can place on the map to the fun Smoothie setup.
Yes, you can buy potions to replenish health and other ailments, but Smoothies offer a lot more in terms of their benefits, for a far lower price tag. Similar to the cooking setup in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Smoothies are created from ingredients that are then mixed by vendors.
Each combination of ingredients produces a different Smoothie and stocking up is a very good idea early on in the game.
You also have a lot of side quests and all of these elements feel like Echoes of Wisdom has taken the best and most suitable elements from other recent Zelda games without getting bogged down by them.
You can also ride horses now and while that’s not a new thing for the regular 3D games in the Zelda series, it is a fun new addition to the more traditional approach used here.
Generally, the game is still a lot of fun and while, in the current climate, Zelda could have been treated as a pumpkin spice smoothie drinking protagonist that wants to speak to the manager, the writing and overall tone have been dealt with far more deftly.
Zelda’s quest across Hyrule is all about bringing people together and ultimately serving them as a compassionate monarch. When Link does finally show up at the end of the game, Zelda also works with him in a really nice and fun way.
The only blemish on all of this is that Zelda can’t really fight on her own. Something the final boss fight only exacerbates as you watch Link eviscerate the big baddy while you just spawn echoes to help.
As I said, I really loved the Link’s Awakening remake and badly wanted another Zelda game done in that style. It’s just a shame it doesn’t quite land functionally as it should. Yes, the use of echoes is involved and mostly interesting, but I don’t understand how that couldn’t have been paired with combat more directly.
Games like A Link Between Worlds managed to turn the traditional Zelda formula on its head and still work in terms of its combat, so the fact it doesn’t do that here feels like a missed opportunity.
Overall, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a good game but not a great one. The echoes setup is certainly cerebral, but the lack of basic combat moves outside of the Swordfighter Form is jarring and only emphasized further at the end of the game. Here’s hoping that the next time Zelda ventures out into the wild world of Hyrule, someone remembers to give her a sword.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo, Grezzo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 26th September 2024
Price: $59.99
Score: 8/10
Disclosure: I was sent this game for the purposes of this review, although a few weeks after its release. Hence the delay on my part.
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and do toy reviews over at hobbylink.tv.
Read my Forbes blog here.
