The wisest princess in Hyrule has come to save the day in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Yep, Link will have to wait because it's all about Zelda in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Story
Echoes of Wisdom wastes no time with its story. As soon as you load into the game, you're thrust into the realm of Hyrule as, surprisingly, Link! Like the original games, you hack and slash your way up to Ganon and defeat him in a fierce one-on-one battle. While this would usually be a triumphant victory, today it is only the beginning. Link is captured by the rifts and Zelda is left to pick up the pieces and save Hyrule from destruction.
Starting the game with Link is a wonderful contrast to actually playing it as Zelda. It is one of my favorite narrative parts of the game because it highlights that Link is given the Triforce of Courage while Zelda owns the Triforce of Wisdom. She does have the ability to do some of the hack-and-bash techniques we know and love from playing Link, but at the end of the day, Zelda will always have to rely on her wits over her physical prowess (indicated by her Energy bar). This is a common theme throughout the story. If she wants to have something or needs to access a place, she must find a way to get the people in control of that item or area to agree. This includes finding secret entrances into caves, helping people deal with their feelings in a healthy way, and using the Echoes she has gathered to provide an agreeable resolution to any quest.
In a way, the way the story plays out is representative of her identity as the princess of Hyrule. As a member of the royal family, she must use the kingdom's resources and people wisely to keep them safe and happy. She does not simply show up and resolve a situation; she listens, analyzes the situation, and finds the best possible solution from what she has. At the same time, the way she solves problems always teaches those she helps something important. This element makes the story more compelling and makes it feel like a true Zelda game rather than just making her a female iteration of Link.
However, the story behind Echoes of Wisdom stands up even if you don't take Zelda into account. In this version of Hyrule, the land is constantly riddled with rifts. They steal people away, change those who have managed to escape them and are now plaguing the land worse than ever before.
The environments and characters in Hyrule have all been developed with this in mind. We see characters who are traumatized from the rifts, their family members who have to take care of them, and a variety of perspectives about what's happening through different NPCs. When Zelda is deemed to be the culprit of the rifts by the fake king. Many characters closer to her in Castle Town are notably unsure and confused while others in further villages, like Kakariko, are either infuriated, similarly confused, or have no idea what's going on with Hyrule at all.
What's more, we can see the change in emotions within characters as rifts come and go. There is a noticeable worry for lost friends when rifts have swallowed them up that contrasts greatly with the way people come together as rifts are cleared away. These little details make exploring all of the little intricacies of the game and its characters so worth it.
Score: 5/5
Puzzles
Like most Legend of Zelda games, puzzle-solving is a crucial aspect of Echoes of Wisdom, and in this case they're quite creative. No puzzle can only be solved through a single solution; instead, every puzzle has a myriad of potential solutions limited only by your Echoes and imagination. I spent many hours gleefully solving puzzles in the whackiest and crudest ways I could find. Sometimes this meant stacking six old beds on top of each other while other times I spent 15 minutes dragging furniture around in a room until I could create the perfect staircase. Solutions like that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it sure was mine.
It's important to note that these creative solutions work for world exploration as much as they do for problem-solving. After all, if you want to climb Eldin Volcano, who says you need to follow the path? You can just stack together blocks of water between ledges as if you were building a water elevator in Minecraft. Or, if you're feeling a little more daring, summon a crawling spider and use it to climb up anything you'd like. Not only is it fun, but the game actively encourages you to try these things by hiding items on high ledges you'd never be able to reach in a regular Zelda game. I've already completely finished the game, but I'll definitely replay it to see how far I can go with just my will and the Tri Wand.
Score: 5/5
Combat
Generally, I enjoyed the style of combat introduced in this game. Testing out different Echoes during each battle was fun and allowed me to play in any way I liked: I could take foes on from far away using long-range monsters like Wizzrobes, or summon Darknuts to get up close and personal; if I wanted to fight myself, I could summon rocks and throw them over and over until I reached victory. One of my personal favorite methods: summoning an army of crows to attack enemies that came near me. I let them do the work of fighting while I scavenged the rupees they knocked out of enemies in the area.
All of this goes to show that Echoes of Wisdom's combat is truly made for everyone. With 127 Echoes to choose from, you can fight however you want. Pick your favorite monster summons, call forth items to use against monsters, or transform into Zelda's Swordsman Form if you want to fall back on old-school fighting techniques. With these endless opportunities comes a myriad of different combat experiences and the guarantee that you'll never be bored of fighting.
Score: 5/5
Art Style
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is in the same adorable art style as the remastered version of Link's Awakening. Characters are drawn small with large heads and black oval eyes, like much cuter Funko Pops. I'm usually not a fan of the stark black eyes, but these remind me a bit of Kirby and the Chao from Sonic due to their shape. Their faces are simple but full of expression, adding a liveliness to the game that you can't get from art style alone.
The environment is just as pretty as the people. The areas outside of rifts are brightly colored with plenty of greys and whites to balance them out. The textures are just as perfect. Paths cutting through grassy areas look as if the grass is slightly growing over them, all wooden items have different kinds of grains to set them apart, and the shading and highlights from the sun are immaculate. This includes inside houses as the light shines through the windows and brings life to the home. It really feels like someone put a lot of love and detail into the game's appearance. The only thing I'm missing is a photo mode to capture it all.
Score: 4.5/5
Verdict - Zelda stands tall as the Priestess of Hyrule
I had very high hopes as soon as Nintendo announced that Zelda was the star of this title and I was not disappointed. She took on a life of her own through her identity as the Princess of Hyrule and her position in the franchise as the owner of the Triforce of Wisdom. Her identities affected her actions, how she helped people and even the forms of combat players have access to.
Every twist and turn in the game had me excitedly working my brain for the most fun solutions I could think of, from building bridges out of beds to sending crows after any monster that walked near me. The only thing better than the creative puzzle solving and beautiful environments is the fact that this game only works so well because Zelda is the protagonist. The game fits her so well that my friends and I have jokingly referred to it as the "Legend of Link". In short, it's a near flawless Zelda title.
[Disclosure: A free copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purposes.]
Does Echoes of Wisdom have you ready to start a Zelda-playing marathon? Check out our Zelda Games Tier List for our recommendations on what Zelda title to play next.
Published: Oct 4, 2024 06:10 am