After decades of dreaming about it, fans will finally be able to play as the titular princess in a Legend of Zelda game. Reviews are out for Echoes of Wisdom, the latest first-party title on Nintendo Switch, and it seems like it’s exceeding people’s high expectations.
Ahead of the game’s September 26 release date, reviews are calling Echoes of Wisdom a wonderful remix of the Zelda formula. The game follows Princess Zelda as she is given the chance to be the hero for once, after mysterious rifts appear across Hyrule and swallow up people (including Link) with no explanation. Zelda, with the aid of the new Tri Rod, sets out on her own journey to rescue the kingdom through a series of puzzle solving and combat. The core mechanic of Echoes of Wisdom are the echoes: creatures and objects in the world you can summon at will to navigate obstacles.
At the time of writing, Echoes of Wisdom has an 86 on Metacritic. IGN’s Tom Marks, praised the title as much more than a second-tier spinoff thanks to how it combines “the expertly crafted dungeons and item progression you’d expect from a 2D Zelda with the wild creativity provided by Tears of the Kingdom.”
There are some recurring criticisms that pop up in a few reviews, namely a lack of puzzle variety as the game goes on. The Verge’s Ash Parrish wrote, “There are basically only two kinds of challenges: something’s too high or something’s too far. And in nearly every instance, those challenges can be solved with the same handful of echoes.”
Still, overall the game seems to be a worthwhile entry in the legendary series, even if some of its better ideas aren’t fully realized. One thing critics agree on is that Zelda should get many more chances to be the hero.
Here’s a round up of what others are saying about The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom:
IGN
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is far greater than a gimmicky spinoff led by Zelda instead of Link. Its echo summoning is a clever concept used to combine the expertly crafted dungeons, puzzle rooms, and item progression you’d expect from a classic-style 2D Zelda with the borderline unhinged freedom provided by Tears of the Kingdom. This experiment doesn’t produce an entirely perfect result, with a little bit of clunky menu management and combat that simply isn’t quite as compelling, but it’s an impressively successful one all the same. Echoes of Wisdom is also a glowing proof of concept for how a modern 3D Zelda could recapture some of what fans like me miss about the series before Breath of the Wild without sacrificing the intoxicating creativity it introduced. Creating echoes aside, if this is the future of Zelda, I can’t wait to see more.
VGC
The potential for a special Zelda adventure is present in Echoes of Wisdom’s ideas, but uneven execution means it’s neither as mechanically refreshing and satisfying as A Link Between Worlds, or memorable and well-crafted as Link’s Awakening. There’s plenty to like, and not enough to love, which for a series like Zelda, is less than we’ve come to expect.
TheGamer
Echoes of Wisdom is a wonderful little game that puts experimentation at the centre, yet it also tries to be a traditional Zelda adventure with all the trimmings we’ve come to expect. It strikes an occasionally awkward balancing act between the two, coming out at the other end as a bold, accomplished outing that shines a spotlight on a Princess who has been waiting decades for her due. Yet despite how much joy I mined conquering its temples and delving into its many rifts, at times it doesn’t push its ambition far enough. That never stops Echoes from being a warm hug of a video game that enraptured me from start to finish, but it does leave me infinitely more curious about what the future holds. Now Zelda has helmed her first epic outing, it’s only a matter of time until she goes onto bigger and better things.
Digital Trends
Echoes of Wisdom’s best parts are the ones that break away from what’s expected. My favorite moments largely happen in Still World rifts, where I need to carve my own path through twisted snippets of Hyrule’s world using echoes. I’m attuned with Zelda most when I find a large gap I can’t pass, but realize I can get to the other side by grabbing hold of a flying tile with my bind ability and following its path. In clever puzzle platform moments like that, I feel like I’m tapping into her third of the Triforce; I’m using her wisdom to meet any challenge that arises. And I’m doing that by drawing on her connection to all things within her kingdom and communicating her eternal royalty through tangible play. This only feels like the true first chapter of Zelda’s saga, but I expect we’ll really see her grow into her element in her next adventure. Legends aren’t built in one game.
Polygon
As much as Echoes of Wisdom brings a real “this ain’t about him” energy to the series, it’s still a story just as much about Link as it is about Zelda. The context gives a justification (take it or leave it) for Zelda’s more passive role. But does it work? Simply put: It does. It’s a fun as hell game. It’s challenging and satisfying. And it fits neatly in the established mythos as another incarnation of our beloved hero(es). There’s a real sense of accomplishment in conducting a herd of boomerang-wielding Bokoblins as they pepper every enemy with attacks and then conjuring a bridge made of beds to cross an unjumpable gap. Sure, you might not be swinging the sword, but Echoes of Wisdom proves that the pen — or the bed, table, crate, or boulder — can be even mightier.
GameSpot
If Zelda’s debut in the spotlight is a one-off, at least it’s a memorable adventure. But hopefully this is the beginning of a new legend for the heroine. Echoes of Wisdom’s brilliantly integrates echoes system links two eras, proving that the freeform mechanics of the new age can coexist with the franchise’s classic formula. Don’t mistake this for a spin-off or minor entry between big “mainline” games: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a major moment that shouldn’t be missed.
Eurogamer
Still, even through its missteps and occasional dead-ends, Echoes of Wisdom is rarely content to just sit on its laurels. It forges its own path at almost every turn, challenging our understanding and expectations of how Hyrule’s flora and fauna can behave, while also unearthing new wrinkles that make its well-worn highways feel fresh and exciting again. For all Zelda’s apparent helplessness, the joy of discovering new Echoes and monster abilities never abates, drawing you deeper into its world instead of pushing you out of it. Ultimately, it’s a plucky and inventive spin on everything we know Zelda to be, reconciling the new and the old to create its own unique legacy, and a legend that befits a heroine who’s waited nearly four decades to own it – and all without becoming an unwilling puppet in someone else’s story (because let’s face it, Zelda’s no stranger to having her strings pulled at the eleventh hour). Far from being a case of chronic imposter syndrome, Echoes of Wisdom rises to the occasion with a lively and majestic confidence. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait another 40 years before Zelda gets another shot at saving her hero again.
The Verge
I think that the singular ability to use Link’s sword gets at the heart of what’s ultimately disappointing about Echoes of Wisdom: all of Zelda’s wits don’t really amount to much. Sure I had dozens of echoes at my disposal, but halfway through the game, they only got in my way as I scrolled past them to get to the same five echoes I knew would get the job done. Combat was better, but whenever I wanted, I could thwart a difficult foe by simply stabbing it to death. That’s not to say Echoes of Wisdom wasn’t fun. I wouldn’t have taken the time to clear every optional dungeon or most of the side quests if I hadn’t been enjoying myself. But after 35 years of lending her name to the iconic franchise, I wanted Zelda’s first game to be a little bit more worthy of her intelligence and strength.
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