The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Reviews
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is an extremely lacking Nintendo debut for the titular Princess Zelda. While the experimentation is often engaging, the menu system to explore that creativity is an utter annoyance. That said, you’ll often use the same tools over and over again to get the results you want due to them working well enough that newly discovered items will either cost more to summon or lack the flow you already have working for you. Monster AI is awful when it comes to using them in battle, and Zelda’s inability to even fight or defend herself with the Tri-rod is disappointing, especially since she has to rely on an unsurprising ally to engage in combat. Echoes of Wisdom can be charming and look the part, but it’s evidently clear that Miyamoto wasn’t evolved as it lacks that typical Zelda magic.
It's great to finally get to play as Zelda, but working out how to take an active part without being able to fight is rather hard work
Despite some ambitious ideas, beneath the surface Echoes of Wisdom is surprisingly uneven Zelda adventure. Few of its headline mechanics are utilised to their potential which means that, while enjoyable and charming, it ultimately feels less essential than other modern 2D entries.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has a lot to recommend - a unique mechanic, classic dungeons, and a decent OST. While it’s a worthy entry into the hallowed series, for Zelda fans who love action and playing with Link’s many toys, Echoes of Wisdom will be an overpriced slog.
The Legend of Zelda is at its best when the series genuinely commits to its new ideas. For better and for worse. Albeit rough around the edges, Echoes of Wisdom is a valiant first attempt at giving Princess Zelda her own game and steering the series back to familiar territory.
There is a lot to like about Echoes of Wisdom as its very intuitive and fresh. That said, inventive mechanics come with a cost of fluid game design, and some fans may find this one a bit tedious compared to other entries in the storied franchise.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is an ambitious change to an old formula that’s stifled by a lot of growing pains. It’s still a decent game, but they wound up pushing the formula too far in some areas, and not far enough in others. The end result is an experience that’s stuck in a rather awkward middle ground. It’s still Zelda, so expect a lot of polish (besides performance) and charm, but this time it felt as if it came at the cost of some much-needed substance. I’m happy that 2D Zelda is finally back, but it’s clear that there’s a lot more work to be done for this format to reach its full potential.
A light-hearted game for those who are tired after work for a nice adventure with innovative multiplayer gameplay
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Echoes of Wisdom does a good job setting up Zelda with fun and creative powers and a vast and adorable world to save. Echoes add fun creativity to puzzle solving, though do also have a tendency to break the game.
There’s a unique thrill to playing as Zelda: Sorcerer Supreme, but some hours into Echoes of Wisdom, especially the more that Zelda conjures bigger and badder creatures to smite her enemies, it still leaves the player wondering when, exactly, we get to play as Zelda: The Hero of Time. Nintendo remains a market leader in giving players what they didn’t know they needed rather than what they adamantly wanted, and Echoes of Wisdom is an excellent showcase for why that is, but it’s hard to shake just how many of Zelda’s problems could be solved just by letting her have a sword and an ocarina in the first place.
Overall, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has a lot going for it. There is a lot to do and discover without being overwhelming. The visuals are vibrant and fun, and the characters are cute. Although the controls can be annoying at times, it is satisfying when you finally get past an obstacle. It will be interesting to see where Nintendo takes us for the next Zelda installment in the future.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom only feels like the beginning for what could become a great Zelda saga.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a surprisingly substantial top-down Zelda with the slap-things together puzzle-solving spirit of Tears of the Kingdom, though its new ideas sometimes get in the way of the fun.
By marrying the expectations of a typical top-down 2D entry with the improvisational, do-it-yourself gameplay from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Grezzo has arrived at a winning formula that mixes old and new. That said, not everything is perfect: the echo system isn't great in combat situations and the game's dungeons demand more complexity.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom offers a unique and engaging experience by placing Princess Zelda at the forefront. Its emphasis on creative problem-solving, combined with classic dungeon design, provides a refreshing take on the franchise. Despite some performance and AI issues, the game's innovative mechanics and nostalgic elements make it a noteworthy addition to the Zelda series.
It’s taken 38 years for Zelda to take the reins as protagonist in the game series that bears her name, but it was worth the wait.
Overall, I think The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a pretty fun game. I don’t believe it’s the most memorable or outstanding entry in the series ever, nor do I think it has as much as replay value as some other titles. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it for what it was, and if you want some new gameplay outside the norm for Zelda, or you want to check out some brand new traditional Zelda dungeons, then I do highly recommend the game for fans of the franchise. I also think it’s a great game for anyone who likes adventure games which are relatively simple and easy to pick-up and play on a whim. I spent over 30 hours on this one and I’m glad I had a chance to play it.
This wonderfully engaging adventure combines the best features from classic Zelda games with several new mechanics from more recent entries. Developer Grezzo doesn't nail every aspect of the experience, but the neverending stream of fun puzzles and charming gameplay easily outshine the game's weaker points.
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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom strikes a fantastic balance between player agency and rigid game design. The Hyrulian heroine’s first proper foray into the spotlight avoids feeling like a cheap spin-off of the main title and instead feels like an evolution of it, although at times it does come across uncommitted to this new transformation. While minor inconveniences such as poor menu navigation and frame rate drops are prevalent throughout the game, Echoes’ positives heftily outweigh its negatives.
Echoes of Wisdom brings back 2D Zelda while infusing it with the spirit of Echoes of Wisdom. The creativity to which its puzzles are both created and solved are superb, and I hope to see more of this going forward.
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