We must be sincere. At ABC we were not very excited about the release of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. After the fantastic Tears of the Kingdomwe were looking for a title that followed the path of one of the best titles that Nintendo has brought to the market. However, Echoes of Wisdom seemed like a step back, a return to the original formula without any novelty. We were very wrong. The Japanese company He never ceases to surprise us and has achieved several things with this game: perfectly merging the classic with the modern and paying off his debt with Princess Zelda.
This is the first installment of the saga in which Zelda is the main protagonist, and it would not be unreasonable to think that it is a spin-off or a minor game. But not; What we have in our hands is a Zelda that is part of the main saga. And one that, taking advantage of the change of roles between Zelda and Link, brings really interesting and original ideas to the table at a playable level. And the curious thing is that it does so adopting the format of classic installments, but it also has many elements of modern ones.
In search of Link
History tells us how the kingdom of hyrule It is being consumed by gaps that swallow everything in their path. Among them is Link, who is left out of the equation in this installment so that Princess Zelda can abandon her position as damsel in distress and become the heroine of the story. She will not be alone, she is accompanied by a kind of fairy called Tri, who lends her her powers. A center that allows you to use two mechanics that are the playable core of Echos of Wisdom: replicas and the link.
Replicas, as their name suggests, are copies of objects and monsters that we can summon at any time, as long as we have first eliminated and memorized them. Objects, such as tables, beds, boxes or vases, are often useful for solving puzzles, while enemies will help us explore and defeat other monsters.
The link, for its part, allows Zelda to join with an object or enemy, allowing us to move it at will and unlock new mechanics. It also serves as a hook to pull certain elements. The most curious thing is that it can be used in reverse, letting the object or enemy guide Zelda’s movements.
In this way, the fights consist of shooting replicas and waiting for them to defeat the rivals. It’s a lot more fun than it sounds, since it’s common to have to try different monsters until you find your rival’s match. And we do not adopt a passive role either, since we must dodge enemy attacks. They are very dynamic and lively combats, although sometimes we have felt weaker or overwhelmed when several enemies come together. And the AI of our replicas sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. At least, it’s a return to the button-mashing that has always been the trend of the old Zelda games. That we can always return to it. Because there is a ‘swordswoman’ mode that allows us to adopt Link’s gameplay for a short time.
A miniature world, but very alive
As far as the structure is concerned, it is exactly the same as the traditional Zelda, since we have some freedom to choose which dungeon we go to first, but before we can explore it, we must overcome a small plot that involves the characters of the different races. who inhabit the region.
Another tradition that Echoes of Wisdom brings back is the alternative world to Hyrule, which in this case is called the void world. But instead of having two different maps, here we have chosen small phases (some mandatory, others optional) that are accessed through gaps and in which we must find various objects to progress. As always, exploration is the best asset of these titles, how organic everything feels and how it makes it clear that nothing is placed there at random. It will not be the largest map, nor the longest title (in just about 20 hours you complete it almost completely), but without a doubt everything it does, it does with love and care.
Like the graphic style, which is one of the most beautiful we have seen on the Nintendo Switch. Through an isometric view, we are presented with big-headed characters in a world full of bright colors and that, within its simplicity, is full of details.
Slowdowns that feel like a drag
Unfortunately, it’s not all good. Echoes of Wisdom is not a difficult game. In fact, if you are fans of the saga, it is very likely that it will be quite simple for you. In the entire game, I have only died once and, despite the number of puzzles it has, there has only been one where I can say that I got stuck for a while. It is true that it has a mode that provides more difficulty, but if the base adventure does not pose a challenge, it can become boring in the long run. On the other hand, its biggest drawback is performance. There are constant slowdowns, which do not hinder the gameplay, but feel like a burden and become annoying. Furthermore, the interface, despite being clear and simple, becomes tedious when you have many replicas and want to find a specific one. It seems that this particular menu was not planned when you have dozens and dozens of objects and bugs to summon.
Is it worth it?
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is an outstanding adventure with a very special flavor that has reminded us of both the classic installments of the saga and the most current ones, recovering its traditional formulas and seasoning them with the freedom that has characterized its last games. Two different ways of understanding this legendary series that are reconciled here to give shape to a smaller, more compact title that may not aspire to revolutionize the industry or elevate video games as a medium, but with which it is impossible to get bored.
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