Evaluation data
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Change
Out there on: Nintendo Change
Launch date: September 26, 2024
Regardless of borrowing loads of components from each titles, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge positively falls nearer to the current The Legend of Zelda: Hyperlink’s Awakening remake than The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It is a conventional Zelda expertise via and thru, with loads of puzzles to finish, intricate dungeons to grasp, and a extra linear fantasy story to find.
That is perhaps a turn-off to some, however will undoubtedly be an enormous draw for others. I can’t deny that there’s one thing extremely refreshing concerning the return to the 2D format. As good and revolutionary as it’s, the shift to a extra freeform open-world has positively sacrificed among the extra cautious, thought of design of older video games like The Legend of Zelda: A Hyperlink to the Previous.
Practically each side of Echoes of Knowledge feels finely crafted, with the introduction of some intelligent new mechanics efficiently differentiating it from what we’ve seen earlier than. I believe that it is going to be remembered as one of many finest Zelda video games, maybe even one of many finest Nintendo Change video games, due to this, but it surely’s not a title that’s with out its flaws.
Lady energy
Echoes of Knowledge marks the primary time that the collection’ titular princess takes the starring position. Hyperlink has vanished, swallowed up by one of many numerous purple rifts enveloping the dominion of Hyrule and spewing out legions of shadowy monsters. The king has been changed by a sinister clone that sentences his daughter, Princess Zelda, to loss of life, confining her to the fort’s dungeon till her execution. It’s right here that you simply meet Tri, a mysterious fairy who turns into your companion all through the sport.
Tri grants Zelda a collection of magical skills to be able to facilitate her escape and eventual defeat of the malevolent power behind the rifts. This begins with the ability to create echoes, copies of sure objects that may be positioned at will. From tables, large crates, and beds that may be stacked to type bridges to floating blocks of water and bouncy trampolines, there are numerous echoes to find and experiment with. Any that you simply discover are added to a rising library and will be introduced out at any time, including a incredible collectible ingredient.
You shortly be taught Bond, which lets you bind your self to things and carry them when you transfer. You possibly can even activate Reverse Bond, which causes you to comply with the motion of your certain object. Whereas this complete system is just not as expansive because the constructing of Tears of the Kingdom, these powers are leveraged in a plethora of fascinating methods when you escape into the world of Hyrule and start your quest in earnest. Puzzles regularly require the clever use of echoes and Bond. A big rock, for an summary instance, is perhaps positioned on the other facet of a grate. You possibly can’t attain it usually, however you need to use Bond to maneuver it round.
If the rock must be positioned in a excessive place, maybe on high of an out-of-reach strain plate, you may merely create a stack of echoes to climb as a makeshift ladder to be able to drag it up. It’s all delightfully intuitive and, importantly, stays in order the complexity ramps up. Many puzzles even have a number of options and I discovered that the overwhelming majority of the time, if I anticipated a sure technique to work, it could.
This openness generally is a little bit of a double-edged sword at occasions, although. Many dungeons include platforming challenges that, though tough, are very fulfilling to lastly crack. Sadly, nearly all of those will be bypassed by merely stacking up lengthy chains of beds to be able to bridge throughout them. That is in itself lots of enjoyable and rewards experimentation in a manner, however does really feel like a little bit of a waste of the in any other case very good degree design.
Free roam
Greatest bit
One facet quest sees you monitoring down a misplaced horse that you may then experience across the map at excessive speeds. It’s a pleasant diversion and comfortably the most effective optionally available encounters that I’ve discovered within the sport to this point.
Though it follows a really linear story that’s damaged up into clear digestible chunks, Echoes of Knowledge does function one thing of an open world. You’re free to wander round any accessible space as you please, although giant parts of the map are blocked off till you attain concerning the midway level within the story. There’s not an enormous quantity to do on this model of Hyrule, however there may be simply sufficient to make a bit exploration worthwhile.
Hidden chests are littered all through the world, crammed with rupees and the occasional smoothie ingredient. These will be eaten uncooked as a fast well being top-up or mixed into highly effective drinks with quite a lot of particular results reminiscent of elemental resistance at a handful of smoothie distributors. There are an honest variety of distinctive combos to search out and the entire system is pleasantly paying homage to the artistic cooking launched in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You possibly can even make your personal fairly ineffective ‘Doubtful Smoothie’ by including in a splash of monster guts, a element that I discovered fairly amusing.
There are a very good variety of facet quests too, most of which have you ever gather and summon a particular echo on the behest of an NPC. They’re fast to finish and don’t supply a lot in the way in which of helpful rewards, however do lead to some fairly amusing and memorable interactions that assist the world really feel that rather more alive.
On high of these present in dungeons, Hyrule can also be filled with enemy creatures to struggle. Fight is among the most vital areas the place Echoes of Knowledge departs from earlier entries, as Zelda doesn’t possess any standard fight skills at first. She will be able to toss heavy rocks to deal harm in a pinch, or create echoes of beforehand defeated foes to struggle on her behalf. It is a blast at first however sadly wears out its welcome shortly.
Even with a button to direct your minions towards a particular enemy, they’re simply too sluggish and unresponsive. I usually discovered myself skipping operating previous complete fights, purely as a result of I didn’t need the trouble of managing a military of unreliable slimes. Fortunately, you unlock extra fight skills as you progress, together with a magical sword that allows you to remodel right into a swordfighter type.
On this type, Zelda dons Hyperlink’s trademark apparel and successfully features all of his skills. You possibly can slash with a sword, get pictures off with a bow, and ultimately toss explosive bombs. Your power on this type will be upgraded too, with particular collectibles hidden on the finish of dungeons or in essentially the most hard-to-reach corners of the map.
Miniature mayhem
The entire of Echoes of Knowledge is rendered in an lovely, miniaturized visible model that makes the whole lot from the characters to particular person timber and buildings appear like it was plucked from a cute diorama. It’s similar to the look of Hyperlink’s Awakening and, sadly, signifies that Echoes of Knowledge suffers from most of the identical efficiency issues.
Body charges are a bit greater total, particularly inside dungeons, however are nonetheless vulnerable to important drops. That is comprehensible in significantly intense moments, particularly if you’re coping with plenty of enemies and summoned creatures on the identical display screen, however is fairly inexcusable when it occurs at random factors on this planet.
The significantly terrible efficiency of 1 snowy space late within the sport is nearly insufferable in each handheld and docked mode, which is a large disgrace and does spoil an in any other case engaging a part of the world. Hopefully, there will probably be patches to handle a minimum of a few of these issues down the road.
In any other case, there’s an terrible lot to love in Echoes of Knowledge. It’s cute, charming, and, regardless of counting on an older method, it’s filled with a handful of novel concepts that make it properly value your whereas.
Accessibility
There are not any devoted accessibility settings on The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge. The sport means that you can select between a traditional and Hero issue setting, with the latter designed for extra skilled gamers, however that’s it. That is very disappointing, particularly given the reliance on holding button inputs to make use of skills. Just a few primary choices to change the management scheme to take away longer inputs would go a protracted approach to make the sport extra accessible.
Ought to I play The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge?
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
How I reviewed The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge
I performed over 15 hours of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge on Nintendo Change OLED. Throughout that point I accomplished the primary story and performed in a mixture of each handheld and docked mode. In docked mode, I performed on a 1080p monitor and used a Nintendo Change Professional Controller. In handheld mode, I performed utilizing the usual Pastel Pink Pleasure-Con controllers and used a pair of Closing VR500 earbuds.
All through my time with the sport, I used to be cautious to check my expertise with different journey titles and loads of previous entries in The Legend of Zelda collection together with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Masks, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Hyperlink’s Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, plus loads of time within the authentic The Legend of Zelda.
First reviewed August 2024.
