The Switch may be experiencing its last moments, but that hasn’t stopped Nintendo from offering it a final part of the saga Zelda. Five years after the release of the remake of Link’s Awakeningthe Kyoto firm is once again relying on the expertise of the Grezzo studio to try to refresh the classic recipe of its franchise. After Breath of the Wild et Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdom is the first top-down opus to take advantage of modern mechanics already approved by players.
Creativity and open world have become the new watchwords of the licenseand this new adventure has found a way to integrate them perfectly into a more retro formula. At Nintendo, it is by taking risks that we manage to captivate players and suffice to say that this game takes pleasure in breaking the codes established for 38 years now. Link is absent, the Princess takes over and treats herself to never before seen equipment. Add to that non-linear exploration on the largest map ever seen in a Zelda of this genre and you have one of the most refreshing titles of the Switch generation. Echoes of Wisdom is a compendium of good ideas that will not leave any player indifferent.
Découvrez The Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdom
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From brute force to wisdom
For this new adventure, you can forget the sword and gadgets that the green-clad hero usually carries around. As the representative of the Triforce of Wisdom, Princess Zelda is given a mysterious power to stop one of the greatest threats in franchise history. In this version of Hyrule, the subjects of the kingdom are accustomed to seeing strange faults appear here and there, capable of swallowing up everything in their path.
This hitherto sporadic phenomenon takes on a cataclysmic scale at the start of the game. The zones of nothingness multiply and more and more inhabitants disappear. When evil finally hits the King of Hyrule, he is replaced by a clone who threatens to have the Princess executed. It is then that Zelda receives the help of Tri, a spirit usually responsible for containing the faults. By offering his copying power to the Princess, he intends to elucidate the mystery behind the multiplication of flaws.
Zelda and Tri set off on an adventure with only a scepter capable of creating “echoes” of objects and living beings. These premises and this mechanic did not fail to surprise following their revelation in the first trailer. No close combat in a Zelda ? Really ? And yet, it is clear that this recipe works wonderfully. The new power can be confusing at first, especially while you get used to the controls. But once you master the system of selecting echoes and their placement in the environment, you let yourself be carried away by the surprising potential of this power.
The echo collection increases at great speed, so that we quickly find ourselves capable of dealing with a whole host of situations. Where the franchise has sometimes suffered from too slow a crescendo progression, Echoes of Wisdom don’t delay in giving us all the cards to progress as we see fit. Rather than putting obstacles in our way to force us to come back and solve a mystery later in the game, the title emphasizes reflection and pushes us to test its limits from the first moments. And that’s where this new opus shines, because there seems to be almost no obstacle to our imagination. This is the first time that a Zelda game with a retro appearance provides such a feeling of satisfaction, comparable to what was able to bring us Breath of the Wild et Tears of the Kingdom. And if you ever miss Link’s sword: know that Zelda is able to borrow this power for a few moments, in order to alleviate any situation.
Catch them all!
If the game’s trailers have emphasized the duplication of objects, such as beds to create makeshift bridges, we quickly realize with the controller in hand that The Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdom rather relates to monster catcher. If you’ve always dreamed of playing a Pokémon trainer in Hyrule, this title is for you. With each monster defeated (except bosses of course), Zelda is able to learn its echo to summon copies using her staff. It is then possible to create a close guard of blobs, snakes, moblins and so on. By targeting enemy monsters using the trigger, our little servants take the initiative to attack and therefore defend us. Halfway between Zelda Link’s Awakening et Pokémon Legends Arceus In terms of sensations, most of the fights seem rather automated and are not very complicated.
On the other hand, this mechanic particularly shines during clashes against bosses. In these moments, the player absolutely must think about the best possible combination of echoes – whether objects or creatures – or risk failing to hit the enemy’s weak point. And this is also whereEchoes of Wisdom made strong: monsters are also an integral part of the thinking required to overcome puzzles and other challenges. More than just bodyguards, these companions are capable of opening the way for us. Some spiders spin webs that Zelda can climb to overcome obstacles. The moblins’ spear or boomerang can activate switches remotely. Strange monsters even serve as floating platforms. Everything can be useful: it’s up to the player to bring out the full potential of each echo.
This Zelda manages to put our capacities for observation, analysis and resolution at the heart of the gameplay like never before, without making the experience so complex as to make it unsatisfactory. Some opuses from the past – including Link’s Awakening – are based on puzzles that are sometimes unfair, due to a lack of possible solutions. There is nothing fun about consulting a guide to understand how to move forward. Whereas here, the vast possibilities allow you to make the puzzles more intelligent and engaging while limiting frustration. This shows that it is possible to build more complex dungeons without making them more difficult to tackle.
A fusion of the best elements
Si The Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdom is as effective, it is above all thanks to the balance between the different eras of the franchise that the game manages to find. Despite its “2D” Zelda appearance, modern inspirations are fully assumed. The title borrows its interface and quest system from Breath of the Wild et Tears of the Kingdomand offers a non-linear progression system (without being fully open, however).
When shot from above, everything seems larger than it seems. By combining this optical effect with a much larger map than usual, the world comes out gigantic. The developers have therefore taken care to integrate a teleportation system via beacons to activate: a comfort tool that we quickly get a taste for.
Its integration into dungeons is one of the best additions to the title, with the “Synchronization” ability. This power allows the Princess to move objects like the power of Grasp of Tears of the Kingdom : a tool that perfectly complements echoes.
The adventure and the story unfold in a natural way rarely seen in the license. We let ourselves be pleasantly carried away by the perfectly mastered writing of the scenario. The identity of the Princess and her character allow us to amplify the weight of our actions throughout the scenario. Zelda seems to forge real bonds with the inhabitants of her kingdom, who are happy to discover her so pleasant and powerful. Never has helping the Zoras or the Gerudos been so rewarding. Moreover, this is also the first time that his words have not been transcribed. The Princess is not mute since we see her interacting with the NPCs. But his dialogues never appear and have not been dubbed, except for a few “oh” and “ah” among other vocal reactions. This allows for total immersion in the role of Zelda which is more than welcome.
By offering a greater range of movements to the heroine, whether through the use of echo or the simple possibility of jumping at any time via the press of a button, this “2D” opus is indeed the most dynamic of among all. The exploration of faults in distorted worlds recalls the surprising dimension of Giratina in Pokémon Platinumbut with more freedoms and possibilities. What a pleasure to see Princess Zelda take on the most original title in the franchise for her first appearance in the main role. Echoes of Wisdom is an ode to the character, worthy of his iconic status forged over recent decades. Even in its soundtrack, the game benefits from new music and new sounds to allow Zelda to build her own identity, far from Link’s shadow.
Unfortunately, everything cannot be perfect and some flaws must be noted. In addition to the lack of interest in monster fights, the game unfortunately suffers from the same technical problems as its predecessor. The graphics engine Link’s Awakening oblige, The game is truly magnificent but suffers from too many slowdowns. Transitions from 60 frames per second to 30 frames (or less) are too frequent and make the game feel laggy. A fixed framerate would have been preferable. Will the Switch 2 manage to correct this problem flawlessly?
Price and availability
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has been available on Nintendo Switch since September 26, for a price between €45 and €60 depending on the brands and sales sites. The release of the title was also accompanied by a gold Hyrule edition Nintendo Switch Lite console, priced at €229.99.
Découvrez The Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdom
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