Barely released, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has already undergone an in-depth technical analysis by Digital Foundry, which looked into the game’s performance. Unfortunately, fans who were hoping for a smooth experience at 60 frames per second are likely to disappoint, as the game seems to suffer from framerate issues similar to those of the Link’s Awakening remake.
Digital Foundry’s analysis reveals that the framerate often fluctuates between 60 and 30 frames per second, particularly in the outer areas of the overworld. When Zelda is standing still, everything seems stable at 60 fps, but as soon as you start moving, the fluidity drops suddenly. The probable cause?
The game seems to constantly broadcast data about the environment the player is traveling through, which puts a strain on the Nintendo Switch. With a larger and more complex world than that of Link’s Awakening, the console is visibly struggling to manage this transition smoothly.
Dungeons offer a more stable experience, with a resolution that can reach 1080p in docked mode and a framerate generally maintained at 60 fps. However, as soon as we return outside, the resolution often drops to 720p, accompanied by these famous drops in fluidity.
It’s Voltaire’s fault, or rather Link’s Awakening
Much like Link’s Awakening, Echoes of Wisdom uses a “double-buffered vertical sync” system, which appears to be the cause of framerate drops. Despite this proven technical approach, the game struggles to maintain a stable experience in the largest areas, and certain boss battles also suffer from these drops in performance. At several points, Digital Foundry notes that the console appears to experience limitations related to memory bandwidth or processor, suggesting that the Switch’s hardware is starting to show its limits for games of this scale.
Despite these technical problems, Digital Foundry emphasizes that the gaming experience remains rich and inventive, which Shishi also tells us in his test. The concept of echo and the experimental gameplay of Echoes of Wisdom bring a freshness that could make some players forget these performance drops.
Digital Foundry’s final verdict is clear: “More than ever, it seems like we need a successor to the Nintendo Switch.” An observation that resonates with players’ growing expectations for a more efficient console capable of meeting the technical demands of modern games.
For the full review and technical details of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, you can watch the Digital Foundry video here:
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Brilliant, But What About Performance? DF Switch Review
As for you, did you experience these drops in framerate during your first hours on Echoes of Wisdom? Tell us everything in the comments, or join the discussion on our Discord server!
Source : Digital Foundry via Nintendo Everything
