As I previewed The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, there was a moment where the first line ever spoken in the series came back to me. The famous quote from an old man in a cave takes on a strange reflection in Zelda’s solo outing.
“It’s dangerous to go alone,” the old man began. We know it well. Those iconic words led to our hero of legend taking up the imparted sword to save the land of Hyrule and its princess, Zelda. The roles are reversed in Echoes of Wisdom, with Zelda taking on the mantle of hero for the first time (let’s just say, officially). And as with the first game, she’s not going at it alone.
The Adventure of Zelda
I got to play a couple of small sections in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom while at PAX West. I experienced the start of the game not long after Link and a chunk of Hyrule and its populous get swallowed by mysterious purple rifts. The preview also included the first dungeon, which showcased Echoes of Wisdom‘s distinct take on puzzle-solving and combat.
Echoes of Wisdom begins at the end of a Link-led adventure. Ganon is defeated once more, but the celebrations have to wait. The spear he wielded caused rifts to spread, taking Link who barely managed to break Zelda free of Ganon’s magic. The demo I played took place soon after the intro, where, in a twist, Zelda is blamed for the rifts and is tossed into jail faster than a typical Elder Scrolls protagonist.
Tri this on for size
This is no A Link to the Past, and Zelda can’t rely on Link to break her free from her cell. But help still arrives. It’s here you’re introduced to Zelda’s new partner, a small yellow fairy named Tri, whom only the princess can see. Tri offers Zelda a magical tool called the Tri Rod, which can create copies — called echoes — of objects and creatures.
But there are catches, of course. You can’t copy every object; the ones you can shimmer with a gold light. Creatures can only be collected after defeated. You can also only create so many echoes at once, indicated by the number of yellow triangles floating behind Tri. If you place one more than what’s allowed, the first echoed object disappears.
I was given only a small handful of these triangles to start, but it was enough. The first object I added to my collection was a wooden table. Stacking three tables like a small staircase allowed me to break out of my cell and make for the exit.
On my way out I was stopped by Impa, who handed me Link’s blue cloak for a disguise (which worked for all but three seconds) and a logbook with gameplay info and a map. Reading the logbook also clues you in on how to use echoes you’ve attained. Once you’re equipped with the cloak, pressing the ‘R’ button makes you twirl. Doing so lets you shred grass as easily as Link could with a sword — and it’s just as fun. You can also use it in the water for a short boost.
It became established that the king of Hyrule is a phony, hence Zelda’s surprising incarceration. The meeting with Impa was short, and I left to continue my escape while she went off to ninja-kick some guards. No matter the timeline, Impa still rocks.
Puzzle smarter, not harder
The castle basement is the training ground for the Tri Rod. Rooms filled with guards and puzzle challenges stand between you and sweet, sweet freedom. Zelda is no warrior in Echoes of Wisdom (sorry, Sheik fans). Against platforming puzzles and deadly enemies, her success relies on not being strong, but clever. Stacking tables will only get you so far.
Tri is Zelda’s constant companion in the game, offering thoughts and instructions. With Tri’s help, you soon expand your list of objects from tables to beds, boulders, crates, and much more, giving you multiple options on how to approach puzzles and navigation challenges. Boulders and potted trees can grant a vertical boost, while wooden crates or beds help you cross bodies of water.
Sneak Queen
Tables give you a step up, but they can’t exactly span over a lengthy gap. Horizontally stacking a few Old Beds, however, might give you just enough reach. The Old Bed does have an amusing second purpose. Hopping on top and pressing the ‘A’ button lets you sleep, which slowly heals you over time. I was told that, yes, you can heal to full, but it takes longer depending on how much health you’ve lost. Hearts can be found in the typical clay pots and tall grass, sure, but I love the idea of Zelda completely zonking out in the middle of a dungeon on a magic bed.
The castle also introduces the game’s stealth mechanics. Patrolling guards wandered throughout the castle basement, where shelves lined with items or books created a maze-like path. I did have some trouble, sadly, and I ended up getting caught a few times. But using echoes of the Hyrule Castle Pot, I managed to get past by shattering said urns and hopping over shelves. Soon, freedom was mine.
Dungeon delving
Once I managed to escape, the Nintendo rep quickly whisked me off to the next section which takes place not long after the castle. I found myself actually inside a rift, called the Still World, which wasn’t anything like the Dark World I expected. Chunks of land floated in a sea of swirling miasma, with captured Hylians trapped frozen in time.
Here was the location of the game’s first dungeon: Suthorn Ruins. In the starting room was a waypoint marker, a strange-looking object that lets you fast-travel both in dungeons and in the overworld. Beyond the door, I learned Tri’s other neat trick.
In a bit of a Bind
By sending Tri into objects and creatures, you can manipulate them to open up new paths or solve puzzles in a method called “Bind.” If a massive stone is in the way, use Bind and then walk to move it. Binding makes an object match your vertical height. Jump and the object will mimic the movement. For those statues that Link would normally need to push onto a button, Bind lets you slide them over easily. Is a button on top of a raised platform? Using Bind and a few stacked tables may be the key.
You can also hold the ‘R’ button while bound to follow along with moving objects such as mobile platforms and enemies. Yes, this means you can create an echo of an enemy that can climb walls then Bind and “follow” it up vertical cliffs. Binding is a remarkable new tool for Zelda games, and I’m excited to see just how much it’ll blow open world exploration.
New challenges await
The castle may have introduced the concepts, but the dungeon is where I was put to task. Puzzles were harder to figure out, demanding a bit more thinking power to complete them. Echoes of Wisdom certainly feels like a Zelda game for fans of the series’ puzzles. More than once I had to stop and rub my chin for a moment before going at a puzzle from a different angle. Thankfully, with the Tri Rod and a stable of echoes, there is no one way to solve a problem.
There were harder, optional puzzles to face in the dungeon. I was assured that critical items such as keys could be attained with the right echoes and some time. The tougher challenges typically result in a chest containing some other reward, like a cache of Rupees.
Unlike the castle guards, the dungeon enemies weren’t in any capturing mood. You must use echoes to defend yourself against foes. Summoning a Moblin echo to chuck spears is certainly a good play against smaller beasts like slimes and bats. But when I went against a heavily armored Darknut, I needed a different approach.
As mentioned, you must outthink not just puzzles but also Zelda’s opponents. The Darknut is resistant to blunt weapons, but not against fire. By capturing an Ignizol, a fire enemy, I was able to distract and damage the brute. You can’t directly control your echo warrior, but holding the ‘ZL’ button lets you target an enemy, sending your fighter their way. Using fire and some rocks I heroically hurled in its direction when its back was turned, the Darknut went down and a new echo was mine to claim. Just in time, too, as I was about to face a stronger, sadly familiar foe.
“Take this”
Imagine my shock when I entered a room to come face to face with an old friend… or so I thought. Shrouded in a purple mist and sporting red eyes, Dark Link, or maybe Rift Link, appeared as a mini-boss, wielding his sword and trademark shield.
Defeating the angry doppelganger wasn’t a cakewalk for our weaponless Zelda. Even a Darknut echo seemed to have trouble dealing with the more nimble foe. But it served well as a shield and distraction. As the two warriors fought in mortal combat, I ran around the arena chucking pots and boulder echoes at the anti-Link. After I moved into the tall grass that lined a path between two rock platforms, Link lost track of me for a moment. But doing so gave me enough time to bring out another Darknut and continue the fight.
He went down eventually, leaving his sword planted in the ground. The “Mysterious Sword” did apparently belong to the real Link, as his name was carved into it — likely a nod to the opening act of Link’s Awakening.
It was here that the quote flashed across my mind. “It’s dangerous to go alone,” the old man said. “Take this.” Nearly 40 years after the original game, I found it strangely poetic for Link’s sword to at last end up in the hands of the protagonist whose name is on every game in which he’s starred.
Taking up the blade
The sword lets you activate Swordfighter form, during which Zelda glows blue while wearing Link’s cap, tunic, and shield. Swordfighter allows you to fight enemies as Link, and also slash through slime-like obstructions blocking paths. It gives you all his basic abilities, such as the spin attack and defending with the shield.
But it’s not permanent. The form uses energy, shown as a blue bar underneath your health. It drained rapidly after I activated it, giving me only a few moments before it burned out. You can press the activation button to cancel it and save energy. Filling the bar requires you to collect blue bits of energy in the Still World or dropped during battle. In the demo, the blue bar had “Lv. 1” written on the side, suggesting it can be upgraded.
The Swordfighter form came in handy later against the dungeon’s boss, Seismic Talus. Pairing up with a Darknut echo running a distraction, I chipped away at the boss’ glowing weak point with boulders and the Swordfighter’s blade. Each phase dropped a healthy supply of energy as well, making the fight feel like a real brawler.
Out into the world
The boss’ defeat announced the end of the demo, which was quickly turned off to prevent cutscene spoilers. Oh well. I was given a chance to briefly check out some of the overworld, though. Doing so also allowed me to really soak in the game’s gorgeous visuals. Echoes of Wisdom uses the Link’s Awakening remake engine, complete with its charming toybox-like visuals and depth-of-field blur when the camera moves to an isometric angle.
The game is just as beautiful as its top-down precursor. I also noticed it ran at a much more consistent framerate with slowdowns rarely occurring, noticeable only when I paused or unpaused the game. Zelda, with her determined face and blue cloak, is positively adorable, and I gleefully navigated her through the demo.
There are puzzle challenges and more to discover in the game’s overworld. Treasure chests perched high on platforms gave off Breath of the Wild vibes. I managed to get one by stacking a couple of boxes and using a trampoline for the extra oomph. Various crates reveal Rupees and also fruit such as Refreshing Grapes. Also seemingly influenced by Breath of the Wild, you can gather and eat food for health or combine it into smoothies for greater effect.
Before I finished my time with the game, I found one last blast from the past in Echoes‘ growing list. While out and about, I was able to use a meat echo that baited Moblins — a humorous nod to the original game.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to experience everything Echoes of Wisdom has to offer. I didn’t discover a town, spend Rupees at a shop, or complete any possible quests. And that irks me! The time I spent with it wasn’t nearly enough. I wanted to ask for a little more time. Just let me check out the Bind system some more… or make a smoothie! What happens when I stack two trampolines? Gah, I should have tried that.
I was excited already for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, but the wait for its September 26 launch date is now much more difficult. So far, the Tri Rod is a brilliant idea for a Zelda-led odyssey. Using it to tactfully solve puzzles and fight enemies felt natural and engaging.
My time with Echoes of Wisdom was regretfully short. I came away feeling it could end up being not just a great Zelda adventure, but one of the year’s most memorable. We only have a few short weeks to find out.
Published: Sep 4, 2024 08:00 am