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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (September 26) - reviews from OpenCritic posted


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I'm a bit more excited now with watching the trailer again. It's going to be so cool to figure out puzzles in this style. I really struggled with TOTK's puzzles but I think this will get a bit easier for me by the looks of it. 

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Somewhere the Banjo Nuts and Bolts team is shaking their heads in frustration over the last couple of Zelda games adding a construct element... “dammit, we should have let Nintendo do it first so we could iterate on their ideas like the good old days!”

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The problem with Nuts and Bolts wasn’t that the mechanics didn’t work or were t fun, it’s that the reason you were doing them wasn’t fun and you could beat every goal with minimal effort.  The building in TotK was fun for me when I had a pile of bullshit I had to invent a way to work.  When I just had everything I needed or could auto build, it was joyless.   

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Final previews:

 

WWW.IGN.COM

So far, Echoes of Wisdom feels like it’s taking the best elements of the most beloved modern and vintage Zelda games and making them work together in a pretty clever synchronicity. Whether they’ll get along for the whole trip remains to be seen, but right now it feels like a smart move and a truly exciting way to push the classic side of the franchise towards the future.

 

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All in all, Echoes of Wisdom feels like an earnest and clever return to the Zelda games I grew up playing. Challenging, inventive, fresh, and genuinely just really fun. Every new puzzle and conflict is a blank canvas for experimentation, but it’s all wrapped in that distinctively familiar and challenging Zelda game vibe that made me fall in love with these games to begin with. It’s vintage Zelda mixed with the playful and creativity based gameplay that younger audiences are used to building their own stories with these days. It’s not pushing that side of things as far as games like Minecraft, Roblox, or even Tears of the Kingdom does, but it’s also not rigid and specific with the way it makes you approach it. Attempting to juggle several of the core tenets of what makes the Zelda games so special to so many people across so many generations and make them all happy is an extremely tall order. The longer any franchise thrives, the more difficult it becomes to please everyone that approaches it with specific expectations. Every fan has a different reason why Zelda is special to them. But so far, Echoes of Wisdom feels like it’s taking the best elements of the most beloved modern and vintage Zelda games and making them work together in a pretty clever synchronicity. Whether they’ll get along for the whole trip remains to be seen, but right now it feels like a smart move and a truly exciting way to push the classic side of the franchise towards the future.

 

 

 

WWW.GAMESPOT.COM

Princess Zelda takes a starring role for the first time in the franchise that bears her name, with a suite of ingenious and creative powers to play with.

 

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At a glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom follows firmly in the footsteps of the 2019 remake of Link's Awakening. Stick Zelda in as a playable character, give her a magic wand, sell an absolute shed-load of copies. Job done.

 

But having now played an 80-minute section from early in the game, this comparison seems only surface-deep. Although it shares the extremely cute, diorama-esque aesthetic of its top-down predecessor, Echoes captures much more of the systemic and improvisational joys of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom than you might expect.

 

 

 

 

WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM

Echo and bind mechanics could shake up the 2D Zelda formula, if Nintendo isn’t afraid to commit to the bit…

 

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It seems 2024 is the year that Nintendo’s princesses finally get their time to shine. It’s, however, all the more just for Zelda, given that the Hyrulian princess has endured 38 years of having her name attached to a series that she has never had a starring role in (at least if you ignore the terrible third-party CD-i games in the early 90s).

 

But in making the former damsel and occasional helpful aid (albeit often in a non-princess guise) a protagonist at last, Nintendo has also been thoughtful in how she plays, which isn’t just a mere gender swap. After all, as the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda must surely have a different approach to Link, bearer of the Triforce of Courage, so even if this is a mainline Zelda title with the same exploration and dungeon format or past games, it surely calls for a different approach.

 

 

 

 

WWW.EUROGAMER.NET

More than 35 years after the first Legend of Zelda, one of video gaming's most recognisable names will finally front an…

 

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It may have taken decades, but Nintendo has finally found an answer to those calls to play as Zelda - with gameplay that feels different enough that this could never be just another Link adventure. At the same time, brilliantly, Echoes of Wisdom manages to still feel like a proper Zelda game - rather than being a more forgettable princess-led spin-off, such as Princess Peach: Showtime. I simply can't wait to see more of Echoes of Wisdom, a game that hosts the inventiveness of Tears of the Kingdom but within perhaps more manageable limits, that wraps this in the DNA of classic top-down entries such as Link's Awakening - and most importantly of all, looks set to stand on its own as a remarkable entry in the series' main canon. Finally, this is Zelda's moment to shine.

 

 

NOISYPIXEL.NET

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom introduces Zelda as the protagonist for the first time, alongside flexible puzzle-solving and magic abilities. Our PAX West 2024 preview highlights smooth combat mechanics and some challenges with the Echoes system, making this new entry a must-watch for fans.

 

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Despite this, our time with The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom left us optimistic. The shift to having Zelda as the main character brings a fresh perspective, and the gameplay is as magical as it is imaginative. If the final game can iron out some of its rougher edges, Echoes of Wisdom is shaping up to be a standout entry in the series.

 

The innovative mechanics and strong narrative direction make it easy to imagine this game collecting its fair share of praise for series fans and new players discovering this series. While it’s not without challenges, the positives far outweigh the minimal negatives, making this a Zelda adventure that fans should be excited to experience.

 

 

 

 

WWW.NINTENDOLIFE.COM

Echo, Echo, Echo, what's going on here? - It’s fairly safe to say that everyone was pretty jazzed when Nintendo announced The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wi...

 

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It’s fairly safe to say that everyone was pretty jazzed when Nintendo announced The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. We haven’t had a new top-down Zelda game since 2013’s A Link Between Worlds, assuming of course you don’t count Tri Force Heroes, and if that was your mindset, we wouldn't entirely blame you.

 

But the real test to see if all this non-swordy-style gameplay could actually work is actually playing it. Thankfully, Nintendo graciously invited us to do just that, so we’re the experts on the matter now. Accept no substitutes.

 

Our 80-minute playthrough began at the very early stages of the game, just after meeting Tri, the little wisp-cum-fairy that makes the entire gameplay possible (phew). We had to manoeuvre our way past some guards, and wouldn’t you know it, the solution involves using those Echoes they’ve been showing off in all the trailers. We say solution, but the reality is that there are several ways to go about things.

 

 

 

 

 

PATRICKKLEPEK.SUBSTACK.COM

Me, my eight-year-old, and my four-year-old were all equally charmed by our time sampling Zelda's first solo adventure.

 

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Echoes of Wisdom is approachable for kids, but it does not speak down to its audience. I'd call it "kid compatible"? It's going to be a game that works across a variety of ages, and does not, at least based on the few hours I spent with it, feel like it will be lacking depth for adults, either. And by emphasizing creativity over controller skills and finger dexterity, it looks like there's an opportunity for different ages to find their own fun. I don't anticipate my eight-year-old being able to beat it on her own, but on the flight home, she was already talking about other ways she wants to use the objects when the finished game comes out later this month. The game left a huge impression.

 

 

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

Princess Zelda’s first mainline game is filled with echoes of the franchise’s recent experimental era.

 

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Because echoes are such a huge part of the game, it was surprising to see Zelda pick up Link’s sword and gain the ability to fight (and dress) the way he does. In her swordfighter form, Zelda’s more nimble and able to block attacks using a magically manifested shield. But Zelda’s transformations are temporary and tied to a magic meter that quickly depletes if you leave it running for too long. Echoes of Wisdom’s first boss battles did an impressive job of teaching me that as powerful as Zelda’s swordfighter form is, it’s not something you can just default to — at least not when you first start playing the game. The sword is important, but it’s just one of many tools you’re supposed to use strategically as the game pushes you to think about the multiple ways its challenges can be overcome.

 

Based just on the small chunk of Echoes of Wisdom I was able to get through, it feels like Nintendo’s supercharged the classic top-down Zelda formula by infusing it with many of the franchise’s cleverest innovations. It’s not exactly an open world or classic Zelda, but it’s something new — and it’s a perfect fit for the princess.

 

 

 

 

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It's a disappointing mark against a game that is otherwise an intriguing new chapter in The Legend of Zelda. It's not the sandbox that Tears of the Kingdom is, but it's interesting to see that this universe is still interested in the ideas put forward by Fuse, Recall, and Ultrahand. We're not going back to the version of Hyrule that Breath of the Wild established any time soon, but if we can maintain any of those games' playful, experimental nature, that's a fascinating place for the series to go. But the appetite for Zelda as the hero of her own story has clearly been growing, and the two most recent mainline games have only bolstered interest in her as a playable character. While Echoes of Wisdom feels like a tentative step forward for the future of The Legend of Zelda, it's a marked stumble back for its titular heroine herself.

 

 

 

WWW.ENGADGET.COM

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is the first game in the Zelda series that lets you play as the game's namesake, and it feels well-suited to younger and older players alike.

 

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From what I’ve seen so far, Echoes of Wisdom is simultaneously a throwback and a new adventure. The top-down presentation and overall vibe remind me of plenty of old Zelda games besides the obvious Link’s Awakening comparison. But the gameplay is completely different in a way that should provide experienced players with a totally different challenge, and the lower difficulty level will make it, along with Link’s Awakening, a great first Zelda game for younger adventurers.

 

 

WWW.POLYGON.COM

We played Nintendo’s new Zelda game, which combines old-school dungeons and puzzle-solving with BotW and TotK’s player creativity.

 

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An hour in, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom seems to offer everything that made the last two Zelda games great, reimagining decades of tried and true game mechanics through a new lens. It takes the player creativity of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom and tucks it into a classic, top-down Legend of Zelda adventure, with a huge world and plenty of old-school dungeons to explore.

 

WWW.NPR.ORG

Where Tears of the Kingdom felt like a triumphant end of an era, Echoes of Wisdom may well be an understated but confident start to something new.

 

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A new legend

 

Nintendo had me play through the introductory prison break, an early dungeon, and a small patch of the game’s (relatively open) world. I have only one gripe: You’ll switch between echoes through a long line in a pause menu, akin to the Fuse power interface in Tears of the Kingdom. I quickly tired of scrolling and relied on sorting items by “Most Recent” and “Most Used,” consigning other handy echoes to oblivion.

 

However, this annoyance hardly diminishes the achievement Echoes of Wisdom is shaping up to be. While the game’s story appears to be a simple inversion of the “Knight saves Princess” trope, its mechanics add astonishing depth and variety to a decades-old formula. Where Tears of the Kingdom felt like a triumphant end of an era, Echoes of Wisdom may well be an understated but confident start of something new.

 

 

 

WWW.WIRED.COM

After playing Nintendo’s highly-anticipated Switch game, we can confidently say it supplies Hyrule’s new hero Zelda with more than a sword.

 

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Echoes of Wisdom isn’t nearly as expansive as recent games like Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, but the exploratory formula is there. Zelda has a few other abilities she’ll unlock later in the game, like the power to grab onto an item and pull or push it. Combining echoes—it’s unclear how many there are in total, but the demo had over a dozen—with Zelda’s grabby power has a lot of potential for goofy solutions, like the flame-throwing penises people made in Tears. I was especially fond of trampolining over everything I could and throwing whatever I found, whether that was a rock or an enemy echo. Another player, according to a Nintendo rep, unleashed an echo to fight for him while he took a nap in bed.

 

Echoes of Wisdom also has an ability for fans of more traditional Zelda gameplay: the power to transform Zelda into a Link-like tank, sword and all. It’s a limited feature, one you’ll need to collect energy to power up into, but it also gave the demo a welcome familiarity. Zelda’s unique powers are what make Echoes of Wisdom so intriguing. And it’s nice to see Hyrule’s princess finally get a sword.

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (September 26) - final hands-on previews
  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (September 26) - "Overview" trailer
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Game Information

Game Title: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

 

Platforms:

  • Nintendo Switch (Sep 26, 2024)

 

Developer: Nintendo

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 87 average - 91% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

Spoiler

Daily Star - Tom Hutchison - 5 / 5

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It’s a joy to play, looks great and an excellently crafted mashup of gaming ideas to deliver a fresh-feeling new Zelda.


Dexerto - James Busby - 5 / 5

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While Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom successfully brought exciting new concepts to Nintendo's iconic series and helped revolutionize open-world games – Echoes of Wisdom feels like a big step forward for classic Zelda. 

 


The game is a punchy cocktail of old school Zelda, expertly blended with modern mechanics from the series’ two open-world giants. As a result, Nintendo has created something that feels both nostalgic and uniquely fresh. 

It may have taken 38 years for the series's titular princess to finally get her own game, but boy was it worth waiting for. Echoes of Wisdom not only demonstrates that Nintendo is capable of wowing Zelda fans, but it can breathe new life into its legendary series. 

Echoes of Wisdom is a resounding success, a masterclass in creativity, and a worthy debut title for the series’ legendary princess.

 


Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 5 / 5

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is the perfect Legend of Zelda game. Where Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom took the series in new directions, to the point that they’re barely related to what came before them, Zelda’s first outing as a protagonist feels like it fits seamlessly in with the traditions of Ocarina of Time, Link’s Awaking and Link to the Past. Not only that, but Nintendo has built a gameplay system that is more whimsical and creative than any of those previous titles, making this a more complete and fully realised vision of what the series has always wanted to be. I desperately hope that this wasn’t just a one-off experiment, and The Legend of Link is here to stay.


Shacknews - Asif Khan - 10 / 10

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My run through the game during this review period lasted a bit over 30 hours, but the game will take longer for the completionists out there. Each player will tell a different story with how they play, solve puzzles, the order in which they clear dungeons, and so much more that I can't talk about at risk of spoiling the story. Needless to say, long-time Zelda players will be smiling from ear to ear when they roll credits. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is full of wonderful surprises, engaging gameplay, and tons of stuff to do in the biggest top-down iteration of Hyrule yet.


Siliconera - Jenni Lada - 10 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom features all of the amazing hallmarks of the series, yet feels completely innovative, unique, and fresh.


Atomix - Alberto Desfassiaux - Spanish - 95 / 100

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is another amazing game of the beloved franchise. The way it blends traditional concepts, with all the new ideas of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, is simply great.


Nintendo News - 9.5 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom feels like the perfect compromise between old and new. It incorporates some of the best elements of open-world design from the more recent 3D titles into the solid linear structures of the classic 2D instalments to create something that feels familiar without being too stale, and structured without being restrictive. No matter what your history with the series is, you’d be wise to check this one out.


Press Start - James Mitchell - 9.5 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom elegantly bridges old and new Zelda with grace and gusto. The Echoes system is inventive, the dungeon designs are strong and the whole experience feels like everything a classic Zelda experience should be. While minor performance issues hold Echoes of Wisdom back from being everything it could be, they're only minor blemishes on an otherwise stellar adventure fit for a princess.


Cerealkillerz - Steve Brieller - German - 9.3 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom blends classic Zelda gameplay with innovative mechanics, allowing players creative approaches. Zeldas ability to summon Echoes adds depth and variety to exploration and problem-solving and for the first time ever steals the showlight from our hero Link. This may be the first time an isometric Zelda comes close to the classic A Link to the past.


The Games Machine - Danilo Dellafrana - Italian - 9.3 / 10

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Anarchic, exciting and at times ingenious: The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom is an adventure that will test your brains without overstressing your fingertips. It doesn't last long and hardcore gamers will perhaps complete it too quickly, but the journey is sensational and enveloped in the usual 'made in Nintendo' magic that makes it a must-have in any case.


Hobby Consolas - Álvaro Alonso - Spanish - 91 / 100

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom wisely combines the format of the classic deliveries with the style of the modern ones; a link between the past and the future of the saga that also brings homegrown ideas full of possibilities and freshness. The princess has shown why she has always been HER legend.


Checkpoint Gaming - David McNamara - 9 / 10

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A perfectly-paced, delightful twist on the classic 2D Zelda formula, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom takes everything Nintendo has learned from the Switch era and condenses it into a tight adventure jam-packed with heart. Through its wonderfully magical Echoes mechanic, satisfyingly diverse dungeon design, and unique blend of modern and classic design elements, this is both a celebration of the franchise's history and a bold first offering for Zelda as protagonist. Performance issues aside, Echoes of Wisdom is impossible not to love for newcomers and series veterans alike.


Glitched Africa - Marco Cocomello - 9 / 10

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Echoes of Wisdom is another timeless adventure in The Legend of Zelda series. Even without Link at the helm, it is still able to deliver engaging gameplay and a charming kingdom that comes with all the usual love you can expect from the series.


God is a Geek - Adam Cook - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a gorgeous, brilliantly clever game in a series that continues to be unique and innovative.


IGN - Tom Marks - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is far more than some second-tier spinoff, combining the expertly crafted dungeons and item progression you’d expect from a 2D Zelda with the wild creativity provided by Tears of the Kingdom.


IGN Italy - Andrea Peduzzi - Italian - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom proves that a classic approach to the series is still possible as long as it only partially negates the evolutions of recent years. The new gameplay mechanics blend perfectly with the old-school structure and are fun, while the art direction takes your breath away.


IGN Spain - Mario Seijas - Spanish - 9 / 10

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Echoes of Wisdom is a marvel both visually and gameplay-wise. It's riddled with clever puzzles and gives you total freedom to choose to save Hyrule in your own way. An outstanding experience marred only by a few usability issues.


Nintendo Life - Alana Hagues - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom should be the new standard for top-down Zelda going forward. Rather than abandoning the classic formula, Zelda has shown that the old and the new can come together and produce wonderful results that reward experimentation and reinforce the joy of play. This is easily in contention with A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds as one of the best top-down adventures in the series, and we hope we don't need to wait another 35 years for Zelda to take a starring role again.


PCMag - Jordan Minor - 4.5 / 5

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom gives Princess Zelda a starring role, combining new and classic elements to deliver an inventive title that's one of the most delightful in the series yet.


SECTOR.sk - Matúš Štrba - Slovak - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom may not be a game for everyone. Maybe not even a game for every Zelda fan. It does things differently, turns the traditional formula on its head and asks you to do something other than traditional combat. But that's what impressed me about it. It's not trying to do the same thing that worked five years ago. It's building on that, but it's doing something new, something fresh and something interesting that's hard to tear yourself away from.


Screen Rant - Christopher Teuton - 4.5 / 5

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Zelda's actual legend is amazing.


Stevivor - Matt Gosper - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom is a unique new addition to the Zelda family. It’s wonderful to see the same boundless creativity celebrated in a smaller-scale title.


TrueGaming - Arabic - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a great adventure; its world is vast and its content is rich. The main idea behind the game is very inventive as it gives players unparalleled freedom to tackle challenges in their preferred way, and at the same time it re-introduces beloved, classic dungeons that many did miss from the latest 3D adventures.


TrustedReviews - Thomas Deehan - 4.5 / 5

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The Nintendo Switch isn’t lacking in charming titles, but The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom takes the cake. From a thriving take on Hyrule that’s a joy to explore and interact with, to a whimsical gameplay loop that encourages thinking outside the box, Zelda’s long-awaited time in the spotlight also happens to be one of the series’ best games yet.


Wccftech - Nathan Birch - 9 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom brings some new ideas to the table, but in the end, the game is more about modernizing the classic 2D Zelda experience. The attention-grabbing echo copying mechanic has its pros and cons, but where Echoes of Wisdom consistently hits is in the tried-and-true design of its world and dungeons, which are as good as any the franchise has delivered in the past. This may be Zelda's first starring adventure, but past Legends still echo strongly here.


WellPlayed - Nathan Hennessy - 9 / 10

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Princess Zelda finally takes the stage in this magnificent farewell to the series' best generation, giving the top-down adventure a serving of the latest 3D entries' innovations.


GamePro - Tobias Veltin - German - 88 / 100

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom combina la tradición y modernidad de Zelda en un paquete completo, coherente y hermoso.


Spaziogames - Valentino Cinefra - Italian - 8.7 / 10

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Echoes of Wisdom lays the groundwork for the future of the Zelda series, offering a beautiful and exhilarating experience that blends classic elements with forward-thinking design.


GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 86%

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Echoes of Wisdom is a great new dye entry in the series that combines a very classical approach with creative gameplay where (generally) much more than one way leads to a solution. You will never ask yourself why Nintendo decided to give Zelda the main role. After playing this, you will ask why she did not get her chance earlier. A must-buy for series' fans.


COGconnected - James Paley - 85 / 100

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Even though I love this franchise a lot, innovation is always welcome. The echo system is a fascinating blend of new ideas and established concepts. Using random objects and enemies isn’t totally new, but making them the main form of offense is. Transplanting 3D ideas into a 2D plain is a tough challenge, but the devs have handled it nicely. I wish the echoes were easier to scroll through, and the combat could have been harder. But I loved exploring every inch of this world. Even after the credits rolled, I still went back for more. If you’re looking for something charming and unusual, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is right on the money.


GRYOnline.pl - Adam Celarek - Polish - 8.5 / 10

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Echoes of Wisdom is a fantastic game that skillfully redefines the classic 2D Zelda formula, while taking inspiration from other games in the series. These changes will be noticed mostly by veterans, but even new players will find lots of fun here.


CGMagazine - Jordan Biordi - 8 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom takes the best things from its Switch counterparts—and a few of the bad ones—and creates an incredible unique free-form top-down experience.


Digitec Magazine - Domagoj Belancic - German - 4 / 5

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom turns the tried and tested Zelda-formula on its head with its magic wand and 'Echo' clones. The daring gameplay experiment works for the most part. It's fun to find new monsters and items and experiment with them — both in combat and when solving puzzles. Every now and then I wish I could take a more active part in the battles. The limited “swordfighter mode” only partially satisfies my appetite.

 


Unfortunately, the otherwise expertly crafted game is somewhat marred by a cumbersome menu navigation and annoying stutters. Despite these shortcomings, fans of the series can look forward to an excellent 2D-spin-off that does a lot of things differently and yet still feels familiar.

 


Eurogamer.pt - Vítor Alexandre - Portuguese - 4 / 5

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Zelda takes the lead in the adventure and uses all the creative tools at her disposal to explore, fight and solve puzzles.


Gameblog - French - 8 / 10

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The Zelda license is making a magical return to Nintendo Switch with a title that brings a welcome breath of fresh air.


LevelUp - Pedro Pérez Cesari - Spanish - 8 / 10

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Echoes of Wisdom is a solid game with fantastic ideas that will force you to reprogram that Legend of Zelda brain you've been shaping over years and years of practice. Grezzo has created an experience worth trying and a journey no fan of the franchise will regret starting. That being said, we can't ignore the fact that there are several elements in the game's design that fall short because they don't reach the level of maturity we see in era-defining games


TheGamer - Jade King - 4 / 5

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Despite how much joy I mined conquering its temples and delving into its many rifts, at times it doesn’t push its ambition far enough. That never stops Echoes from being a warm hug of a video game that enraptured me from start to finish, but it does leave me infinitely more curious about what the future holds. Now Zelda has helmed her first epic outing, it’s only a matter of time until she goes onto bigger and better things.


TheSixthAxis - Stefan L - 8 / 10

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a charming delight, an adventure for Zelda herself that embraces a wholly different style of gameplay to Link's tales, allowing for player expression and creativity throughout.


Video Chums - Alex Legard - 8 / 10

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Although it's a mostly great experience, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a clear step below the S-tier Zelda games like Twilight Princess, Tears of the Kingdom, and so forth. There's still plenty of fun to be had if you're a fan of the classic Zelda games and perhaps this return to that formula is the shake-up that the series needed following Tears of the Kingdom.


Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3.5 / 5

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom only feels like the beginning for what could become a great Zelda saga.


Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 7 / 10

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A light-hearted game for those who are tired after work for a nice adventure with innovative multiplayer gameplay


Twinfinite - Rowan Jones - 3.5 / 5

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Overall, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has a lot going for it. There is a lot to do and discover without being overwhelming. The visuals are vibrant and fun, and the characters are cute. Although the controls can be annoying at times, it is satisfying when you finally get past an obstacle. It will be interesting to see where Nintendo takes us for the next Zelda installment in the future.


Guardian - Keza MacDonald - 3 / 5

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It's great to finally get to play as Zelda, but working out how to take an active part without being able to fight is rather hard work


VGC - Andy Robinson - 3 / 5

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Despite some ambitious ideas, beneath the surface Echoes of Wisdom is surprisingly uneven Zelda adventure. Few of its headline mechanics are utilised to their potential which means that, while enjoyable and charming, it ultimately feels less essential than other modern 2D entries.

 

WWW.POLYGON.COM

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a classic, top-down Zelda game in the style of Link’s Awakening that plays like Tears of the Kingdom — and it works.

 

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As much as Echoes of Wisdom brings a real “this ain’t about him” energy to the series, it’s still a story just as much about Link as it is about Zelda. The context gives a justification (take it or leave it) for Zelda’s more passive role.

 

But does it work?

 

Simply put: It does. It’s a fun as hell game. It’s challenging and satisfying. And it fits neatly in the established mythos as another incarnation of our beloved hero(es). There’s a real sense of accomplishment in conducting a herd of boomerang-wielding Bokoblins as they pepper every enemy with attacks and then conjuring a bridge made of beds to cross an unjumpable gap. Sure, you might not be swinging the sword, but Echoes of Wisdom proves that the pen — or the bed, table, crate, or boulder — can be even mightier.

 

 

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  • Keyser_Soze changed the title to The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (September 26) - Opencritic Posted
11 minutes ago, Best said:

Lower scores than I imagined from a Zelda game. I won't be playing this until next year sometime. 


It’s sitting right between A Link Between Worlds and the Skyward Sword remake (which is a better game than the reviews imply IMO).

 

That’s enough to illustrate they didn’t drop the ball with it.  Like Tri-Force Heroes supposedly, though I’d still like to try that one someday.

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7 minutes ago, crispy4000 said:


It’s sitting right between A Link Between Worlds and the Skyward Sword remake (which is a better game than the reviews imply IMO).

 

That’s enough to illustrate they didn’t drop the ball with it.  Like Tri-Force Heroes supposedly, though I’d still like to try that one someday.

 

I actually went and read a lot of the reviews. It's a great game. No worries here. 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (September 26) - reviews from OpenCritic posted

This game is fun. They also, somehow, managed to give you that feeling from BotW and TotK where you don't know if your solution is the intended one or just some cheesy bullshit you threw together. 

 

Played through the first dungeon last night, saw it was like 2am, and forced myself to back off and get some sleep. Good stuff.

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Ok so this is.. Good? Bought it on a whim since I had some credit and am pretty surprised about how good the gameplay hook and loop is. Not your typical zelda but its not that in a good way. Not NEAR as overwhelming as TotK and has all the charm of Links Awakening and Link to the Past etc. So far, another Nintendo gem. Shouldn't baffle me as much as it does that they get gaming as much as they do but yet, here I am typing out my throughts on their amazing handiwork

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26 minutes ago, eventide11 said:

Ok so this is.. Good? Bought it on a whim since I had some credit and am pretty surprised about how good the gameplay hook and loop is. Not your typical zelda but its not that in a good way. Not NEAR as overwhelming as TotK and has all the charm of Links Awakening and Link to the Past etc. So far, another Nintendo gem. Shouldn't baffle me as much as it does that they get gaming as much as they do but yet, here I am typing out my throughts on their amazing handiwork

 

Nintendo is just phenomenal. 

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Absolutely loving this game. The freedom and creativity to solve puzzles is exquisite. You can play it like a mostly standard Zelda game, too, if that's your thing, but solving puzzles in stupid ways like I did here is what I'm 100000% here for:

 


This kind of stuff delights me! Such silly mechanics make for a very fun time.

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