The only constant in theLegend of Zelda seriesis change . From its perspective to its art style , Nintendo takes some surprising risk when it number to one of its most valuable franchise . That often ante up off . The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild , for example , was a sheer opened - world reinvention of the classic escapade formula that put an vehemence on flexile gameplay and emergent moment born from creative thinking . That design did n’t just influence its direct subsequence , the excellentThe Legend of Zelda : Tears of the Kingdom . It ’s very much present inThe Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdomtoo .
I ’ve been odd about how the first Zelda secret plan to in reality star Zelda would work ever since it was revealed . It look like a reappearance to top - down course , but its detail - copying hook suggested that it might be more creatively unfastened - ended than any traditional Zelda game . After playing 90 bit of it , I can see precisely how Nintendo is fusing old and newfangled to once again reinvent its try - and - straight formula . Echoes of Wisdomplays like a miniatureTears of the Kingdom , at least in terminus of how it let players take on problems in multiple ways . That makes for a unique puzzle adventure loan-blend that I ’m already eager to pass to .
Summoning echoes
The Legend of Zelda : echo of Wisdombegins with mystic rifts opening up around Hyrule . Princess Zelda is blamed for their appearance and imprisoned . My demonstration begins in enslavement , where she see a piddling sidekick named Tri . The Navi - like partner gives Zelda the Tri Rod , an item capable of copying items and lease her freely mobilize them . I get to examine it out right away , clone an object in my cellular phone and using it as a platform to reach a gamey - up release . A stealth sequence ensues that insert thebasics of that echo play .
It ’s a bare system . If an object has sparkles around it , Zelda can stand next to it and hit a button to copy it . That echo is then permanently added to her inventorying and she can summon it out of fragile air any time after that through aTears of the Kingdom - like horizontal pop - up menu . The taking into custody is that each reverberation has a summon cost , represented as yellowish ticks . In my demo , I only had three tick of summon power to sour with at a time ( Zelda gets more throughout the adventure ) . A Keese only be one tick to summon , so I could have three out at a time . A spear - throwing Moblin costs two . There ’s no limit on how many sentence I can summon echoes , but the oldest one I ’ve create disappear if I ’m at my boundary and produce something new .
I apace get to put that grommet to make as I expand my pool of sound reflection . Soon enough , I ’m placing down boxes to obscure from patrolling guards and stack multiple beds on top of one another to create makeshift stairways to high platforms . The creative potential only turn from there as I copy objects like trampoline and enemies with specific functions , like an armadillo that can hustle through box to break them . The merriment comes from shuffle and matching echoes in clever way to solve open - all over mystifier .
At times , that claw capture the essence ofTears of the Kingdom ’s enticing instrumentalist authority . On one overworld screen door , I come across a mob of moblins . Zelda herself is powerless to vote out them , so I need to summon other enemies I ’ve turn into echo to defeat them . In doing so , I incidentally trip up on surprising interactions . When I drop a ball of fire enemy , it conflagrate all of the grass in the area , smoking a few moblins . With my extra check mark , I send out a couple of snakes to complete the job . regrettably , they get unhinge by a hunk of meat nearby , an item that acts as bait for both enemies and my own summons . Each challenge is a learning experience that instruct me more ways I can utilize the echo at my administration .
By the remainder of the demo , I ’m solving puzzles and beating knob in manner that go against the most obvious solution . It ’s the same minuscule shiver I get whenever Icomplete a shrine inTears of the Kingdomin some imaginative way . WhereEchoes of Wisdomfeels more approachable is that it does n’t require players to orchestrate machines to reach that . Summoning is a quick process that make test and error loose . Echoes are n’t resources that go away either , so there ’s no penalisation for experiment .
There are a few crotchet to the system of rules . Only specific objects can be turned into echoes , which make some limitations on creativity . I can clone any enemy once I defeat it , but I ca n’t take the air into a shop and make an sound reflection of the inventory ( yes , I tried ) . I ’m also a short skeptical of its scroll summon menu . Anytime I desire to swop echoes , I need to scroll through a true occupation with dozens of options . filter help organise my process , but it ’s a shame that there ’s seemingly no way to assign some fundamental replication to quick crosscut — specially because I do n’t lie with how many pick Zelda can copy in the final game .
Even with those potential pain in the neck point , I ’ve already found myself dying to get back intoEchoes of Wisdomand try some raw ideas . Is there a dissimilar way I could have span that gap ? How many room could I get past a paries of spiky enemies ? The wheels are still turning years after playing .
Classic Zelda design
What ’s especially exciting aboutEchoes of Wisdomis that it ’s a minute of a return to shape , even with its whole new puzzle system . It ’s a top - down escapade in the style of developer Grezzo’sLink ’s Awakeningremake(right down to some occasional 2D platforming intermezzo ) . There ’s an overworld grid to research , heart pieces to find out , and traditional dungeons to complete . It ’s been over a decade since the last original Zelda game in this style and the rule has n’t miss a footstep .
I ’d really get a sense of how genuine it is to the formula when I popped into its first dungeon . Here , I was clearing rooms full of enemies to unlock doorway , solving insect bite - sized puzzles , and hunt down small key in a multi - floor tangle . And while echo are Zelda ’s basal tool , she does get some more traditional skills too . Early in the dungeon , Tri grant me a power called Bind . This lets me snaffle hold of lowering object and move them around , a skill I take to habituate to move statues onto electric switch or yank shields off of foe . That attainment also has another role address Reverse Bond , which give up me to latch on to objects and follow their cause , which is useful for grapple onto moving platforms .
The only sphere where sound reflection do n’t flawlessly combine with the old - schoolhouse Zelda formula is in scrap . Since Zelda ca n’t round foes herself , she mostly needs to trust on muster up creatures to passively attack . It ’s almost more like a little - exfoliation strategy game where I need to watch and hold back as enemies assault . It ’s a bit too passive in your standard enemy encounters , butEchoes of Wisdomseems to have a few solution to that in the full plot .
For one , there are canny boss innovation that play more like natural process puzzles . In the dungeon ’s remainder competitiveness , I have to take down a Talus by weakening a heart and soul that moves around its body . There ’s an obvious room to shell out with that , but I discover a few alternate ways to tackle the challenge just by muster up creatures and seeing what befall . What can an aerial Keese do that a found Darknut ca n’t ? That ’s where fighting get interesting .
Zelda has at least one more offensive thaumaturgy up her sleeve , though . After defeating a dark reading of Link who appears as a wedge - boss , I incur a steel champion translation . By press up on the D - pad , I incarnate Link ’s power and can strap enemies with a sword . The catch is that I can only do so briefly , as a calibre depletes . I can only replenish that with items , so I need to be strategic about when I use it . That small feature should help mix up the combat and give players options beyond plainly summoning fiend and hoping they attack just right .
There ’s a lot more I ’ve yet to see . The opening slice I played was fairly analog , but it seems as though the world will unfold up from there ( handy dissolute travel points should make for quick geographic expedition around the overworld ) . There ’s also asmoothie craft systemI’ve yet to see , where Zelda can make perk - yield drinks with collected ingredients . Some on - screen UI and menus imply that Zelda might get a few more tool to knead with , too .
After experience an introductory 90 transactions , I ’m excited to see whereEchoes of Wisdomgoes next . There may be room for this new formula to improve down the line , but I ’m already feeling like it ’s a clever reinvention of the serial publication that understands what makesBreath of the Wildappealing without simply replicating its staples . It ’s a wise move that feels correct for Zelda herself .
The Legend of Zelda : echo of Wisdomlaunches on September 26 for Nintendo Switch .
