The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Reviews Are Here!

The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusive, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, is set to launch on September 26, and critics have already weighed in with their thoughts. The game, which brings fresh innovations to the beloved Zelda series, is receiving praise for its creativity while staying true to the classic elements fans love. Featuring gameplay reminiscent of earlier Zelda titles combined with a visual style akin to the Link's Awakening remake, Echoes of Wisdom introduces some exciting new twists to the franchise.

For the first time in the series’ history, Princess Zelda takes center stage as the main playable character, replacing Link. This bold shift is accompanied by a brand-new gameplay mechanic where players can capture the essence of various items and enemies they encounter. These captured essences can then be used in combat, puzzle-solving, and exploration, offering players greater versatility and strategic depth. Early gameplay footage for Echoes of Wisdom impressed fans, and now, with reviews out in the open, it's clear that the game has largely met expectations.

So far, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has garnered 35 critic reviews, earning a solid 85 average score on OpenCritic. While this doesn’t place it at the very top of the series' rankings, it's still one of the highest-rated releases of 2024. Critics have celebrated the game’s unique mechanics and vibrant art direction, although some have pointed out technical hiccups when traversing the overworld. It will be interesting to see if the score fluctuates as more reviews are added in the coming days.

Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Review Roundup

While an 85 rating is certainly impressive, it does mark Echoes of Wisdom as the lowest-rated Zelda release for the Nintendo Switch. Comparatively, the Link's Awakening remake holds an 87, and the universally acclaimed Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom each boast a 96. However, the current rating for Echoes of Wisdom could still change, and it might eventually land closer to Link's Awakening by the time all reviews are in. Nevertheless, fans shouldn’t expect it to reach the same level of critical acclaim as Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom.

There are ongoing rumors that the classic GameCube-era Zelda games could soon be ported to the Switch, but if not, Echoes of Wisdom could very well be the final Zelda title released on Nintendo’s hybrid console. As speculation continues to swirl about the development of the next Zelda game, possibly for the Switch’s successor, fans will be eager to see how it compares to Echoes of Wisdom and the other standout entries in the series.