In the course of the newest Nitendo Direct, we lastly received the factor that we’ve been clamoring for years for: a Legend of Zelda recreation in which you’ll play as Zelda. Reader, I can’t consider it.
Referred to as The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge, the newest recreation takes visible inspiration from the Hyperlink’s Awakening remake from a number of years in the past, however places gamers in charge of the titular princess as Hyperlink has been spirited away to a different realm.. Although the sport looks as if it takes a considerably extra puzzle-oriented method to adventuring than the collection is understood for, it’s unbelievable nonetheless to see that Nintendo is lastly making Zelda right into a playable protagonist.
The trailer for the sport opens on Hyperlink making an attempt to avoid wasting Zelda, who’s encased in a crystal. Although he manages to dispatch Ganon, seen right here in his basic pig type, he’s shortly swallowed by a void that opens on the earth, presumably resulting in the Darkish World, however not earlier than shattering Zelda’s crystal and setting her free. Because the void begins to swallow extra of the world, Zelda manages to narrowly escape it as we’re then handled to a vista of Hyrule and the sport’s title.
Eiji Aonuma, the producer who’s been on the helm of the collection for a while, launched The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge and its break from the collection’ typical gameplay. It appears that evidently Zelda will obtain the assistance of a fairy named Tri, who offers her a workers referred to as the Tri Rod. Utilizing the Tri Rod permits Zelda to conjure echoes of things on the earth, reminiscent of a desk or a field. At one level, she could be seen blocking a vent with a shrub in order that she could go throughout a deadly bridge. In one other scene, she could be seen stacking beds atop each other to make a staircase that permits her to climb over a wall.
The Tri Rod will even enable Zelda to make use of echoes in battle, and she will be able to even take echoes of enemies to make use of in opposition to different enemies. At one level, Zelda could be seen conjuring a boulder after which throwing it at an enemy. Seconds later, she grabs the echo of the not too long ago slain creature and makes two copies of it to assist her gang up on a lesser monster.
Although a lot stays unknown, the mechanic appears like one thing that may be utilized in an immersive sim, which more and more looks as if the path the collection goes in, particularly after Breath of the Wild. Echoes of Knowledge seems to be to shrink it down fairly a bit, however the spirit remains to be there. It’s a disgrace that Nintendo seemingly felt it wanted to strip the collection’ typical emphasis on fight out of the sport to make it a “Zelda” recreation, however I may also recognize that she’s not merely a reskin of Hyperlink and has her personal gameplay identification. I’m simply saying, the princess has proven throughout numerous video games and timelines that she’s greater than able to holding her personal, and Echoes of Knowledge might (and may) lean into that.
Nonetheless, it’s slightly exhausting to be too upset once we’re lastly getting a Legend of Zelda recreation the place the titular character will not be solely entrance and heart, however playable! Echoes of Knowledge launches on September 26, 2024 and will likely be launched alongside a stunning gold Nintendo Change Lite embossed with the collection’ iconic Triforce.
