Summary
Echoes of Wisdomshakes up the formula for 2D Zelda games, letting you play as the titular princess, and a focus on summoning to get through combat and puzzles alike, but one way the title sticks close to series tradition is with its approach to characters.
The Zelda series is no stranger to introducing a handful of charming personalities in each new region you explore, and you’ll learn more about them and their society as you help solve whatever problems they’re facing. Out of all the characters introduced in Echoes of Wisdom, which are the best?
7Dohna
Gerudo Heir
Gerudo Town is a mainstay Zelda location, with the Gerudo showing up in classic Zelda titles like Ocarina of Time. They’re back in Echoes of Wisdom, and the star of the Gerudo arc of the games' story is Dohna.
Daughter of the Gerudo chief, Zelda will save the future leader’s life as she explores the desert, earning the earnest girl’s trust. This comes in handy sinceGerudo Town is being manipulatedagainst Zelda thanks to a dark clone from the rifts, so it’s lucky that she has Dohna on her side to back her up and help save the town.
6General Wright
Right Hand Man
Usually the Hyrule Royalty is only seen in brief glimpses thanks from the outsider perspective of Link in most other games, but since Zelda is the princess, we get a more exposed view of life inside the walls of Hyrule Castle.
That means that we get to see the relationship between the King, Impa, Zelda, and a couple of advisors, notably General Wright. Contrasting the more uptight figures in the castle, Wright, leader of the Hylian soldiers, is shown to be a little bumbling, but always has his heart in the right place. Charging ahead before thinking, it’s always fun to see how this general acts around his troops and the royalty.
5Dradd And Kushara
Bickering Zoras
In previous Zelda titles, the Zoras have seen plenty of different incarnations, with a more classic green design in older titles, and the newer sleek design that took over in 3D titles. Echoes of Wisdom shows an awareness of Zelda history, by bringing back both of these types of Zoras to be two separate species; the River Zoras and the Sea Zoras.
Both of these tribes have their own settlements and their own leaders, being Dradd for the River Zoras and Kushara for the Sea Zoras. When we meet the two tribes in Jabul Waters, their leaders are in a feud that is stopping them fromsolving bigger issues at hand, but thanks to Zelda’s intervention, the stubborn pair of leaders are able to put their differences aside with the power of music.
4Blossu
Rift Refugee
Arguably the most hostile civilization towards our adventuring princess are the Deku Scrubs, found in Scrubton within the Faron Wetlands. In spite of the growing prevalence of rifts in their hometown, all they care about are the webs spat out by rift spiders that they eat like cotton candy.
After rescuing quiet Blossu’s house from a rift, instead of thanking Zelda, the rest of the town turn on her for destroying a source of cotton candy. After escaping the Scrub’s prison, luckily Zelda will find a secret ally in Blossu, who will lend her their membership card so she can fix the largest rift in the area, showing bravery in rebelling against the will of everyone else they live with.
3Darston
Thrust Into Leadership
Over the course of Zelda history, our protagonists have met up with various leaders of the Goron people, and they always tend to be brash, brave, and confident, but Echoes of Wisdom takes a different approach, with Darston only having recently become the chief after his father’s passing.
Following a stone slab of instructions left by his father, Darston seems a lot less confident than previous Goron chiefs, but, as the situation grows more dire on Eldin Volcano, Darston is able to think on his feet, help save his people, and become the proud leader they need moving forwards.
2Conde
Lone Yeti
Likely the last main area Zelda will reach in the story of Echoes of Wisdom, the Hebra Mountains are not home to a tribe or a civilisation. Instead they are the home of Conde the yeti, who will help Zelda and Tri reach their destination at the top of the mountain.
With only one character to focus on, we learn plenty about Conde’s family, with the unfortunate recent passing of his father, as well as his absent brother who’s left for adventures. Even when it seems like Conde’s brother might have been lost to the rifts thanks to the appearance of a dark clone, Conde manages to remain hopeful that his brother will still return.
1Zelda And Tri
Pair Of Heroes
The burgeoning relationship we follow from beginning to end throughout Echoes of Wisdom is between our hero, Zelda, and her companion Tri. While Zelda unfortunately sticks close to series tradition of silent protagonists, we can learn about her character and Tri as well, through their interactions.
Initially seeming cold and detached from the terrifying events plaguing Hyrule, Tri learns to grow compassionate through their interactions with Hyrule’s future leader, and by the end of the story when the two have to part ways, it’s an emotional farewell.
