Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Sets a BotW Trend in Stone for the Series

by

Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Sets a BotW Trend in Stone for the Series

Key Takeaways

  • Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom introduces Zelda as the protagonist and offers new innovative gameplay mechanics.
  • Link’s silence in the Legend of Zelda series is explained in both Breath of the Wild and Echoes of Wisdom, setting a precedent for future iterations.
  • Each installment in the series could provide a different reason for Link’s silence, adding excitement for fans.

In an exciting shift for the established franchise, “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” swaps Link with Zelda as the central character, introducing a fresh gameplay mechanic that the series has yet to explore. For the large part, this title deviates significantly from its predecessors, even surpassing one of the franchise’s key defining traits.

In the epic saga known as “The Legend of Zelda”, the character Link has consistently been portrayed without dialogue. This silent role continues in the latest installment, “Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom”. Interestingly, although Link doesn’t take center stage in this game, like some of its predecessors, it provides an explanation for his silence. This move could pave the way for future games in the series.

The Legend of Zelda Series Could Begin Regularly Explaining Link’s Silence

Link Has Been a Silent Protagonist Throughout the Legend of Zelda Series

In every Nintendo-produced Zelda game, Link, one of gaming’s most iconic silent protagonists, has remained speechless. This choice traces back to the debut of the first Legend of Zelda game in 1987, where Nintendo prioritized captivating gameplay over dialogue creation. With the arrival of the Nintendo 64 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the technology enabled dialogue, but Nintendo chose to stick with their initial decision, making Link continue his silent journey, despite being equipped with a range of grunts and shouts.

Following the debut of “Zelda: Ocarina of Time”, Nintendo intentionally kept Link silent to foster a strong connection between players and Link. Producer Eiji Aonuma explained, “We aimed for players to identify with Link and play as if they were him.” This decision was made to avoid a voiced protagonist, as it might have hindered that connection. Since then, Link has been a silent character, though the rationale behind his silence evolved from being a basic game design aspect to a crucial element of the “Zelda” universe in 2017’s “Breath of the Wild”.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Explained Link’s Silence and Echoes of Wisdom Followed Suit

For the first time in a “Legend of Zelda” game, the reason behind Link’s silence in “Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was revealed. When players interact with Zelda’s diary, they can read that “Little by little, I managed to get Link to open up to me. When I finally asked him why he’s always so quiet, it seemed hard for him to say. With so much riding on his actions and everyone watching, he feels the need to remain strong and bear any burden silently – a feeling I understand all too well.” In essence, Link chose to remain silent out of heroism, to spare others from shouldering his burdens.

In the game “Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom,” players discover why the protagonist, Link, doesn’t speak like his counterpart in other games. By exploring Lueburry’s house and reading his journal, it is revealed that Link lost his voice when he was taken away by a rift, as all children who were taken through rifts lose something. In this instance, Link lost his ability to speak. This differs from the reasoning behind Link’s silence in “Breath of the Wild,” and it offers an intriguing insight into the potential development of Link’s character throughout various installments of the “Legend of Zelda” series.

Each New Installment in The Legend of Zelda Could Provide a Different Reason for Link’s Silence

In the games “Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and now “Echoes of Wisdom,” Link remains silent for unique reasons. Future games in the series might add another layer to this mystery by offering a fresh explanation for his silence. Ever since the big revelation in “Breath of the Wild,” fans have been discussing this aspect, thinking they knew the sole reason behind Link’s silence. However, “Echoes of Wisdom” has introduced something new to keep us guessing. If future installments were to offer a different explanation for his silence, it would certainly make each game more intriguing and exciting.

Read More

2024-10-03 17:34