Nintendo turned some heads last month when it announced The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. The upcoming adventure game for Nintendo Switch will be the first in the long-running series to feature Princess Zelda as the main playable character.
However, it sounds like Princess Zelda won't be the only playable character. The U.S. Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has posted its rating summary of Echoes of Wisdom, and in the description, it seems to confirm Link as a playable character.
This is an adventure game in which players assume the role of Zelda as she attempts to dispel rifts throughout Hyrule and rescue Link. From a ¾-overhead perspective, players explore various environments while fighting stylized enemies (e.g., humans, creatures). As Link, players use a sword and arrows to defeat enemies; Zelda can use a magic wand to summon creatures (e.g., wind-up knights, pig soldiers, slime) for battle. Some enemies can be defeated by being set on fire; other creatures dissolve into mist when defeated. Battle sequences are somewhat frenetic, with several enemies attacking/fighting at once.
While the summary specifically mentions the ability to play as Link, it does not clarify to what extent he will be featured. It's possible Echoes of Wisdom could feature dual protagonists, or simply smaller segments with the legendary character. Some fans even speculate that a New Game Plus mode could allow you to play through a second time entirely as Link, although I can't imagine how that would work considering the game world is built around Princess Zelda's unique Echo mechanic.
As previously explained by Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is more than just a gender swap. Princess Zelda will introduce an entirely new form of gameplay in which she wields a Tri Rod that unlocks echoes. Echoes are essentially imitations of objects that Zelda can summon. Once Zelda learns an echo of something, she is able to create it whenever she wants. The Echo mechanic is used to solve puzzles throughout the game and can be used to help navigate the world or in combat.
In the announcement trailer for Echoes of Wisdom, we do see Link battling enemies and freeing Princess Zelda from captivity before ultimately falling into a strange Rift. It's also possible that the ESRB's summary is simply referencing this moment, which could simply allow you to play as Link at the very beginning of the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches this year for the Nintendo Switch on September 26.
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