One could argue that there have almost always been elements of the Strand games in the Zelda franchise. Hyrule is quite famous for being torn apart and corrupted by Ganon and his evil forces, and Link is pretty good at that. Bringing it back together, however, Echoes of Wisdom takes this foundation to a higher level and solidifies it not just as one of the most iconic games of the genre in 2024, but the Zelda series as well.
It starts with the fact that Echoes of Wisdom’s Hyrule was shattered by a rift that stole people (including Link himself) and replaced them with monstrous copies of their original selves. As they are left to rot from their existence in a strange broken world, in this case it falls to Zelda herself to make things right. And luckily, a little sprite named Tri and her power of Echoes were there to help Zelda put the pieces back together.
However, being a line-up game isn’t just about fixing a broken world. It’s also about connecting people and uniting them for the common good on your journey. Zelda doesn’t just solve dungeons and fight Ganon’s forces, she also protects the city that Link comes from. from instead of him Close the rift that is threatening to swallow the world. and even resolve conflicts between different people. In the first game featuring both the old (river) and new (sea) Zora tribes, she became involved in a dispute and ended a terrible feud.
Some might say that genre games are a silly genre. We say this is an exemplary example of how in-game storytelling players help make the worlds they travel into a better place. They often bring the game’s characters together as one, along with any adventure. that you might face, Echoes of Wisdom ticks all the boxes in a way that no other game has reached this year. And that’s why Shacknews is our Best Strand Game of 2024.
Be sure to read about the rest of the Shacknews Awards in our Year of Games: 2024 feature.
