Echo Isle is a mini-adventure inspired by the classic Zelda game

Echo Island Heavily inspired by Legend of ZeldaAnd he’s not afraid to show it: the old drawings are very similar Link’s awakeningthe main character wears a blue jacket and carries a sword, and navigates dungeons collecting items and keys to fight bosses and collect magical MacGuffins. But where Echo Island What shines is how it takes the best parts of Zelda Adventure and pared down to its essence – I finished the game in just over an hour.

The game begins with the main character falling from the sky onto Echo Isle, an island protected by a magical lighthouse that has mysteriously gone dark. Even though you don’t have any equipment to start, within minutes, you’ll find a sword, and from there, you’re off to the familiar. Zelda Episode: Explore the world, find a dungeon, finish the dungeon, and use any new items you have to get to the next dungeon.

To replicate the old feel, every screen is in Echo Island It’s a box, and it’s not just a charming homage to the classics: it helps every screen feel focused and friendly as you traverse the island and delve into the dungeons. It also means that the text boxes are small, so text and dialogue have to be quick to fit, something more games should emulate.

This dedication to smallness applies to almost everything in the game. The overworld map consists of just 25 tiles, meaning there’s only one village full of characters to see, and only four dungeons to explore (with a final tower that serves as a good old-fashioned boss rush). There’s no fast travel, but you don’t really need it because you can walk from one side of the map to the other in just a few minutes.

There are four additional pieces of equipment, which are clearly inspired Link’s awakeningalso. I was pleased to find the game’s equivalent of Roc’s Feather in the first dungeon, and for the rest of the game, I moved around just like I used to while playing the Game Boy. Zelda Games as a child. Yes there are bombs but because Echo Island Simplifies resource management, there’s no ammo or even money to worry about. The only thing you need to keep an eye on is your health bar, and fortunately, there are pots everywhere that you can smash to get hearts.

In reducing everything down, Echo Island Praises the best of Zelda Game instead of feeling like a poor imitation. With so many games nowadays focusing on sprawling worlds that are often clogged with boring filler, it was refreshing to dive in. Echo IslandOur polished little world. And perhaps best of all, I finished most of it while drinking my morning coffee.

^{Echo Island Now available on PC.}