The head behind Final Fantasy XIV praises a game that does not come from Square Enix – a controversial Nintendo title is praised.
CEOs of major MMORPGs are usually focused on their own game – even when they are playing other games. Inspiration and great ideas are everywhere, which one might adopt in some way. However, for a game from recent years, the head of Final Fantasy XIV, Naoki Yoshida, known in the community as “Yoshi-P”, has given particularly high praise: Specifically for the latest Zelda game, whose graphic style could not convince everyone – Echoes of Wisdom.
What does the head of Final Fantasy XIV praise? In an interview with Famitsu, Yoshi-P discusses the latest installment of a popular Nintendo series, namely “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” from September 2024. He mentions this game when asked what he has been playing recently:
I was particularly impressed by Echoes of Wisdom. This might be a geek topic, but from a developer’s perspective, there were really many points where I thought: “Wow, that’s fantastic” – regarding how the resources were utilized, how it was made, and the game design.
Later, he praises how disciplined the team must have worked. Because they had to keep production costs low and challenge themselves on how to make the game more enjoyable. Ultimately, Yoshi-P even believes that all beginners who embark on a career in video game development should play this game to see how younger and older developers can collaborate well and mix ideas.
Echoes of Wisdom was considered controversial – but simply good
What kind of game is Echoes of Wisdom? The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom belongs to Zelda, but not to the main series of the game. For the first time, you do not play as Link, but as the titular princess. Accordingly, you use completely different abilities. Instead of being equipped with the Master Sword and other weapons, you use Zelda’s gift of wisdom to create “echoes” of objects. For example, you can duplicate chairs, beds, and other objects to create new paths.
You defeat various monsters by summoning your own creatures or objects that can take on the enemies.
Even though Echoes of Wisdom received largely positive reviews (about 85% on Meta-Critic), there was still some criticism. The graphic style was a bit too cute for many Zelda veterans, and the battles and puzzles involving the echoes were not for everyone – although the familiar “Zelda” pattern also runs through this game. Many found the game a bit too easy, especially in comparison to older installments like Ocarina of Time.
Do you agree with Yoshi-P? Do you also like to look beyond the confines of your MMORPGs and see what there is to discover in the world of single-player games? It could be worthwhile, as a Zelda game has even a hidden level system that MMORPGs could learn from.
