| | by kgthdc2468, November 30, 2006 |
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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the game that was built from the ground-up for the Gamecube, but was ported over to the Wii to make use of the motion-sensor controller, and to provide possibly the greatest launch title ever. This is the game that many have been anticipating ever since Wind Waker came out: a step back into a more realistically-rendered Hyrule, and be glad Nintendo-ites, this Zelda does [i]not[/i] disappoint.
I'll start out with the most important part of the Zelda genre: the gameplay. Many thought that adding the motion-sensitive controller would dumb down the experience, that it may become monotonous and may even take away from the gameplay. I am happy to dispel this rumor, and add that it made the experience far more captivating than just button-mashing. I also found it much easier to actually aim with my arm rather than an analog stick. Z-targeting makes the leap to the next generation and is, since it was developed in Ocarina of Time, VERY helpful in all encounters. Despite looking awkward, the controller+nunchuk combo is very effective and is very intuitive when it comes down to it. The nunchuk attachment is used to move Link, go into a first-person perspective to scan areas as well as use the Z-targeting feature, while the remote itself aims and acts as your personal inventory for all the items you collect and use. I'm also happy to report that you do not have to use large, exaggerated motions to slay foes, but rather short, subtle motions will get the job done just as easily. If you're like me, however, you'll find your swings getting larger and larger, especially when you're close to putting the final blow on one of the game's many screen-filling bosses.
Speaking of the bosses, let's jump into the other major part of any Zelda title: the dungeons. One word can describe these: superb. They are beautifully crafted and the puzzles are more than capable of stumping even the most logical of gamers. While not all of them will challenge Ocarina of Time's water temple for being the hardest in the series(although a few of them are quite able to), they will typically take at least an hour to explore and voyage across. They are large, they are beautiful, and they are challenging. It is also great news that there are more temples in this game than any other in Zelda's great history, and they are all filled with enough baddies and items to go around. And no need to fear: each dungeon has its own creatively produced and monstrously large final boss battle, all waiting behind that fammilar huge padlocked door. And, as has become a staple in Zelda games, the item you aquire in each dungeon will play a part in defeating the boss. Part of the fun of the encounters is trying to find out how to use what you have to defeat the hulking beast in front of you. One of the game's faults, however, lies with those same bosses...
The game has no selection of difficulties, which is unfortunate, because the game seemed to be much too easy. As I said, the game is chock-full of baddies, but unfortunately, it is more often than not very easy to defeat said baddies. Usually a small flick of the wrist will take out a legion of baddies. As you move along the quest, you will tone your skills and learn new tricks to add to your arsenal, and these will take care, with much ease, of most of the game's tougher enemies. Unfortunately, some of the items become essentially useless once you get a new item, leaving too many items you don't need on the large inventory screen. So with a game this easy, why is it still spoken so highly of?
Despite the low power of the Wii(compared to the Xbox 360 and Playstation3), and despite the fact that it is, in fact, a port-over from a last-gen console, the graphics on this game are outstanding. The cinematics are beautifully animated and the character animations are superb, showing an emotional depth never before seen in a Zelda title. Everything moves nice and fluidly, from the waves in a waterfall to the thrashing arms of a boss you're just angered.
The audio is also something that has catapulted Zelda into most gamers' top game series lists. The soundtrack from this game is nothing less than excellent, although the music could have been better. I will jump on the bandwagon and say that this game would have been absolutely perfect had the music been orchestrated. The new voice of Link(in his typical "HI-YA!" and "AHHHHHH!"s) does an outstanding job, and so does the rest of the jibberish-speaking cast. Although it seemed like it was just thrown in initially, I also liked the sounds that came from the controller. The audi quality was low, but it added a new dimension to the soundtrack when that familiar puzzle-solved jingle came from the controller I was holding. It makes the game more immersive and in the end gives you a greater feeling of accomplishment. The game is also usually aided by some kind of obscure instrument, and this one is not to be excluded. At a couple points in the game when you are a wolf, you will recite songs(veterans of Ocarina of Time may recognize some of the melodies) by actually howling them! The music direction is much like it is in Wind Waker, with the player using the analog stick to adjust the pitch.
The story for this game is hands down the most captivating of any Zelda title, and is also the longest. A run-through doing nothing but the main quest will typically take at least 40-50 hours for the average gamer, and it could take up to 90 or more hours to complete the game with all of the side quests. This game is one of the largest adventure titles I've ever seen, rivaling Elder Scrolls IV in terms of side quests, and surpassing it tenfold in terms of the main quest. The story is huge and engrossing, with plenty of the classic twists and turns that gamers have grown accustomed to from the series. The game borrows a bit from Wind Waker in that the original, small-minded quest turns, quite quickly, into a massive, world-endangering quest that will captivate and motivate the player to continue boldly into the Twilight.
So now a bit of the early plot summary, stuff you should know going into the game. The character you play as is Link, a well-liked goat-herder in his small town of Ordona. He is still young and the leader of the pack of kids in town. The village has been plagued with a monkey problem, resulting in many small things going wrong, leaving it up to Link to resolve them. Not too much later, the town is invaded by strangers on horseback, and the outskirts of the town are covered in some strange darkness. As Link approaches, he is grabbed by something inside the dark matter! When he comes to, he quickly goes through a transformation, and inexcusably becomes a wolf! This is where the action picks up, and the quest truly begins.
All of this adds up to make a gaming experience that no true gamer should miss out on. Even if it is a title that will also be found on the Gamecube, this is a must-have for any owner of a Nintendo Wii, and even moreso for any fan of the Zelda series. I would also like to add in that the companion in this game, Midna, is hands down my favorite of any other. I never thought any game would wow me more than Ocarina of Time did back in 1994, but this went above and beyond all my expectations and, in my mind, has set a new standard for excellence in the already outstanding Zelda series. So, without further ado, my grading system.
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Audio: 10/10
Replay Value: 10/10
Entertainment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
No game has ever impressed me as much as this one has. The bar has been set, and I am anxiously awaiting the next entry in the franchise. |
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| | | by Prozach, September 26, 2008 |
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| This game is the shit. Its not as good as ocarina of time but it still fucking owns. I love to slash up shit with the wii controller and aim my bow to shot a monster right in the ass. The battles are epic, taking down a beast 5x as big as you feels like heroin right in the arms vein. This has to be the best game you can get for the wii. This game has more than enough to keep you playing for a entire year. There is nothing I can find that doesn't make me love this game, the music's awesome, the battle's are awesome, and the weapons are awesome. Buy this game, no excuses. |
| | by , March 05, 2007 |
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The Legend of Zelda series is a classic gaming experience. All of the games that feature the infamous Link, Zelda and the ultimate evil pig/human Ganon have definately created a standared in gaming today, with their fantastic story lines, as well as well thought out monsters, levels, side-quests and cute characters. And the latest edition to the series I believe does not dissappoint the fans who waited so many years for it.
I could go into great detail explaining the story-line, graphics, music, overral gameplay, and so on and so forth. I think I'll settle with telling you I enjoyed this greatly, but I bought it for the Gamecube and have not played the WII version, so comparing and contrasting would most probably be bias. So overral, if you enjoyed the series and looking for a new classic to add to your games, this is a great one! :) |
| | by AnkitKapoor3, February 20, 2007 |
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| Despite the low power of the Wii(compared to the Xbox 360 and Playstation3), and despite the fact that it is, in fact, a port-over from a last-gen console, the graphics on this game are outstanding. The cinematics are beautifully animated and the character animations are superb, showing an emotional depth never before seen in a Zelda title. Everything moves nice and fluidly, from the waves in a waterfall to the thrashing arms of a boss you're just angered.The audio is also something that has catapulted Zelda into most gamers' top game series lists. The soundtrack from this game is nothing less than excellent, although the music could have been better. I will jump on the bandwagon and say that this game would have been absolutely perfect had the music been orchestrated. The new voice of Link(in his typical "HI-YA!" and "AHHHHHH!"s) does an outstanding job, and so does the rest of the jibberish-speaking cast. Although it seemed like it was just thrown in initially, I also liked the sounds that came from the controller. The audi quality was low, but it added a new dimension to the soundtrack when that familiar puzzle-solved jingle came from the controller I was holding. It makes the game more immersive and in the end gives you a greater feeling of accomplishment. The game is also usually aided by some kind of obscure instrument, and this one is not to be excluded. At a couple points in the game when you are a wolf, you will recite songs(veterans of Ocarina of Time may recognize some of the melodies) by actually howling them! The music direction is much like it is in Wind Waker, with the player using the analog stick to adjust the pitch.The story for this game is hands down the most captivating of any Zelda title, and is also the longest. A run-through doing nothing but the main quest will typically take at least 40-50 hours for the average gamer, and it could take up to 90 or more hours to complete the game with all of the side quests. This game is one of the largest adventure titles I've ever seen, rivaling Elder Scrolls IV in terms of side quests, and surpassing it tenfold in terms of the main quest. |
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