The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review
- Thread starter Susan Arendt
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So first thing, my quote seems to be taken the wrong way here. WW still sits in my top ten of gaming, and still number one on my LoZ list. I was trying to convey that if it was more of the same then I wouldn't be interested on a first day purchase, and with all the clips of riding the bird to what were essentially islands in the sky, a retread is what I was expecting. After the reviews though my opinion was changed, I especially enjoy extending puzzle elements beyond just the dungeons and 'metroid like path unlocking' uses.Sonic Doctor said:
In this regard, I found WW, PH, LttP, and MM to be the strongest in expanding the experiences of their world beyond scripted events. Where exploration was more 'manual' feeling if you get what I mean.
Yes people do complain about those two, the difference is those games usually see a release every 1-2 years and most (excluding exclusive deals like Madden) have plenty of imitators or alternatives. Nintendo's games on the other hand with rare exception are released every 4-5 years and similar games of decent quality are extremely rare. That's why I can't take anyone who voices these types of complaints about Nintendo seriously.Shia-Neko-Chan said:
The point of the Wii-motion+ is that it covers up the technical shortcomings of the original Wii-mote and provides true 1:1 motion control. A standard wii-mote probably wouldn't work with the precision required, it would just be more half assed implementation like with Twilight Princess. And while that lets you play with a gamecube controller then you probably couldn't implement have the idea's they wanted to try with Skyward Sword.ELCTea said:
Personally I'm sick and tired of dumbed down sword combat where you push a button to swing. I want real control, skill and precision.
I think in this case, the time between each installment is irrelevant. The two are still one and the same.RandV80 said:
Zelda is one of the more obvious cases, where it's always the dungeon crawler, always the same temples, the same base items with a few new items here and there, the same world, the same story, no continuity, and same everything they've ever done with the franchise, repackaged with updated graphics and a new controller every once in a while.
It doesn't matter if there are alternatives, the fact is, Nintendo is always going to do the same thing they've always done with their many characters and series, because people are always going to encourage them and give them high scores, regardless.
Why should I continue to play Zelda or Pokemon games if I've already played Ocarina of Time and Pokemon Gold? They rarely amount to anything new, and when they do, it's small insignificant tidbits (things like items, a new helper character, or a new look for the "Gary") here and there thrown upon the same template used for the rest of the games in their respective franchises. It's not even like they're sequels, they're essentially remakes or re-imaginings of the same game, since there isn't a timeline for either franchise, so it's not like I'm buying them to see what happens next. Even Modern Warfare games are sequels to each other.
Every 4-5 years, why should I be just as excited as the last time if I'm never going to be genuinely surprised? I guarantee about 2 years later, they're going to announce a new Zelda or Pokemon game at E3, and I can always guarantee the contents.
I used to be a huge fan of Nintendo, but I can't just ignore the fact that they really are just repackaging the same game over and over in the name of nostalgia to keep the core gamer happy and while that works for some, I just can't see why I would encourage them.
Watch the video supplement.Shia-Neko-Chan said:
Edit: Ah! I see someone already cleared that up. As for your point about all Pokemons are the same, so why get more than one, I tend to agree. Though I do feel that Skyward Sword has a much more contemporary feel than other Zeldas, it's certainly cut very much from the same cloth. I think you'd enjoy it if you played it, but I don't think your life will be diminished if you don't.
Maybe it is just me, but mentioning the latest Zelda is a remake of the only Zelda game is a little like mentioning the sun rose when someone askew about your day. It should be assumed at this point that it was a remake and would be more interesting to note if it wasn't.
So, she mentions these new twists but gives a flying beetle as the only example. Not sold.
It's the same Zelda. Its the same fetch quests and samey puzzle solving. Good on you if you're a long time Zelda fan, but I'll stick to Wind Waker and save my money if I'm really that interested in playing a Zelda title.
It's the same Zelda. Its the same fetch quests and samey puzzle solving. Good on you if you're a long time Zelda fan, but I'll stick to Wind Waker and save my money if I'm really that interested in playing a Zelda title.
Nintendo already said that they don't think about going back to the standard button control system. If you don't change your opinion, this will mostlikely be your last Zelda game.Genixma said:
(source) [http://mynintendonews.com/2011/11/09/nintendo-wii-u-nintendo-talk-zelda-wii-u-and-claim-they-couldnt-go-back-to-standard-button-control/]
Nintendo is one of the most hated gaming companies out there and no one is giving them a free pass. The difference between Nintendo and other companies is that Nintendo makes a high quality game once every 4-5 years (per franchise) and that people hate Nintendo for no rational reason. No Zelda game is a copy of the previous one. NON.Shia-Neko-Chan said:
The core of the story is the same. You're a hero, you save the princess, you go trough dungeons, you do stuff. But if you look only at the core story, then EVERY FUCKING GAME IS THE SAME SHIT OVER AGAIN. You're a dude/gal and you do stuff.
Every FPS game is the same fucking shit. Crysis is the same as Half Life according to your (il)logical thinking. You're a dude, you have big guns, you go against bad dudes, you save the world. Yay. Every horror game is the same. OMG! NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN. THE SAME SHIT, I HAVE TO SURVIVE IN AN INTENSE SITUATION.
And your go trough dungeons? That is really your argument? THAT IS THE FUCKING POINT OF THE GAME. It's like saying you don't like the next part of a FPS game because you have to shoot the bad guys (again).
Then you complain about having similar equipment again? Really? What do you except from Zelda games to have instead of a bow and arrows? A semi-automated sniper gun that shoots protons? Get real.
The core of Zelda games stays the same, but every game is a different experience. If you played more than 2 hours of 1 Zelda game you would know that, but it's obvious that you never played a Zelda game.
She told much more than just the beetle. Upgrading weapons and shield, real side quests (which are a completely new thing in Zelda), new real use for items that where purely for collecting in past games, new ways of fighting monster, MUCH harder dungeons, better world exploration than in WW, different story, much better physics for bombs (they don't just stand there but roll of if it's not on even ground) and much more.Terramax said:
In some old news I read that some of the developer said the new Zelda will have over 70 hour gameplay. A FREAKING SINGLE PLAYER GAME. Bigger lifespan than all FPS games in the last 2 years together.
...
*facepalm*
To create a new strange obviously wrong comparison between Crysis and Half-Life 2 that is supposedly based off of my "(il)logical thinking" as you put it, you would first need to understand my logic in the first place.
Tell me, what exactly did you pick up from my post?
Or maybe you did understand what I was saying, then willingly twisted it to something obviously wrong in order to give yourself something to form an argument around, but that's not something I'll fall for.
Anyway, yeah, you're not arguing against anything I said here, so I have nothing to say.
Yep, the same dungeons as always for 25 years. Water, spirit, fire, repeat...
Always going there for the same reasons, always the same core contents, the same context in going to them, find a new power or weapon inside each, a new heart after you beat the boss, get a boss key to fight the boss "Link, shoot him in the Eye with the HOOKSHOT!", "Throw bombs at the opening when he opens to shoot lasers!", etc, etc, I've done it all before and I'm sure all the different tropes will be there this time.
That's strange, you have this motif in your post that implies that I'm some huge fan of FPS games. So tell me, where did I imply that I'm this huge FPS game buff?
Not to mention this is sidestepping away from the point to try to make Zelda seem better than it really is. Nobody here said they wanted a proton cannon.
Or are you saying just because of the (always same) time period, Link always needs to have a bow and arrow? Well that's simply not true, when you're making a new game, anything is possible all the time, there are limitless possibilities of what you can make the main character have.
Nice try, I've played and finished many Zelda games, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Minish Cap, etc., and they're definitely not different experiences, not by a longshot (lol). They're all the same experience accented with a few different spices here and there, but after such a long history with the Legend of Zelda, that's become stale a long time ago.
I'm always doing the exact same thing I did in the last game, not only by gameplay, but in context, too. Ganon will always be there (except in a few instances) and Zelda will always be in need of saving, Hyrule's in peril, the time period remains stagnant, I'll always use the Master Sword, triforce, Kingdom wherein Zelda is a princess, helper character, Hyrule will always be in peril, dang ol WATER TEMPLES THE HARDEST AGAAAAIN, blah blah blah, "You SAAAAAAAAAAVED HYRUUUUUUUULE!", same as always.
I really disliked the dungeons in Twilight Princess, the tower dungeon in particular where you needed to get a statue from the top floor to the front door. My issue wasn't the act of bringing the statue down(though it got a little tedious), it was that there was about five enemies in the entire dungeon and I got really bored of the game by that point.Susan Arendt said:
Does Skyward Sword put more emphasis on combat than Twilight Princess? I like puzzles but they wear down on me when it's not broken up by action sections.
sooo... i definitely am looking forward to getting my preordered copy. just very curious if the praise the game is getting holds up to expectations. its a tall order calling the game better or even a match to ocarina of time. since its been one of the best games of all time AND ive written my diploma thesis about it. very curious. 
)
)Shia: noone forces you to play the game. i found everyone fascinating in itsself. once youre miniature, once your out on the ocean with the wind, sometimes totally fantasy setting. some people design whole games out of the complexity of one dungeon in zelda. if you dont like it, leave it. its not for everyone - basically its for curious people who like a sense of wonder. not exactly comparable to shooters or fighting games. and its the best at that - i tell you it can only be beaten by the last guardian, but at this point i really doubt that. ;-) aaaah, so happy to finally get it on friday. :-D
No one forces me to do it, and I don't anymore but it's always just bugged me how Nintendo slips under the radar the way they do all the time.
Like everyone chooses not to care that they keep making the same game with the same story over and over and not just Zelda, but they're given high scores and high sales, anyway. Like, they don't have to put in as much effort to get high scores (just look at their metacritic, so far. 95%) and run a business and they know it and exploit that. >_>
Anyway,
Remember when that rumor was going around about a fantasy-futuristic Zelda game where it put Link far into the future? I was so excited for that rumor and hoped it to be true, because in that case it would truly be a different experience, and one I was sure Nintendo could pull off. They never try anything like that though, because they know they can make high scores and sales doing what they always do, anyway.
Like everyone chooses not to care that they keep making the same game with the same story over and over and not just Zelda, but they're given high scores and high sales, anyway. Like, they don't have to put in as much effort to get high scores (just look at their metacritic, so far. 95%) and run a business and they know it and exploit that. >_>
Anyway,
Well, if I were given the game or given a discount on the game, it probably would turn out to be pretty good, but it's definitely not something I'd give anything over an 85, just because of the series' long track record of being the same thing as last time, reimagined every 4 years to keep Nintendo's core gamer satisfied.Susan Arendt said:
Remember when that rumor was going around about a fantasy-futuristic Zelda game where it put Link far into the future? I was so excited for that rumor and hoped it to be true, because in that case it would truly be a different experience, and one I was sure Nintendo could pull off. They never try anything like that though, because they know they can make high scores and sales doing what they always do, anyway.
Some games may have more innovation in them than others, but many are very similar to each other. As soon as something comes out to break the mold, many developers seem to clamor around it and make clones, which are often good games. Binding of Isaac is a very enjoyable game, for instance, and it is very reminiscent of Zelda I. Calling it the same game would be wrong. Portal 2 is a great game, but it would have lost its entire core experience if it did not draw a large portion of itself from Portal. Likewise, a Zelda game would not be a Zelda game if there was a dramatic change in the core of its gameplay.
If you want a lot more combat, I think you'll likely end up disappointed. The dungeons are definitely about the puzzles, with a few enemies thrown in here and there.-Dragmire- said:
That's unfortunate, the Zelda I enjoyed the most was "A Link to the Past". The game was a great blend of combat and puzzles. The newer ones feel rather empty to me with wide open fields and only a few enemies/monsters/wild life to inhabit it.Susan Arendt said:
A suspect phrase; most things you encounter in gaming, literature, and general story telling now-a-days are re-imagined concepts. This isn't even an issue limited only to today, it has been happening forever.Shia-Neko-Chan said:
Someone sees an idea, likes it but thinks they can tell it better, and then proceeds to attempt to retell the story in their own way. I am not sure why this is used as condemnation for the game. If anything, a concept that has been iterated more times than *1* tends to be smoother and more streamlined in its focus and desires.
But who am I to say, haven't played the game yet.