Why is O.O.T. so praised?

[Souplex]

I have been somewhat of a legend of zelda fan through the years. I have played pretty much every one cept the ones on the NES N64 or CDI systems.

Ocarina of time is known for being THE zelda game with numerous great reviews and best games lists. So my friends finally convince me to play O.O.T. and I played it. The result was a resounding oy.

It is decent, not bad but certainly not great. It is slow paced, the puzzles were designed for lobotomized starfishes and the combat is attrocious.

Also, why all the water temple hate? It is the only part with decent puzzles. Its the shadow temple that people should hate.

 

[42manZ]

Also, why all the water temple hate?

Forget how to do it. Start and get some to some part of it, and then stop untill you forgot what part you are at and then try it from there. That's my problem towards it, made me have to play the entire game again.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Well first of all you are late to the party, if someone says "OH Half Life 2 has NOTHING on Goldeneye" - and that persons first console is an Xbox 360, they are going to hate goldeneye.

Second, it's praised because it is pretty much the foundation of the kind of games we have today, back then, it was revolutionary.

If you've played the game now for the first time, you'll like it maybe, but you won't have the Nerdgasm all of us had back when we were 10.

 

[minoes]

Which was the first zelda you played?

 

[Imitation Saccharin]

Speaking for me (I never got how you spoke for others), Legend Of Zelda was my very first RPG. It was intuitive, fun, and gave you lots of goodies to go hunt around for.

I think that was its key to success for me. I had no point of reference to compare it to.

 

[Milkatron]

I'll speak, for I am a praiser of the game.

Water Temple sent players in circles, around and around looking for the right number of keys for all the locks.
What's inherently wrong with the combat? You see a weakness and exploit it. Very simple, highly effective.
For the puzzles, I don't know why people like them so much. I do, and actually can't explain why. They just work well with the scenario, I guess. I even liked the stealth sections, and I HATE stealth sections on average (Splinter Cell is hung as one of my least favorite games ever, and MGS 1 is the only MGS worth playing IMO).
Overall, I find the game is well put together and functions well, apparently a lost art in gaming.

 

[E.v.a.n.g.e.l]

Because it was one of the early successful RPG video game on the 64.
I mean there were so many great features like a successful z targeting, lots of secrets to look for, all the awesome gadjets from the hookshot to the fairy bow, and the awesome soundtrack.

 

[[Gavo]]

It was an early adventure game that looked great for it's time, with z targeting, as E.v.a.n.g.e.l. said, great music (Gerudo Valley!). The hate for the Water Temple is that....well, if you've played, unless you're totally wacked, you will hate it. Looking for a single key for a damn hour to open a locked door with another locked door behind it...no one can take that.

 

[CancerDog]

It was also part of that awesome 90's phase where everything went 3d, and it showed us that not only could Zelda be done in 3d but that it was a pretty epic experience. Do you remember how big Hyrule field was? My only gripe about OOT was that one mission to get the bottle, you had to collect all the big poes, and this one poe you could only get once, and he was a real asshole to get. I maybe got him once out of the countless number of times i've played that game.
For a 1998 game on the N64, it was just amazing.
1998 is my favorite year, Zelda on N64 came out, Grim Fandango came out, and I was 7!

 

[Eiseman]

I was sold on OoT the second I emerged out of the starting forest and into Hyrule Field. I was pretty happy with the first dungeon already, but when it came time to see the rest of the game's world, and I saw how open and free-roaming it would be, I was just elated. The switch from 2D Zelda to 3D Zelda holds one very important aspect for me. In the 2D Zelda games, where the screens were split into individual squares, the whole of Hyrule turned into a giant maze, and navigating the labyrinthine Hyrule was mostly unintuitive for me. But in the 3D Zelda games, those walls and obstacles are bulldozed and stomped flat. It's an explorer's dream come true.

That's really what made OoT so great, the exploring aspect. You were allowed to find your own path, instead of punished for not knowing the only possible way forward.

 

[Altorin]

basically, Nintendo hit the ball out of the park with OoT. With Super Mario 64, they proved that their oldest major franchise can be done well in 3d. It wasn't really thought that you could do it back then.

Then when OoT came out, a HUGE fanbase that loved the previous LoZ games, particularly LttP were BLOWN AWAY by it.

Personnally, I didn't own it, because I never had an N64 at the time, but I can see what a revolution it was as I was a gamer at the time, It looked totally awesome, and played just as well. Even today we rarely have those two things in as perfect a balance as they were in OoT

 

[black lincon]

no nope no way O.O.T was probably the best Zelda game ever. If you want to complain about one of them complain about Majoras Mask all that did was have bad ass fierce deity link. I don't understand how you could like the first Zelda the one where you get your sword and are to be careful and thats it, no hints just, heres a sword go wonder around till you figure something out.

 

[Gamer137]

Because it was literally "epic" for its time, and we still like it. It is a classic. No better way to discribe it. Though I personally prefer TP because I take upgrades over nostalgia.

Speaking for me (I never got how you spoke for others), Legend Of Zelda was my very first RPG. It was intuitive, fun, and gave you lots of goodies to go hunt around for.

I think that was its key to success for me. I had no point of reference to compare it to.

It is an action/adventure series. Adventure games advance due to inventory that effect environments, while RPGs focus on personal stat/equipment(which improve stats) building.

 

[ReepNeep]

Bah. It was no Link to the Past. Even Link's Awakening has it beat.
Then again, I don't really like any of the 3D Zelda games. Wind Waker was the best of the bunch though and wasn't too bad.

 

[Imitation Saccharin]

It is an action/adventure series. Adventure games advance due to inventory that effect environments, while RPGs focus on personal stat/equipment(which improve stats) building.

Oh! So the 1/4 hearts you collected to increase your life pool were in fact hidden, untouchable inventory items! How silly of me.

 

[Gamer137]

It is an action/adventure series. Adventure games advance due to inventory that effect environments, while RPGs focus on personal stat/equipment(which improve stats) building.

Oh! So the 1/4 hearts you collected to increase your life pool were in fact hidden, untouchable inventory items! How silly of me.

Health and magic limits were the only true stat upgrades. Everything else were only combat tools and transport items(such as the clothes that allowed you to handle fire/water areas). I dont think two "stats" are enough to classify as an RPG. Even bosses are killed based on weapons and not personal strength.

 

[Imitation Saccharin]

Bah. It was no Link to the Past. Even Link's Awakening has it beat.
Then again, I don't really like any of the 3D Zelda games. Wind Waker was the best of the bunch though and wasn't too bad.

Well how old where you when you played it?

Health and magic limits were the only true stat upgrades. I dont think two "stats" are enough to classify as an RPG.

I do. And why is 'stats' in quotation marks? Do you doubt they existed? Or where you trying to indicate derision?

 

[Gamer137]

And why is 'stats' in quotation marks? Do you doubt they existed? Or where you trying to indicate derision?

Because it may be debaitable. I still call it a stat though.

 

[Altorin]

LoZ is a Roleplaying Adventure Game

 

[Gamer137]

LoZ is a Roleplaying Adventure Game

Ok.