So I finally got around to beating this game. And I have to say...
I'm disappointed.
The graphics were the most realistically beautiful the Zelda series has gotten so far, the music was decent (except for that weird music that played when you were fighting those dark, flying, dragon-looking monsters and there would be this awful, off-key trumpet blast whenever you hit the monster with your sword), the gameplay ROCKED, but there are still a few things that bug me.
Like Link's constantly expressionless face. NPC reactions/emotions were pretty good, but Link still needs some work.
Beyond a few gasps, glares of determination, and nods, Link didn't show much reaction to game events, especially in most cutscenes. And oftentimes when he did, it felt kind of lame. I think this is why I liked Wind Waker so much... Link had some really dynamic reactions, and I think when you get that kind of response from the hero/character the player controls, it really helps the story along. The game becomes more entertaining and interesting to watch because the hero is no longer just a proxy of what you press on the controller, but seems to have a personality of his/her own.
Even Amaterasu from Okami showed more feeling than Link and she was a wolf for the WHOLE GAME (but I think Midna was a more helpful sidekick than Issun).
Which brings me to wondering... do you think they'll ever make a Zelda game where Link actually speaks? Like have his own say in the dialogue or maybe even *shock* voiceovers? I know there are a lot of RPGs/adventures now-a-days where the hero speaks a lot and/or has voiceovers. But will this ever happen to Link? He's traditionally been silent/passive in all the Zelda games. And if they did give him a voice, they'd have to pick a personality for him. His personality would no longer be left to the imagination or be left in the hands of the gamer. That's weird to think about.
I felt the story was subpar, too. Cliche (which sometimes can't be helped), convoluted, and loads of weird/mostly unexplained imagery in the cutscenes (I usually found myself saying, now where did that come from?). There were bits and pieces of the story I liked, but I can't say much more without going into spoilers.
I dunno. I guess I'm just disappointed because it didn't come close to the storyline standards set by OoT or Majora's Mask. If it weren't for some completely awesome scenarios and sweet gameplay, I might even say I liked Wind Waker better.
But I haven't lost faith in Phantom Hourglass... I expect that to be completely fun. As soon as I beat WW, I thought continuing that story arc would make such a fun game ^_^ Very glad Nintendo decided to do that.
Sorry about the long-winded post. I'm just kind of sad, because this is the only Zelda game I haven't wanted to play through again and make sure I've picked off all of the sidequests. :/
I'm disappointed.
The graphics were the most realistically beautiful the Zelda series has gotten so far, the music was decent (except for that weird music that played when you were fighting those dark, flying, dragon-looking monsters and there would be this awful, off-key trumpet blast whenever you hit the monster with your sword), the gameplay ROCKED, but there are still a few things that bug me.
Like Link's constantly expressionless face. NPC reactions/emotions were pretty good, but Link still needs some work.
Beyond a few gasps, glares of determination, and nods, Link didn't show much reaction to game events, especially in most cutscenes. And oftentimes when he did, it felt kind of lame. I think this is why I liked Wind Waker so much... Link had some really dynamic reactions, and I think when you get that kind of response from the hero/character the player controls, it really helps the story along. The game becomes more entertaining and interesting to watch because the hero is no longer just a proxy of what you press on the controller, but seems to have a personality of his/her own.
Even Amaterasu from Okami showed more feeling than Link and she was a wolf for the WHOLE GAME (but I think Midna was a more helpful sidekick than Issun).
Which brings me to wondering... do you think they'll ever make a Zelda game where Link actually speaks? Like have his own say in the dialogue or maybe even *shock* voiceovers? I know there are a lot of RPGs/adventures now-a-days where the hero speaks a lot and/or has voiceovers. But will this ever happen to Link? He's traditionally been silent/passive in all the Zelda games. And if they did give him a voice, they'd have to pick a personality for him. His personality would no longer be left to the imagination or be left in the hands of the gamer. That's weird to think about.
I felt the story was subpar, too. Cliche (which sometimes can't be helped), convoluted, and loads of weird/mostly unexplained imagery in the cutscenes (I usually found myself saying, now where did that come from?). There were bits and pieces of the story I liked, but I can't say much more without going into spoilers.
I dunno. I guess I'm just disappointed because it didn't come close to the storyline standards set by OoT or Majora's Mask. If it weren't for some completely awesome scenarios and sweet gameplay, I might even say I liked Wind Waker better.
But I haven't lost faith in Phantom Hourglass... I expect that to be completely fun. As soon as I beat WW, I thought continuing that story arc would make such a fun game ^_^ Very glad Nintendo decided to do that.
Sorry about the long-winded post. I'm just kind of sad, because this is the only Zelda game I haven't wanted to play through again and make sure I've picked off all of the sidequests. :/