Zelda: Twilight Princess Review (Spoiler Free)

[Setzertrancer]

THE HYPE
This is the launch game that just about everyone is getting with their Wiis. For example the guy at my game store told me that of the 50 Wiis that were preordered 45 were getting Zelda with the console. Also this game has been in anticipation for 6 years since 2000. When a sword battle between Link and Ganondorf was shown at E3 and at this time it looked amazing, so the hype was fueled for all the Oldskool Zelda gamers who were expecting a very mature Zelda game that would be aimed at it's extensive older audience. But then Nintendo release Windwaker for the gamecube and that was a very cute and childish looking Zelda with Cel shaded graphics, many people were disapointed with this who were expecting a game that would extend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's style. Finally right at the launch of the next generation consoles Zelda: Twilight Princess was released. Because many gamer bought the Gamecube for the almost sole purpose of getting Zelda: Twilight Princess it was released for the Gamecube as well as the Wii simultaneously. Was the incredibly long wait worth it, it sure was.

A GAME FOR MATURE AUDIENCES

Okay this game isn't really for mature audiences, but the context of Zelda's story and characters have evidently been made for mature gamers while still being perfectly appropriate for kids to play. By this I mean that that games dialogue and characters are a lot darker and are in fact extreamly well thought of. They are the kind of characters you would expect in a serious movie rather then a kids Teletubies show, if you get my drift. Anyway the main adventure is focus around Link, who still never has anything to say in the whole game, but he s Moon joins up with a really entertaining character named Midna who ends up traveling with him the whole game just like Navi on Ocarina of Time. Midna is an evil character who want the land to be covered in darkness, which make for some really interesting motivations as to why she travel with link that are reveal throughout the game's very good storyline, in fact it is the best storyline written for a Zelda game yet, and the makers where obviously joking about this by having you think your first quest is going to Hyrule Castle to see Princess Zelda and then wham you are suddenly thrown into a very different storyline you don't see coming. At least if you knew as little as me about the game when you start.

SWORDS, SHIELDS and CLAWS?

The game uses the Wiimote nicely to control all combat orientated actions, such as swinging your sword and performing your spinslash, however if you are now dreaming about Link pulling off all the fancy swordplay you learned in Korea, you better stop dreaming, like I was before playing the game. Unfortinately swinging the Wiimote in any way or just twitching you wrist is just like pressing the B button to slash your sword on Ocarina of Time. So you can still be a lazy couch potato if you want or you can get into it and try and mimic links action, but it really dosn't make a difference. The fighting however is improved since Ocarina of time because there are a couple new manuvers that Links can learn later in the game that utilize the nunchuk. You are later able to thrust your nunchuck forward to have link bash the enemy with his shield which stuns then to give you an opportunity to waste them and if timed right you can use this to cause you enemies protectile to go flying back at them. Early in the game Link turns into a wolf which is quite fun. His wolf form is able to perform a variety of abilities such as using his senses which works a lot like the Lens of Truth on Ocarina of time and allows him to see invisible things and also follow peoples scent, which is used in fun ways. The wolf has his own fun way of fighting that uses the Wiimote in pretty much the same way.

ALL THE GOOD, NONE OF THE BAD, WITH SOME EXTRA GOOD

This game takes everything that Ocarina of Time had and improves on it tenfold. For example the size of Hyrule now itself. Best example is when you arrive at Hyrule field and it appears on you minimap. I first thought was that's a small Hyrule field. But then I started exploring it and it was just as big as Ocarina of time's Hyrule field and it was just scaled down on the map. So then you go to the next area and again it says Hyrule field and up come another area on the minimap just as big as the last one you were in, then you come upon another Hytule field, this one Twice as big as the last two and I'll tell you now, it's still not the last Hyrule field you encounter. This same thing has been extended to other classic areas, like Lake Hylia and the classic Castle Town, now in 3D. The Dungeons in Twilight Princess are about the same length as the one in OoT but now they look visually stunning and the puzzles and thier solutions are more creative then ever. Even the items you get from each dungeon are really cool versions of the ones on OoT. For example you get a Boomerang of the Wind Spirit or something. and it summons a tornado that moves with it as it curves back to you. But then even better you can actually get it to follow a particular path with upto 5 points for it to travel. So you can have it hit the 3 enemies on the ground and then speed up to the roof and hit the 2 annoying spiders up there before coming back to your hand. Other classic item have returned, like the Iron Boots, but they have made the Iron boots become used in some really cool ways such as using them to magnetically walk along the roof and don't get me started about how cool the Wolf's warp ability is, need a bridge, just summon one. Oh and back to the topic of Temples each one now has 2 bosses each instead of just the one. I've actually found the mini boss battles harder then the major one alot of the time too.

THE VIRDICT

Zelda: OoT x 4 = Zelda: Twilight Princess. So if you liked Zelda: OoT you should like this one 4 times more.

Graphics: 7/10 It's a copy of a Gamecube game and the graphics reflect that
Sound: 10/10, Vamped up classic Zelda tunes and the awsome sound that come fromt the Wiimote speaker, speak for themselves.
Lastability: 9/10, 70 hours gameplay and fun to replay.
Story: 8/10 Really good immersive story, that breaks Zelda reputation for all being the same story
Overall: 9.5/10, because no game is Perfect


9.5/10

If you have any specific questions about the game, post them and I'll do my best to answer them.


Setzertrancer

[Hikari]

I'll add a few things about the game and voice a few things he might have missed.

Fighting
Yes, like he said you pretty much don't have to do much put move your wrist to swing your sword, but it does go deeper than OoT. Back then you just hit a button and one of a few swings happened. Here you can make chains depending on how you swing. I've found quite a few of these. Depending on what direction you first swing (as in diagonally or down) You start swinging a certain way. After that usually you can just swing for a certain combo. For certain bosses and mini-bosses this is essential to know. Like with Iron Knuckles. If you don't mix it up and attack a certain way he'll block your every move. Attack the right way and you will end up hitting through the space on the left from when he blocked on the right.

As for the nunchuk in fighting. The one thing that really ticks me off is sensitivity. It takes some work to unleash a spin attack by shaking it. Then there is a shield attack you can learn. By shoving the nunchuk forward while targeting Link does the same with his shield. Now this move you will find happening at the slightest twitch of your hand, but then it never happens come when you need to use it.

Hyrule Field
Let me kind of redefine Hyrule Field from what he said. There is no one Hyrule field. You go around and if you aren't in a special area{like Lake Hylia) or a town, you are in Hyrule field. And the towns aren't based around it. You have to walk to them, through them, and keep on going after you're done there. It's like a giant path going around in a circle.

Music
Yes, alot of the music is just redone. No, it is nothing compared to them. While still some is synthesized, this game has orchestrated music. You first note this at the start screen with the same music OoT had but with a chorus in the background. I nearly cried. And certain times, usually major plot points, you can tell the music is orchestrated.

The battle music is more interactive. In OoT you could hear music if you got near an enemy. Here you go into a room and immediately can tell an enemy is nearby by the barely noticable bit of the music mixed in the normal one. Then it gets louder until you find the enemy. Once all enemies are gone, you then hear it all die away and know it's safe. Truly amazing.

Weapons
He said more than enough here. Old weapons redone, new weapons, and all weapons has a variety of uses and will use everyone until the end of the game.

[Fishie]

Good review on it. This game sounds really good and I liked OoC so I will definitely enjoy this game. Too bad I don't have a Wii though to see how it would look, but definitely looking forward to getting it on the Gamecube.

[Mike]

Excellent review. I enjoyed the game immensely. I was disappointed in a few things though. For example some of the cool new "weapons/items" that you get you barely even get to use outside the dungeon you got them in. They did however greatly expand on the same ones from OoT.

I was also disappointed in many of the bosses. The puzzles of the dungeons were sometimes hard to figure out, but the hardest boss I fought was a miniboss around the halfway mark. Ant that was because he was almost impossible to hit with out taken a lot of damage myself.

Like I first said, I had a lot of fun with this game but I just felt these negative things needed to be added to the review along with all the great positives already in it.

[Ulteka Mako]

This is probley one of my favorite Zelda's. I am just getting to the last Light spirit. I am collecting the all the twilights for the last light spirit. I have to say that I like transforming into the wolf. Getting to find buried treasures. It's pretty badass.

If I was to rate this game from 1 to 10, then I would give it a 9. It is a damn good game, and I am more then happy with it. It is really fun game, exspecialy after smoking a couple a Jay's.

[Darkwolf]

I love this game, although I dont have a wii myself I use my friends. My only real complaint with this game so far is the goron mines, if you make Link fall in the lava, it's pretty disturbing because it's so detailed, that and when you climb Link is incredibly slow.
Weapons seem to vary a lot, especially on how many swords you can get, instead of just your kid sword and the master sword. Things like the iron boots are used for more than one use, and the wolf thing is just awesome. Wolves are my favorite creatures ^^.

Now to rating it, I think I'd give this game a 9.9/10 I have very few problems with the game, and you cant expect every game to be perfect, although this one is pretty damn close.