1333 replies to this topic

[Beefster]

Finished the first two dungeons. I figure I've only scratched the surface. So far, I've spent almost 10 hours on the game and I haven't even finished the first arc of the game.

The game has impressed me with the utility of Rupees and the game is a lot more challenging than any 3D Zelda game before it. I'm starting to have doubts about it dethroning OoT; I'm seeing it tie at best.

It's been relatively linear up to the first two dungeons, although it makes perfect sense in the context of the story. It's doing linear well.

More thoughts:

- I like being able to stow bomb flowers and bombs. It makes sense.
- I wish the beetle were a little faster
- Dowsing is getting a little old. I'm not sure whether it's nice or silly that the dowsing only picks up signal from a single source. I think it would have been cool if it picked up signal from the closest source instead.
- I'm starting to get the hang of the "1:1" swordplay. I'm too used to flicks of the wrist in TP.
- Bowling bombs is much MUCH easier while standing up.
- I'm glad the lava balls didn't involve any motion controls. That would have been simply obnoxious.
- I'm tired of the first three dungeons being Forest, Fire, Water in some permutation. (WW broke that mold, I guess, but I'm pretty sure it would have followed if they had the time to finish the Jabun-related dungeon.)
- If that guy who needed his bomb bag could dig, why would a pile of rocks blocking his way be a problem? Why didn't he just dig under it and get his bomb bag himself?
- I CAN'T FIND BEEDLE!
- Surprise attacks are fun. Bomb-induced combat advantage is satisfying. (I am a combat pragmatist)
- Actually, combat in general is highly satisfying. Using the finishing blow on keese is fun too.
- I think heart potions are a bit underpriced.
- I really appreciate all the details of the world: the restroom in the Skyloft Academy, chairs that you can sit in, etc.
- Anyone else try stabbing pumpkins? Hilarity ensues.
- Dungeons could have done well with an Oocoo feature (with the bird statues). (That was one of the better done features of TP; too bad you never really needed it then.)

[Nicholas Steel]

Beedle is in the most obvious place during day time.

[Shane]

Also, I'm guessing your thinking it's going to be the usual Forest-Fire-Water thing. Taking it you'll be in for a shock when you'll reach the third dungeon.

Edited by Shane, 18 December 2011 - 05:54 AM.

[Radien]

Also, I'm guessing your thinking it's going to be the usual Forest-Fire-Water thing. Taking it you'll be in for a shock when you'll reach the third dungeon.

Maybe not shock, but definitely a pleasant surprise. The third dungeon and region are nothing if not original and interesting. They do a number of things that the Zelda series hasn't done before.

It's really no surprise when you have something resembling that trio in a Zelda game, because ever since OoT we have Farore/Courage/Forest, and Din/Power/Earth+Fire, and Nayru/Wisdom/Water. Skyward Sword definitely does a number of things to shake that up (level 4 takes a slight turn as well), but I will concede that it sticks pretty closely to the "forest-then-fire" part of the structure. It would be nice if they mixed up the order a little bit more.

In my quest I'm planning on messing around a little bit with the traditional order (although "forest dungeon first" was a tradition I chose to keep, for various reasons)...

[Golden Chocobo]

FINALLY beat the game. I'm surprised I was able to, since I was playing it near the end of my semester and also the week before finals. Haaaah. Now I can post more in this thread because spoilers aren't spoilers!

Anyway... I really appreciate the higher difficulty level of this game. Twilight Princess was SO easy, but fun. This one was challenging (Silent Realm nearly gave me heart attacks!) and also surprisingly lengthy.

Fun, fun... Worth the wait and the money :o

- I like being able to stow bomb flowers and bombs. It makes sense.

I liked this too. I never had to buy any bombs!

- I wish the beetle were a little faster

You can upgrade it and make it faster!

- If that guy who needed his bomb bag could dig, why would a pile of rocks blocking his way be a problem? Why didn't he just dig under it and get his bomb bag himself?

Logic.

[The Satellite]

Yes, the bomb storage is an amazing innovation. I enjoyed it for that simple reason that one no longer had to buy bombs when you can find just any patch and store 'em away for free.

Though rupee usage was much better in this game than more recent installments as well, I must say.

[Nicholas Steel]

The game has reasonable prices for everything and rupees are somewhat hard to come by so you have to really scrounge around to be able to afford stuff. The only problem with this is that they made it so you can empty chests even if the contents don't fit your wallet... that feature from TP would have made perfect sense in this game D: (Where as it didn't in TP)

It would have been cool if Hero mode upped the prices of everything by %50~

Edited by franpa, 19 December 2011 - 12:51 AM.

[Alestance]

The following discussion took place on February 25th 2011

[01:16] <~Alestance> i am willing to bet there are two Ganons
[01:17] <~Alestance> the Demon Ganon whose memories are not tied to the host body
[01:17] <~Alestance> and the Human Ganon who draws power from the demon
[01:17] <~Alestance> the Demon Ganon is a mindless destroying machine
[01:18] <~Alestance> and requires an intelligent host to focus that destructive power

...

[01:32] <~TS> Ganondorf is pure hatred. He wouldn't regret anything he does.
[01:32] <~Russ> Not exactly
[01:32] <~Russ> Think about WW
[01:32] <~Russ> He was actually nice there
[01:32] <~Russ> He treated Zelda well, giving her that giant bed
[01:32] <~Russ> He felt deep sorrow
[01:32] <~Russ> Even if it was for himself
[01:32] <~Russ> he showed he had more than a lust for power
[01:33] <~Russ> Gosh, WW actually makes you feel sorry for the guy
[01:33] <~Alestance> Yea it definitely developed Ganon's character a bit
[01:33] <~Alestance> but that could also be from Ganon's seperation with the demon he usually draws power from
[01:33] <~Alestance> the master sword sealed that demon, and not necessarily Ganon himself
[01:34] <~Alestance> and while he was still tied to it
[01:34] <~Alestance> he was majorly cut off
[01:34] <~Alestance> he could have been gaining his own humanity back

...

[01:37] <~Alestance> In OoS/OoA Ganon was partially resurrected
[01:37] <~Alestance> because the body wasnt fully received
[01:37] <~Russ> But not fully, since it wasn't Zelda sacrificed
[01:37] <~Alestance> yes exactly
[01:37] <~Alestance> it released Demon Ganon
[01:37] <~Alestance> Demon Ganon requires a host to guide him intelligently
[01:38] <~Alestance> Twin Rova hoped to revive Ganondorf
[01:38] <~Alestance> Had they revived him? They would have found a man not quite as evil as the demon he was forced to bond with

...

[01:42] <~TS> "I... coveted that wind, I suppose."
[01:43] <~Alestance> TS that line explains that he honestly didnt know what he was doing
[01:43] <~Alestance> he was under a darker influence
[01:43] <~Alestance> during that time

[Beefster]

The Lanayru area is awesome. I've never seen its mechanic before. And I'm happy it broke the mold intentionally.

The music is melodramatic and well-done, but it just isn't memorable. I can remember six themes, and only because one was from the trailers, and two were from past games. I can't recall any of the dungeon music or outside region music.

I hope it starts getting less linear. It's acceptable this far in due to story reasons, but still.

I can definitely say that I like SS better than WW.

[Adem]

Spoiler

Just obtained the Master Sword. The third trial was a pain the in the rear. I really enjoyed the Sandship dungeon. The game has so much new in it, I'm not sure what to do with myself.

[Xenix]

Well, I got my lovely fiance' a copy of this game and we're playing it together. She said that I remind her of Link because of my eyes and my face. She didn't like how the shields can be broken, but I told her about the hylian shield. She said that it's a beautiful game. She and I will be enjoying it for awhile. I am really loving this game! I played it today for the first time in 2 weeks and I am getting ready to go to the last dungeon to get the triforce.

[Jared]

Well, I got my lovely fiance' a copy of this game and we're playing it together. She said that I remind her of Link because of my eyes and my face. She didn't like how the shields can be broken, but I told her about the hylian shield. She said that it's a beautiful game. She and I will be enjoying it for awhile. I am really loving this game! I played it today for the first time in 2 weeks and I am getting ready to go to the last dungeon to get the triforce.

...What? You look nothing like him

[Beefster]

Well I'm (probably) almost done with the game. With 2-4 dungeons left, I think I can validly assess the game on a whole.

I have two complaints about the gameplay: dowsing and linearity. Both are mitigated by necessity and story flow, respectively. Obviously, linearity isn't as blatantly abused as it was in TP. And dowsing is legitimately useful; it's just that it's used at every possible opportunity such that it becomes a gimmick.

And I have another complaint: the music isn't nearly as memorable as in past installments. I can only remember a third of the music in the game. Even TP has more memorable music.

I can say that I absolutely love the overworld design and every aspect of it. It's completely unparalleled to any other game I've played. The only thing they could have added is a more streamlined way to warp between bird statues within each region.

The dungeon design is very simple, but far from straightforward. It's still more linear than I would have liked. (But then again, I'm a snob for nonlinear )

Rupee usage is a little stale until you buy the first extra wallet, then it starts being balanced The spoils system is nice. Bugs are alright. I would have liked a more complex system of infusing potions, with multiple recipes from the base potion with more varied effects.

I wish Groose got a little more character development. He didn't get much screen time until the second arc of the game, and even then, he still sat in the background.

Objectively speaking, it's definitely the best Zelda game to date. Most of its flaws are purely subjective.
Subjectively, I enjoy the game a lot, and it easily gets 5 stars. As to whether it's better than OoT... Well I dunno. (Honestly, I don't think I can validly rank any my 5 star games.)

EDIT: Oh, yes. The difficulty. The game is legitimately challenging as I find myself buying heart potions more and more often. I'm finding a third bottle very useful. Heart containers are legitimately rewarding now. I like how pieces of heart were used sparingly without requiring too much effort.

Edited by Beefster, 22 December 2011 - 07:52 PM.

[Adem]

Spoiler

Getting ready to enter the final Silent Realm. Which made me cry because I thought I was done with those things after the the third one.

Well, I didn't actually cry, but I did on the inside.

Obtaining the Hylian Sheild was a bit of a pain, but I really wanted it. I've all of the upgrades and what not, and I'm only short four HCPs. This is quite possibly my new favorite Zelda. It's like they took all of the good things from previous games and put them into one. GFdagdsghds. Love.

And I have another complaint: the music isn't nearly as memorable as in past installments. I can only remember a third of the music in the game. Even TP has more memorable music.

Really? While it's certainly not as memorable as a few of the songs of Ocarina of Time or Wind Waker, I was just thinking earlier today how I really enjoy the soundtrack. It has a certain feel that I really enjoy, and a couple songs are quite catchy, if I do say so myself.

I can say that I absolutely love the overworld design and every aspect of it. It's completely unparalleled to any other game I've played. The only thing they could have added is a more streamlined way to warp between bird statues within each region.

I was going to say something here, but I forgot what it was...Carry on.

I wish Groose got a little more character development. He didn't get much screen time until the second arc of the game, and even then, he still sat in the background.

Spoiler

He does get a little more character development, but it's not a whole lot. I'd have enjoyed more, honestly, but it is what it is.

[Giggidy]

I gave the game an honest chance, then gave up when I got to go on the sacred water fetch quest. Re-using dungeons is unacceptable.