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Published by: Nintendo
Developed by: Nintendo
Genre: Action Adventure
Number of Players: 1
Release Date:
US: November 19, 2006
Console: Wii or Gamecube
The Legend of Zelda series has acquired much fame and fortune over the years, producing titles with each passing year. Twilight Princess is no different, and in fact goes that extra stretch in order to be called one of the greatest Zelda’s ever produced. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight princess was in development for around 4 years and now that it’s finally out we can look at it in awe. Some of the brightest game developers worked on this title and it shows. Let’s look into this game in depth.
Story
In Twilight Princess you start off as the same old Link we’ve known to love over the past few decades. Everything is fine in the town of Ordon until Link discovers the Twilight Realm, essentially a dark version of Hyrule. In the Twilight realm Link is transformed into Wolf form. Unaware of what is going on Link sets on a quest out to Hyrule City and as the story progresses he soon finds friends on his journey to aid him in his quest to save Princess Zelda and Hyrule from Ganondorf.
Kakariko Village
The story in this game is classic, I have no gripes with it. It is much like classic Nintendo game stories and it’s presented very well. The story will keep you compelled till the end, and that is a huge positive for me. Zelda’s have never really had bad stories, even though they usually copy the same idea from the last. How Nintendo always manages to keep it fresh shows a bright future for Zelda games.
10/10
Gameplay
Now I played this game on both Wii and gamecube and I must say that it doesn’t really matter which console you play it on. While the Wii controls are fluent and easy to use like the gamecube controls, you’re not really missing that much if you don’t play on the Wii. Essentially this Zelda was supposed to launch on the gamecube, but since Nintendo needed to line up a good launch for Wii they decided to quickly port it to the Wii. This is why I wouldn’t rate this game any better on the Wii than the gamecube. For the gamecube this is an impressive feat, but for the Wii its basically recycled gamecube material. What it comes down to though, is that either control features work excellently and I never really have any complaints about them. The Camera angles are 99% of the time great, and moving yourself around Hyrule is enjoyable. Wolf form and Link both control how we know and love.
Getting Items
Combat and puzzles still work how we remember them. In every temple you complete you will receive new items that will be able to unlock new areas in the game and give you new ways to defeat enemies; Classic Zelda at its greatest. If you’ve played any 3D Zelda’s previous to this one and you liked the combat, there should be no complaints. The new items give fresh ways to solve puzzles so it doesn’t seem like you’re playing an Old Zelda with newer graphics. The new wolf form changes the tide of Zelda games, the wolf offers completely new ways to solve puzzles and if you like new challenges this should be a treat for you. The difficulty level is raised from previous Zelda’s in terms of puzzles and challenges. This is for the best, it is usually never frustrating and a lot more rewarding when you solve a puzzle.
Using the Slingshot
Twilight Princess offers a number of things to do in the game. There are a lot of temples making this one of the biggest Zelda games yet (next to OoT). Usually before every temple there are side quests to perform so it doesn’t feel like you’re going from one temple to the next. There’s also plenty of fun minigames to perform, and you will want to try them all out because you can usually get upgrades to your bomb bags or health etc. Overall if you want to complete this game 100% it will take you anywhere from 30-40hours depending on the player of course.
The towns and villages you go to all have people to talk to and things to see and do. Usually every village will have a problem that you will have to solve, and in turn will usually lead you to a new temple. The Twilight realm plays a huge part in this Zelda game. Most of the time villages will be covered in the twilight realm and you will have to go in there as wolf form and fix it; Saving Hyrule one piece at a time.
Wolf Form combat
Now a few negatives about the gameplay can be started with no voice acting. I mean WTF Nintendo it was 2006 when you released this game. Tons of video games had voice acting and it was entirely possible for them to do it. I feel they were just being lazy not adding it. I believe voice acting adds to the experience in many different levels. The realism that voice acting would’ve added to this game would’ve been awesome. Secondly, the boss fights are just way too easy. You will most likely never die in this game if you’ve played previous Zelda’s. The boss fights are fun, but it goes to quick and it’s far too easy, it doesn’t feel like a challenge. These two points keeping it from getting a 10/10 on gameplay.
9.5/10
Graphics
This game is beautiful and doesn’t ever have a hitch in combat. The character models are highly detailed and beautiful. The lightning effects are effective and add to the beauty of the game. The viewing distance is high and can add to the coolness effect of the game. For a gamecube game this is a huge feat, really pushing it to the max. For a Wii title it’s just above average.
Explore
Some complaints I have about graphics though, is that there are some textures that are so noticeably blurry that it can attract your attention from the beauty of the game. Such as shrubs in the background that look like cardboard (much seen in N64 games). This in next gen gaming, that shouldn’t exist anymore Nintendo!
9.5/10
Sound
Well the soundtrack in TP is nowhere near as awesome as Ocarina of time, but it still holds its own. The music can be emotional and invigorating which is always awesome in a Zelda game, it really helps you get into the gameplay. The enemies and combat sound effects all sound nice and fluent. Moving on to the no-voice acting issue though just hurts this game. There is no excuse for them not doing it in this day and age. I may be a hard ass, but WTF seriously. I’m sure a lot of you agree with me there. Imagine a Zelda game where all the characters come to life with voice acting? I think about it, and it would just make the game so much better.
8.5/10
Closing Comments
The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess is nothing short of awesome. It is huge and doesn’t really have a dull moment. The game doesn’t skip a beat and looks quite beautiful (except for a few textures). If you loved previous 3D Zelda’s this game is a must buy. It pushes the Zelda series even further and shows a bright future for new Zelda games. In terms of which console to buy it for, I would say that it doesn’t really matter. If you have a choice between the Wii and Gamecube, I would pick the Wii. The only things that really bug is the no voice acting and easy boss fights. Other than that this game could be in heavy competition for number one with Ocarina of Time.
Overall Score: 9.8/10
QUOTE
Plasmic Fury's Rating Scale
10 = Masterpiece
Not all games are perfect, but a 10 comes close and is something very speical and rare - It is without a doubt a must buy regardless of what genre's you like.
9.5 - 9.9 = Increadible
Titles that get in this score range are fantastic achievements in design, gameplay, and story - usually all of the above. These are titles at the top of their field and are worhtly of your hard earned dollars.
9.0 - 9.4 = Outstanding
If a game gets in this range you know that it is a worthwhile experiance with only a few minor flaws. If you are the least bit interested in the series/genre it is recommended for a buy.
8.0 - 8.9 = Great
A strong gaming experiance that misses some key elements in a few areas. While still highly recommended for a buy, if you are not interested in the genre/series these games could be skipped.
7.0 - 7.9 = Decent
A title that is still quite fun but has significant flaws which drag down the gameplay, hindering a good experiance throughout the game. Games that fall under this score are recommended for a rent or quite possibilty a buy if you are a fan of the series.
4.0 - 6.9 = Poor
A generic title that doesn't offer anything new to the table with obvious and serious flaws. Games under this category are not advised for a buy although you may be able to squeeze some fun out of them with a rent.
0.1 - 3.9 = Terrible
Titles that ensure a terrible gaming experiance. Do not buy or rent, just avoid them at all costs.
Edited by The Colonel, 06 August 2009 - 10:29 PM.
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