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For all the marbles and so much more, does Zelda pull it off again? The answer is yes. Now, stop reading and go buy this game right now. Oh, I guess you want to read more, I suppose. Okay, here we go...
The Wind Waker, as we all remember, got a lot of criticism for its cartoony-looking graphics, but then we realized that it was merely cel-shading and a new way to look at games. Even then, a lot of graphic lovers were still irate over the game. Now, here is my message to them: Get over it! This game is the new grandmaster when it comes to gameplay. Its dynamics have gotten even better and this ranks as one of THE best games ever, and the best of this era, by far. If you don't believe me, play the game after this review and go through about twenty-five to forty percent of the game and then come back and tell me what you think. Odds are your verdict will change as you are sucked into this totally absorbing and masterful game. Don't whine about the heads being bigger than the body because that is the way Miyamoto wanted it to be, and he is always right when it comes to Zelda. You can't argue with his logic, no matter how hard you try.
The game takes place several hundred years after Ocarina of Time (How many years is this timeline, anyways?). Hyrule vanished without a trace thanks to an evil wind and there are several islands now that are falling to this wind. On a particular island, a group of people follow the legend of Link and hope that a new young boy will rise among the rest. The boys on the island are taught to be as courageous. That is the basic synopsis of the story. As you continue, the game becomes so much more absorbing as the story gets deeper and it reveals more and more mysteries. The coinciding side stories with the people and the game becomes a very intricate web that only gets deeper and deeper and thicker and thicker. Plenty of twists and turns happen along the way to make it even better.
The graphics for the game are extremely well done. There is almost no hint of slowdown (with one or two minor exceptions). The animation is very smooth and the emotions are remarkably captured, especially for a cel-shaded game. The game has its own sense of realism, and it works really, really well. Miyamoto gets props for making a beautifully crafted game.
The controls are just like the Ocarina of Time version. There are a couple of exceptions here and there, but you will be getting by in almost no time flat, which is another testament to the master's brilliance.
The music is very, very Zelda-like. Most of the original tunes have been modernized and there isn't too great of a difference with them. The new tunes are very fresh and original and it gives the game a better feel about them. I can't quite describe it, but it does feel quite good deep down listening to the music. The sound effects and the editing done is also well done.
The gameplay is flawless. The boats is easy to do, the combat is very easy to learn, and tricky to master, and the dynamics never lose a step as you venture into a game that is extremely well-crafted, and has plenty of depth and mystery to turn a game that takes about 25-30 hours to finish if you move at a solid pace into a game that might take triple that or possibly even more. There is so much to do, so much to find, and so much to explore with a 7x7 map. There is not a thing wrong with the hit detection, and the gameplay never falters off the pace. It takes its time in the early goings to get things established, and by time you reach the first dungeon two hours in, you are flying off the screen at a blistering speed.
All in all, this is the best game since Ocarina of Time came out, and that is quite a statement. That means it beats out Metroid Prime, THPS2, and GTA: Vice City. This is the defining game of our era, and we should all apologize to Mr. Miyamoto for ever having doubted him. This is the new age of gaming, and he has accomplished it.This is the beginning of a new age for Nintendo, get ready, and don't hold back...
Zelda can be daunting, so you should check out BradyGames' guide, we have the details.
-- Chris Vavra, PGNx Media
---- Mar 28, 2003
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