Zelda: Skyward Sword - Official Thread

Echoes221 said:
The more I play of this the more I dislike it. I'm doing the lanayru generator. Exactly the same format as before, track down three keys etc and complete to move on. This game has moved backwards on so many levels. Its annoying me to the point of getting rid of it. The controls especially, bombs are so fucking fiddly, and the camera is horrible.

I love you.

Was starting to think I was the only one who felt like this xD... Totally agree with you, if that helps in any way :p

Played a bit more and got more into it. I have a love/hate relationship with this title. Just done the lanayru mine part, and surprise surprise its the same 3 dungeons, turning point, 3 dungeons again. I really can't see what is so different about this Zelda over the others that they where banging on about.

I know I have loads more to play and there will be some really good parts going up, but the story so far has been ridiculously predictable. The only character that I like in this game is Zelda's father, I don't even like link himself, he seems to happily dejected all the time.

Echoes221 said:
Played a bit more and got more into it. I have a love/hate relationship with this title. Just done the lanayru mine part, and surprise surprise its the same 3 dungeons, turning point, 3 dungeons again. I really can't see what is so different about this Zelda over the others that they where banging on about.

I know I have loads more to play and there will be some really good parts going up, but the story so far has been ridiculously predictable. The only character that I like in this game is Zelda's father, I don't even like link himself, he seems to happily dejected all the time.

Yes. Agree with all of this.

^^

Hi guys,

I just wanted to check with you all.. I've just finished the first dungeon but for some reason I just can't seem to get totally into this Zelda.

Its sort of like Twilight princess. In parts it draws me in, but then I dont feel the urge to play more.

OR have I been spoilt with Xenoblade? The Last Story is coming up soon and I cant seem myself not playing that!

I'd describe Skyward Sword as a grower for sure - I did like the opening sequence and hunting around for various bits, but there can be times where it can drag a bit. Dungeons are fairly standard, but as you go along feel like a really refined Zelda - nice, clever moments.

I think where Zelda fails really is thinking outside the whole dungeon --> overworld structure, where other games like Xenoblade have a lot to explore within you environment - SS does this to an extent, and you will continually revisit areas, but the lack of real substance to exploration and NPCs lets it down really.

jb said:

I think where Zelda fails really is thinking outside the whole dungeon --> overworld structure, where other games like Xenoblade have a lot to explore within you environment - SS does this to an extent, and you will continually revisit areas, but the lack of real substance to exploration and NPCs lets it down really.

I haven't fully completed the game but I agree. In fact in general I think Nintendo have fallen behind in terms of creating a real sense of scope in recent Zelda games. On the 64' plenty of Hyrule Fields were enough, but since then the only real rapid expansion of environment has also been a hub-like step backwards: sea/air. It's not the same, especially when you compare the exploration possible in a game like Skyrim and so on.

Hopefully the Wii U will address this.

For me, it's not about huge amounts of detail or realism in Zelda. I love character development, NPCs and just places to visit and come back to.

Nintendo build beautiful worlds but they lack real interaction - houses and towns look good, but nothing really happens.

Even a simple errands/missions engine would have been good - gratitude shards are incredibly basic, some of the tasks are absolutely dire. I want to be able to go into someone's house, or see them doing their daily towns things and be able to properly interact, influence and grow with the NPCs. They stand there, doing nothing, saying poorly constructed plot devices - we've come on so much from OoT but Nintendo hasn't when you look at elements other than control and "innovation".

Skyward Sword's dungeon and quest mechanics are solid, but it's a shame the rest of the world is just as stale as Zelda II for the NES.

Sounds like you crave another Majora's Mask, jb. I know that's what I want each new Zelda to be more like anyway. Characters were developed so much more in MM. You could see every single person living their lives, and the results of you altering someone's schedule because of one thing having a knock-on effect. Really miss that game.

No one cares about Toronto except you...
This game is good and bad, i hate Fi and herlack of personality but i love the atmosphere and the fact that dungeons aint used to show what you can do with the one key weapon you found in that temple

However the fact there's no towns, or nothing where NPC's reside makes the game feel kinda empty and lifeless, and screw you ninty for making me find musical fish underwater by controlling with motion tilts.

luv Ghirahim that idiot!

I have to say that I am mixed with this Zelda. There are great moments, and in equal spades reall y dissapointing ones.

It feels lifeless and the in game colours seem to colourful. Sadly that's just not reflected in anything else, including the music.

I find it a bit patronising and some of the cut scenes with the spirit of the goddess sword to be really cringeworthy.

Im looking for the first of the sacred flames and Its turning to be quite average.

I have the limited edition!

I totally loved the opening of the game. This is the first game where I actually cared about Zelda. Where I even knew what kind of person she was. I know that the other games had different girls you could care about (Saria, Aryll, the TP girl..), but in Skyward Sword it works so much better.

The Link of SS... At times he can be a bit weird/sissy, but in general I really loved his open mind. The caring love he has for his best (girl?)friend and others. The courage that he wasn't born with but that he had go find deep inside. I know that all Links are courageous, but I think Nintendo did a great job of showing it in this game.
I really like this Link.

The art style is pretty, but I see it more as a way to mask the Wii's lack of power. And some enemies were so ugly, like the Moblins. Why the big head? It made sense in TWW, but not here.

The music is probably the worst in any Zelda game. It has 1 good tune, the rest is forgettable.

The controls were awesome. I don't think I can ever go back to normal controls again. The weapons were also pretty good because of this.

Flying was..... done wrong. And the worst thing: why didn't the bird have a name!?!?! Wasn't Link supposed to have this really strong bond with it?

The structure of the game was nothing special. I didn't have any problems with it, I actually liked having to backtrack a little bit. I always do that anyway. But like others have said, a totally different structure could do Zelda really good.

Canyarion said:

The art style is pretty, but I see it more as a way to mask the Wii's lack of power. And some enemies were so ugly, like the Moblins. Why the big head? It made sense in TWW, but not here.

Although I didn't quote it.. I totally agree with your opinion on the Link in this game. He has become my favourite Link to date, and Skyward Sword has probably become one of my most favourite Zelda games.. it's definitely at the top, I know that much.

The amount of emotion it creates for the characters without using voice acting is just.. unbelievable. I have to say I loved the relationship between Link and Zelda and there was at least one scene in the game that made me shed a tear. (I'll leave it to you to guess which one. )

Which then leads me on to the next point...

Canyarion said:
The music is probably the worst in any Zelda game. It has 1 good tune, the rest is forgettable.

Sure, the main theme may get stuck in your head the first time you hear it, but it's a main theme... that's the point.

Though I can easily remember a bunch of other tracks from the game and I thought they were just as good as any other Zelda game. Obviously the soundtrack isn't going to have much of an impact as say... OoT, or maybe even Wind Waker. But both of those games are quite a few years old and you've probably played through them quite a fair few times.

Once you've played Skyward Sword a few times, you'll start to realise how good it actually is. Or... I'm just speaking a load of bullshit here, I don't know.

But yeah, I can't say I had any problems with the soundtrack.. and it definitely done a great job of creating emotion for the characters and such.

EDIT: Please ignore any errors in this post (if there are any). I'm pretty tired and I'm not making much sense, so please do forgive me!

( Edited 26.04.2012 09:56 by Mush123 )

Perhaps I should try to find the soundtrack in MP3 form. I try to think of any other SS song, but I can't...

I think most enemies were really well designed, just not the Moblins and maybe a few others.

Oh and I think there were at least 5 scenes that made me cry. Maybe even more, I forgot. I just let myself get emotionally involved and it really felt good.

Canyarion said:
Oh and I think there were at least 5 scenes that made me cry. Maybe even more, I forgot. I just let myself get emotionally involved and it really felt good.

Yeah, it was probably about the same for me... but one scene really got me going, lol. Like I stated in my previous post, I just love how Nintendo can create such emotion without needing voice actors. The composers and cutscene directors really deserve a thumbs up for doing such a thing.

The cut scenes did have emotion, but the game was overhyped and boring overall. It felt like everything was stripped out of the game.

I dont know how Nintendo could say that they wanted to create the best Zelda - as they failed. I think we need a Zelda break now. Unmemorable locations, characters, music - tbh, take away the Zelda name and this game is in 5/10 region...

I'm even contemplating selling it - Xenoblade and Last story are far far far far superior in every way.

Xenoblade might be vast, but in many respects Last story isnt - its linear yet done infinitely better than SS..

I think that last great Zelda was Twilight Princes/ Wind Waker. Its going downhill...