Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Review
I personally enjoyed the game, but it's by no means as epic as OoT for me. I think that's mostly because OoT was my first TRUE experience with a Zelda game and it blew me away at the time. By time TP came out I was used to Zelda already, so it kind of felt like the freshness was gone...
Anyway...
Story: 8.5/10
Okay, maybe I'm just stupid, but a few of the videos didn't quite make sense to me, particularly the one that the Lanayru spirit shows you right after you get all the tears back. I just didn't really get it.
Gameplay: (GCN) 10/10
(Wii) 10/10
Fighting was fun in both the Wii and Gamecube controls, as usual for Zelda. The boss fights were pretty simple, but they were fun as well. (but aren't boss fights generally pretty easy in Zelda?)
Overall, I like the feel of combat better in the GCN version, but it's really fun to swat around the controller and watch Link mimic you (to some degree) on screen.
Controls: (GCN) 9/10
(Wii) 8/10
The Wii controls weren't bad, but they were a little frustrating at times, especially when selecting items. I thought it was dumb that they made you switch the item to B before you could use it (beside the iron boots and Ooccoo). Also, the pause before Link swung his sword was very, very annoying (I played the Gamecube version first, so when I got the Wii version it was kind of noticeable).
The main thing that bothered me though was the lack of the c-stick rotation in the Wii version.
They need to bring that back (at least to some degree) in the next Zelda game.
Characters: 8/10
I'm not one that's big on NPC, but TP's NPC weren't very memorable, nor interesting. In fact, I really disliked most everyone in Ordon. I DID like Princess Zelda's character better, as well as Midna.
I just wish more of the other NPC would have shone out and be more interesting than they were. At least interesting enough to make me care about them.
I found that as I went through the game I really didn't care about finding Ilia's memories. In fact, I was happier when they were gone because at least then she wouldn't yell at me about my horse.
Still, Zelda and Midna DO kind of count as NPC and I really enjoyed the both of them, especially Midna.
My favorite part with her is still the part when you first meet her and she smiles all evilly and knowingly at you. In the beginning she kind of weirded me out with it, but she was so amusing at the same time.
Character Designs/Characters: 10/10
I'll freely admit that I LOVE the character designs in Zelda, especially Link's.
I always thought his outfit was kind of blah in OoT, but forgave it since it was such an old game and probably didn't have the graphic support to have a nice, detailed outfit. I was kind of disappointed again with WW Link's outfit since it was pretty much a remake of previous outfits, but TP Link's outfit I love.
I love the other outfits he had, the Zora armor and Rupee armor (Whatever it's name is), and, of course, his goofy Ordon outfit. But most of all, I liked how Nintendo aimed to have an older, more mature Link.
Coming to the series at a young age, I kind of grew up with Zelda and it's nice to finally have a Link that's more grown up too.
As for character, Link is a little hard to judge since he's supposed to be YOU, but I loved his character. From his goofy, long-drawn out smiles to his completely serious look to his baffled, unbelieving look, Link was a pallet of expressions. He really felt like an actual person in this game and not just an avatar and I found myself thinking of Link as WE, that is Link and I instead of just me.
I felt like I was experiencing things with Link instead of just playing as a brainless avatar.
Maybe that's going away from the whole 'Link' feeling, but I really enjoyed seeing Link's emotions and fighting along side him as he strived to free Hyrule from Ganondorf's evil grasp.
Zelda's character design was just gorgeous. I can remember when the first screenshot featuring her whole face came out and I was just wowed. She just looked great. She definitely looks a lot more grown up and more mature than previous Zeldas and even Link himself.
Midna's imp character design was probably my favorite though. The mask she wore kept me in suspense for the most part of the game, wondering what it looked like under it (though I preferred her to keep it on after finding out), and I loved her cocky grin and her general body language. It was kind of cocky but secretive at the same time, fitting Midna's character perfectly.
Her normal form, too, was very sophisticated and cool looking. I was very impressed. She still looked like her imp form enough to be recognized, but she had a different, more mature air to her that I really liked.
Ganondorf, in this game, looked much larger and foreboding in previous Zelda games, especially in his bodyless, floating head-thingy form. I don't have much to say about his character design other than that I thought he looked kind of scary. Definitely not a person I'd want to run into walking down the street, be it night or in the middle of the day.
Zant was just weird, character wise and looks-wise.
Graphics (GCN) 9/10
For the most part, the graphics were impressive, especially in the beginning. There was still a little bit of pixilation and jagged edges, however, knocking its score lower. For the most part, the water, to me, was probably the most impressive (except for the waterfalls), but things like the trees and peoples' hair (up close) just looked meh.
I DO know that it is difficult to get things like leaves and hair to look good, though, so I'm a little lenient.
I'm not going to grade the Wii's graphics since TP for the Wii was pretty much a port, so it's understandable that the graphics wouldn't be Wii-capable.
Music: 9/10
For the most part, I liked the music in TP. The music was fitting for the different scenes, and while very few stood out to me, the music was overall pretty good. I just wish they wouldn't keep recycling the same tracks over and over in each Zelda game and make the music orchestral. Next Zelda, please, Nintendo?
Things that disappointed me about Zelda:TP:
-in some cases the graphics were a little disappointing.
-the music was a LITTLE disappointing, though since I already knew it wouldn't be orchestral I wasn't devastated coming into the game
-The fact that you can only have three save files. Why, Nintendo?
-the annoying minigames. Sorry, but I didn't like them
-too many plot holes or things left unknown. For example, who was the swordsman who taught Link his moves? We don't know, and we probably won't. And why a wolf for Link? They're not a big deal or anything, but it kind of frustrates me not knowing
-blah NPCs
Things that I liked about Zelda:TP:
-the whole day and night sequence. It was kind of pointless and at times annoying, but it gave a more realistic feel to the game.
-fishing (in the Wii version)
-return of the realistic, adult Link
-warp portals and the ability to turn into a wolf
-fun boss fights
-Link showed a wide variety of emotions, which was great
-fighting on horseback
-bomb arrows
-the Cave of Ordeals (though the ending prize is lame)
-all of the different moves you learned
-a pretty vast world- at least in comparison to OoT
final score: 9.6/10
(I'm no math whiz, so I can't really factor all the points up exactly, but this is an estimated tally of all the scores.)
My sensei asked me to consider doing SSI in Japanese. *blink blink*
It's kind of exciting, but at the same time nerve wrecking. I really don't have enough confidence in myself to be able to teach a bunch of kids who know no Japanese Japanese...
Still, it looks GREAT on a resume and it means I could continue learning Japanese with the help of an instructor.
Well, time for bed. G'night