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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The quality of the series shines through., 30 Jan 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
The new Zelda game is the last one for the Gamecube. Lucky for me, as I didn't have to buy a Wii to play it and there does not appear to be much visual difference between the two versions. Whichever version you play, it's another outing for Link as the Kingdom of Hyrule is yet again under threat from an evil tyrant. Now, Twilight Princess could well be the best one since Ocarina of Time but it is very fortunate that the Zelda series is held in such high regard among gaming fans, because how many other games could get away with simply re-making the classic format in each new edition, albeit in a shiny new adventure? So if you have played Ocarina or time or Wind Waker or any of the older games, you'll know the story before it even begins. The plot is as follows: A young farmer (called Link we presume, or whatever you name him) leaves his village on an errand only to find that shadowy monsters are turning the land of Hyrule into a place of darkness. The creatures kidnap some of the village children, and when Link follows them he meets up with a small fairy like creature called Midna who convinces him to join forces with her in tracking down some sacred artefacts that will help rid Hyrule of the evil invaders.
Now this is all lots of fun, but I really think the series could have done better than simply repeating all of the previous games' ingredients. For example, you once again start out with no money, a health meter of 3 hearts and no decent equipment, but these can all be expanded as time goes on. On your travels you will again encounter the aquatic Hylians and their underwater temple (which starts off frozen), the rock shaped Gorons and their temple on lava-filled Death Mountain, and the man-eating plants and spiders of the Sacred Forest temple. You'll again find a new accessory in each dungeon, from the bow and arrow, to the boomerang, to bombs, and then to the hookshot, and each time you will need to employ the latest one to kill the temple boss. In any lesser game series, this would be unforgiveable repetition, but despite the fact that I have pointed this out, I cannot deny the simple fact that in Zelda games it's all just too good to complain about. And this game is no exception. Use of all the tools and interacting with the environment is as much fun as ever, so the game designers seem to have got away with it once again!
The meat of the game is found in the temples, and one more thing that the series gets absolutely right is in the design of it's dungeon layouts. Now in this respect, every game IS different and Twilight Princess is a good example. The dungeons are great - full of clever designs and challenging puzzles. And most of the challenge comes not in skillful fighting or jumping, but in solving the mystery of how you actually get from one room to the next. You really have to look around and think up ways of getting the various doors to open, or to reach very high up switches. The game never tells you what to do, and this has always been the great strength of the series. And of course the temples are full of monsters, most of which are classic Zelda foes. I smiled with recognition when I saw Skulltulas (spiders), Deku Babas (plants) and Keese (bats) coming at me, but then again, because of this I was already familiar with their weaknesses and had little trouble in dealing with them. The same goes for the bosses. If you've played any previous game, you'll know just what weakness to expect, when to defend and when to strike. The boss fights are actually much easier in this game than they were in Ocarina of Time, so if you got through that you can sail through this one.
But there has been some amount of innovation. As similar as this game is to it's ancestors, it does have new ideas. Early on in the game Link finds himself transformed into a wolf (it's the only form he can take anytime he is in a part of Hyrule that is enveloped in the Twilight), and several areas of the game are played in this guise. I have to say I didn't really enjoy this aspect, and the first time I had to go though an area as Wolf Link I didn't enjoy it very much. His moves are very limited and fighting is a real chore. I am glad this new concept is here but I think the game designers made a mistake in deciding on the first challenging area to explore would be in wolf form as it not the strongest aspect to the game. There are also accessories/weapons that have never appeared before, and these were very welcome - these new items make the boss battles you use them in some of the best moments of the game (like the Desert Fortress boss fight - wow!) And of course the new graphics are fantastic. The world you live in is huge, with many places to visit and explore. Characters look amusing and well designed, and Link himself has a very appealing face, and quite a graceful appearance, although in his village outfit (before he gets the classic green hero uniform) he looks quite awful and I was relieved that he soon changed out of that daft get-up.
What I must say though, is that the game gets better and better the further into it you get. Later dungeons call upon use of every item you have so far accumulated, and don't be surprised if that boomerang that you stopped using once you had all the better weapons still gets called into action again when you had all but forgotten it. You'll also need to be using both wolf form and human forms alternately to access some areas much later on, and often multiple times in the same rooms. But it's all par for the course, because another thing among the Zelda games' greatest strengths is the necessity to never forget what you have LEARNED, no matter how far back in the game it may have been, because be assured that by the end of the story you'll be using every single skill you have to get through the increasingly complex puzzles.
I started off this review with my negative thoughts about the repetition of the same ideas in every Zelda game, but in truth I could write paragraph after paragraph about how many aspects of Twilight Princess are pure excellence. It's probably because the basic concept of the Zelda games is just so foolproof. I would imagine that for anyone completely new to the brand that this game could prove to be mind blowing. It's also really lo-o-ong! You'll be able to spend hours and hours on this if you want to. All the mini games, pieces of heart searches and shopping upgrades are still here. And for any existing fans it's a fantastic new environment to play in. I suppose the main drawback for longterm fans is that we are going to know what to do in advance a lot of the time, but the game designers still managed to make me work hard, so I am sure loads of other fans out there won't be disappointed. Even if it's not a revolution in the same way that Ocarina of Time was, it's a quality product in every sense of the word.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant...but not perfect., 18 Jun 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a massive game that's been in the works for years, the reason I am reviewing the Gamecube version is simply because that is the one I own. Here goes...
Graphics: For the 6th generation standards, this looks brilliant, characters and environments are of high quality and are extremely detailed, although despite also being released for the Wii, it doesn't match anything you'll see on the Xbox 360 or PS3. The water effects are very nice and Bosses look just plain awesome.
Controls: Because this is the Gamecube version, the controls are the traditional formula, seen in Windwaker and the Gamecube port of Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask. They are not hard to grasp and can be picked up in a matter of minutes. However I did find myself constantly pausing to get items like in Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, rather than pressing up on the D-Pad, which fustrated me slightly.
Gameplay: Simply fantastic, the game is massive and there's loads of places to explore, the dungeons are well designed and the puzzles, although they don't live up to the standard of thier predecessors, are still tricky in places. Countless enmeies are to be slain and the bosses literally take up whole rooms. There's a traditional Zelda feel, especially when you see the nods towards OoT. However, the main reason I've knocked the game down a star is because it is FAR too easy. None of the puzzles and enemies/bosses posed a significant challenge for me and the last boss was a pushover. The game is great, but for those who want a challenge you won't find it here. Also for those who tend to spoil the games for themselves, try not to (I know it's hard right now) but the game is much more enjoyable if you haven't got a clue what will happen next. The Wolf sections are good, the best thing about it is it doesn't get in the way too much, it's essential for some puzzles to be solved, but the game doesn't force you (later on) to play as a wolf too much. Some may see the wolf idea as a gimmick, but it really adds to the gameplay and is only minutely fustrating.
Lifespan. 60+ hours, Finishing the main story will take you around 50+ hours, but if you carry on the game to look for heart pieces, poes, and do other side-quests then it'll take you ages. I'm around 61 hours into the game and still haven't completed it 100%. Advice to people playing the game for the first time, don't rush through as fast as you can, just relax and take your time, take out a few hours and just explore the massive Hyrule and no doubt you'll find something new, I still do.
So there you have it, the difficulty of the game sets it back from OoT, and I feel as thuogh Nintendo put too many ideas from OoT in there, it's great for that retro feeling, but one of the dungeons main 'theme' is based on one of OoT's. Which can feel a bit iffy for some.
Overall I think you should buy this game, but be warned, if you are good at games in general and/or have experienced past Zelda games, then this is easier than blinking.
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42 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Correcting the Wii - aholic, 9 Dec 2006
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Dont allow the bias of the Wii owner to put you off buying this game for your gamecube. His assumptions of the Wii version being superior are his own incorrect bias coming into play.
FACT : Gamecube Zelda is graphically and aurally no different to the Wii Version. the Wii version is an identical port of this game. The only difference is in the control method.
FACT : Many Wii owners have requested that Wii Zelda support a standard Gamecube type gamepad as well as the nunchuck combo because ... basically... it is far easier to use than the wii controller.
So buy a Wii by all means... but dont think you are missing out by buying the gamecube version of this game instead of buying a wii and and the relevant version.
Fantastic console the Wii, but if you cant get or afford one this christmas... the gamecube Zelda version will do pretty much as well...
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