Link spent
his youth training, and has spent his life fighting to protect Hyrule. He’s
seen demons in rainstorms and watched his world turn to darkness. He puts
others before himself, hunting for the pieces that can restore the world to
its original form time and time again. He doesn’t do it because he likes
danger, though I’m sure that’s why players keep coming back. Link does these
things to save the one who this legend is really about: Zelda.
The Legend
of Zelda: Twilight Princess debuts on Nintendo Wii as an upgraded, gameplay-enhanced
port of a GameCube title that has yet to be released. Originally slated for
Nintendo’s previous console (and shown in playable form on GameCube at E3 05),
Twilight Princess is a sequel to and partial remake of The Ocarina of Time.
"Partial" – expect the expected. Hyrule will forever be Zelda’s magical
kingdom. "Sequel" – an amazing and highly inspired adventure that diminishes
the need for GameCube exclusivity. In fact, it might’ve eliminated the need
for a ‘Cube version altogether.
Sword
Play
The biggest
question mark surrounding a Zelda game for Nintendo Wii is whether or not
you’d able to use the remote to attack. Would Link swing his sword by the
motion of the player – or by the motion of your thumb pressing a button?
Twilight
Princess meets those ideas somewhere in the middle. You can swing the
remote to attack! Light swings are all that’s needed to strike, allowing
you to execute each move with a flick of the wrist. This feature is not as
innovative as if the remote had reacted to your every move, from nearly every
angle. It is, however, an extremely intuitive and surprisingly satisfying way
to play.
Swing the
remote once for Link’s basic strike. Swing it a few times consecutively and
he’ll perform a combo similar to the one used in The Ocarina of Time. Hold Z
and press the A button to perform Link’s jump attack.
The nunchuck
attachment also comes into play. Swing it a couple of times to execute Link’s
trademark spin attack. This can be done either mid-combo for a quick spin that
merges right into the other attacks, or it can be done while standing still.
The latter means having to wait for Link to gain momentum before he’ll spin.
The idea of
flicking a remote to attack didn’t sound like much fun. Then again, I didn’t
think The Wind Waker would be a masterpiece. The Zelda series has a way of
misleading gamers, but in a good way. Expectations for this series are higher
than for any other first-party game. For three sequels running it has come up
with a way to fulfill those expectations in a way most players did not expect.
Could she be the Twilight
Princess?
Target
Precision
Link is
quite handy with a slingshot, and after running through a couple of pre-action
chores, Link will be rewarded with his first major weapon. Return home and
you’ll see a spider climbing on the ladder to Link’s room. Press the B button
to make him draw the slingshot, and then use the remote to aim.
This, like
the remote flicking aspect, is not really innovation. But it is a huge
improvement over the stiff and tiresome analog controls. With the Wii remote,
I can point directly at the target and fire. No object is too small to be hit
– no enemy is too fast to take down.
Fishing is
another motion-controlled feature that goes a long way to immerse the player a
little deeper into the game world. Cast by whipping the remote forward. Shake
to get a fish’s attention, and once you have it, pull the remote toward
yourself and hold it into place. You’ll want to shake, tug, and fight the fish
to the finish – but you don’t have to. Fishing is more interactive in Twilight
Princess than in previous Zelda games, but it is not a re-creation of the real
thing. Thus, you don’t need to act like you have real-world skills to
accomplish the task.
Other Wii
remote-specific surprises are waiting to be unearthed, but it is better that
you discover these on your own. Avoid reading the manual and explore the game
thoroughly. If a puzzle or objective doesn’t make since, there’s a good chance
you missed something.
Aside from
the content that’s been altered or designed exclusively for Wii, Twilight
Princess’s controls are nearly identical to The Ocarina of Time. Enemy
targeting, evasive techniques, auto-jumping, and communication are all the
same. Weapons and items are dispersed a little differently due to the new
button layout, but the concept of having items locked in for quick selection
has not changed.
You’ll apply
items to the D-pad and execute them by pressing B (the button underneath the
Wii remote). The Z button is attached to the nunchuck, and even though the
controller is made of two separate pieces, you won’t feel like you’re using
something foreign or unnatural. It feels like Zelda. And there are few things
in this world that are as satisfying as that.
I Don’t
Remember Seeing This Breed In Nintendogs
Link won’t
step into a dungeon without first equipping his trusty sword and shield. He’s
never without his lantern, or jars full of potion.
What would
happen if Link were no longer himself? What would he do with all those items
should he be transformed into, say, a relative of the canine?
For the time
being he’d forget about his items, make like Amaterasu (star of Okami) and
take a literal bite out of his enemies. Brought on by a curse not unlike the
one that plagues Okami’s world, Link will have to accept the transformation
temporarily to cure the cursed area. Attack execution does not change for the
player – you will still flicker the remote, hold Z to target, and auto-jump as
normal. In wolf form, however, Link cannot wield a sword. His attacks are
significantly different, using a lot of lunges to get started, and clawing and
biting to develop combos.
Playing
Okami led to constant thoughts of Zelda and how it led to that game’s
creation. Now Twilight Princess has led me to think of Okami. There are times
when you’ll be trapped in a small, circular area with enemies that must be
defeated before the barrier can be lifted.
Capcom and
Nintendo have collaborated before, but there has been no announcement to
indicate that was the case here. Nonetheless, if you love one of these gamse,
you will definitely love the other.
(Which
brings me to my plea: Capcom, please bring Okami to Wii!)
Classically Introduced
The Ocarina
of Time is regarded by many as the best Zelda game. Knowing this, Nintendo
kicks off Link’s adventure in a place that should be very familiar to the
fans. His friends are different, and he does not start the adventure as a
little boy. But you’ll see some memorable faces, including Epona who can be
controlled almost immediately. The story developments are similar to the
previous games, as are the preliminary environments.
In the
beginning, it’s not as much of a sequel as it as an alternate saga to the
ongoing Zelda universe. Part of this is great, nostalgic enjoyment. Another,
smaller and less significant part of me wonders why, eight years after The
Ocarina of Time was released, we’re facing similar scenarios in a game that’s
come two generations later.
This is a
minor complaint, and will be long forgotten by most players as soon as the
world turns to darkness. I just don’t understand why the developers insisted
on having a long and peaceful intro. The first thing I wanted to do was grab
my sword and jump into a dungeon. As with The Ocarina of Time, I had to wait.
The Wind Waker was a little faster, but not by much. Not since the original
Zelda have you been able to get right to the action – and go almost anywhere
you wanted – without delay.
Twilight
Till The Sun Comes Up
Enter the
world of Hyrule and you will never want to leave. Twilight Princess delivers
the perfectly addictive, never-sleep-again gameplay that made The Ocarina of
Time a colossal hit eight years ago. The retro and revitalized gameplay are
everything a Zelda lover could hope for. It’s a Tri-force of entertainment –
the kind of game that’s worth at least three full play-throughs.
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Gameplay: 9.6
A semi-innovative
masterpiece in the style of The Ocarina of Time. Twilight Princess excels in
every area that counts. The Wii remote controls are an excellent mix of the
past and present. During the first 30 minutes you’ll swear you are playing a
remake. Then a few bombs are dropped as you’re pushed into one of Link’s most
expansive worlds. Tools and weapons are differentiated from Link’s past via
motion-triggered attacks. Rumble and aural feedback are delivered through the
Wii remote, the latter of which consists of thuds, classic jingles, and sword
swipes.
There are
camera imperfections (Twilight uses Ocarina’s auto-view), but they’re no more
damaging than before. Despite Wind Waker’s superior, user-controlled camera,
most preferred The Ocarina of Time’s darker and more grown up worlds.
Regardless of your favorite, Twilight Princess has all the pieces necessary to
make the Tri-force complete. In other words, this game is golden.
Graphics: 8.9
Twilight Princess
is a gorgeous game designed with older hardware (GameCube) in mind. Despite
this, there will be plenty of moments for your jaw to drop. From the large
dungeons and real-time lighting to the vigor and fluidity of each character’s
animations, players looking for something next-gen will not be blown away, but
they will be very impressed.
Sound: 9.0
Another
interpretation of Zelda’s classic themes, Twilight Princess doesn’t just sound
like a winner – it is one. The music is fueled with depth and inspiration.
Sounds, jingles, and other treats are pumped through the Wii remote’s speaker.
Voice-overs are strangely absent, but why bog a game down with something that
wouldn’t have improved the gameplay experience?
Difficulty: Medium
About as
challenging as The Ocarina of Time. Most of the puzzles require thought and
revision. The solution is usually simple but not necessarily obvious. Battles,
however, range from cakewalk to cake-crushing. It’s nothing too challenging,
certainly not for a Zelda fan. But it’s not all that easy either.
Concept: 8.9
Motion controls,
new dungeons and puzzles, a revised storyline, revised music, old and new
villains, and countless other treats you’ve come to expect from this
franchise.
Overall: 9.5
Every Nintendo
console has launched with a game that stayed in our systems long after
release. I still play the original Mario (NES), Mario World (SNES), Mario 64
(N64), and Pikmin (GameCube). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is that
game for Wii. It’s the game you’ll play through multiple times. It’s a
lengthy, massive adventure that, no matter how long it takes you complete,
will still be met with the response, “I wish it could’ve been longer.”
That’s
because Zelda, along with Mario, Resident Evil, and a few others, belong to a
category (not a specific genre) of games that obliterate all other forms of
entertainment. I said it in my review of The Wind Waker and I’ll say it again
about Twilight Princess: cherish every moment.
