EEVILMURRAY Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 I don't think that Zelda needs a good story, so long as the exploration is done well. A Link To The Past is a great example of that and so is Super Metroid. I notice the lack of story with ALBW more simply because I don't feel as though I'm exploring the world as much (because of things like quick travel) and as a result I'm less immersed. That said, we must remember that this is a handheld title, and as such it's designed to a be a quicker/easier title than a home console Zelda will likely be. But A Link To The Past had a good story, as well as exploration. The downside here is that they're both being recycled, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just takes off the edge. I think using the original Legend of Zelda is a better example, even though I think that was boring as fuck. Leading to next point: Super Metroid worked on exploration because it was all solitary (like the original Zelda but it didn't have the same/right atmosphere) whereas the worlds of Zelda now involve "colourful" characters and for that you need some form of story to give logic to travelling between/and meeting these people.
Ronnie Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 When pretty much every Zelda game follows more or less the same formula I think storyline is pretty important. I think ALBW could have done with a little bit more. A few more cutscenes, even if these were in the form of flashbacks, for instance. Still loved it but I agree I did feel a little bit separated from what was going on.
M_rock Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 I kind of agree, the characters in the game are really good, and some more interaction/ bonding with them could have made the game even better! But it's a very very good product as it stands now
nekunando Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 I finished this yesterday and enjoyed it a lot I was a little reluctant to even get it in the first place as I seem to have a few issues with A Link to the Past on SNES that I haven't yet overcome. I'm glad I didn't let that stop me in the end as this was genuinely a great game, if a little easy It probably wasn't as long as I would have expected, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but then I was basically very direct in my approach to the game in that I just went straight to each X on the map without ever really exploring, unlike my recent playthrough of Wind Waker HD. I now feel a little more enthusiastic about returning to A Link to the Past on the Wii VC as I'm sure I will start to enjoy the game again when I figure out what I'm doing next I had only just reached the dark world and wasn't really sure what I was doing as a rabbit so turned it off. On resumption, I started back at Link's house and didn't really have a clue what I was supposed to be doing any more or where to go and kinda got fed up When I finally sit down and figure out what I'm doing, I'm sure the rest of the game will be excellent
Rummy Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 I finished this yesterday and enjoyed it a lot I was a little reluctant to even get it in the first place as I seem to have a few issues with A Link to the Past on SNES that I haven't yet overcome. I'm glad I didn't let that stop me in the end as this was genuinely a great game, if a little easy It probably wasn't as long as I would have expected, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but then I was basically very direct in my approach to the game in that I just went straight to each X on the map without ever really exploring, unlike my recent playthrough of Wind Waker HD. I now feel a little more enthusiastic about returning to A Link to the Past on the Wii VC as I'm sure I will start to enjoy the game again when I figure out what I'm doing next I had only just reached the dark world and wasn't really sure what I was doing as a rabbit so turned it off. On resumption, I started back at Link's house and didn't really have a clue what I was supposed to be doing any more or where to go and kinda got fed up When I finally sit down and figure out what I'm doing, I'm sure the rest of the game will be excellent Whaaaaaat! You still have so much of LttP to go! You weren't even really in the dark world yet (i actually think the solution to that 'puzzle' was in the little secrets pamphlet with the original game too!)
Hero-of-Time Posted April 8, 2014 Author Posted April 8, 2014 I now feel a little more enthusiastic about returning to A Link to the Past on the Wii VC as I'm sure I will start to enjoy the game again when I figure out what I'm doing next I had only just reached the dark world and wasn't really sure what I was doing as a rabbit so turned it off. On resumption, I started back at Link's house and didn't really have a clue what I was supposed to be doing any more or where to go and kinda got fed up If you're on about the first time you teleport there via Death Mountain then you need to use the Mirror to teleport back to the light world. You need to look at your surroundings and work out when you are standing in the DW so that when you teleport back to the LW you will be on the ledge above you. Basically once you're in the DW, go left from the warp and up a little. You will be in a little nook that wouldn't be there in the LW. Once you warp back you will be standing on the ledge.
nekunando Posted April 12, 2014 Posted April 12, 2014 It turns out I actually had the first crystal from the dark world when I returned to the game this week and, despite some frustrations, currently have the game suspended as I make my way through another dungeon for crystal number six I've probably been spoiled by some excellent Zelda adventures over the years so the impact A Link to the Past is having on me is nowhere near as great as it probably would have been if I'd gone through it during the SNES era. It's definitely a brilliant game, but I'm also seeing the 'Game Over' screen more than I've seen it throughout the last 20 years or so
darksnowman Posted May 26, 2016 Posted May 26, 2016 I've been in the mood for replaying OoT (perhaps in Master Quest) or starting a new file in LttP but then I saw ALBW has been added to the Nintendo Selects range so... there was only one thing to do. The game is fantastic. The merge ability makes you think about things differently and has thrown me a few times. I spent the first while just going round Hyrule and checking in with everyone to see how they were doing since LttP. Anyway, what I wanted to say was, yes, the levels are easy and systematic (you just need to adapt your thinking to incorporate the merge ability) so I've cleaned out every level in no time except the last two I've done. Turtle Rock and the Dark Palace. Turtle Rock I came out of with surplus keys and no compass and no item collected bar the sage. So I went back in and combed through room by room. Then again in the Dark Palace, I came out with no item. One level remains - I'm not sure what it's called because it should be Turtle Rock except Turtle Rock was where the Ice Palace should have been so... well, I'm curious to see if I'll be able to run through it and grab everything or if I've lost that knack for the remainder of the game.
Blade Posted May 26, 2016 Posted May 26, 2016 I've still got this game in its wrapper from release!!! No idea why I haven't gone on to complete it especially considering i enjoy the Zelda series! I keep forgetting about it to be fair.
Falcon_BlizZACK Posted May 26, 2016 Posted May 26, 2016 I too find it hard to get into this game, its just lying around and I've only just started with the villain attacking the graveyard. I thinks its due to my preference of the 3D as opposed to the less intimate top-down 2D experiences.
darksnowman Posted May 31, 2016 Posted May 31, 2016 I finished ALBW the other night. It was great - I fully recommend that @Blade and @King_V get playing. I've mulled it over for a few days and it has got to be up there with the best Zelda has to offer. Going back to the ALttP world feels great, just swinging the sword and cutting grass or killing soldiers feels great and there's enough things that are different to keep it from being a complete retread of a game we all already know inside and out. I never died once and never bought any potions as it was enough to have a fairy and be careful but that doesn't mean the game is really straightforward. The baseball mini-game was probably one of the most difficult things to get a feel for. Anyway, to be honest, ALttP isn't difficult either until Ganon's Tower. I'm pretty sure there isn't much I can add that hasn't been said already over the intervening years since ALBW released. I shouldn't have de-prioritised it but better late than never, right? At the end I was glad to see their Triforce wish was the same as what I wanted. As I was watching the ending unfold I was worried the writers had overlooked something...!
Mr_Master_X2 Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 I finished ALBW the other night. It was great - I fully recommend that @Blade and @King_V get playing. I've mulled it over for a few days and it has got to be up there with the best Zelda has to offer. Going back to the ALttP world feels great, just swinging the sword and cutting grass or killing soldiers feels great and there's enough things that are different to keep it from being a complete retread of a game we all already know inside and out. I never died once and never bought any potions as it was enough to have a fairy and be careful but that doesn't mean the game is really straightforward. The baseball mini-game was probably one of the most difficult things to get a feel for. Anyway, to be honest, ALttP isn't difficult either until Ganon's Tower. I'm pretty sure there isn't much I can add that hasn't been said already over the intervening years since ALBW released. I shouldn't have de-prioritised it but better late than never, right? At the end I was glad to see their Triforce wish was the same as what I wanted. As I was watching the ending unfold I was worried the writers had overlooked something...! Agree. Finished it 100% then immediately did hard/hero 100% (except for the 16 minute big cuckoo. Who would put themselves through THAT?) It's one of the really good Zelda's. It's basically back in the SNES era you hoped Nintendo would just do more of the same, and they have but with new ideas and graphics!
Ronnie Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 It's a fantastic game, one of the best Zeldas but I do wish the overworld wasn't rehashed. I know there are little changes here and there obviously but it would have been amazing to have a brand new world to explore.
Hero-of-Time Posted June 4, 2022 Author Posted June 4, 2022 I had the urge to play a Zelda game (probably due to the back and forth between Glen, Dcubed and Shiekah in the SoP thread ) and decided to play through this again. I don't think i've played it since the game was originally released back in Nov 2013 and figured now was a good a time as any to revisit this gem. I decided to play it on the Hero difficulty. I don't think i've played a Zelda game on this setting before and with this easy being VERY easy on the standard setting, this would add a bit of a challenge to my adventure. Here's the progress i've made this morning. Loving it. The game feels fresh (it has been nearly 9 years since I last played it) but there is still a sense of familiarity due to me knowing A Link to the Past like the back of my hand. With Hero being the difficulty setting, i'm having to take things really slowly and when I do get hit, it's a frantic search to find a heart! I'm definitely having to play more carefully. I've managed to get all 3 of the pendants without being killed but I imagine once I get to Lorule that I will experience my first death. With me not being able to take many hits, the first order of business was to go and pick up any heart pieces that I could grab, as well as empty bottles to carry fairies. Doing this early on has certainly helped me survive as long as I have. I've also done a bunch of rupee farming and have bought all of the items from Ravio. I wanted to get this out of the way very early on so that I could do the dungeons in any order that I want. Still lots to do in the game (just about to head off and pick up the Master Sword) but it's been a joy playing this game again. 3 1
Hero-of-Time Posted June 4, 2022 Author Posted June 4, 2022 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I was so close. 2
BowserBasher Posted June 4, 2022 Posted June 4, 2022 Loved that game and this may make me play it again soon. I have however just restarted a game of Mario Odyssey so it may wait a bit. Will be interesting to see your progress on Hero mode.
Glen-i Posted June 4, 2022 Posted June 4, 2022 This game is one of the first times I witnessed the "remix with new verse" in actual gameplay, and I fell in love with it. I want loads of games that remix tunes to do it! (The Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters do this a lot) It takes a decent tune and just elevates it! 1
Dcubed Posted June 5, 2022 Posted June 5, 2022 16 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I was so close. Surely I wasn’t the only person weirded out by this minigame? I mean… it’s just straight up baseball in Zelda. Not even like a Hyrule take on the sport, nope, it’s just straight up baseball. 1
Hero-of-Time Posted June 5, 2022 Author Posted June 5, 2022 14 hours ago, BowserBasher said: Will be interesting to see your progress on Hero mode. All done! Spoiler I had an absolute blast playing through this again and Hero mode actually got easier as the game went on. Once you have your Blue Tunic and lots of hearts. the game isn't that difficult. Collecting all the Maiamai really helped as well. Having powered up items at your disposal meant you could sit back and take enemies out from a distance. The Flame Rod was stupidly good at doing this. Some of the dungeons were so much fun to play through. The Dark Palace was a fav of mine. Having to navigate through the dark, lighting torches, putting them out to see the highlighted paths, burning down the boards to let the light in. Good stuff. My least favourite dungeon was probably the Ice Ruins. There was a lot of up and down going on in that place and it can get a little confusing as to which path way you need to take. Also, there's ice on the floor which means you are skidding when you walk. It's amazing what Nintendo done with this. It has a fantastic sense of freedom but also has the structure that was established in A Link To The Past. The way the story is still being told, despite the order in what players do the dungeons in, is exactly how this kind of setup should work. I think they achieved the perfect balance with this game and i'm sad they are probably done with this kinda of Zelda style now. It seems like it was a one and done deal. 2 hours ago, Dcubed said: Surely I wasn’t the only person weirded out by this minigame? I mean… it’s just straight up baseball in Zelda. Not even like a Hyrule take on the sport, nope, it’s just straight up baseball. It's certainly a strange but fun inclusion. It took me a while to get to grips with it and work out how best to achieve the score I needed but once I figured it out it was pretty simple. 6 1
darksnowman Posted June 6, 2022 Posted June 6, 2022 On 05/06/2022 at 10:05 AM, Hero-of-Time said: I had an absolute blast playing through this again and Hero mode actually got easier as the game went on. Once you have your Blue Tunic and lots of hearts. the game isn't that difficult. I noticed this with Link's Awakening. Could be a feature of Hero Mode. On 05/06/2022 at 10:05 AM, Hero-of-Time said: It's amazing what Nintendo done with this. It has a fantastic sense of freedom but also has the structure that was established in A Link To The Past. The way the story is still being told, despite the order in what players do the dungeons in, is exactly how this kind of setup should work. I think they achieved the perfect balance with this game and i'm sad they are probably done with this kinda of Zelda style now. It seems like it was a one and done deal. Excellent game. It's familiar yet different. The first time I played I remember my perspective of the environments gradually changing as I got in tune with thinking about how walls could be navigated. I've fired it up a few times over the years just to play a bit and try things in different orders. It's compact and like you say there, strikes the perfect balance between Zelda 1 freedom and guiding the player. I'd love BotW 2 to take note! Though for some reason, ALBW doesn't directly spring to mind when I'm thinking of the best Zeldas but when it does, I remember it's up there with the best. 2
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