Twilight Princess HD (4th March)

[Hero-of-Time]

As for anyone having issues controlling Epona, I find it best to zoom the camera out all the way using the right stick. Doesn't solve the issue completely bit certainly makes things a bit easier.

 

Once you can turn into a wolf at will the issue goes away. You simply stop using Epona and just warp or run around as a Wolf.

[nekunando]

It's felt a little too much like hard work up until now but I just finished the 3rd temple and everything is starting to click now, which has got me in the mood where I don't want to stop playing it..

 

I'm hoping I will have that moment where it clicks with me pretty soon!

 

I played this for about 45 minutes this evening after just over a week away from it, mainly due to getting back into Super Mario Maker, but it wasn't particularly compelling

 

I don't remember the game taking quite so long to get going but having only just beat the first dungeon last week and starting to crawl my way towards the second, nothing feels as warm or as inviting as Wind Waker did and it is already starting to drive home the point of which one has aged better.

 

I'm sure it will get better and I've been spreading myself a little thin this month (pretty sure I haven't cleared anything in March ) but I know that I will get into it eventually and start making some progress. I just hope I start enjoying it sooner rather than later

[killthenet]

I'm hoping I will have that moment where it clicks with me pretty soon!

 

I played this for about 45 minutes this evening after just over a week away from it, mainly due to getting back into Super Mario Maker, but it wasn't particularly compelling

 

I don't remember the game taking quite so long to get going but having only just beat the first dungeon last week and starting to crawl my way towards the second, nothing feels as warm or as inviting as Wind Waker did and it is already starting to drive home the point of which one has aged better.

 

I'm sure it will get better and I've been spreading myself a little thin this month (pretty sure I haven't cleared anything in March ) but I know that I will get into it eventually and start making some progress. I just hope I start enjoying it sooner rather than later

 

Definitely worth persevering! The latter temples are so enjoyable, the game has a real flow to it towards the end. It's so effortlessly brilliant at times.

 

I'm nearing the end now and trying to prolong the experience as much as possible! I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but I think in terms of plot and cutscenes this is right up there with the best Zelda games. That's one thing that they pretty much nail from the get go.

[Jonnas]

 

Sorry, I just... I can't stop laughing.

[Zechs Merquise]

I got this game on release and have now put in nearly 20 hours - and I can say this game is still a masterpiece!

 

Whilst the art style hasn't aged as well as Wind Waker's cel shading, the textures in this have been upgraded really well - it certainly doesn't look shabby at all and at times it looks rather good.

 

For the most part, considering the game is 10 years old next year, it plays really well. The only mechanic that hasn't held up too well is the horse riding - but for the most part it still feels fresh and engaging to play.

 

The best bit about Twilight Princess is the size and scope of the game - along with the dungeons, which are some of the best (if not the best) in the whole Legend of Zelda series. The game world is huge and made up of so many diverse and beautiful locations which are all populated with quirky and memorable characters.

 

I've just got to Snowpeak Mountain, finding your way to the top with the scent of the fish you caught below at the base of the Zora Waterfall, then snowboarding down the mountain on a frozen leaf before exploring one of the best dungeons ever - the home of Yeto and Yeta. It's just part of the magical quest, which not only introduces fantastic characters but also melds together many different types of game play making the experience memorable and always keeping things fresh.

 

I've pretty much just stuck to the main quest, but surrounding the main quest is such a large cast of characters, side quests and places to explore that there are literally dozens of hours of extra game play to be found. It presents incredible value for money.

 

Whether this is the definitive version of the game is another thing though, personally I liked the Wii remote controls and the pointer usage for aiming the bow and arrow and the hook shot. The new controls use the stick to aim and fine adjustment can be carried out by tilting the gamepad. This is not as quick or intuitive as aiming the remote.

 

I believe Nintendo also made some minor adjustments to the game. The only one that I've noticed is being able to turn into the wolf with a touch of a button. Where as the changes to Wind Waker were massive improvements - not needing to change the direction of the wind and having the faster sail made for a massive improvement and removed unnecessary hassles - I don't really think Twilight Princess has those issues, although the wolf transformation is welcomed, it is hardly as game changing as the faster sail.

 

I'm totally loving playing this game again, and I can honestly say Twilight Princess has stood the test of time. Had Nintendo gone the whole hog and remade this game from the ground up with all new assets and models and really pushed the Wii U to its limits, this would have held up against any AAA release, that's how good this is and how amazing the dungeons are.

 

Also - the Water Temple. Yeah, mind blowing!

[Kav]

I'm surprised you've said you feel the size and scope of the game still feels large and that it has a large number of characters and side quests... especially after having played the two Xenoblade games, Chronicles X in particular, TP is minuscule in comparison!

 

It's the dungeons that are the star of the show for me, followed by Midna and the certain charm that Zelda games have that make you truly care about the world and its inhabitants.

[Blade]

I got this game on release and have now put in nearly 20 hours - and I can say this game is still a masterpiece!

 

Whilst the art style hasn't aged as well as Wind Waker's cel shading, the textures in this have been upgraded really well - it certainly doesn't look shabby at all and at times it looks rather good.

 

For the most part, considering the game is 10 years old next year, it plays really well. The only mechanic that hasn't held up too well is the horse riding - but for the most part it still feels fresh and engaging to play.

 

The best bit about Twilight Princess is the size and scope of the game - along with the dungeons, which are some of the best (if not the best) in the whole Legend of Zelda series. The game world is huge and made up of so many diverse and beautiful locations which are all populated with quirky and memorable characters.

 

I've just got to Snowpeak Mountain, finding your way to the top with the scent of the fish you caught below at the base of the Zora Waterfall, then snowboarding down the mountain on a frozen leaf before exploring one of the best dungeons ever - the home of Yeto and Yeta. It's just part of the magical quest, which not only introduces fantastic characters but also melds together many different types of game play making the experience memorable and always keeping things fresh.

 

I've pretty much just stuck to the main quest, but surrounding the main quest is such a large cast of characters, side quests and places to explore that there are literally dozens of hours of extra game play to be found. It presents incredible value for money.

 

Whether this is the definitive version of the game is another thing though, personally I liked the Wii remote controls and the pointer usage for aiming the bow and arrow and the hook shot. The new controls use the stick to aim and fine adjustment can be carried out by tilting the gamepad. This is not as quick or intuitive as aiming the remote.

 

I believe Nintendo also made some minor adjustments to the game. The only one that I've noticed is being able to turn into the wolf with a touch of a button. Where as the changes to Wind Waker were massive improvements - not needing to change the direction of the wind and having the faster sail made for a massive improvement and removed unnecessary hassles - I don't really think Twilight Princess has those issues, although the wolf transformation is welcomed, it is hardly as game changing as the faster sail.

 

I'm totally loving playing this game again, and I can honestly say Twilight Princess has stood the test of time. Had Nintendo gone the whole hog and remade this game from the ground up with all new assets and models and really pushed the Wii U to its limits, this would have held up against any AAA release, that's how good this is and how amazing the dungeons are.

 

Also - the Water Temple. Yeah, mind blowing!

 

Glad to see that you are enjoying it! The dungeons are nothing short of incredible. I loved playing through this game on the Wii.

 

I also bought the HD edition. I disagree with you though. To me the whole game feels really dated. The overworld is just so bare with hardly any side quests or points of interest. I also think the world isn't that large compared to something like The Witcher 3 or Xenoblade. In fact compared to The Witcher 3 the range of sidequests, interesting characters or places to explore is embarrassing.

 

When playing the game I just want to get on to the next dungeon. There is nothing really else to do.

 

The graphics are what you would expect from a HD uplift rather than a remake. Again compared to modern games the graphics are poor.

 

The game is okay for something that is 10 years old. I still enjoy the formula for Zelda games but after completing Witcher 3 I would like to see Nintendo to bring Hyrule or other world to life filled with settlements, characters, points of interest and side quests.

[Zechs Merquise]

I still think the game world is large, just because others are bigger doesn't mean that makes Hyrule small. What's more, games like Xenoblade Chronicles X are much bigger, but they don't have the dungeons that Zelda does, when you take the world and the dungeons (which on their own take a couple of hours, longer for some) it is a pretty huge game. If you do everything I can see the game lasting you 60 hours, which is pretty damn big for a single player game.

 

I think Twilight Princess HD stands the test of time - and considering it's an HD uplift of a Gamecube game, it really is remarkable how good it looks at times. Obviously it's not going to look at good as certain game son the PS4, but that again does not mean it looks 'rubbish'.

 

Also, I forgot to mention the use of the gamepad, having all the items on the pad in front of you, or alternatively a mini-map is great! Top use of the gamepad and makes item management much easier as you're not in and out of menus.

 

Of course Nintendo could have made it look better by fully remaking it, and of course it's going to play differently to modern games - but the fact a ten year old title is still so engaging and fun is a testament to the fact that it's another Nintendo masterpiece!

[Ronnie]

In fact compared to The Witcher 3 the range of sidequests, interesting characters or places to explore is embarrassing.

 

What about the gameplay itself? Is that just as embarrassing compared to a game released ten years later? Can you use this giant spinner to fly on rails from wall to wall to defeat a giant flying skeleton boss? Or clawshot your way around a temple suspended in the sky that you used a giant cannon to get to? They're very different games, Zelda is far more action based.

[Hero-of-Time]

What about the gameplay itself? Is that just as embarrassing compared to a game released ten years later? Can you use this giant spinner to fly on rails from wall to wall to defeat a giant flying skeleton boss? Or clawshot your way around a temple suspended in the sky that you used a giant cannon to get to? They're very different games, Zelda is far more action based.

 

I take it you the played The Witcher then? :p

 

While I do agree it's harsh to compare a game from 10 years ago to one that was released in 2015, even by Zelda standards the side quests and world is lacking compared to something like Majoras Mask or Wind Waker, both of which released years before TP.

 

As I mentioned on the previous page, this game hasn't aged well IMO and is just a bland affair compared to other Zelda games. This items you mention are cool but far too underused. After finishing the game I just felt an overwhelming meh towards it, whereas playing The Wind Waker HD was an absolute joy.

 

Bringing up The Witcher again, I think people need to get prepared for comparisons between that and the new Zelda. Both gamers and gaming media will be comparing the two, with many outlets already saying that Zelda Wii U/NX has a lot to live up to in terms of standing up against other open world games.

 

I can't really comment on The Witcher 3 though, as I have yet to play it. I'll get around to it eventually, @Blade.

[Blade]

What about the gameplay itself? Is that just as embarrassing compared to a game released ten years later? Can you use this giant spinner to fly on rails from wall to wall to defeat a giant flying skeleton boss? Or clawshot your way around a temple suspended in the sky that you used a giant cannon to get to? They're very different games, Zelda is far more action based.

 

I agree with what you are saying. The gameplay is fine and the usual Zelda formula I continue to enjoy. I actually said that the dungeons are nothing short of incredible.

 

I note that they are different games. I would like Nintendo do create a Zelda where the world is full of life and things to do like The Witcher 3. I don't want the actual gameplay to change.

 

Just my personal opinion.

[Ronnie]

The inevitable comparisons are going to be unfair. Unless I'm mistaken and Witcher has you using a mirror shield to reflect rays of light onto patterned walls to open up doors in a dungeon. By all means compare the size of Zelda U's openworld to the one from Witcher, as long as people also compare the box of tricks like the above and general gameplay from one to the other as well. Having a huge openworld populated by fetch quests and dots on a map isn't the be all and end all of gaming, though it sadly seems to have become to most people these days.

[Hero-of-Time]

The inevitable comparisons are going to be unfair. Unless I'm mistaken and Witcher has you using a mirror shield to reflect rays of light onto patterned walls to open up doors in a dungeon. By all means compare the size of Zelda U's openworld to the one from Witcher, as long as people also compare the box of tricks like the above and general gameplay from one to the other as well. Having a huge openworld populated by fetch quests and dots on a map isn't the be all and end all of gaming, though it sadly seems to have become to most people these days.

 

Zelda Wii U sounds like it's going to be open world and as such it will be compared to the rest of the open world market, despite what it does differently. Fallout 4, Metal Gear Solid V and The Witcher 3 are all open world games but are vastly different from one another. This doesn't stop comparisons from gamers or the media because they are the same genre, even if the settings are different.

[Goron_3]

No real point of comparing the intricacies of one franchise to another. The biggest disappointment with Twilight Princess is that whilst it tries to be dark, it does so far less effectively than Majora's Mask.

 

For example, in MM, the theme of death and urgency is apparent throughout every character, area and piece of music. The NPC's add to this and it works wonderfully. In Twilight Princess, when the castle is taken over by the giant prism, NO ONE CARES. I don't think I've ever been so bewildered in a video game than the few moments after that cut scene - the towns folk are completely oblivious to what is going on. You get the impression that it was added in at the last moment. I was also disappointed with the way they treated Zant - he was an incredible villain up until that cutscene.

 

If any of you end up with 40 minutes free at one point, I would highly recommend watching the Matthew Matosis video review. He reviews the game critically and dissects the design decisions - one of his best. @Hero\-of\-Time, I think you'd love this one...You too, @Dcubed!

 

[Hero-of-Time]

I love Matts work. Both his Zelda and Mario series are outstanding.

[Dcubed]

I love Matts work. Both his Zelda and Mario series are outstanding.

 

Same. I don't always agree with what he says, but his videos are indeed spectacular!

[Goron_3]

I love Matts work. Both his Zelda and Mario series are outstanding.

 

Glad to see you're a fan! We seem to enjoy the same stuff, eh.

 

Same. I don't always agree with what he says, but his videos are indeed spectacular!

 

Indeed - I literally loved his Majora's Mask review. In fact I found it so eye opening that I actually purchased the 3DS remake

[Rob3008]

So frustrated at the moment collecting the Tears of Light to enter Zora's Domain. I can't imagine how was this was even more tedious in the GameCube/Wii version...

[Glen-i]

Same. I don't always agree with what he says, but his videos are indeed spectacular!

 

What did I say 2 days ago?

Did I not say that Matt was totally going to do TP HD?

 

You see? Those torturous years in Ireland have made me a Mind Reader of the Irish.

 

Here, I'll prove it. Wii is now thinking something along the lines of "He's full of crap"

[Fierce_LiNk]

No real point of comparing the intricacies of one franchise to another. The biggest disappointment with Twilight Princess is that whilst it tries to be dark, it does so far less effectively than Majora's Mask.

 

For example, in MM, the theme of death and urgency is apparent throughout every character, area and piece of music. The NPC's add to this and it works wonderfully. In Twilight Princess, when the castle is taken over by the giant prism, NO ONE CARES. I don't think I've ever been so bewildered in a video game than the few moments after that cut scene - the towns folk are completely oblivious to what is going on. You get the impression that it was added in at the last moment. I was also disappointed with the way they treated Zant - he was an incredible villain up until that cutscene.

 

If any of you end up with 40 minutes free at one point, I would highly recommend watching the Matthew Matosis video review. He reviews the game critically and dissects the design decisions - one of his best. @Hero\-of\-Time, I think you'd love this one...You too, @Dcubed!

 

 

I watched all of this whilst eating my tea. I agree with a lot of it, particularly the bit you mentioned about the lack of reaction when shit is going down with the people of Castle Town.

 

Although the game has a nice amount of cut-scenes, I do feel that there's a wooden/detached sort of feeling compared to how the storytelling is told in other games. Especially thanks to the whole "press button to continue text/cutscene" bit. Imo, this breaks the pace of those parts and they're not as fluid or emotional as they could be. I really hope that the storytelling improves in the next Zelda and I do wonder if some sort of voice acting (maybe gibberish like it was explained in the video) could be introduced to improve this.

 

Also, he's right, the slingshot is a pointless item and needs ditching.

[Hero-of-Time]

Although the game has a nice amount of cut-scenes, I do feel that there's a wooden/detached sort of feeling compared to how the storytelling is told in other games. Especially thanks to the whole "press button to continue text/cutscene" bit.

 

This is EXACTLY how I feel and it's a big issue for me. This point really hit home when I played Skyward Sword. Skip to the 12:00 mark in this video.

 

 

Link making grunting noises and juts banging on the crystal was just stupid, as was having to choose a response which had no real bearing of the outcome. Here was his childhood friend, sacrificing herself and being encased in crystal but Link remains relatively motionless. No screaming her name and saying a meaningful goodbye, just him grunting and hitting the thing. It really ruined what little immersion I had and it was this exact moment that I realized that I wanted voice acting in Zelda.

[Zechs Merquise]

I actually really disliked that review of Twilight Princess, I thought the guy reviewing came over as a whinning bitch to be honest. He likes to nit pick every single thing - even the intro and essentially the training around the village. It's something he banged on and on about, even to the point of being irritated by the inclusion of the sling shot.

 

But for me, I felt differently, I loved the beginning. Yes, it was a lengthy tutorial - but it was also a puzzle and a way to meet the opening cast. The way you solve all the little problems around the village and it introduces you to the cast, I liked that! It felt like the whole Zelda mechanic was introduced not in a boring training level or dojo, but actually out doing things in the village - the cat ran away, so you get a fish for the cat etc.

 

The way he boils everything down to the time when he felt the quest really started, I didn't even think of it like that. I felt it was all part of a cohesive game. It wasn't like shooter where you start at a firing range, it was illustrating the village life that Link came from, it told his story as a humble farm hand.

 

Obviously it is his opinion, but I disagree with him and feel he went about the review in a very dull way - I lost interest in it around the half way mark.

[Goron_3]

I actually really disliked that review of Twilight Princess, I thought the guy reviewing came over as a whinning bitch to be honest. He likes to nit pick every single thing - even the intro and essentially the training around the village. It's something he banged on and on about, even to the point of being irritated by the inclusion of the sling shot.

 

But for me, I felt differently, I loved the beginning. Yes, it was a lengthy tutorial - but it was also a puzzle and a way to meet the opening cast. The way you solve all the little problems around the village and it introduces you to the cast, I liked that! It felt like the whole Zelda mechanic was introduced not in a boring training level or dojo, but actually out doing things in the village - the cat ran away, so you get a fish for the cat etc.

 

The way he boils everything down to the time when he felt the quest really started, I didn't even think of it like that. I felt it was all part of a cohesive game. It wasn't like shooter where you start at a firing range, it was illustrating the village life that Link came from, it told his story as a humble farm hand.

 

Obviously it is his opinion, but I disagree with him and feel he went about the review in a very dull way - I lost interest in it around the half way mark.

 

Well it is a critical analysis, so naturally he does dig into the game in a lot of detail.

 

I thought the beginning was absolutely terrible and served no purpose. Wind Waker is the perfect example of how to introduce the player to the cast of characters and the world; why they felt the need to have you herd goats is beyond me.

[dazzybee]

Plant and payoff for the ending...

[Zechs Merquise]

Well it is a critical analysis, so naturally he does dig into the game in a lot of detail.

 

I thought the beginning was absolutely terrible and served no purpose. Wind Waker is the perfect example of how to introduce the player to the cast of characters and the world; why they felt the need to have you herd goats is beyond me.

 

Well, the herding goats was to get you used to riding Epona. So if you missed that, I'm sorry, but there was a reason.

 

I still believe it was a very charming and interesting way of introducing you to the story, the mechanics, Link's past and many of the characters. But that's what Zelda is about, Zelda isn't a pick up and play game. When I play Mario I don't expect a large intro, nor do I need to know the type of person Mario is or where he comes from. But Zelda is a different franchise.

 

Applying the logic of pick-up and play games with bite size levels to a game like Zelda is broken logic. Often you can spend 2 hours or more in a single dungeon and once you exit that dungeon the new items you earned open up whole new areas of the over world.

 

I wonder if the whinny little bitch ever played Fallout 3 and moaned because there was a similarly large intro where you started life in the Vault with your father and literally went from being born to right through to the day you set foot outside and saw real sunlight for the first time?

 

You see, games like Fallout 3, Zelda or Xenoblade can't be stacked up and held to the same rules of design as games like Mario or Tetris which are much more 'pick up and play' and hence you can just dive in.

 

What's more - just an extra point, I've been playing Zelda since the NES. Hell I even have the Game and Watch Zelda! But you know, for some people Twilight Princess would have been their first Zelda experience, I'm happy for tutorials like this - that actually exist as part of the larger world and overall narrative, that teach you as you play. They are especially good for those getting into the franchise.

 

It's far better than having a separate tutorial mode or having to pour over the instruction booklet. I loved Xenoblade Chronciles X, in many ways it is a masterpiece, but sadly it falls a little short and one of those ways it does fall short is how inaccessible it can be at times. A lack of tutorials and explanations held that game back, possibly because I'm not a masaive JRPG fan or possibly because several facets of game play needed better explanation.

 

Twilight Princess holds upward of 60 hours of game play, if thirty minutes of gently being eased into the world and meeting the cast and getting to know a little about protagonist is a problem, then maybe the guy playing the game is playing a game not suited to his needs!