7 replies to this topic

[Snow]

Gametrailers also did a presentation of the new Skyward Sword demo:




The game still looks gorgeous, and Skyloft in particular is simply amazing. I'm also intrigued by the apparent ability to upgrade your weapons throughout the game and the implication that this game might be a lot less linear than previous instalments. Overall, I think Skyward Sword might end up being one of the best games in the series, or at least among the most innovative.

[SOAP]

Crap! I didn't see this topic. Can a mod merge the two threads or better yet, just delete mine? I'll just repost my thoughts later.

[Egann]

Ya know, both of you beat Blistered Thumbs on the draw on posting this. Just saying.

I'm actually modestly excited for Skyward Sword now.

Thoughts in spoiler

Spoiler

The downside is Zelda still seems formulaic; since OoT every main-line Zelda title has featured a childhood friend/ damsel in distress female role, be it Ilia, Saria, Aryll, whatever, and this one OBVIOUSLY doesn't break a boring-but-not-broken formula. On the upside, Mr. pale skin is obviously the antagonist, so I'm hoping for a Ganonless Zelda title. And this title increasingly reminds me of Wind Waker, both in content and art-style, which is good; I loved Wind Waker, even if I thought collecting hints was too much tedium, so I got the Nintendo Power on it.

In comparison, let's look at Twilight Princess' trailer (right around release)



Hmm. We see Zelda twice (once cloaked, once explicit) Midna several times, Ilia, Rusl, Colin, and a fairy I'm VERY glad was removed.

How about Wind Waker:

[meda][/media]

Uhh...pure gameplay and a sleezy narrator.

Personally, just going from the character model, I think the new girl is Zelda. She isn't a princess (yet, anyway; shades of Tetra) but is Link's childhood friend. POSSIBLY she's a love interest, but I don't think so; I can't think of ANY Zelda title which ever even allowed for a Link/ Zelda romance that wasn't forced upon it by the fans. At best, their relationship in the actual games is Platonic. At worst there are other love interests (like Ruto; Zelda via Shiek explicitly tells Link to keep his word) floating around.

Wind Waker was a good game because the childish character models balanced the childish cell-shaded graphics, and the actual content didn't take itself terribly seriously. I mean, just look at Tetra's Pirates. The real fault Wind Waker had was the non-linear universe required bait-grinding for hints to progress the story, something I'm sure Twilight Princess was a great game because it really painted some darker mood colors, and Link's heroism shines a little clearer in the darker emotional situation. Where it failed was to actually follow through the darker and more complex situation in a meaningful way.

Tangent: Majora's Mask's real success wasn't that it was JUST darker than the other Zelda games, but also how it used that darkness in a meaningful way to highlight how the game begins and ends; friendship against all obstacles. It even implicitly gives us a slice of Link's personality; time travel and seeing the same period of time over and over again would naturally lead itself to boredom and apathy, and that Link rises above that to befriend someone who was the antagonist for 90%+ of the game is outright astounding.

I'm of two minds when I see the new trailer. In my initial viewing, I see adult Link and cell-shaded graphics, both of which I like. On the other hand, cell-shaded graphics tend to compliment simpler stories, and Adult Link naturally gravitates toward making stories complex, darker, and tends to lean the graphical style toward realism. This is why Wind Waker is cell shaded and Twilight Princess is not. Getting two aspects of the story which naturally pull the story in opposite directions to coincide will be difficult, and I can only see it working if the game tries to explore both sides of the equation.

OK, that was more than long enough.

[SOAP]

Egann

Spoiler

Firstly, yes it's been confirmed that the blonde girl is Zelda. I won't bother linking the source since the video keeps getting banned everytime it pops up on youtube though you can find plenty of Zelda websites taht confirm taht this little tidbit is legit.

About the cliche damsel in distress thing I couldn't agree more but I don't see it going anywhere any time soon. It's still a perfectly good catalyst to start Link's adventure and fits in line with Link's heroic traits. It is interesting though that a mysterious Deus Ex Machina intercepts Zelda's kidnap and sends her somewhere where the villian has trouble finding her again. It's also interesting that the villain has no interest in Link at all and does not seem to want to kill Link.

More thoughts later. Tired as hell!

[Reflectionist]

Check out the color of his earrings... at multiple points in the video, they change color. Also, the sword is different in about 3 shots, none of which are the Master Sword. Did they take a nod from Fable?

[Wolf O'Donnell]

When I first saw the opening footage, I thought... It's Skies of Arcadia. any moment, I was expecting to see airships. Thankfully, Nintendo didn't go down that route. And yes, Zelda gets kidnapped. It's what she does. Kidnappee is her job title.

EDIT: Has anybody noticed that this game is also borrowing elements from Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean?

Edited by Wolf O'Donnell, 26 June 2011 - 09:39 AM.

[Raien]

[SOAP]

You know, I thought this news would have made this forum explode with activity by now. :/