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[Caelus]

This is exactly correct. The interactivity of The Witcher 3 is the weakest part of the game, and it's 95% of what BotW is about. The presentation, world design, lore and storytelling of Witcher 3 are 95% of what makes it great, and Zelda doesn't really deliver on any of those, though lore and storytelling etc could obviously deliver, but I doubt it.

Are you still near the Great Plateau / the beginning area of the game?

From gameplay I've seen, the presentation of the rest of the world looks pretty good, the atmosphere and design of the villages, towns, settlements, NPCs all look great.

Ultimately it looks like it's trying to do something different from Witcher 3, but I'm getting pretty strong Ghibli vibes constantly.

 

[Plum]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=231118686&postcount=110

Well according to the Gamepro review, they seemed to have liked the story. Witcher 3 is its own thing, but perhaps you'll be surprised.

Some of the non-spoiler impressions leaking out from the spoiler thread seem to hint at this being the case. Voice acting is something new in the series, but good stories aren't; Majora's Mask and Wind Waker have some of my favorite video game stories period despite their relative simplicity.

 

[Slythe]

I want to play this game in Japanese so bad. i'm not a dub snob or anything, but that trailer at the Switch reveal sold me on playing in Japanese. Realizing I have to deal with a tacky English VA when the Japanese VA is on the cartridge (but is incompatible with English subtitles) is really killing me right now.

 

[Punished_Snake]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=231118686&postcount=110

Well according to the Gamepro review, they seemed to have liked the story. Witcher 3 is its own thing, but perhaps you'll be surprised.

I don't know how he is judging the entire game while he only played for few hours?

 

[Fuchs]

Man, I'm so glad I get to play the game with German VA, as it seems to be way better than the English voice over.

 

[SomTervo]

And still, I'd have loved it of they went that extra step. Not saying it's necessary but it would have made a big difference for me.

It absolutely would have been great, yeah, but it's worth remembering the old DaVinci adage: "great artwork is never finished; it's only abandoned".

Yes, they do.

And if you asked me what I would have preferred between:
"They make the most beautiful and realistic Hyrule ever but the gameplay sucks or is just more of the same old Zelda" and
"They make an ugly Hyrule and a game that looks outdated by 5 years but the gameplay is GOTY quality and revolutionizes the series and should become the standard for the next decade while they improve their visuals and storytelling."

...well, I'm guessing you know that it wouldn't have been a tough choice.

The first option basically applies to FFXV. It was the most beautiful and realistic world I've ever played. The scale of it, the physically based rendering, the animation - fuck me it was gorgeous, and worth the money for that visual quality alone. But as a video game? It was awful. Awful game design at every turn.

Zelda is literally the exact opposite. It looks like crap but you're grinning like an idiot from moment A to moment Z - you're always having fun. The industry needs more games like this and less like FFXV, so it's no surprise people are so over the moon about this one.

Phenomenal analogy – you're the savior of the thread, Griss. *bows*

What's the praise for the most? I am just afraid of the level design, is it still what you get from past zeldas. Amazing gameplay variety and hand crafted moments. Like in MM to get to a dungeon you use your deli ability to float over a monkey base, or turn into a Gordon and make your way up a perolous snow mountain with invisible stuff. It wasn't just the dungeons that had incredible gameplay design. Is that still here.

Yes or no is fine

Judging by how the developers described their creative process behind levels and the playtesting process, I think level design is one thing you really don't need to worry about in the game. They describe, even during playtesting, finding the experience exciting and compelling, up to the end.

 

[takriel]

I never thought Zelda games have a good or deep story. It was always just serviceable. I wonder if BotW will change that and actually tell a great story that can stand on its own this time around.

 

[Caelus]

I never thought Zelda games have a good or deep story. It was always just serviceable. I wonder if BotW will change that and actually tell a great story that can stand on its own this time around.

It seems pretty basic but more on the level of Majora's Mask, heavily dependent on the players level of involvement.

 

[marrec]

I never thought Zelda games have a good or deep story. It was always just serviceable. I wonder if BotW will change that and actually tell a great story that can stand on its own this time around.

I think Majora's Mask had a surprisingly deep and well told story. Link Between Worlds as well to a lesser extent. Wind Waker and Skyward Sword to an even lesser extent.

Otherwise ya.

 

[casey_contra]

Is the VA from the January trailer indicative of the final game? Or is the really bad stuff much, much worse than that?

Cause I thought the VA from that trailer was fine. Not amazing but fine.

Theo only thing that bothered me from that trailer was the old woman's voice. I'm pretty easy to please with VA... but I do want everyone else to have a positive experience.

Hopefully the patch in dual audio.

 

[Cloukyo]

I want to play this game in Japanese so bad. i'm not a dub snob or anything, but that trailer at the Switch reveal sold me on playing in Japanese. Realizing I have to deal with a tacky English VA when the Japanese VA is on the cartridge (but is incompatible with English subtitles) is really killing me right now.

Agreed. These days I think anime dubs are competent enough to be just as good as the subs, so I have no problems with it.

But honestly, I really think games have a way to go, especially japanese games. The english dubs always seem to be an afterthought. The only japanese games I can remember off the top of my head having decent english dubs are Bayonetta and Wonderful 101.

Because its meant to be kinda tacky anyway.

I think Majora's Mask had a surprisingly deep and well told story. Link Between Worlds as well to a lesser extent. Wind Waker and Skyward Sword to an even lesser extent.

Otherwise ya.

I liked WW's story

Pirate Zelda and "gotta save my sister" Link are my favourites.

 

[Charles Brandon]

I never thought Zelda games have a good or deep story. It was always just serviceable. I wonder if BotW will change that and actually tell a great story that can stand on its own this time around.

Aye, especially in the four "main" Zeldas (my own designation) LOZ, LTTP, OOT & TP.

The basic issue is that they are all retellings of the same story. You know the beginning, you know how it ends and everything else is just filler. This looks to be the fifth one in that cycle so I wonder if they have managed to change things a bit.

 

[takriel]

It seems pretty basic but more on the level of Majora's Mask, heavily dependent on the players level of involvement.

I asked you this in the other previews thread, but you could answer here as well:

How do you like the story so far based on what you've seen?

 

[The Last One]

This is exactly correct. The interactivity of The Witcher 3 is the weakest part of the game, and it's 95% of what BotW is about. The presentation, world design, lore and storytelling of Witcher 3 are 95% of what makes it great, and Zelda doesn't really deliver on any of those, though lore and storytelling etc could obviously deliver, but I doubt it.

Griss, how can you tell any of that? You just leave the Great Plateau. I mean, you're bringing some definitive perceptions just by playing the tutorial area of the game.

I'm not trying to dismiss your opinion. Far from it.
But you are making some conclusions that only would be possible for someone who have finished the game, or is at least close to do it.

Again, I'm not trying to play defensive in any way, just asking you to put more time on the game before coming with some conclusions (some of them you objectivally can't tell for sure, like the world's general feeling, since you didn't visit any village yet).

 

[Griss]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=231118686&postcount=110

Well according to the Gamepro review, they seemed to have liked the story. Witcher 3 is its own thing, but perhaps you'll be surprised.

Definitely possible. The set-up isn't a bad one. Just not ideally executed so far, although I suspect that's because they want you to be playing the game as much as possible at the beginning. My mind's still wide open regarding what they could do with the story.

Are you still near the Great Plateau / the beginning area of the game?

From gameplay I've seen, the presentation of the rest of the world looks pretty good, the atmosphere and design of the villages, towns, settlements, NPCs all look great.

Ultimately it looks like it's trying to do something different from Witcher 3, but I'm getting pretty strong Ghibli vibes constantly.

I am still there (well, just left) but already you get a sense of how they want to do storytelling, you've seen a couple of cutscenes etc. From the trailers I did think the villages looked a cut above the basic world design, visually. Looking foward to seeing one and reaching one will be my next goal.

I'm actually going to drive home on my lunch break just to play 20 minutes of this game then turn around and drive straight back to work, ha. Eating is for the weak.

Griss, can you elaborate more on why the world doesn't feel real? Curious to hear about this one.

It's nothing you can't see for yourself in trailers. The mountains don't really look like mountains but rather heightmaps, the textures don't evoke real rocks or foliage, and the map layout on a macro level doesn't feel like real topology. You walk across a line, and on one side is grass and on another, snow. Then another line, and it's desert. Like I said, think of WoW regions and you'll kind see what I mean.

It's not a huge problem - Majora's Mask had a totally artificial world map, TP's was pretty poor with it's silly shaped fields and huge chasms. Like those games, this feels like a big level rather than someplace people actually live, farm, work. (Or lived, farmed, worked as applicable)

Griss, how can you tell any of that? You just leave the Great Plateau. I mean, you're bringing some definitive perceptions just by playing the tutorial area of the game.

I'm not trying to dismiss your opinion. Far from it.
But you are making some conclusions that only would be possible for someone who have finished the game, or would be at least is close to do it.

Again, I'm not trying to play defensive in any way, just asking you to put more time on the game before coming with some conclusions (some of them you objectivally can't tell for sure, like the world's general feeling, since you didn't visit any village yet).

I've been open about where I am in the game - and where I am is appropriate for a non-spoiler thread. That said I'm a great believer that you can typically judge 9 out of 10 games from their first couple of hours. If I was to say what I've learned about the story so far, that would be spoilers... so I can't.

 

[Skittzo0413]

Griss, can you elaborate more on why the world doesn't feel real? Curious to hear about this one.

Judging by his previous responses I think he's mainly referring to the visuals there. Like, grassy hills in the far off distance just look green, with no texture of any sort visible. It seems to look more like a heightmap or a "terrain object" than a real world because of that.

Is what he seemed to be saying.

 

[Jim_Cacher]

Griss, how can you tell any of that? You just leave the Great Plateau. I mean, you're bringing some definitive perceptions just by playing the tutorial area of the game.

I'm not trying to dismiss your opinion. Far from it.
But you are making some conclusions that only would be possible for someone who have finished the game, or would be at least is close to do it.

Again, I'm not trying to play defensive in any way, just asking you to put more time on the game before coming with some conclusions (some of them you objectivally can't tell for sure, like the world's general feeling, since you didn't visit any village yet).

While I completely respect Griss for taking the time to write his impressions, I also agree with The Last One here. I think you need to play more before making conclusions since many journalists have talked about how different the world is compared with the Great Plateau.

 

[Bucket-o-roadkill]

Is there really no music when out and about in the overworld? If not that's really pretty disappointing for me personally..

 

[marrec]

I liked WW's story

Pirate Zelda and "gotta save my sister" Link are my favourites.

I liked it too don't get me wrong, but it's not exactly a complicated story for the most part. There's basically one big piece of story-telling that is made completely clear and each plot point leads into the next in a nice and tidy way.

 

[casey_contra]

I think Majora's Mask had a surprisingly deep and well told story. Link Between Worlds as well to a lesser extent. Wind Waker and Skyward Sword to an even lesser extent.

Otherwise ya.

I second this. I also like how a lot of the story you have to discover for yourself through sidequests. Romani and Cremia, the Mailman, Anju and Kafei, and even Kamaro. It's so multi-layered and unfolds so organically within this 3-day structure.

I hope BotW follows suit. It does seem that what from what they are saying and what I've heard through these previews. But I'm also floored that I've managed to stay this spoiler-free.

 

[The Last One]

What's the praise for the most? I am just afraid of the level design, is it still what you get from past zeldas. Amazing gameplay variety and hand crafted moments. Like in MM to get to a dungeon you use your deli ability to float over a monkey base, or turn into a Gordon and make your way up a perolous snow mountain with invisible stuff. It wasn't just the dungeons that had incredible gameplay design. Is that still here.

Yes or no is fine

I'm just reading the non-spoilery impressions, and the game seems to be everything an open world game should be, but usually isn't. Especially when you start the overall exploration.
Gameplay, level design and the world's general feeling are precisely the most praised aspects of the game.

 

[takriel]

Is there really no music when out and about in the overworld? If not that's really pretty disappointing for me personally..

There are tracks playing in certain parts of the overworld or when you ride a horse. I don't know more though.

 

[GRW810]

Is there really no music when out and about in the overworld? If not that's really pretty disappointing for me personally..

I think the sounds of wildlife and nature are wonderful to listen to. Branches snapping, water flowing, wind howling. I've loved hearing it in footage I've watched.

 

[Caelus]

Is there really no music when out and about in the overworld? If not that's really pretty disappointing for me personally..

Heavily location dependent.

 

[phanphare]

I don't think Griss is jumping to any conclusions

I think he's just dropping us non-spoiler plebs a bone and giving his impressions of the game up to a certain point so we can actually read them

 

[Deleted member 752119]

This is exactly correct. The interactivity of The Witcher 3 is the weakest part of the game, and it's 95% of what BotW is about. The presentation, world design, lore and storytelling of Witcher 3 are 95% of what makes it great, and Zelda doesn't really deliver on any of those, though lore and storytelling etc could obviously deliver, but I doubt it.

Yeah they're just very different beasts. Zelda games have never been about the world design, story, lore, characters etc. BOTW may have more than most, but it's not going to compare to things like the Witcher 3 or Horizon that were inherently designed to be narrative and character driven games.

I love both types of games, but lean more toward narrative driven stuff. So I'm prioritizing Horizon first, but really looking forward to diving into Zelda after that before jumping back into a narrative driven game with Mass Effect a few weeks later.

 

[takriel]

Chances are if you liked the visuals in the E3 demos, you'll like the whole game from a visual standpoint.

 

[MiamiWesker]

I'm just reading the non-spoilery impressions, and the game seems to be everything an open world game should be, but usually isn't. Especially when you start the overall exploration.
Gameplay, level design and the world's general feeling are precisely the most praised aspects of the game.

Awesome! Thanks.

 

[Kindekuma]

Chances are if you liked the visuals in the E3 demos, you'll like the whole game from a visual standpoint.

What the game lacks in pixel count makes up for it completely in art style and direction. Thank god the Switch has a dedicated screenshot function, because having to stop the game and upload a screenshot via web browser is a total pain. This game is gorgeous especially in vegetation heavy areas like wide open plains or some forests.

 

[ubiblu]

Chances are if you liked the visuals in the E3 demos, you'll like the whole game from a visual standpoint.

Yes and no. I'm a huge fan of the studio ghibli-esque art direction, and admittedly the Great Plateau is not the best location to base conclusions, but I was genuinely surprised by the graphics and asset pop-in in my short playthrough earlier.

Not trying to be a dick at all, but the Wii U is not the system I would recommend playing this game on.

 

[Bucket-o-roadkill]

I think the sounds of wildlife and nature are wonderful to listen to. Branches snapping, water flowing, wind howling. I've loved hearing it in footage I've watched.

That's great in Skyrim, I love my zeldas to have awesome, catchy, enjoyable overworld themes. Doh.

 

[Cloukyo]

Odd about all the graphical complaints, it looks gorgeous in trailers. Is the difference between the Switch and Wii U that big?

I mean, hopefully so, seeing as I got a Switch for this.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Current impressions are slightly less glowing than the overall comments from the press.

I'm going to call that the La La Land cycle. Critics love or look like they will really love something, hype it, people go in expecting to get their dicks sucked, don't get any of their unrealistic expectations, proceed to tell that work was not so good and in a few months it turns from that into 'very bad', critics do a mea culpa and it loses some awards and then they hype the next big game.

 

[marrec]

Chances are if you liked the visuals in the E3 demos, you'll like the whole game from a visual standpoint.

Cool cause I think it's very pretty. I'm always in for a style heavy game over technical showpieces.

 

[Caelus]

Chances are if you liked the visuals in the E3 demos, you'll like the whole game from a visual standpoint.

I'll be honest, I liked the E3 demo but seeing more of the rest of the game, the plateau is comparatively the worst part. Griss is right about the unreal aspect of areas of the plateau but that does change.

 

[SomTervo]

I've been open about where I am in the game - and where I am is appropriate for a non-spoiler thread. That said I'm a great believer that you can typically judge 9 out of 10 games from their first couple of hours. If I was to say what I've learned about the story so far, that would be spoilers... so I can't.

Again, an equally opposite world from The Witcher 3's - where it looked real and alive but functionally served almost no purpose.

 

[Jim_Cacher]

I think the sounds of wildlife and nature are wonderful to listen to. Branches snapping, water flowing, wind howling. I've loved hearing it in footage I've watched.

Yes! One of my favorite features about the game. It's so relaxing to hear.

 

[skypunch]

Again, an equally opposite world from The Witcher 3's - where it looked real and alive but functionally served almost no purpose.

It served no purpose? That's a load of bullshit.

Edit: nvm, I agree. I read your post wrong.

 

[marrec]

Again, an equally opposite world from The Witcher 3's - where it looked real and alive but functionally served almost no purpose.

A problem many Open World WRPGs have if we're being honest. *tries not to start ranting about open world games*

 

[[NaK]]

Geeez, Zelda's english VA was way worse then I expected from the trailer. Wish they would have settled for the usual grunt and giggles instead. This is just plain bad...

 

[Kindekuma]

Geeez, Zelda's english VA was way worse then I expected from the trailer. Wish they would have settled for the usual grunt and giggles instead. This is just plain bad...

Fans: We want voice acting in Zelda games! It's time for the series to evolve and adapt it!
Nintendo: Okay, here's voice acting in the next Zelda game.
Fans: No thank you! We'll take grunts and sighs.

 

[LotusHD]

Guess we know what the next game will aim to fix lol

 

[Enduin]

Really amazed they managed to fuck up the VA on such an important game. And I'm really pissed off that they didn't allow for us to choose which language and subtitles we'd like from the in-game menu. It's such a bullshit move that there is no excuse for.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Odd about all the graphical complaints, it looks gorgeous in trailers. Is the difference between the Switch and Wii U that big?

I mean, hopefully so, seeing as I got a Switch for this.

It's really just two things.

1. Lots of people just don't like these art styles and prefer more "realistic" styles like Horizon/Witcher 3 etc.

2. Some are sticklers for performance, and apparently the frame rate isn't great in places in this, especially in the Wii U version.

I fall into the first and will play this for the gameplay not soaking in the world, so I don't care much about the second. Whereas bad frame rate would ruin a "spectacle" game like Horizon for me where soaking in the world/graphics/immersion are the main draws for me.

 

[sanstesy]

Wanted to change to the English dub, but I guess I'm gonna stay on the German dub👌

 

[13ruce]

Sounded fine to me in the trailer but i did not expect oscar worthy VA so i'm in the safe zone

Game is fantastic for many people thats what matters more.

I don't think those review previews are being biased i doubt Nintendo pays for good scores and press.

 

[Caelus]

The voice acting is good / ok where you might least expect it. I think the Game Informer impressions mentioned it.

There's no way they can mess up that Goron dude from the trailer (haven't heard him in the actual game yet), right?

 

[takriel]

Really amazed they managed to fuck up the VA on such an important game. And I'm really pissed off that they didn't allow for us to choose which language and subtitles we'd like from the in-game menu. It's such a bullshit move that there is no excuse for.

There's always one really dumb decision from Nintendo that finds its way into Zelda games lol.

 

[[NaK]]

Fans: We want voice acting in Zelda games! It's time for the series to evolve and adapt it!
Nintendo: Okay, here's voice acting in the next Zelda game.
Fans: No thank you! We'll take grunts and sighs.

No, I'll always prefere good voice acting over grunts and giggles, but bad voice acting just drags the whole production down.

 

[sanstesy]

Seems like NoA needs to step up their VA quality game🤔