Support NeoGAF

[Moondrop]

I was travelling Friday through Sunday and worked today, so permit me my fresh takes:

- First impression: I haven't felt like this since Mario 64. I feel near unlimited creativity in my movement and interaction options (though the limits are undoubtedly numerous).

- Control options: For the first hour I found myself standing directly in front of my TV, arms hanging down at my sides, joycon in each hand.

- Graphics: I'm impressed, but then again I'm a Nintendo gamer. Dissection of frame rate drops seem petty after actually playing.

- Difficulty: I wouldn't argue the game is hard from anything I've seen in the first couple of hours, but it definitely isn't easy, and I'm so grateful. I've died a handful of times already to a variety of sources, from environmental hazards to charging at multiple enemies with a stick, and all incidences share a common trait: stupidity on my part. So many games today fail even that difficulty bar.

- Bombs: I'm obsessed with bombs and the physics thereof. I can toss them out in combat and detonate in midair like Goldeneye 64. Just found a windy area where I can roll bombs at my foes from a variety of angles, and it appears bombs can even be used as distractions. Loving the bits of AI I've seen by the way- again, so many games don't even bother. But mostly can't wait to experience more physics.

 

[cryptosporidium]

Camel and Bird divines done! Camel had good puzzles but i didnt enjoy the boss too much, Bird was easier puzzle wise but the boss was more fun (and easy)

 

[WadeitOut]

Here's a short potato video demonstration of what I mean. Notice how I regain ALL OF THE STAMINA I lost climbing up to that point by doing this. Climbing huge surfaces without stamina potions is now possible for me (and you, too!)

I'm telling y'all this trick right here is a gamechanger, don't sleep on it. If there's a big enough patch of suitable slope on whatever mountain face you're climbing, you can even clamber once, climb back down a few feet, and clamber again, which will re-fill your stamina far faster than it drains. Or you can just use this trick to literally run up huge lengths of cliffside and mountainside like you're fucking Spider-Man.

This is why I never understood people going stamina heavy early on. So easy to hit rock cutouts to regain stamina.

 

[vityaz]

Didn't really care about the rain before, but now I get it. Currently sitting around mid-climb on

Spoiler

Akkala tower

waiting for the rain to stop -_-

 

[Smiles and Cries]

I am in the same position but I'm already too invested, I think I'll continue this run on Wii U and do the expansion on Switch, Hopefully.

I am kinda far on Wii U too with like 6 hearts and 4 area towers but I want a fresh start
If I retrace my steps I'll get caught up soon

 

[JonnyKong]

I came across a shrine that was frozen from the outside...Any idea on what to do about it? You can spoiler tag the answer.

What would you normally do with something that's frozen and you want it to melt..

 

[PrimeBeef]

The topography is master-class. It's very good at funneling your attention and guiding you. Each time I go "hmm I wonder...?" I get rewarded in some ways. It feels like the level designers are in my head.

They use a mapping software program to see where people went after they left the GP. They then modified the zones and landmarks to make less traveled paths more inviting. Like I said a few days ago, everywhere I go there is something pining for my attention elsewhere. It's a great design as opposed to having to have quests to take you to places becasue the world is pretty dull outside the main quest areas.

 

[EroticSushi]

Spoiler

5 sledge 1 sword.

Not all weapons are equal when it comes to imparting momentum.

I finally got it. I did 4 swings with the hammer and 4 hits with a small boomerang.

 

[Crayolan]

Is there a generally accepted order for major areas of the game? I feel like the second area I chose to finish was much tougher than the first. Perhaps it was designed to be done later?

Spoiler

I did Gerudo Valley after the Zoras, and the dungeon boss kicked my ass for quite awhile, until I buckled down and learned the different ways of smacking his ass.

I'm pretty sure the intended order is

Spoiler

Rito>Zora>Goron>Gerudo

because in Hyrule Castle (major endgame spoilers)

Spoiler

when you fight Ganon early you have to boss rush all the dungeon bosses at once and that's the order you fight them in.

 

[SuperSonic1305]

Why are you using stasis and not magnesis or cryonis?

It's a wooden chest but I didn't think of cryonis. Good call.

 

[Addi]

The Island all the way North East,

Spoiler

the Labyrinth,

was pretty cool. Loved the atmosphere and the

Spoiler

claustrophobic feeling. It really felt like a maze.

Here's the gear I got there, tell me if I missed anything:

Spoiler

Knight Sword
Knight Shield
Knight Bow and Spear I didn't need
Fire Blade
Skull Mask
Gerudo Head Gear resistant against guardians

 

[Docpan]

Performance on Wii U version is just terrible... I just can't do it... looks blurry as hell, frame rate in seemingly single digits everywhere, even the text looks blurry and every weapon I use just breaks instantly.

I feel like you just walk around and I have no idea what I'm doing. I can't enjoy the game and I was waiting for this for a long time .

I just turned on shovel knight. I can't do it. Should I trade in and up for a switch or what?

 

[Smiles and Cries]

I did the Gerudo Desert first. Lots of getting my ass kicked and I had to run back and get some better armor and some more hearts before I managed to beat the boss in the Titan, but damn was that Ability worth it. I'm really glad I have it, saved my ass more than a couple of times.

hehe ^^

this game just allows everyone their own freestyle!

I love it lol

 

[Wanderer5]

The Island all the way North East,

Spoiler

the Labyrinth,

was pretty cool. Loved the atmosphere and the

Spoiler

claustrophobic feeling. It really felt like a maze.

Here's the gear I got there, tell me if I missed anything:

Spoiler

Knight Sword
Knight Shield
Knight Bow and Spear I didn't need
Fire Blade
Skull Mask
Gerudo Head Gear resistant against guardians

Spoiler

Yeah it did heh.

I think I got a royal blade from there too.

 

[Edzi]

Man, I can't flurry consistently at all, can anyone? The timing window seems pretty small, whenever I do it, it's more accident.

It's not that the window is small, it's just that you're airborne for so long during a dodge and you can only flurry once you're on the ground. It's pretty poorly designed tbh, since you just end up waiting around midair in frozen time until you land and can finally start mashing attack to get the flurry going.

 

[iFirez]

Didn't really care about the rain before, but now I get it. Currently sitting around mid-climb on

Spoiler

Akkala tower

waiting for the rain to stop -_-

I think the rain is fine, they just should have added something like climbing gloves or something that allows you to climb in the rain.

 

[Addi]

Spoiler

Yeah it did heh.

I think I got a royal blade from there too.

Oh, got the names mixed up, that's the one I got

 

[WordAssassin]

I am stuck on the goddamn (shrine name

Spoiler

Ishto Soh Shrine [Bravery's Grasp]

I cannot for the life of me solve this puzzle and all the youtube videos are just people cheating the system to beat it argh

I just know it's gonna be like "THAT was it??" when I finally crack it

 

[Darkman M]

Literally been playing this all day and have accomplished Nonthing in game lol.

 

[PrimeBeef]

Three nights in a fucking row. This blood moon mechanic is fucking infuriating.

Spoiler

I'm trying to get a scale from Dinraal and I can reliably spawn him but every god damn time I get close that fucking blood moon shit happens and the instance is reset. Dinraal gone. Dinraals scales gone.

Make that 5. This is too easily replicatable to be a coincidence.

Almost 40 hours of game time, around 100 in game days and I have only had 3 blood moons. They seem to come around 30-35 in game days apart from each other for me.

 

[Wanderer5]

I just realized you can get ancient parts from inactive guardians lol.

Oh, got the names mixed up, that's the one I got

Well I found the rest of the stuff you mentioned in there too.

 

[PKrockin]

Man, I can't flurry consistently at all, can anyone? The timing window seems pretty small, whenever I do it, it's more accident.

Are you dodging in the correct direction? Backflipping horizontal swings and sidestepping thrusts/overhad swings?

 

[Vena]

This is why I never understood people going stamina heavy early on. So easy to hit rock cutouts to regain stamina.

This is for vertical slopes which dominate points of interest. You can't really cheese these with this technique. Also hearts are useless in this game. You can cook +15 heart food.

 

[13ruce]

Can you respec your hearts after you get

Spoiler

the master sword

to stamina? Or do you always have to have that amount of hearts?

 

[Firemind]

This is for vertical slopes which dominate points of interest. You can't really cheese these with this technique. Also hearts are useless in this game. You can cook +15 heart food.

Spoiler

Master Sword

 

[iFirez]

Performance on Wii U version is just terrible... I just can't do it... looks blurry as hell, frame rate in seemingly single digits everywhere, even the text looks blurry and every weapon I use just breaks instantly.

I feel like you just walk around and I have no idea what I'm doing. I can't enjoy the game and I was waiting for this for a long time .

I just turned on shovel knight. I can't do it. Should I trade in and up for a switch or what?

It's certainly not blurry on the switch, not to me anyway; I haven't seen the Wii U version to compare to though so...

Also the weapons breaking is a part of the gameplay and evolving combat system of the game. Even in the late game weapons break... a lot.

You walk around not knowing what you're doing? That's kind of the point, the game gives you objectives and points to head to on the map and in your adventure log but it doesn't push you to do things and force you down a linear path like most story driven Zelda games.

I haven't seen the frame rate on the Wii U, but it's choppy in a few places on the switch too. It drops to the 20s in the denser areas of the Great plateau and there's a heavily wooded area in the game that feels like it's at 20 all the time. I have heard from a friend that the Wii U version is pretty bad though and that she has to stop and wait for the game to 'stop lagging and catch up' in her words.

 

[Darkman M]

This is for vertical slopes which dominate points of interest. You can't really cheese these with this technique. Also hearts are useless in this game. You can cook +15 heart food.

I literally just eat some Stam food while in the middle of climbing. And you need hearts to get a certain item.

 

[Mandelbo]

I think the rain is fine, they just should have added something like climbing gloves or something that allows you to climb in the rain.

To be fair, there are quite a few scenarios and areas designed around the fact that you can't climb while it's raining. Adding an item that allowed you to do that would let you basically completely bypass some of the cooler things the game has to offer

Spoiler

the lead up to Zora's Domain and Thundra Plateau for example!

 

[Angry Grimace]

Picking Stam early makes sense simply because very little is gating you health wise early in the game because climbing stam helps you find more shrines and the really tough enemies one shot you anyways.

 

[Nepenthe]

Finally solved the dungeon in the desert!

Spoiler

It's very creative, moving different parts of the camel to create circuits. Figuring out how to get going was tough at first, but once you understand that main caveat you start progressing faster and faster. I felt really proud and clever getting to each terminal on my own.

Now the boss is fucking my life up. 8'D

 

[SpiceMelange]

Lots of interesting info in the strategy guide

For instance, did you know that you always critically cook during the blood moon? (Or even that there is a concept of critical cooking which is a % chance of making better food)

Also, there is level scaling in the game. The game keeps track of a kill counter for each monster species. After certain milestones, additional color variants of that species will start to spawn.

 

[iFirez]

Also, there is level scaling in the game. The game keeps track of a kill counter for each monster species. After certain milestones, additional color variants of that species will start to spawn.

This makes so much sense. I'm finding camps filled with the highest tier of Moblin and Bokoblins now, the tights are fun and their health bars are big.

 

[Mazre]

Any leads on a plain Moblin Club, can't seem to find one anywhere

 

[Darkman M]

Lots of interesting info in the strategy guide

For instance, did you know that you always critically cook during the blood moon? (Or even that there is a concept of critical cooking which is a % chance of making better food)

Also, there is level scaling in the game. The game keeps track of a kill counter for each monster species. After certain milestones, additional color variants of that species will start to spawn.

I usually hate scaling, but the way it's done here seems very cool. Can't wait for my guide tommorow.

 

[cryptosporidium]

Ive beat two divines yet i still feel as if im barely a quater of the way through this game... INSANE

 

[Raven117]

It's not that the window is small, it's just that you're airborne for so long during a dodge and you can only flurry once you're on the ground. It's pretty poorly designed tbh, since you just end up waiting around midair in frozen time until you land and can finally start mashing attack to get the flurry going.

The combat is just not awesome. Its really the only "flaw" I can find with the game.

 

[MrSaturn99]

Finally solved the dungeon in the desert!

Spoiler

It's very creative, moving different parts of the camel to create circuits. Figuring out how to get going was tough at first, but once you understand that main caveat you start progressing faster and faster. I felt really proud and clever getting to each terminal on my own.

Now the boss is fucking my life up. 8'D

I'm in the same boat. Dungeon was great to figure out but this boss...my guard was down since the last two were relative cakewalk. Second half is insane.

 

[Moz La Punk]

Man, i just did the first divine

Spoiler

zoras domain

and that was great, so I had four parts of the map open and before Im going to my second divine I went to lake

Spoiler

Hylia

, and the Faron woods after that is something else! So magical. The beach behind it is cool too. Ive opened up about 1/4 of the map and theres already so much variety in surroundings.

I also found great gear in some of the better shrines. I pretty much only have level 50 swords. I keep buying racks for my house to place the most badass swords in but i keep finding even better weapons!

This game. Probably the best game Ive ever played.

 

[GwyndolinCinder]

Every moon is a blood moon right now....

 

[Im_So_Pringles]

Blood moons are definitely bugged, and it is literally the only thing negative about this game so far for me. I get a blood moon day about every ~3 in-game days, and it shows the cutscene and loading sequence at least 3 times throughout the day; sometimes at times of day that make no sense. I've seen the cutscene at times like 7am, 1pm, and 5pm. Something's definitely fucked about the blood moons.

Other than that the game is perfect.

 

[SomedayTheFire]

Almost 40 hours of game time, around 100 in game days and I have only had 3 blood moons. They seem to come around 30-35 in game days apart from each other for me.

My numbers would have been roughly the same before the last hour and a half. Had maybe 4 blood moons. I've had 9 on the last hour and a half. All the exact same way.

 

[Anth0ny]

fuck it, going for 100% now.

 

[PKrockin]

Picking Stam early makes sense simply because very little is gating you health wise early in the game because climbing stam helps you find more shrines and the really tough enemies one shot you anyways.

Neither are really necessary since you can cook to overcome either stamina demanding cliffs or really strong enemies, it's just a matter of convenience. I got one heart container to not get one shot by the more basic enemies and am now focusing on stamina just because I like being able to sprint for longer.

 

[Angry Grimace]

The combat is just not awesome. Its really the only "flaw" I can find with the game.

I really enjoy the combat in the game a lot. I dunno, it just feels satisfying to hit a dude and have them recoil enough to combat feel visceral but not enough to really let you get away with stunlocking anything. The big 2 handers in particular just feel good to crash into a big Moblin.

 

[SpiceMelange]

fuck it, going for 100% now.

You crazy man. I don't think I'd find all 900 koroks seeds in a lifetime lol. So much map combing.

 

[Numb]

hehe ^^

Got this on first try
Was lucky unlike other motion puzzles

fuck it, going for 100% now.

RIP

 

[Edzi]

The combat is just not awesome. Its really the only "flaw" I can find with the game.

Dodges are way too floaty/jumpy and shields constantly breaking limits your defense even further. It's definitely not the games strongest point.

 

[Chaos17]

Can you respec your hearts after you get

Spoiler

the master sword

to stamina? Or do you always have to have that amount of hearts?

Yes,

Spoiler

search for little boy with glasses in Hateno.

 

[CharminUltra]

Throwing weapons never gets old for me, especially while the enemies try to jump-attack. It usually catches them in mid-air. It's hilarious.

 

[bobbychalkers]

hehe ^^

Bruh.....
This fucking game