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[Branduil]

Okay, so this is my Skyward Sword time travel theory: everything directly connected to the goddess is predestined, but all of the stuff Link does actually changes the past. That explains why Zelda is always in the crystal, but the tree and the Master Sword don't appear until Link puts them there. It also explains why the goddess had two plans: one to account for everything fated to happen, and one for the variables.

So Link really could have lost to Demise, and it would have changed the past.

 

[The Technomancer]

Is Zelda always in the crystal? Do we see the crystal before Zelda goes back to enter it?

 

[Big One]

Is Zelda always in the crystal? Do we see the crystal before Zelda goes back to enter it?

Yes.

I'm pretty sure the sequence of events in the game is predestined for the most part.

 

[Branduil]

Is Zelda always in the crystal? Do we see the crystal before Zelda goes back to enter it?

Yes.

 

[Kard8p3]

Honestly, I think the scene where Groose lands down with Link is the best cutscene in the game. I may be remembering wrong but compared to past Zelda titles, SS didn't have music playing in a lot of the cutscenes which kind of felt weird. I remember most of the dramatic cutscenes in the past Zelda titles were matched with good music but I remember quite a number of the important cutscenes in this game were dead silent.

That's strange because I remember the music for almost every cutscene in the game as those are some of my favorite tracks. I can't think of a single cutscene that had no music. There might be parts where it goes silent for a second before switching to the next track but other than that there's always music from what I remember.

 

[The Technomancer]

So I really like how Girahim is basically the evil version of Fi, that was a very cool moment at the end when I looked at his visual design and realized that he was like a black-and-white version of her.

I still do not know how the fuck timeshift stones work though.

They restore things to the way they were an arbitrary time (say one hundred years) ago Then what does that mean for living beings? If you're dead and someone activates a time-shift near your body, does that mean that you spring into life with knowledge up until your death? Or if you died at age fifty and someone activates the stone so that you awaken as a relative thirty year old, does that mean that your memories jump from wherever you were at thirty to the sudden present?
Could you remain immortal inside the range of a timeshift stone? Or would you just get to double your remaining life, and eventually die perma-death?
My head really hurts right now.

 

[Branduil]

So I really like how Girahim is basically the evil version of Fi, that was a very cool moment at the end when I looked at his visual design and realized that he was like a black-and-white version of her.

I still do not know how the fuck timeshift stones work though.

They restore things to the way they were an arbitrary time (say one hundred years) ago Then what does that mean for living beings? If you're dead and someone activates a time-shift near your body, does that mean that you spring into life with knowledge up until your death? Or if you died at age fifty and someone activates the stone so that you awaken as a relative thirty year old, does that mean that your memories jump from wherever you were at thirty to the sudden present?
Could you remain immortal inside the range of a timeshift stone? Or would you just get to double your remaining life, and eventually die perma-death?
My head really hurts right now.

I assume they work based on their name and just shift things back to a certain point in the past. Hence Bokoblin skeletons and the Lanayru dragon coming back to life.

 

[Big One]

They restore things to the way they were an arbitrary time (say one hundred years) ago Then what does that mean for living beings? If you're dead and someone activates a time-shift near your body, does that mean that you spring into life with knowledge up until your death? Or if you died at age fifty and someone activates the stone so that you awaken as a relative thirty year old, does that mean that your memories jump from wherever you were at thirty to the sudden present?
Could you remain immortal inside the range of a timeshift stone? Or would you just get to double your remaining life, and eventually die perma-death?
My head really hurts right now.

Some of these questions are an obvious "Yes" cause you do restore the Thunder Dragon from his remains sometime before his death from an illness.

As for him being immortal...damn I dunno.

 

[The Technomancer]

Some of these questions are an obvious "Yes" cause you do restore the Thunder Dragon from his remains sometime before his death from an illness.

As for him being immortal...damn I dunno.

Right, but after you help him his bones disappear in the present. So that implies you're somehow changing the past. But the stones clearly don't open a "portal" to the past or else none of the puzzle that depend on having the stone over half of the mechanism would work.

I know I'm overthinking this damnit!

 

[Branduil]

Right, but after you help him his bones disappear in the present. So that implies you're somehow changing the past. But the stones clearly don't open a "portal" to the past or else none of the puzzle that depend on having the stone over half of the mechanism would work.

I know I'm overthinking this damnit!

Half of what mechanism?

 

[MisterHero]

I think the Timeshift Stone effects are different on the robots, because rather than having a state of broken and pristine, the bodies probably thrive on the energies and can only live as long as the stones are active. But after the people took off to the sky, there was no one to maintain them or to create larger Timeshift fields. Ghirahim sending his army to take control of the area made things only worse. How they don't affect Link is funny, though.

This is speculation but I think Old Impa is wearing Timeshift stones around her neck, which might have given her magical longevity

 

[Electric Brain]

I assume they work based on their name and just shift things back to a certain point in the past. Hence Bokoblin skeletons and the Lanayru dragon coming back to life.

Here's a mindbender: You see enemy bones in the 'present', because THAT's where they died - because YOU killed them.

 

[The Technomancer]

Half of what mechanism?

Like in the Timeshift room of the Triforce Dungeon where you hit eyes while they're in range of the stone to effect the room outside of the stone. If they opened a portal to the past you'd be activating the rooms mechanisms in the past.

 

[Branduil]

Like in the Timeshift room of the Triforce Dungeon where you hit eyes while they're in range of the stone to effect the room outside of the stone. If they opened a portal to the past you'd be activating the rooms mechanisms in the past.

Nor necessarily. If you're changing the past, it could just be no one reset the mechanisms in the time inbetween.

 

[The Technomancer]

Nor necessarily. If you're changing the past, it could just be no one reset the mechanisms in the time inbetween.

But that would mean that then the mechanism would have been activated when you entered the room in the first place!

And what does that mean for living beings if it opens a portal to the past. Do you just see a random traveler from the future pop into existence who's bounded by an invisible circle?

 

[Branduil]

But that would mean that then the mechanism would have been activated when you entered the room in the first place!

Not if you're changing the past.

And what does that mean for living beings if it opens a portal to the past. Do you just see a random traveler from the future pop into existence who's bounded by an invisible circle?

I guess so.

 

[Duderz]

There really, really needs to be an official soundtrack release for this game. I'd imagine there would be one since SMG1 &2 had an official release, but I would think we would have heard about it by now.

 

[DarkKyo]

Demise was a pretty neat character/boss.

Does SS pre-date every other zelda story? Meaning neither Ganon nor Vaati exist in any form yet? Also, does Ganon pre-date Ganondorf(I know they are the same, essentially. Just curious as to when/how he became humanoid) or is the other way around?

Man, this game really made me yearn to see Vaati in a 3D Zelda. I honestly thought Ghirahim may have meant Vaati when he first spoke of resurrecting his lord.

Edit: Also this may have been brought up already, but how does the entire adventure even begin if Demise is wiped out in the past at the end of the game and not merely sealed away? If Link defeats Demise in the past, he wouldn't have had to quest for the Triforce to stop him in the present... which means he never would have gone into the past to defeat him.

 

[jackdoe]

One thing I noticed during cutscenes was Ghirahim's standard character model was noticeably low poly. It looked out of place when in scenes with Link and Zelda which were very well done character models. It didn't help that they did extreme closeups on his ass, legs, and abs for a cutscene. His sword form model though is up to the Link and Zelda standards.

 

[sphagnum]

Does SS pre-date every other zelda story? Meaning neither Ganon nor Vaati exist in any form yet? Also, does Ganon pre-date Ganondorf(I know they are the same, essentially. Just curious as to when/how he became humanoid) or is the other way around?

SS is the first story in the Zelda chronology, so yes, Vaati/Ganon/Malladus/Bellum/all the other villains aren't around yet. One of them (Ganondorf), or perhaps all of them, is/are incarnations of Demise's hatred, doomed to plague the spirit of the Hero and the bloodline of the Goddess as they are passed down through the ages.

And Ganondorf predates Ganon. Ganon is just the demon form of Ganondorf that comes about due to him acquiring and using the Triforce of Power in OoT, likely in combination with his heritage as an incarnation of Demise's hatred.

 

[MisterHero]

One thing I noticed during cutscenes was Ghirahim's standard character model was noticeably low poly. It looked out of place when in scenes with Link and Zelda which were very well done character models. It didn't help that they did extreme closeups on his ass, legs, and abs for a cutscene. His sword form model though is up to the Link and Zelda standards.

all of ghirahim's bones were in his tongue too

 

[Green Mamba]

Just beat it. While I think that Demise's final speech was very poorly written (too heayhanded and doesn't actually make a lot of sense) I do kind of like the implication that, rather then a new Link being born every time there is evil that needs defeating its actually an evil arising to curse every new Link.

His last speech was pretty poorly written but I did like how it spelled out what his hatred's reincarnation meant for the rest of the series in no uncertain terms solely because we aren't be stuck with an OOT like ending where we'd have long heated debates on what the fuck it actually meant.

 

[Anth0ny]

The actual direction of the cutscenes in this game was fantastic: the best I've seen out of Nintendo and some of the best I've seen in the industry.

The dialogue itself is much more of a mixed bag.

The cutscenes were awesome. Showed they don't need voice acting in Zelda games. Charming character designs and fantastic music does just fine.

But the dialogue could definitely use some work. Wasn't bad, but it wasn't great.

 

[ASIS]

Some of these questions are an obvious "Yes" cause you do restore the Thunder Dragon from his remains sometime before his death from an illness.

As for him being immortal...damn I dunno.

He never died, his eyes still glimmered when you talked to the bones.

 

[DarkKyo]

He never died, his eyes still glimmered when you talked to the bones.

He was just realleh, realleh sick.

Also, thanks for the prompt answer to my questions, sphag.

 

[Laughing Banana]

Seeing Ghirahim is basically the evil version of Fi really makes me sad about how underdeveloped Fi really is :\ I guess Demise is a lot more imaginative than Hylia.

 

[Franchuzas87]

The one at the sealed grounds still matched the ocarina location a bit better than the one in the desert. When you stand in front of the sealed grounds you can see eldin volcano in the background. It's in roughly the same spot as death mountain is when you're in front of the temple of time in Ocarina. The lanayru Temple of Time doesn't match up at all.

Now I can't unsee it.

 

[TheCongressman1]

Now I can't unsee it.

Oh shit. I knew it.

Did Link and Zelda tear down the statue to build a town? lol

 

[jackdoe]

Seeing Ghirahim is basically the evil version of Fi really makes me sad about how underdeveloped Fi really is :\ I guess Demise is a lot more imaginative than Hylia.

What makes me even more sad is that they try a tear jerker scene in the end with Fi and you just don't care since she was so underdeveloped that you remember her more for her annoying persistence at telling you the obvious or spoiling puzzles than for any sort of emotional connection with Link.

 

[ag-my001]

Beat it last night, saved over my file with Hero mode before I realized what the implications were. This is important, as I don't see myself playing this one again for quite a while.

The biggest issue to me was the forced linearity. The only options I saw where you could deviate were in taking the time to help out various Skyloft people (or not) and what order to go after the three dragons with. It's not that having a set dungeon order is new to Zelda games, but there was never a time to explore while looking for the next big thing. It was always right there. I'm actually more inclined to replay OoT, where I can complete the Fire and Water Temples before ever setting foot in the Forest Temple if I so choose.

I also didn't like some of the out of place objects. I found two of the Scrapper items before I found Scrapper, and kept trying to figure out what they were for or did, with no feedback at all from the game. When I find something odd, I expect to be able to do something about it. On a similar note, I still have no idea how I was supposed to get through Ghirahim's "perfect blocking" mode. Was this a place a shield was actually used? The first two bosses both offered very little feedback for success, which is very unusual and was fixed for other parts of the game. The Cistern boss and the Tentalus were good examples here of giving the player context clues. Also the Scorpion in the desert: "Wait, this floor is sand. I've been blowing sand away this entire dungeon. I wonder what would happen if..."

Motion controls were a mixed bag, mainly based on the speed of my swings. Some fights seemed to reward very fast hits, while others would doom you for trying to orient your swing against defenses. The harp was also a pain, as the game would register a smooth swing as jumping from low to high notes and back again.

Best part of the game was probably the constant use of older items. So many times I used the beetle for scouting, then completely forget that I could use it for switches or attacks.

Overall, a good game. I give it an 8.5 or so. For LoZ games I've played, order is now:

1) OoT
2) LA
3) TP
4) LttP
5) MM
6) Legend of Groose

with WW receiving an honorable mention for being stuck on the Triforce hunt.

 

[Franchuzas87]

Oh shit. I knew it.

Did Link and Zelda tear down the statue to build a town? lol

And guess who built a store over the seal of Demise...

...

Ok, maybe that's too much.

 

[yankeeforever2]

Oh shit. I knew it.

Did Link and Zelda tear down the statue to build a town? lol

Isn't there like a 1000 years difference, the places probably had to be built and rebuilt multiple times.

 

[Lunar15]

What did link want to do now?

It will always bother me.

 

[Red]

I love the legend of Groose remark. Nintendo obviously knew he'd be a fan favorite.

 

[shadyspace]

This has to be the first Link, right?

 

[Lord_Byron28]

This has to be the first Link, right?

Yes and the first Zelda.

I still say a prequel playing as Hylia would be cool but I might as well toss that into the same pile(never going to happen) as a game playing as Midna or playing as Zelda trying to stop Ganondorf before the Great Flood happens.

 

[Green Mamba]

This has to be the first Link, right?

At the very least the first Link that has encountered Demise and any of his incarnations.

 

[Lunar15]

This has to be the first Link, right?

It seems like it absolutely should be that way. But I remember when they said the same thing about Minish Cap.

 

[shadyspace]

Yes and the first Zelda.

I still say a prequel playing as Hylia would be cool though.

You don't know that. Anouma said it "might" be the first Zelda.

 

[Lunar15]

Nintendo retcons itself all the time, so I'm not getting my hopes up. But since this game was so absolutely blatant about it being the first, I doubt they'll go against themselves.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

You don't know that. Anouma said it "might" be the first Zelda.

first Zelda as the character or game? Because I was refering to the character. I don't see how they could do another game starring Link and Zelda prior to SS.

 

[Laughing Banana]

And guess who built a store over the seal of Demise...

Is that OOT 3DS? Looks real nice

I also wonder about Link's parents. Nintendo should mention them one of these days... the only instances they're mentioned is OOT and even that's just small snippets.

 

[Branduil]

What did link want to do now?

It will always bother me.

He wanted to experience the legend of Zelda.

 

[shadyspace]

first Zelda as the character or game? Because I was refering to the character. I don't see how they could do another game starring Link and Zelda prior to SS.

Anouma was like "Uh, this might not be the first LoZ wink wink" fyi.

 

[Caelus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AWhu8PXVjVA#!

Sounds great.

 

[Phenomic]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AWhu8PXVjVA#!

Sounds great.

I want more of these.

 

[Lunar15]

He wanted to experience the legend of Zelda.

bow chicka wow wow

 

[Lord_Byron28]

Anouma was like "Uh, this might not be the first LoZ wink wink" fyi.

Okay still don't see how they'd put another game starring Link and Zelda prior to SS unless they nuke SS from the timeline like they did TMC. Unless they add in that Link helped Hylia defeat Demise. It'd make this whole 'millions of trials to prove you really are the hero' useless if they put another LoZ title inbetween Demise vs. Hylia and SS. Unless there is a bunch of stuff that happened before Hylia vs. Demise.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

I'd like to think we have had the last prequel now, and its all sequels from here on out

 

[TheCongressman1]

I also wonder about Link's parents. Nintendo should mention them one of these days... the only instances they're mentioned is OOT and even that's just small snippets.

I wish Link had had some kind of family in Skyloft. I like to think that the guy with the big hair and mustache is his uncle.