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[Alex]

Hey.

I've been contemplating buying this for awhile, and I finally have the time to get some friends together on it. But I had a few questions for any of the fans of the game.

1.) How long is it, more importantly, how much length can you squeeze out of it? Me and a friend beat the living tar out of FF:CC, taking massive ammounts of years and clearing everything that could be cleared.

Basicly, how much content is there?

2.) For the most part, we're only going to have two players. I'd prefer three or four of course, but it can't be done, is it still a quality experience like this?

3.) Finally, is there anything that can be done with the game as a single player title? Perhaps when I can't get anyone together, or when the multiplayer craziness is gone.

Thanks much.

 

[AniHawk]

Hey.

I've been contemplating buying this for awhile, and I finally have the time to get some friends together on it. But I had a few questions for any of the fans of the game.

1.) How long is it, more importantly, how much length can you squeeze out of it? Me and a friend beat the living tar out of FF:CC, taking massive ammounts of years and clearing everything that could be cleared.

Basicly, how much content is there?

2.) For the most part, we're only going to have two players. I'd prefer three or four of course, but it can't be done, is it still a quality experience like this?

3.) Finally, is there anything that can be done with the game as a single player title? Perhaps when I can't get anyone together, or when the multiplayer craziness is gone.

Thanks much.

1. About 20 hours. Can be stretched into 22 or 23 or even more if you dig Shadow Battle. Replay value for me wasn't very high.

2. I played it about 90% with two players, and it was really fun.

3. The single player mode is supposed to be different enough from the multiplayer mode to warrant its own play through. I haven't given it a go, and I'm not about to. I just don't see the appeal.

 

[Chony]

I havent even finished the game because us three fight so much about something as meaningless as Force Gems. They really mean nothing, but we are at eachothers throats, this is deffinitly the most violent game I have ever played. It's a lot of fun, and I do reccomend at least three people, I would imagine it being much more relaxed with 2 people (especially when voting comes around). It's a very fun game, pretty lengthy too. Deathmatch is a lot of fun too.

 

[AeroGod]

I played through it on single player and it was better then OoT, MM, and Wind Waker combined and multiplied by 10. Definatly worth it, and its even better with 3 other good friends.

 

[MrCheez]

Yeah, for whatever reason, Four Swords brings out the worst in people. :O

That's not to say it wasn't a bunch of fun. But man... expect to have your buddies beat the crap out of you non-stop. (And... well... expect to do it to them, too )

 

[Dagless M.D.]

(especially when voting comes around)

Voting? Where do you vote in the game?

 

[AeroGod]

Yeah, for whatever reason, Four Swords brings out the worst in people. :O

That's not to say it wasn't a bunch of fun. But man... expect to have your buddies beat the crap out of you non-stop. (And... well... expect to do it to them, too )

The voting system at the end of the levels can instantly turn best friends into worst enemies.

 

[AeroGod]

Voting? Where do you vote in the game?

At the end of the levels each player votes on who they thought was the good player and what person was the evil player.

 

[Alex]

Haha, well, thanks for the replies. I basicly intended to get it, but it sounds like a sure fire to pick up now.

Need something to play co-op, and we've crushed everything in everyones libraries of games. Couldn't find Four Swords for rent.

Rented Wario Wario GC, and unlike the nifty, well put together GBA game, we found the GC version to be very poorly put together on every front...barring the multiplayer game with the turtles...that was cool.

By the way, what exactly is the GBA for in FSA?

 

[Baron Aloha]

I played it single player only and I thought it was one of the better Zeldas. Get it!

 

[AniHawk]

By the way, what exactly is the GBA for in FSA?

Dungeons/houses and voting.

 

[AeroGod]

Haha, well, thanks for the replies. I basicly intended to get it, but it sounds like a sure fire to pick up now.

Need something to play co-op, and we've crushed everything in everyones libraries of games. Couldn't find Four Swords for rent.

Rented Wario Wario GC, and unlike the nifty, well put together GBA game, we found the GC version to be very poorly put together on every front...barring the multiplayer game with the turtles...that was cool.

By the way, what exactly is the GBA for in FSA?

The GBA is so people can be in different areas at a time. SO if your friends are outside fighting stuff on the screen you can go into a house or cave and do stuff. Its also where you vote and whatnot and do a buncha other stuff you dont want your team seeing you do.

 

[Dagless M.D.]

At the end of the levels each player votes on who they thought was the good player and what person was the evil player.

What! i only ever played with two players and i never got to see this

 

[AeroGod]

What! i only ever played with two players and i never got to see this

It only works with 3 or 4 players. At the end of the level you vote for the Hero and Shadow. The person voted the hero(most positive votes) gets some extra crystals and the Shadow(most negative votes) gets crystals taken away. If you are helpful to your friends you get positive votes. If you get your friends killed or hog the crystals they vote you negative...or ya know, just vote for the person you hate regardless of how they play or gang up on the person who played the best. Like I said, its ruins friendships amongst competiitive people

 

[MoxManiac]

What? Four Swords' single player is actually worthwhile?

 

[Dragona Akehi]

Hey.

I've been contemplating buying this for awhile, and I finally have the time to get some friends together on it. But I had a few questions for any of the fans of the game.

1.) How long is it, more importantly, how much length can you squeeze out of it? Me and a friend beat the living tar out of FF:CC, taking massive ammounts of years and clearing everything that could be cleared.

Basicly, how much content is there?

2.) For the most part, we're only going to have two players. I'd prefer three or four of course, but it can't be done, is it still a quality experience like this?

3.) Finally, is there anything that can be done with the game as a single player title? Perhaps when I can't get anyone together, or when the multiplayer craziness is gone.

Thanks much.

You sound like me. I absolutely loved FFCC and our little group played on one file for over 100 hours. And we're still playing.

Zelda is a great great multiplayer game (and even decent single player) but there are a few niggling things(to clarify, these are things WE didn't care for and others may love):

1) IT'S FAR TOO SHORT. We beat it in 15 hours, and that was shitting around. We found everything, played lots of minigames in Tingle's Tower.

2) You can't turn friendly fire off, if you wish. Now there's nothing wrong with co-operative play with an edge, but sometimes when we really didn't want to bother with accidently knocking our mates off the edge because we sliced a little too close to them while fighting.

3) You can't build your Link at all. Every level boots you back to square one in terms of powerups. We loved the fact that in FFCC we could build characters and so forth. Having to get enough force gems for EVERYlevel seemed a bit much.

4) Not really worth replaying. Once you've done it, you've done it all.

Now with that out of the way: FSA is an absolute purchase. We just feel a bit gypped, since it's so short and we loved what we played of it. It needed to be about 5-6 times longer to be honest. All of the levels are really good, there just needed to be more.

 

[Brandon F]

Funny you should mention Wario Ware GC, the one thing it has going over Four Swords is profile stat tracking...a feature that would have been much appreciated in 4 swords.

As mentioned, the game does create a -very- unhealthy appetite for greed. Primarily the driving funfactor among multiplayer, rupees appear in the most unlikely and zaniest ways around every corner, and it is hard not to expect everyone playing to make a rush to collect. Often the game will force certain puzzles on your party requiring you to split members away, and it is in these moments where you can expect someone to come out a bit richer, while the others get nada or some loss of life. Fortunately it never becomes predictable either, in fact the core design of the progression is pretty ace all the way through.

The problem is that it quickly loses its luster....very fast. Of my GBA owning friends, half of them scoff when 4 swords is every brought up during our gaming sessions. They just flat out refuse to touch it anymore, not out of spite over previous sessions, but because it just feels all too pointless and redundant, an argument I cannot disagree with.

The greed serves nothing. No purpose at all. It merely acts as a distraction(and likely a SUPER irritation among some of your peers) between pushing blocks, talking to NPC's, shoveling, switch-hitting, and other Zelda familiars. Mileage completely varies dependent on the maturity level and fortitude of your GBA touting friends sitting in the same room. Frankly, there really needed to be a better hook or reason to stuff your wallet full of colored gems, as it stands it is a REALLY tiring gimmick that unfortunately is the main attraction for multiplayer.

The major other issue is that the game is stupidly easy inr egards to action. Like Wind waker, you'll find excess heart-containers and other non-sensical encruchments within the stages, but death is as meaningless as the gem collecting in this one. You die, you come right back to life on the spot taking away a fairy from your stash of like...60 on average at any given moment? Nintendo left the god-mode turned on...

Fortunately, the puzzles are exceptional, and though the most powerful foes are never threatening, the takedown maneuvers are well devised and require patterned coordination almost constantly. This is the REAL reason to play the game. Trigger-happy friends may be dissapointed that the puzzles take precedence over the fighting(some stages featuring a boatload of backtracking and collecting and nary a need to swing your sword), but the versus mode is actually a great deal of fun and certainly will get more playtime than you might expect. It's no smash bros. but it works.

Personnally, I'd wait till it reaches the $20-30 level. Though the quest is long and the stages massive, I don't dig it enough to warrant a $50 purchase or keep it for the long term. Once I can convince my friends to endure a few more stages to beat the thing, it's SOOOO gone from the collection. But hey, maybe your group will fare differently towards it. If anything, the first few hours will be a complete delight robbing and pillaging each other blind. Actually since it is just two of you playing as you mentioned Alex, I expect the backstabbing boobery to never reach the annoyance we suffered. Oh god that stealth level!!

 

[AeroGod]

20 Years ago getting the High Score in a video game WAS the game. Being number 1. Now its a fucking gimmick. Thats a damn shame, a real damn shame.

My friends and I(varying different friends not always the same group) have beaten FSA at least...20 times and Ive beaten in solo 3 times. Its a great competitive game and a perfect throw back to the glory days of LttP with just enough new school attitude in it to keep it from feeling like the same game. its just easy to pick up and play a few rounds then come back to it later or the next day and finish it again. There isnt anything deep or complicated about it and its not restricting like FFCC which I hated because of that stupid cup thing, that was the real gimmick. From a storyline purpose it made sense and was "cool" but in a multiplayer action game IMO it hurt the gameplay.

Multiplayer Shadow Battle was also great. The level design and all the traps within are just awesome. It might not have the fighting depth of SSBM, but the level desing more then makes up for it. I actually had more fun playing FSA multiplayer then SSBM, although I wont argue the fact that SSBM is the deeper and longer lasting game.

 

[AniHawk]

"I expect the backstabbing boobery to never reach the annoyance we suffered. Oh god that stealth level!!"

Yeah, what's with it with stealth in Zelda games lately? It's been in FSA, TWW, and OoS. OoT was the only time I found it kinda fun, and that was because it was near the beginning and not an entire level.

 

[AniHawk]

The level design and all the traps within are just awesome. It might not have the fighting depth of SSBM, but the level desing more then makes up for it.

My favorite level was the 2D sidescrolling one. The tactic I loved most was getting Shadow Link to throw the huge countdown bomb. Then, while in shadow world, I'd pick up my sister/friend in the real world and hold them in the air until it went off.

 

[Alex]

There won't be any issues with the folks I play games with. Very, very civil, mature, helpful people. Almost to a fault.

I'm sure there will be a small bit of "You handle those blood thirsty monsters, and I'll handle these vast riches", but not much really.

Knowing my friends and the way they replay stuff, we'll be playing through it one time purely co-op (equally dividing goods, helping people get what they need ala everything else), the other time competitive.

If I could take an audio clip of my friends dividing up their inventories in FF:CC, giving each other gil, etc, I'm sure it'd blow some minds.

That's part of the reason, as Folken should know, that I never, ever, ever trash talk. It's just not something I'm used to.

 

[GDJustin]

I played through the entire game with just one other person, and can verify that it's still a kickass experience.

 

[ge-man]

"I expect the backstabbing boobery to never reach the annoyance we suffered. Oh god that stealth level!!"

Yeah, what's with it with stealth in Zelda games lately? It's been in FSA, TWW, and OoS. OoT was the only time I found it kinda fun, and that was because it was near the beginning and not an entire level.

I know in the case of OOT and TWW Miyamoto explained it as one way in which the designers could show Link becoming stronger by limiting his abilities early one. It worked in OOT, but too many people have complained about it TWW. I bet with an older Link we will see the stealth gameplay either given a complete boot or see it revamped so it can be a real option and not some forced gimmick (I hate using that word but I can't think of anything better).

 

[Brandon F]

Aerogod: It's not at all that I am denouncing the enjoyment a high-score achievment can offer to gaming.

If you read my opening remark above, the first thing I mentioned is the total lack of any player profiles or tally tracking. If this game were truly enjoyable for the merit of superceding the competition in some deluxe score-contest, the game certainly dumbs it down to almost misunderstood levels.

Like I said, mileage will vary. Several of my friends are currently at each others throats clawing their way up the ladder of Pure Pinball's score tallies over XBL. These are the same people that couldn't stand playing 4 swords past world 2. I guess laughs and grunts during the post-level voting procedure just didn't take for our little posse.

As far as Alex is concerned, the game will surely make a wonderful co-operative experience. The puzzles and level design are very charming, and all this talk over competitive beastiality just doesn't have the same impact with only two players at the helm. Some of the levels can be real brain-scratchers(5-2), others just pure platforming and action. I think you'll dig the time you spend with the game.

Oh and the stealth level would have been cool if half the people weren't purposefully fucking it up just to spite us all for forcing the game on them when they clearly kept voting to play Soul Calibur 2 instead...they got their revenge. As far as stealth is concerned, it was actually kind of cool, far better than that junk in Wind Waker.

 

[TekunoRobby]

Three cheers for the Asshole Links, I know I was one of them!

Hey you just got through an incredibly tough platforming segment on your GBA and you just got out of the hole! HAH HAH I THROW YOU DOWN BITCH.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Being an Asshole Link is priceless. I played with my brother and two of his friends this weekend, and I got voted Shadow Link EVERY level.

"DON'T LET THAT FUCKER GET THE FIRE ROD" became a sort of mantra. I rock!

 

[Mejilan]

Charged up Fire Rod + Asshole Link = Priceless

 

[MrCheez]

The stealth level was freaking hilarious. =)

"DON'T FREAKING HIT THE GOD DAMN POTS THIS TIME YOU BASTARDS!!!! ><"

"ok"

"ok"

"ok"

.....

*crash*

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[Brandon F]

The stealth level was freaking hilarious. =)

"DON'T FREAKING HIT THE GOD DAMN POTS THIS TIME YOU BASTARDS!!!! ><"

"ok"

"ok"

"ok"

.....

*crash*

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yes, we all had a good laugh for awhile as well. Then 45 minutes later I wanted to toss the game AND my friends off my balcony.

Peh...I need Alex's friends. You guys wouldn't believe the shrewd commentary heard from my group towards FF:CC when we 'attempted' to get into that one. I've never seen beyond year 2! Even my RPG loving friends can't stand the game, and I am not gonna sit and do it solo. As much love as it gets here, after the vocal raping I've witnessed, I do have my doubts that there is fun to be had.

 

[MrCheez]

Maaan, if only the game was online and we could play with you, Brandon. =(

FFCC is a ton of fun... hang on to it in case you make some less-critical friends in the future. =)

 

[Alex]

We had a lot of fun with it last night. About halfway through World 2 at the moment.

The level design has been really great so far. And the tools and puzzles are classic Zelda goodness, I was actually surprised to how much we got stumped on really silly stuff in the first areas as well, good fun.

I'm hoping the Feather appears soon, though. Gameboy Zelda = rox.

The combat difficulty is solid as well, for the most part, although way too many force faries, we'll NEVER see a game over.

And I was hoping they'd take the competitive aspect a bit further than the abysmal Four Swords GBA did, although the Force Gems are still great fun.

The group is still pretty civil about everything, espically concerning balanced tools/working through puzzles, although the mad dash for force gems (even after someone left, and we were playing 2-player) was pretty maddening.

The approach of the game is way too straight forward IMO, it's a different style to be sure, but it's kinda depressing to have no persistant character/equipment building, or any non-linear progression/reason to replay levels other than just to enjoy them again. Which we'd likely save for another playthrough.

Anyhow, despite a few minor gripes, I really like it, and can see us coming back to it a fair bit even after it's over. Likewise, the general opinion from the 3-player session seemed to agree with that, but that Crystal Chronicles was a much better game.

Question: How do you go about unlocking more mini-games? I think we only have the horse racing thus far. Is there like a hidden tingle in every world you need to find?

 

[Drinky Crow]

My friends were the exact opposite -- they didn't like CC because it kept you from being an ass. Four Swords is popular because you really jinx up your pals, talk trash, and generally be a hilarious pain in the pooper.

I guess Four Swords is THE niche game for friends who like to abuse each other.

 

[AeroGod]

 

[Alex]

Oh, there was abuse, but not a tremendous ammount. Picking people up (popular), pinning them to walls with tools, sword fights, etc. All for those little gems.

But for the most part, it was pretty civil, like usual, people sharing and balancing the teams tools, always would come back from another part of the map when someone asked for help on a puzzle, etc. No one really screwed around much during important parts, or made anyones life hell, etc.

The only "nice guy" thing that never got used was where you can pick people up upon death to revive them faster, but no, they'd just run over the the corpse, loot it blind, and be on their way.

"Peh...I need Alex's friends. You guys wouldn't believe the shrewd commentary heard from my group towards FF:CC when we 'attempted' to get into that one. I've never seen beyond year 2! Even my RPG loving friends can't stand the game, and I am not gonna sit and do it solo. As much love as it gets here, after the vocal raping I've witnessed, I do have my doubts that there is fun to be had. "

It's ok, Folken. When we play Monster Hunter, I promise not to chop off your head and dig through your pockets for multi-colored gems. If that makes you feel any better.

 

[FoneBone]

"I expect the backstabbing boobery to never reach the annoyance we suffered. Oh god that stealth level!!"

Yeah, what's with it with stealth in Zelda games lately? It's been in FSA, TWW, and OoS. OoT was the only time I found it kinda fun, and that was because it was near the beginning and not an entire level.

The OoS stealth bit was really easy, as I recall.

 

[Alex]

I waited until one of my friends was at one half-heart, then hurled a level 2 bomb at him and took all the gems. Does that make me evil?

 

[GDJustin]

Yes. Yes it does. Now embrace the evil. You'll only feel bad about it for a little while. That little voice in the back of your head goes away, I promise.

 

[AniHawk]

The OoS stealth bit was really easy, as I recall.

I just thought it was pointless. FSA was kinda fun at first, until EVERYBODY STARTED SCREWING UP.

 

[Alex]

That Village stage in World 2 rocked.

And Shadow Battle is by far the best deathmatch tack-on to a game that shouldn't have deatchmatch, period. We played the hell out of it, mostly 2-player, but how do you unlock more arenas? We just have the basic five.

 

[GDJustin]

Beating the game unlocks the other 5, but without spoiling anything, they aren't exactly what you're expecting for/hoping for.

 

[explodet]

These tales of evil are AWESOME.

 

[Alex]

"Beating the game unlocks the other 5, but without spoiling anything, they aren't exactly what you're expecting for/hoping for."

Boo! I love the original set, espically The Field, but most importantly Hyrule Castle. Fantastic fun with the additional combat they throw in, espically when they start dropping mini-bosses in as well, and no one can decide to chase the other guy, or to worry about that guy with the huge spiked ball and chain.

Plus, it's also nice to not have COWARDS ducking into houses/limited dark world access. Although madly hurling bombs/rocks/whatever from the TV to their GBA is hilarious to me for whatever reason. A few trap triggers would be nice also.

That said, the main game is getting more and more pissier, people were right. I mean, we laugh it all off, we're not really fighting, but the deeds we stoop to for force gems are getting worse and worse.

Although, when the time comes to balance out tools, solve puzzles, work together, that all goes behind us, which it sounds like most folks would apprecaite.

LV.2 Hammer > you.