Skyward Sword review thread [Newest Reviews - Cubed3 10/10, GC: A, AusGamers: 7/10]

Getting something of a split decision here. Certain outlets are going out of their way to mark this as a landmark game (Edge, Eurogamer) and others seem to struggle to maintain their interest long enough to write a review (looking particularly at GiantBomb, but 1Up and such approximate this stance).
 
Zelda haters are saying Nintendo paid money for all those 10/10s.

Maybe they did, but that doesn't explain the experiences told by the reviewers. For example, Rich from IGN. From his tweets he really did seem to have fun.
 
Hmmm. Eurogamer gives a 'game of the week' award to the best new release. They've given two tens this week...

(I suspect they may award it jointly. I don't know if they've ever done that in the past, but it'd be entirely understandable)
 
I guess it was too "kiddy" for G4. Not that a 4/5 is a bad score at all, I feel that they try way too hard to be "cool" and suck any "mature" games nuts that feature guns and blood.
 
Host Samurai said:
I guess it was too "kiddy" for G4. Not that a 4/5 is a bad score at all, I feel that they try way too hard to be "cool" and suck any "mature" games nuts that feature guns and blood.
Click to expand...

Reviewer for G4 early in the thread stated he wasn't allowed to rate it "4.5/5", I guess to him it was closer to a 4 than a 5 so.
 
Caelus said:
Don't worry, when I played the demo it was barely noticeable.
Click to expand...

Really hope that's the case. Like I said I may warm up to it when I actually start playing. I just know that when I see videos and such I just think "man I hope I can turn that off"
 
brandonh83 said:
Nah just, I don't know how I feel about this stamina gauge being there when I'm running or climbing or doing whatever.
Click to expand...
You are penalized with a few seconds of immobility if it runs out, so in many situations it is important to see it. I think you'll drop rather painfully if it runs out while climbing too.
 
mclem said:
Hmmm. Eurogamer gives a 'game of the week' award to the best new release. They've given two tens this week...

(I suspect they may award it jointly. I don't know if they've ever done that in the past, but it'd be entirely understandable)
Click to expand...
They'll give it to SS probably. For being innovative, etc.

To me, Skyrim is just another great Elder Scrolls game, but it doesn't set a monumental point in the history of the series, not much has changed despite evolving, it's the Twiligh Princess of the series, from what I have seen and read.

However, SS seems to be a monumental point in the Zelda series, and also in the Wii and motion control based gaming in general. It is a more important game.


I guess it was too "kiddy" for G4. Not that a 4/5 is a bad score at all, I feel that they try way too hard to be "cool" and suck any "mature" games nuts that feature guns and blood.
Click to expand...
The reviewer is a GAF member, he pointed out his reasons some pages ago, but I found them not enough to warrant the 4/5.
 
brandonh83 said:
Really hope that's the case. Like I said I may warm up to it when I actually start playing. I just know that when I see videos and such I just think "man I hope I can turn that off"
Click to expand...

Since the texture for the stamina gauge is like the rest of the game it isn't that noticeable, and whenever you're in first person view the stamina gauge is pushed to the top right of the screen.
 
stamina meter didn't feel distracting to me. the obnoxiously big wiimote hud, however, is definitely a bit of a nuisance :/ but i guess it can't be turned off or made more transparent. at least i didn't find an option for it.
 
methodman said:
I usually disagree with a lot of what TSA says about Zelda and what he feels about them after I play them. I appreciate that he wrote up that huge post for us to have some more impressions, but I feel like I'm personally going to find fault with a lot of what he said (pros and cons).
Click to expand...
Yep, the TSA's pros and cons is personal appreciations (collecting the Tears of Light in Twilight Princess are the best of the game :P) but it's good not to be influenced by the hype. No Zelda game was perfect. I have no problem with this.


Other thing:
image.php


Where did it comes from, solblade00?
 
jarosh said:
stamina meter didn't feel distracting to me. the obnoxiously big wiimote hud, however, is definitely a bit of a nuisance :/ but i guess it can't be turned off or made more transparent. at least i didn't find an option for it.
Click to expand...

I think someone mentioned that you can turn it off after the "tutorial" sections of the game?
 
jarosh said:
stamina meter didn't feel distracting to me. the obnoxiously big wiimote hud, however, is definitely a bit of a nuisance :/ but i guess it can't be turned off or made more transparent. at least i didn't find an option for it.
Click to expand...

You can remove everything but the hearts and rupees from the HUD I think.
 
jarosh said:
stamina meter didn't feel distracting to me. the obnoxiously big wiimote hud, however, is definitely a bit of a nuisance :/ but i guess it can't be turned off or made more transparent. at least i didn't find an option for it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that makes me feel better about it. That was my only concern. Perfection confirmed.
 
jarosh said:
stamina meter didn't feel distracting to me. the obnoxiously big wiimote hud, however, is definitely a bit of a nuisance :/ but i guess it can't be turned off or made more transparent. at least i didn't find an option for it.
Click to expand...

Are you done with the prologue of the game? The option to turn it off is in the gear menu.
 
After I beat the game I'm going to review the reviews and give my own. I want to see which ones were accurate which ones were just pure bullshit.
 
Having now read the Eurogamer review, I wonder if it was written (or at least changed) in light of the slightly lower review scores from elsewhere. The last paragraph sounds like a direct (albeit gentle) rebuttal to that:

Maybe you've played enough Zelda games by now that even that won't be enough to cleanse your palate. That would be a fair response, but if it's so, this game wasn't made for you. Like a tale told from one generation to the next, the point is to keep the tradition alive for others - and for them, Skyward Sword will surely be the greatest adventure money can buy.
Click to expand...
 
So looking at gamerankings.com, it looks like the game did pretty good for itself so far.

Looking at the OP and some of the quotes, whenever I see reviews of any kind, I can tell which ones to ignore. When reviewers throw in keywords like "identity crisis", "linear", and other crappy rhetoric I can tell someone is taking games way too damn seriously. They sound like comic book guy off the simpsons. Some of the greatest games ever made were linear, like the Super Mario Bros series, that's not explaining why something is bad or good.

Also people who feel the need to write a thesis on a game, I can tell take a game too seriously. Reviews should be concise, to the point, without ridiculous rhetoric or tired nerd gamer catchphrases.
 
ivysaur12 said:
Except that they game they're not reviewing the hypothetical Skyward Sword with classic controls. That game does not exist because it could not exist because the game is entirely based on MotionPlus.

Now, do the technical aspects of the controls not work? That's something to talk about. The EGM review seems to think so. No one else does. EGM isn't even complaining about the motion controls, the review even mentions that they loved the implementation in Twilight Princess.

And for the record - no review has mentioned motion controls as being inferior to standard ones. Not one. Sure, if you're writing that review, I guess you could say that. But that would make you a pretty shitty reviewer.
Click to expand...

See, my issue is that you're effectively saying that you can't dock points for a choice a developer made. The game is based entirely on M+ because Nintendo chose so. They did this for a deeper combat system, something which is easily obtained without the use of M+. If I was complaining about the game being sub-HD in 2011, that might be a bit unfair (though it is a Nintendo game...so they're being restricted by their own decision to make their consoles hardware outdated).

DKCR would have been better if it had a roll button, instead of (or with an option of) the flicking mechanic. In your mind this isn't a valid complaint.
MP3 would have been better had it kept the original control scheme. Again, in your mind not a valid complaint.
Theoretically Speilberg could choose to film a movie from horrendous angles...but he chose to do so, so it's not a valid complaint.

You seem to like the motion controls, that's great, I'm sure you'll love the game (and I will too, despite them). But to say this game wouldn't be possible without them is pretty ignorant. And me saying I'd prefer a classic scheme wouldn't make me a shitty reviewer, I could objectively say that a classic scheme is more precise, and responsive, while allowing all the same actions to be performed.
 
I'm really surprised you can toggle HUD elements on and off. Seems contrary to Nintendo's usual design approach. (Not that I'm complaining).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

IGN's Legion Go 2 Review: A very expensive display upgrade 7/10
Review 
28
237
Magic Carpet replied
Silent Hill f Review Embargo Broken - Dualshockers 9.5/10 (Review summary inside)
2 3
144
2K
PlayStaytion replied
TOTK is easily a 10/10 with the Switch 2 upgrade
2 3 4
156
4K
Jack Videogames replied
Hades 2 | Review Thread
Review  2 3 4
178
920
HYDE replied
Infinity Nikki Review - IGN (9/10) > Stellar blade: IGN 7/10
NSFW  2 3
123
11K
tTHANOSs replied
Top Bottom