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

Sailing through Wind Waker and getting pictures of stuff has become my new podcast game.

Regulus Tera said:
The Magic Armour in TWW didn't use ruppees, just magicks.

And it was the best. Link all special-ed up in WW looks pretty fucking bizarre- you can have him in his PJs with the Master Sword and Mirror Shield, wearing that funky ass mask that lets him see enemy health, and with Magic Armor on... wut
 
I would have loved Wind Waker more maybe if you gained the ability to warp sooner, and to more places.

Because for all the hate Twilight Princess got about pacing, there's nothing worse than sailing for five minutes in a straight line with nothing else to do.
 
Branduil said:
If Wind Waker had

1)The two missing dungeons instead of the fetch quest

2)At least OoT level of difficulty

3)One-button instant wind direction switching

I think it would have been the greatest Zelda ever.

Agree
Don't care
didn't bother me at all
 
Miyamoto said:
In previous Zeldas we had players assign items to specific buttons in order to make it as instinctive as possible. Just having multiple buttons, though, opens up the possibility of making mistakes. With this game, you use the B button to switch between items and A to use all of them, which cuts down on mistakes.

Mother fucking citation needed. There is no way a menu system accessed in game that uses a pointer (that you can't reset the center point of when in this menu) is less open to the possibility of mistakes than just pressing a button.
 
Crunched said:
I would have loved Wind Waker more maybe if you gained the ability to warp sooner, and to more places.

Because for all the hate Twilight Princess got about pacing, there's nothing worse than sailing for five minutes in a straight line with nothing else to do.
It was alright when you didn't know what would be in your path. And that could sometimes be random. It wasn't as fun when you'd explored everything and still couldn't warp directly to places.
 
Branduil said:
If Wind Waker had

1)The two missing dungeons instead of the fetch quest

2)At least OoT level of difficulty

3)One-button instant wind direction switching

I think it would have been the greatest Zelda ever.

Wind Waker is already the best Zelda ever.

But yeah, those things would've made it EVEN better.
 
Skyward Sword does take a lot from the various more obscure parts of the franchise and improves on them greatly. There's always a use for rupees in the game similar to Phantom Hourglass or Spirit Tracks, and collecting loot actually matters this time unlike Wind Waker. The later is actually quite difficult unless you get a
Treasure medal
which increases the loot count considerably. I also suggest getting all the Goddess Cube treasures cause they give you stuff that'll actually help you progress through the game (one gives you another Bottle) and take on some of the more difficult challenges.
 
Ghost_Protocol said:
To anyone whose played/beaten the game: Does Link get any armor/tunics besides the standard? PM me or spoiler tag a simple yes or no.
No, but the game doesn't really require the use of it. There's equip replacements for the Zora Tunic and Goron Tunic.
 
butter_stick said:
I'm talkimg about when I'm in dungeonsc or an overworld where no massive red bird is available. Then it's roll roll roll time. Link's grunts are the true soundtrack to Zelda.
In dungeons? Fair enough.

It's worth it to listen to Link constantly grunting, I agree *swoon*
Regulus Tera said:
The Magic Armour in TWW didn't use ruppees, just magicks.
But I interpreted Toilet Paper as Twilight Princess (I lold), but you're right

The Mana Legend said:
Yeah, the DS Zeldas had a nice use for rupees, but they are bad games overall.

And your Bob Saget demon thing is scaring the shit out of me.
It would've been way better if Wind Waker (especially) had the item and ship part economy that the later games had. If PH did one thing right, it made sailing much less monotonous. I actually wound up hating exploration in Minish Cap more than any other Zelda (except maybe Zelda 1)

But how else will Bowser gain a good reputation if he can't be accurately portrayed by Bob Saget ALSO KNOWN AS DANNY TANNER, CO-HOST OF WAKE UP SAN FRANCISCO
 
Thrillhouse said:
The HD remake would have exactly the same graphics in a higher resolution.

Exactly the same graphics in a higher resolution? If the recent remakes are anything to go by that's not the case at all. What you're talking about seems to be something more like upscaling rather than going into the game and changing things.

Thrillhouse said:
I thought that it was so obvious that you would get it from a simple remark.

I'm incredibly sorry I kicked your dog.

As for the best Zelda, Zelda II is the best Zelda followed by Wind Waker.
 
butter_stick said:
Mother fucking citation needed. There is no way a menu system accessed in game that uses a pointer (that you can't reset the center point of when in this menu) is less open to the possibility of mistakes than just pressing a button.
It actually is pretty intuitive

And it doesn't use the pointer, it uses an eight-way motion, so unless somehow it has become so uncalibrated that it is confusing downright for right (and it would be immediately obvious if this were the case, not that I've ever heard anyone complain about this or had it happen in the demo), then I can't imagine how that would be an issue.

Have you tried it? What problems did you have with it?
 
Crunched said:
I would have loved Wind Waker more maybe if you gained the ability to warp sooner, and to more places.

Because for all the hate Twilight Princess got about pacing, there's nothing worse than sailing for five minutes in a straight line with nothing else to do.
I played through the game only using the warp once the second time round. I guess it helped that I knew exactly where to go so I could plan my journey around the map effectively. Also you can collect rupees while sailing which are important later on in the game.
 
Crunched said:
I would have loved Wind Waker more maybe if you gained the ability to warp sooner, and to more places.

Because for all the hate Twilight Princess got about pacing, there's nothing worse than sailing for five minutes in a straight line with nothing else to do.
The only two times the game forces you to sail in a straight line for five minutes are the trips from Dragon Roost to Forest Haven and from Windfall to Outset. Sailing is not as slow as people make it to be.
 
ShockingAlberto said:
It actually is pretty intuitive

And it doesn't use the pointer, it uses an eight-way motion, so unless somehow it has become so uncalibrated that it is confusing downright for right (and it would be immediately obvious if this were the case, not that I've ever heard anyone complain about this or had it happen in the demo), then I can't imagine how that would be an issue.

Have you tried it? What problems did you have with it?
Only in the demo. The problem is I pretty much have my right hand kinda slumped to the right when I play, so when I bring that menu up its awkward to move "more right". So I'll have to center my arm, bring it up, then select the item. It's do-able, obviously, but I much much much prefered TP Wii's system.

Also the way bottles and shields are on their own menu and you have to switch between them? Why?
 
butter_stick said:
Wind Waker is the worst 3D Zelda by a considerable margin, but if those suggested fixes had been implemented I agree it would be one of the best.

Wind Waker tried something new and screwed up in a few places.

Twilight Princess tried Ocarina of Time and screwed up in a few places. Because of that alone, I have to say Wind Waker>Twilight Princess. Awesome dungeons isn't enough to me.
 
butter_stick said:
Only in the demo. The problem is I pretty much have my right hand kinda slumped to the right when I play, so when I bring that menu up its awkward to move "more right". So I'll have to center my arm, bring it up, then select the item. It's do-able, obviously, but I much much much prefered TP Wii's system.

Also the way bottles and shields are on their own menu and you have to switch between them? Why?
Because it's genuinely more intuitive than pausing the game to equip them. The secondary item pouches are a part of the game so you don't have to equip them and use them at any time in the game.

The item changing is genuinely fine I dunno wtf you're talking about, it's one of the easiest ways to ever equip an item in the Zelda series. It's far more natural feeling and faster than any previous way to apply an item just for the fact you can run, attack, etc. while you're doing it.
 
Anth0ny said:
Wind Waker tried something new and screwed up in a few places.

Twilight Princess tried Ocarina of Time and screwed up in a few places. Because of that alone, I have to say Wind Waker>Twilight Princess. Awesome dungeons isn't enough to me.
Dungeons ARE Zelda for me. They're what I rate the games on.
 
Electivirus said:
Very much agreed. The Galaxies and Epic Yarn look better to me than almost any other game on the HD consoles I've played this gen.
Anth0ny said:
I own PS3 and 360, and no other art style looks as good as the Galaxy games. No, I don't care about Crysis or Battlefield or Uncharted. Of course they're technically superior, but that's not important to me.

On topic: Skyward Sword looks freaking gorgeous. HD re-release for Wii U Nintendo plz.
Alright I'm out of here. Wtf is happening...
 
Regulus Tera said:
The only two times the game forces you to sail in a straight line for five minutes are the trips from Dragon Roost to Forest Haven and from Windfall to Outset. Sailing is not as slow as people make it to be.
That's when it's required by the story maybe, but it's necessary for many side quests.
 
butter_stick said:
Dungeons ARE Zelda for me. They're what I rate the games on.

fair enough. I know many people who think the same way. I was never huge on dungeons (Majora's Mask is my favorite game), so a game with 8 great dungeons and almost nothing else to offer wasn't my cup of tea.

SecretMoblin said:
To be clear, he always has access to the Varia Suit; he just needs it to be authorized for use.

I lol'd

; _ ;
 
butter_stick said:
Dungeons ARE Zelda for me. They're what I rate the games on.

Same. I played WW after TP and the dungeons felt just so incredibly bland in comparison. In atmosphere and world it's leagues beyond TP but the dungeons man, the dungeons.
 
Big One said:
Because it's genuinely more intuitive than pausing the game to equip them. The secondary item pouches are a part of the game so you don't have to equip them and use them at any time in the game.

The item changing is genuinely fine I dunno wtf you're talking about, it's one of the easiest ways to ever equip an item in the Zelda series. It's far more natural feeling and faster than any previous way to apply an item just for the fact you can run, attack, etc. while you're doing it.
In TP, I'd have three items that would usually last the whole dungeon, and a shield simple equipped that I didn't have to worry about swapping out when I wanted to use a bottle. I see absolutely no benefit to SS' system. Being able to fast switch is fine, but you rarely even needed to switch in TP.
 
Having played a little over a dozen hours of Skyward Sword, I'll just say this to everyone who's "on the fence" about the all-over-the-place reviews:

After reading Gamespot's review, I'm convinced the reviewer just watched someone playing the game rather than playing it.

They do have a couple of valid complaints such as the camera and thrust not working so well, but the majority of their complaints are either based on factual inaccuracies about the mechanics of the game, or dubious writing to make issues out of non-issues.

For instance, you can not automatically run off ledges unless you are sprinting- rather it will give you an option to hang onto a ledge. Also, the complaint about the effectiveness of the shield but doesn't mention that it breaks after a few uses.

Granted, I'm only 15 or so hours into Skyward Sword, but from what I've played, this game has been more compelling than Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. There are a few issues that I have such as Skyloft not being part of the Overworld (I wish I had the vertical freedom to skydive anywhere I wanted on Skyloft), and as Gamespot mentioned, the thrust doesn't work so well, but It definitely lives up to the standard of the franchise. The sword controls are terrific, the streamlined menus keep the pace moving, and the cast has a lot more personality than the series' norm due to sharp writing and some of the best animation this generation.
 
butter_stick said:
In TP, I'd have three items that would usually last the whole dungeon, and a shield simple equipped that I didn't have to worry about swapping out when I wanted to use a bottle. I see absolutely no benefit to SS' system. Being able to fast switch is fine, but you rarely even needed to switch in TP.
That's because Twilight Princess' dungeons are centered around a single item while Skyward Sword's dungeon are centered around multiple.
 
Ringman said:
Having played a little over a dozen hours of Skyward Sword, I'll just say this to everyone who's "on the fence" about the all-over-the-place reviews:

After reading Gamespot's review, I'm convinced the reviewer just watched someone playing the game rather than playing it.

Edit: It seems that they've even edited the review since it first went up because of all the inaccuracies. They removed the bit about the "IR controls" (which don't exist, by the way), and changed a couple of other lines here and there to make the review more cryptic in its complaints.

Very sloppy work on Gamespot's part. They do have a couple of valid complaints such as the camera and thrust not working so well, but the majority of their complaints are either based on factual inaccuracies about the mechanics of the game, or dubious writing to make issues out of non-issues.

For instance, you do NOT automatically run off ledges. In fact, you simply CAN NOT unless you are sprinting- rather it will give you an option to hang onto a ledge. Also, he complains about the effectiveness of the shield but doesn't bother to mention that you can only use it a few times before it breaks. These two "complaints" make me think he didn't actually play the game.

Granted, I'm only a 15 or so hours into Skyward Sword, but from what I've played, this game has been more fun and compelling than both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. There are a few issues that I have such as Skyloft not being part of the Overworld (I wish I had the vertical freedom to skydive anywhere I wanted on Skyloft), and as Gamespot mentioned, the thrust not working so well, but It definitely lives up to the standard of the franchise. The sword controls are terrific, the streamlined menus keep the pace moving, and the cast has a lot more personality than the series' norm thanks to sharp writing and some of the best animation this generation.

I hope this post has alleviated some confusion over the quality of the game.

HAHAHAHA

Need comparison screenshots. Oh great.
 
Big One said:
That's because Twilight Princess' dungeons are centered around a single item while Skyward Sword's dungeon are centered around multiple.
So why does TP let you have three at quick disposal while SS makes it a more cumbersome process to use more than one?
 
butter_stick said:
So why does TP let you have three at quick disposal while SS makes it a more cumbersome process to use more than one?
The switching between items in TP is just as fast as switching between the items in SS. Once you actually play the game you'll get used to it and understand. The wheel is SS is pretty much the item switching in the previous Zelda games in a different form.
 
Regulus Tera said:
The only two times the game forces you to sail in a straight line for five minutes are the trips from Dragon Roost to Forest Haven and from Windfall to Outset. Sailing is not as slow as people make it to be.
PLUS IT HAS THE BEST TRAVEL MUSIC EVER
 
Ringman said:
Having played a little over a dozen hours of Skyward Sword, I'll just say this to everyone who's "on the fence" about the all-over-the-place reviews:

After reading Gamespot's review, I'm convinced the reviewer just watched someone playing the game rather than playing it.

Edit: It seems that they've even edited the review since it first went up because of all the inaccuracies. They removed the bit about the "IR controls" (which don't exist, by the way), and changed a couple of other lines here and there to make the review more cryptic in its complaints.

Very sloppy work on Gamespot's part. They do have a couple of valid complaints such as the camera and thrust not working so well, but the majority of their complaints are either based on factual inaccuracies about the mechanics of the game, or dubious writing to make issues out of non-issues.

For instance, you do NOT automatically run off ledges. In fact, you simply CAN NOT unless you are sprinting- rather it will give you an option to hang onto a ledge. Also, he complains about the effectiveness of the shield but doesn't bother to mention that you can only use it a few times before it breaks. These two "complaints" make me think he didn't actually play the game.

Granted, I'm only 15 or so hours into Skyward Sword, but from what I've played, this game has been more fun and compelling than both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. There are a few issues that I have such as Skyloft not being part of the Overworld (I wish I had the vertical freedom to skydive anywhere I wanted on Skyloft), and as Gamespot mentioned, the thrust not working so well, but It definitely lives up to the standard of the franchise. The sword controls are terrific, the streamlined menus keep the pace moving, and the cast has a lot more personality than the series' norm thanks to sharp writing and some of the best animation this generation.

I hope this post has alleviated some confusion over the quality of the game. The game has a few issues, but they are extremely easy to overlook when the core package is some of the best in the series. The dungeon design is fantastic, the items are useful outside of their respective dungeon, and various tweaks to streamline the menus and travel make this probably the most accessible Zelda game.

Damn it, I knew I should have taken screens of the review. I knew they would edit it. Damn.

EDIT: Hey! The infrared aiming mention is still there.
 
Big One said:
The switching between items in TP is just as fast as switching between the items in SS. Once you actually play the game you'll get used to it and understand. The wheel is SS is pretty much the item switching in the previous Zelda games in a different form.
TP: press a direction on the D-Pad.
SS: hold B. turn your arm to the direction of the item you want. Release B. Unless you want to use a bottle. Then use -

You simply can't argue SS' system is faster or easier.
 
I think it will take a few more generations before the conceptual genius behind the Wind Waker is fully understood. Yes they didn't completely follow through and deliver the whole vision but if they had it would have been the greatest Zelda game ever. Perhaps Skyward Sword is the fulfillment of Wind Waker's promise, that question is not yet answered because I haven't played the game and cannot judge.
 
butter_stick said:
TP: press a direction on the D-Pad.
SS: hold B. turn your arm to the direction of the item you want. Release B. Unless you want to use a bottle. Then

You simply can't argue SS' system is faster or easier.

Yeah, they're really no argument here. From the demo alone, the inventory system is ass. I wish they just retained the Twilight Princess controls, since, you know, left and right on the d-pad do absolutely nothing in Skyward Sword. Why is everything mapped to B? you have extra buttons to use! ugh.
 
butter_stick said:
TP: press a direction on the D-Pad.
SS: hold B. turn your arm to the direction of the item you want. Release B. Unless you want to use a bottle. Then

You simply can't argue SS' system is faster or easier.
Wat. Since when did turning your arm was involved in this? You don't have to turn your arm to select an item in Skyward Sword, just turn your hand very lightly
 
Anth0ny said:
fair enough. I know many people who think the same way. I was never huge on dungeons (Majora's Mask is my favorite game), so a game with 8 great dungeons and almost nothing else to offer wasn't my cup of tea.



I lol'd

; _ ;

Majora's Mask only had 4 dungeons, but you probably spent at least twice as much time in them as you did in WW's dungeons. WW's first 3 dungeons are all like 30 minute endeavours. The last two are a bit longer, mostly because you're forced to carry around some dead weight the whole time.

I'll say it again, Zelda's overworlds used to function as more of a hub than anything, they tried to change this in WW, but failed because there wasn't anything to do. So now instead of having a nice hub that aids in giving the game a worldly feel, we're stuck with giant hubs with the density of Eastern Russia.

If they REALLY insist on doing these huge worlds, they should outsource the content creation for them, because while Nintendo is excellent at making a concentrated, guided experience...they're among the worst when it comes to trying to fill a large space with fun and engaging content.
 
Anth0ny said:
Why is everything mapped to B? you have extra buttons to use! ugh.

Because using as little amount of buttons as possible is actually good design and in line with the control philosophy of this game.
 
zoukka said:
Because using as little amount of buttons as possible is actually good design and in line with the control philosophy of this game.
How is it good design to not allow you to assign shortcuts for quickswitching? At least give the damn option. Nintendo has made so many poor design choices this gen in a desperate attempt to make everything somehow connected to motion/pointing.
 
apana said:
I think it will take a few more generations before the conceptual genius behind the Wind Waker is fully understood. Yes they didn't completely follow through and deliver the whole vision but if they had it would have been the greatest Zelda game ever. Perhaps Skyward Sword is the fulfillment of Wind Waker's promise, that question is not yet answered because I haven't played the game and cannot judge.
I agree with you that Wind Waker was absolutely genius in concept. Some of my most poignant memories in gaming come from sailing to an undiscovered island, docking the boat, and running up to explore without any loading or transition scene to ruin the thrill of discovery.

Skyward Sword implements that concept with the sky overworld, but it's significantly smaller than the ocean, and the main areas to which you can fly have loading times when you "arrive" which slightly ruins the feeling of discovery (to me at least).
 
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