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More Twilight Princess Details Emerge
Press the Buttons has a link to an interview with Nintendo veterans Miyamoto and Aonuma. In it they reveal the identity of the cloaked woman in the trailer and more information about where in the Zelda timeline the new game falls. Press the Buttons has commentary as well: "From time to time I still see posts on online message boards claiming that Twilight Princess is the Zelda game 'we should have gotten instead of Wind Waker', a train of thought that extends from the fact that some people are still against Wind Waker's highly animated visual style despite having never played the game."
People who didn't play Wind Waker because they didn't like the "kiddy" artwork are not real gamers...plain and simple.
"A truly wise man realizes he knows nothing."
*Off topic...kind of*
I never really liked the Zelda games, they held absolutely no appeal for me. Sometime last year, on a whim, I borrowed The Wind Waker from a friend, and have loved every minute of it...it's got quirk, it's got character, and it plays very smoothly...something my previous dungeon-crawler addiction never really did - Dark Cloud 1&2.
If this is the game we were supposed to have gotten instead of the Wind Waker, what will it take to get something along the accidental lines?
"How like you to drag your keyboard to a gun fight." - Aaron Bedard (BANE)
Aside from playing a bit of the original NES Zelda, Wind Waker was my first time at a Zelda game, and I must say that I actually prefer the cell-shaded Link to the other incarnations. The previous Zeldas had kind of a anime feel to them, while the WW Zelda was more like an American cartoon. I think it's pretty cute, and while others may find it too 'kiddie', the graphics have a lighthearted feel that I like.
That said, there was way too much sailing about in WW. I have friends that liked the game, but refuse to play it again because of the sailing. It looks like the next Zelda won't have that, so maybe it'll be better.
Another pet peeve - I wish videogames would let you play back cutscenes you've already seen. It's not like I'm going to play it all in one sitting, so I'd like to be able to review the plot and stuff.
Random stuff, I know. But I'm hoping the next Zelda will be even better than the last one.
I had the same doubts about WindWaker being cartoony and childish, but after playing it I was satisfied that it belongs in the general pantheon of Zelda games. It clearly grows darker as you progress, and is very hard to put down.
Viewing the 'screenshots' caused my BS detector to go off, of course, because these are very obviously prerendered elements. They shouldn't be allowed to call them screenshots. But those things aside, it'll be nice to see a more adult Zelda, and hopefully a much darker one.
If you own a Gamecube and haven't played this game - please, try it. Even if you don't like the look of the cell-shaded graphics, don't let it discourage you.
After Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, I was shocked when they revealed the stylistic route they went with Windwaker.
However, right from the opening screen all the way to the final battle with Ganon, I loved the graphics. They were able to accomplish environments and effects that are very much unique to the cell-shaded universe.
For instance, there was a dungeon full of lava. I'm sure this would look awesome if they had done the realistic graphcs. However, seeing cell-shaded flames through a heat-induced haze was gorgeous. If you were to present the same environment using "realistic graphics", I'd probably prefer the cell-shaded.
We've all seen lava, water, mountains, and grass plains in real life (or on TV, or movies). But to see these same environments interpreted as cell-shaded is definitely unique, and dare I say, innovative.
I'd like to see a dialogue heavy Zelda with a much more epic story line...
Sorry, but it doesn't actually seem like you're looking for a new Zelda title, but a new title with Zelda characters. A dialogue heavy Zelda has never really existed, and could be the reason why the series has done well.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it?
I just pooped your party.
Most people prejudged Wind Waker because they were teased with the more realistic graphics, and then discovered an entirely new game was coming. The simplistic-looking Cel-shaded game disappointed us.
I've played it all the way thru. The gameplay really deserves kudos for trying something different with the seafaring Link; however, the mechanic became incredibly boring as the game wore on. As for cartoony, it achieved a coherent style.
Here come the Spoilers for those who plan to play Windwaker
I disliked the fact that Link and Zelda were completely different and just looked like the original Link and Zelda. Its actually a "side story" variant. The final battle with Gannon was very easy compared to all the other Zelda games. I understand this one is a direct sequel with the real Link in it. I guess in the far future, their race's skin becomes smooth and posterized.
Well, they could go with a half-life style dialog system. Where the main character NEVER talks, but everyone else does.
Actually thats how it currently works. In all the Zelda games that have dialog (and all the Mario games too at that) the main character never talks (except to make grunting noises in Zelda, or to say "Itsa meee... Marrrrrio" in Mario)
It wasn't the graphics. It wasn't the sailing. Those were both fun in their own way.
It was the fact that the game had 5 dungeons instead of 8 or 9.
It's been a while since I've played, but I remember there being 3 dungeons, and then 2 more. Pretty much every other game before it had 8 dungeons, followed by a boss. They were split 3/5 perhaps, but they were there. I finished WW and wondered where the other half of the game was.
I didn't mind the graphics of the world (which looked very good in most places), but I didn't care for some of the character designs.
I didn't identify well with the main character. He was too young, he didn't handle a sword well, and his head was too spherical. I just couldn't picture him as a hero. I'm accustomed to imagining Link as early-teenage, not as a third grader.
The game world was too sparse. Even with warping, it took too long to get anywhere. The levels were good but there weren't very many of them.
I wouldn't say it was a bad game, just not quite as good as it could have been. I'm looking forward to the new Zelda, hoping it's as good as Ocarina of Time.