Zelda Skyward Sword

[jutl]

Yes, I thought that was slightly odd.  The review even echoes many of the points made in IW.

I think they were just trying to say something different, and so came across as concentrating on the negative. Perhaps in response, IGN have published an article saying you have to be a cunt (or 'a total noob' as they put it) to attack Skyward Sword's graphics.

[eluc55]

While I think that the IGN article is a nicely written piece, and largely correct, it does fail to address my major concerns about the game; specifically that the design looks rather humdrum compared to the previous entries, regardless of excusable limitations like textures, draw distance and definition. Maybe you have to see it in motion or something, but so far a lot of the characters looks rather charmless and generic even compared to Twilight Princess, let alone the highs of Majora's Mask and Wind Waker. The enemies I've seen in trailers even more so. 

[The Boston Crab]

I think the most accurate point about design/style is how it straddles Wind Waker and Twilight Princess quite neatly. It's a great mixture of light/dark with a strong Impressionist visual style.

I'm only a few hours into the game but I think character/enemy design is very strong. Even just walking around Skyloft (most distinctive and charming 'hub' section/concept of any game I can remember playing), there's a great bunch of characters miles apart from the generic NPC tropes you're used to.

In fact, fuck y'all, I'm off to play it some more.

[The Boston Crab]

Another thing I really dig is how solid the game engine is and how much more freedom of movement you have. I won't spoil anything but I'll just say the word 'beetle' and you'll know what I mean when you come across it. One of the greatest items in the entire series and completely validates the unique Wiimote controls.

Again, it's great to be running and jumping with Link, no more interminably slow climbing or ridiculous rolling everywhere, just sprint and leap up that mother fucker.

Likewise, the slashing motions which I thought were rock solid but potentially redundant come into it in such sophisticated and imaginative ways. Moreover, fighting actually becomes a question of directional co-ordination and reactions as opposed to random slashing and button bashing, c.f. Skyrim (cheeky, I know). You get nowhere like that, you have to actually time your attacks properly and attack from the right angles to break down defences. You won't understand until you're holding it in your hand, though. Screenshots or video don't begin to do the 'feel' of it justice. As ever, with Nintendo, it's all about the feel.

I'm going back for more.

[buntyman]

Here's the first review i've read of the new Zelda that's less than complimentary about the controls. I wasn't expecting the sword fighting to be particularly revolutionary but the way it's described in that review, it's no different than the fairly wild swinging that you had to do on Twilight Princess. Can the pirates who have already been playing confirm that this isn't the case? Seems strange that they'd mark it down based on the fact that it's structure is similar to all the other Zeldas which they have rated all very highly.

[The Boston Crab]

Smacks of attention-seeking to me. I've had no such problems with the controls in over ten hours of play. Not once has Link stood motionless after I've made a slashing motion. This seems to be an outright lie or exaggeration of an anomaly to support a invalid/flimsy criticism. Conversely, as I've said, the controls have stood out since the very beginning and with every new item and enemy, there comes a new and inventive way to implement the controls. The criticism of the fighting system is just absurd. I don't even know what point they were trying to make at the end. It's both rewarding AND time-wasting? Seems they're fishing for rabid fanboy hits.

[bitesize]

this wil be the first Zelda game in years that i won't get to play - sold my Wii about a year ago + got a PS3. haven't regretted it once, not even when Mario Galaxy 2 came out (and i did love the first one), had some great gaming out of the PS3. but seeing the 10/10s roll in for this, i am getting a bit twitchy. i do love a bit of Zelda.

[buntyman]

All of my cheap pre-orders have been sent out so I now have 3 copies on their way. I probably won't make any saving on the RRP once I have to deal with all the ebay fees

[Ignatius_S]

... I won't spoil anything but I'll just say the word 'beetle' and you'll know what I mean when you come across it. ...

This is a real thing in the game, right and not some cruel prank to make the rest of us think we're missing something?

Smacks of attention-seeking to me. I've had no such problems with the controls in over ten hours of play...

Cheers for that – I thought it odd that no one else had reported similar problems, but it's good to have more assurance! I've noticed that at the end of the review, it now says:

Editor's note: This review originally stated that aiming was handled through the Wii Remote's infrared sensor, which is incorrect. The review has been amended accordingly. GameSpot regrets the error.

[jutl]

This is a real thing in the game, right and not some cruel prank to make the rest of us think we're missing something?

You must have been avoiding spoilers very efficiently.

[The Boston Crab]

I'm actually delighted I knew/know nothing about the game before starting to play. I heard there was some sword motion stuff but didn't even know it was due out til I saw a post on here. Everything's going to be a surprise. What a rare pleasure in this day and age.

[jutl]

Skyward Sword screenshots in HD resolutions using PC Dolphin Emulator.

[Johnny Textface]

Wow - what a shame we have to let a Gamecube run it!

[jutl]

Wow - what a shame we have to let a Gamecube run it!

I don't know; for me they don't look that much better in HD due to the painterly depth of field filtering.

[eluc55]

Holy shit, this special edition CD of Zelda music is bloody great! Sod the game, I'm listening to this all weekend.

Orchestrated WindWaker Medley!

[eluc55]

Played this for four and a half hours now. Billion different thoughts about it already.

You kind of have to relearn Zelda a bit with this game, I'm finding. I'd assumed the changes would be more structural, but it's in the way you control Link as well. Running about, and up and over things is both brilliant and weird to get used to, after years of Zelda games where all you do is roll and autojump. I keep sprinting over walls and fences and plunging to my death, forgetting that I no longer stop when I hit them. I also find myself wanting to roll out of habit. One downside is that you can't run and slash like you could in Twilight Princess. 

Music is superb - fully orchestrated and truly, truly great already, after only a few hours. 

One definite plus is the graphics, which I thought looked hideous before I played it - they all looked so flat and uniformly bland. I had basically expected to tolerate the graphics if the gameplay was good, but I really shouldn't have worried. More than anything I've played, the phrase "You cant appreciate it until you've seen it in motion" applies to Skyward sword. No video I've seen, and certainly no picture, can convey how the art filter works, turning everything not in the screen's focus, and especially in the near distance, into a blurred "Cezanne" painting effect. Its fantastic in wide shots especially.

Spoiler alert

The woods

[close]

I'd seen in videos looked truy vile graphically - but now I've played them, I think they look fantastic. Ironically, its the "Cezanne mottling effect" on all the nearby surfaces that makes them look bland in screenshots, but so effective in motion; its very hard to explain until you've seen it, but it really works around the hardware limitations very well.

I've also been pleasantly surprised to see that the character animation - at least on the main characters - is also much sharper in play than when I'd watched videos of the game. It's far more effective than I expected, and I've really started to love the style they've chosen, ironically after seeing

Spoiler alert

the woods

[close]

I was dreading. A few of the supporting characters are a bit generic compared to previous efforts, but there's also a few new stand outs, one guy

Spoiler alert

who entertains a grumpy baby

[close]

, in particular.     

The wii-motion still hasn't had a chance to shine, though. I didn't get a sword until about an hour into it, and you don't fight any proper enemies for at least 2 hours after you start playing, really. It accurately recognises your motion about 80% of the time. Diagonals it seems to struggle with more often, sometimes mistaking them for a horizontal slash - but its more forgiving than I expected, so its not cost me any life so far. Its bloody great seeing link move his sword while you pose like a badass. I cant really comment more on the combat until I've fought something a bit more hardcore than a goblin.

The one problem I have so far is the

Spoiler alert

fucking dowsing

[close]

, which is just a stupid inclusion, no matter how I justify it. It's just not convenient when enemies keep popping up to attack you, and more importantly, its not fun hunting for things in

Spoiler alert

a purple flashing first person view

[close]

. I've learnt that its better if you just work out the general direction you need to head in, via dowsing, then run off to search that area yourself. Now I've learnt that, it's easier to ignore. 

Best bit after four hours:

Spoiler alert

flying around on your bird

[close]

- once you get total freedom, you can

Spoiler alert

soar up on high over the town, then leap off at will, skydive down, sweeping back and forth, then call your bird and scoop yourself up at the last minute.

[close]

It's unbelievably brilliant, and coupled with the music, and the bright, sunny world, its actually weirdly exhilarating. It reminds me of Windwaker, actually. So bright and cheery and comforting. I could spend ages flying about like this.

[eluc55]

Oh, one word of warning. The looking and aiming at the start of this game is atrocious, and I actually reset the game and checked the manual to see if I could either change the wii-mote sensitivity, or to see if I was wrongly using the wii-motion plus. Its about three times more sluggish than aiming without the wii-motion plus, no exaggeration. 

About an hour into the game, and seriously worrying that this would be a major a problem, I'm suddenly told that I can now - and only now - change my wii-mote sensitivity, from beginner to expert, and instantly, the whole thing improves enormously.

So basically stick with it for the first hour. God knows why you cant do that the second you start playing, but don't give up and it does get sorted.   

[The Boston Crab]

Glad you're enjoying it, Kelv. I think it was when I was in the desert/mine area that I shook my head and chuckled three or four times in about ten minutes. The level design, the item design, the puzzles, the controls, nobody else makes games like this.

There's certainly a sense of wonder in an enormous living and breathing sandbox game world but when it comes down to it, I don't want to be wandering round town, running errands. I want to play in a perfectly-designed playground.

[eluc55]

I've started the

Spoiler alert

Volcano

[close]

stage now, and I'm really starting to understand how the level design has changed. There is literally no overworld. You have the sky and the central town, and you have the land below, made up of much more linear (but open plan) levels, where you meet characters, fight monsters, and solve dungeon puzzles simultaneously.

I cant resist just flapping about on my big bloody bird all day though.

Much harder than the last few Zelda's, too. The enemies are proper cunts at times, and you literally cannot wave your sword like a tit with harder enemies, as they punish mistakes with a proper bollocking.

AND THE RUNNING. I just love the running!!

[eluc55]

And another thing.

Anyone whose a fan of Zelda has to get the version with this free CD if they can. It's made of superb, fully orchestrated medleys of music from various Zelda's, so it allows the more obscure, and unusual themes to shine through, not just the ones we've all heard before, like the main theme and song of time. The WindWaker and Twilight Princess medleys are particularly brilliant. In fact, I'm amazed at how well put together it is. Obviously pulled out the stops for the 25th anniversary.

I'll upload one tomorrow if people are interested.

[eluc55]

In the meantime have this, which I found just a moment ago on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRv8gnBMiWM

[eluc55]

I think I've gone slightly Zelda mad.

[jutl]

Having just finished the first temple I think this is (so far) easily as good as Ocarina. I agree with all that eluc55 and TBC have posted. It's a welcome revamping of every aspect of the gameplay. Although I enjoyed Twilight Princess a lot, it could be seen as a retrospective box-ticking exercise which achieves greatness by its sheer comprehensiveness as opposed to any kind of originality. This is different, and feels like a genuinely new approach to the core mechanics. In that sense I'd perhaps liken it to Super Mario Galaxy. On a purely cosmetic note, there are some lovely shaders in there. The translucent SSS effect on Fi's head, the opalescence of the shrine crests and the new skin effects all add a great deal.

[jutl]

I'll upload one tomorrow if people are interested.

Ha! You and your concern for whether others are interested. I upload because no-one is interested!

Great Fairy Fountain Theme

[eluc55]

I've played this game for 5 hours straight today. Cant think of the last time I did that. It's fantastic.

Here's the Gerudu Valley theme, orchestrated. Best played loud.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1jorp9



And this is the truly epic Twilight Princess Medley, which sound like something out of an incredible film. The bit at about 1.25 gives me tingles, and the Ganon theme at about 5 minutes reminds me of the Emperor's theme from star wars

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8wci7i

[Monkeyman1138]

Oh, one word of warning. The looking and aiming at the start of this game is atrocious, and I actually reset the game and checked the manual to see if I could either change the wii-mote sensitivity, or to see if I was wrongly using the wii-motion plus. Its about three times more sluggish than aiming without the wii-motion plus, no exaggeration. 

About an hour into the game, and seriously worrying that this would be a major a problem, I'm suddenly told that I can now - and only now - change my wii-mote sensitivity, from beginner to expert, and instantly, the whole thing improves enormously.

So basically stick with it for the first hour. God knows why you cant do that the second you start playing, but don't give up and it does get sorted.

I'm well over an hour in, (currently at

Spoiler alert

Skyview Temple

[close]

) and I can't find this option, where is it? The pointer/aiming stuff is the only thing that's bugging me sofar and would love to be able to change the sensitivity.

[eluc55]

I'm well over an hour in, (currently at

Spoiler alert

Skyview Temple

[close]

) and I can't find this option, where is it? The pointer/aiming stuff is the only thing that's bugging me sofar and would love to be able to change the sensitivity.

Fi tells you before you leave for the first temple I think. Go to the pause screen, with all the empty spaces for stuff you'll get during the game, like bugs and stuff monsters drop, and in the bottom left hand corner of one of the screens, you can change the sensitivity, from beginner to expert or something like that.

[The Boston Crab]

I just had an 'oh, they're going to pad it out with some Twilight Princess fetch quest crap now' moment. This was then completely subverted in a fantastic little tense sequence of play. I think the Lanayru section of the map was just one big grin after another. Figuring out some of those ingenious puzzles was so satisfying and yet in a new way. Stuff where you blow up a bit of wall or discover a hidden path and that kind of thing are Zelda staples but here, those tropes are only ever used for little extra goodies. Every area has you doing something different - and best of all - using a genuine mixture of items. Just when you think you're stuck, you remember you've got the beetle or

Spoiler alert

Gust Bellows!!!

[close]

and you're contemplating your environment anew. Just amazing. It also feels like the environment is much more 'interactive' than in any previous game. It feels less 'chunky', if you know what I mean. A lot of puzzles ask you to reconsider your preconceptions of Zelda.

Don't look at this til you've finished the Lanayru section: There's a boss which had me genuinely stumped for about four or five attempts until I remembered I could

Spoiler alert

blow the sandy floor away to reveal his hiding place!

[close]

I was just like 'THAT IS CLASS'. Again, I love the combat on this. You can't just hack and slash, gets you nowhere. You need timing and accuracy. It's probably the most challenging Zelda I've played for a variety of reasons.

I'm going back for more.

[jutl]

Fi tells you before you leave for the first temple I think. Go to the pause screen, with all the empty spaces for stuff you'll get during the game, like bugs and stuff monsters drop, and in the bottom left hand corner of one of the screens, you can change the sensitivity, from beginner to expert or something like that.

The pointing mechanics seem weird because they depend to some extent on the Motionplus. I thought they were 100% Motionplus, but this article seems to indicate that the game uses both it and IR.

[Monkeyman1138]

Fi tells you before you leave for the first temple I think. Go to the pause screen, with all the empty spaces for stuff you'll get during the game, like bugs and stuff monsters drop, and in the bottom left hand corner of one of the screens, you can change the sensitivity, from beginner to expert or something like that.

That doesn't change the sensitivity, that changes the amount of HUD you have.