Sun, 28 Jun 2009 by Spencer McIlvaine
Has the Hero of Time’s style withstood the test of time?
Twilight Princess is Nintendo’s last Zelda game for the Gamecube and also the first for the Wii. Although the Wii boasts technical improvements over the Gamecube in terms of its processor and graphics hardware, in this case the Wii version is essentially a port of the Gamecube game and offers basically the same quality of visuals, albeit in widescreen. Although the two versions were released simultaneously, it will unfortunately go down in history as the very first of a long line of ‘Wii-makes’ (recycled Gamecube games re-released with Wii remote controls). That being said, Twilight Princess features some of the best looking visuals published on the Wii to date.
The look is appealing not just because of raw graphical power, though; as we already mentioned, this game looks just as good on the Gamecube. Rather, the stunning beauty on display here comes primarily from the art direction. It’s no secret that other game consoles and the PC all have greater graphical horsepower than the Wii, but we think Twilight Princess surpasses the visual appeal of even most high definition games currently available on other consoles, and that is all thanks to the artistic talent of the game’s designers. All of that practice they’ve had with the other 3D Zelda games really shows with this release.
But in terms of gameplay, this familiarity is also a handicap: much of what is great in Twilight Princess we have seen before in other Zelda games. Longtime fans will no doubt have a much easier time solving the puzzles than newcomers will, because so many concepts are borrowed from puzzles that have been used before. Boss fights, though bigger and even more epic now, are somehow a little less scary as we often merely have to remember what we did before to defeat a similar foe in a previous game. Although one could argue that this formula never gets tired (and we partly agree), even so we must ask ourselves a very hard question: does Twilight Princess really offer anything new, or is it just more of the same Zelda experience we’ve had before but with prettier graphics?
One problem is that the game seems stuck in its late ‘90’s trappings. For example, the towns available to explore are rather like visiting a ghost town, with most of the doors locked with no way to explore inside. Although there are people to talk to, there are surprisingly few for an entire kingdom, perhaps even fewer than in previous outings, and many of the people you do see will not talk to you at all. There are apparently only a few dozen people to talk to in all of Hyrule, and that’s including Gorons and Zora.
Such a small number of places and people made sense on the Nintendo 64 because of system limitations, particularly the small storage capacity of the cartridges the game was stored on, but that excuse doesn’t work for the Wii, or even the Gamecube. Other Gamecube RPGs have included a far greater cast of characters, as do games on the even lower tech Playstation 2. The absence of a large supporting cast and the atmosphere and side quests that they bring leaves Twilight Princess feeling somewhat dated compared to other current generation games. Given the fact that there is no audio for the voices, the dearth of characters in the story is all the more perplexing as it would not have taken much space to store a few extra characters with a couple of lines of dialogue apiece. It can only be laziness on the part of the developers to keep the cast so small in a story that was billed as epic.
The Gamecube’s system limitations do present one significant problem: the enemy AI on modern game consoles has improved considerably over the days of the Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube, but the AI here is just good old-fashioned Gamecube AI. This means you can stab them with your sword, watch them grow tired of you and walk away, and then you can hit them again until they are dead. If you do manage to capture their attention, defeating them is as simple as blocking their attacks and hitting them repeatedly with your sword. The only challenge comes from large numbers of them attacking at once; most individual enemies will provide you with no real challenge at all. When on horseback, you will likely just run past them most of the time as they are not worth your time. Although this is par for a Gamecube game, for a Wii game in competition with titles on the Xbox 360 and PS3 one would hope to find better AI up to speed with other similar games.
Perhaps the biggest mixed blessing is the new Wii Remote control scheme. Some of the best work that Nintendo has done with the Wii Remote can be found here: the control scheme allows for easy selection of items from an inventory wheel as well as realistic arrow-shooting and fishing. Many onlookers observing the game in a store display remark afterwards that the fishing aspect alone is exciting enough to get them to play. Unfortunately, sword fighting is still not quite ready as it is too imprecise. Unlike the system pioneered by Ocarina of Time and still used in the Gamecube version of Twilight Princess, the Wii Remote control scheme does not require you to learn specific motions for specific attacks. Rather, most gamers will hack their way through the entire game without ever really getting a grasp on which swing produces what effect on screen. Due to the ease of simply flailing the Remote wildly and still producing a positive result, the game never rewards players for bothering to learn the controls.
The other problem with the control scheme is the loss of the second analogue stick. In Wind Waker and in the Gamecube version of Twilight Princess, the dual analog sticks provide silky smooth movement and camera adjustment. This was a vast improvement over Ocarina of Time’s camera, which, though groundbreaking for its time, today feels forced and less elegant. Taking a big step backward out of necessity, the Wii controls have no dual analogue capability and so must resort to a button press to re-center the camera whenever Link changes facing, just like in Ocarina of Time. Again, Ocarina of Time’s control scheme was the best available for its time: all modern 3D games owe a lot to the control scheme it pioneered, but Link has improved on this formula since then and it is frustrating now to have to go back.
Horseback riding is one of the exciting improvements. Although it was introduced in Ocarina of Time, there was really nothing to do but ride from point A to point B. Now, you can fight and ride at the same time, and possibly the most epic boss fight of the game requires you to fight swarms of enemies as well as a big boss while on horseback. Frankly, this fight is so good that it is worth the price of admission all by itself. The rest of the time you may still fight on horseback while riding around from point A to point B, but it seems to take a lot longer to kill enemies this way than if you were to simply dismount and hack them to death. So aside from the gimmick value, for most of the game you will likely still just use your horse for getting around. Since it is definitely a welcome addition to the game, we would have liked to see even more of an emphasis placed on horseback fighting.
The dungeons are about in line with what is to be expected from a Zelda game now. Many Zelda fans complain that the dungeons and bosses here are too easy, but we think it’s more a case of familiarity. Long time players are going to have very little trouble with figuring them out but newcomers will often be left scratching their heads, wondering how they were supposed to know to use a certain item against a certain boss, oblivious to the fact that the same solution to the same boss has been present in multiple games prior to this one. However the game does not offer any varying difficulty level and so old-timers and newcomers alike will have to face the same level of challenge.
We would have liked to see a second quest with new puzzles or greater difficulty in the grand Nintendo tradition, but sadly there is no additional challenge once you have finished the game. There are plenty of mini-games, though not as many on display as in Windwaker. However, compared to the average lifespan of the typical Wii game, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is one of the most substantial and longest lasting experiences to be found on the Wii.
So there it is. We’ve said everything bad that can possibly be said about The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. We’ve presented every argument we can think of to knock this giant down a peg or two in your minds. But we know you’re going to play it and love it anyway…so why are you even reading this review? Twilight Princess is one of the best games on the Wii, and one of the best games of this generation. Although it fails to improve upon its formula and appears to have missed out on most of the previous eight years of game design evolution, its still a very fun game with great atmosphere and puzzles to challenge you for hours at a time. If it has a shortcoming, it’s that previous games in the series have set the bar so high and are also available for play on the Wii. As a result, a halfhearted effort (no pun intended) just does not cut it for this series, especially after making fans wait so long for its release.
1. irken004
28 Jun 2009, 20:15 BST
this deserves a 9
2. Turkey Brutus
28 Jun 2009, 20:15 BST
This was the FIRST Zelda game to disappoint me.
EDIT: d'oh.
3. grenworthshero
28 Jun 2009, 20:17 BST
I don't know...if you're grading this solely in line with the other games in the series, and what new things it brought to the series, I guess an 8/10 is justifyable, but as a game alone, TP is easily a 9. Great gameplay, dungeon crawling, and possibly the most involving story a Zelda game's had so far (IMO).
4. Edwin
28 Jun 2009, 20:25 BST
Out of the 73 reviews for this game on Metacritic, only 2 of them were 80 or below. 8? Are you kidding me? This is easily a 10.
5. Turkey Brutus
28 Jun 2009, 20:29 BST
If you think anybody should take inspiration from Metacritic when assigning their own score, then you're expecting all reviewers to side with the majority, rather than deliver their own opinion. The fact that most reviewers love Twilight Princess doesn't mean EVERYBODY has to. Far from it. A game can get lousy reviews across the board and still be enjoyed deeply by a certain subset of gamers. (Wii Music, for example.) So why can't it be the other way around?
If anything, I think the review is too generous, but I'm not going to fault them for it. It's up to the reviewer to deliver HIS opinion. Not mine, not yours, and not Metacritic's.
6. ATRUEZELDAFAN
28 Jun 2009, 20:30 BST
This is MOST DEFINITLY a 10! Are you guys crazy? an 8? 8?!?!?!!?!? You might as well just stick a knife in me.
7. Turkey Brutus
28 Jun 2009, 20:31 BST
**commits suicide**
8. Damo
28 Jun 2009, 20:32 BST
@Edwin - Pretty much all of the reviews on Metacritic were written at the time of release, when everybody was getting hopelessly swept away by all the Zelda/Wii hype.
Our review has intentionally been written with the benefit of hindsight, and as you may have noticed elsewhere on the net, people seem to rank this pretty low in the Zelda series.
8/10 still denotes an excellent game, but I think most Zelda fans see this as one of the weakest entries in the franchise.
9. pixelman
28 Jun 2009, 20:34 BST
I think it deserves an 8. While still a great game, it presents nearly nothing new to the franchise.
10. apocalypse217
28 Jun 2009, 20:36 BST
At least its better than WindWaker.
11. Kirigirisu
28 Jun 2009, 20:39 BST
^ Really?
8 is a respectable score, nice review dude.
12. Edwin
28 Jun 2009, 20:40 BST
@ Chicken Brutus
Of course I don't think Metacritic should influence people reviewing a game. All I am saying is that since this review falls at the extreme low end of all reviews for this game, it should, perhaps, not be as trusted as reviews that fall in the middle of the spectrum.
13. Turkey Brutus
28 Jun 2009, 20:47 BST
So you don't think Metacritic should influence reviews, but you DO feel that reviews that don't adhere to Metacritic's majority aren't to be trusted?
I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm just not sure what you expect from a review. They are there to convey the opinion of the specific reviewer; not to deny or reinforce anything that anyone else might be feeling. It's an opinion piece; why "trust" a majority opinion over a minority one? Are they not both valid as long as they accurately reflect what the reviewer is feeling?
14. Hyperstar96
28 Jun 2009, 20:47 BST
Honestly, I think it deserves a 4. MAYBE a 5 or 6.
15. DaVeMaN99
28 Jun 2009, 20:49 BST
I loved this game. I would give it a 9, granted there are problems.
Still liked Wind Waker better.
Good review though, and a little late, aren't we?
16. Outrunner
28 Jun 2009, 20:50 BST
TP is a 10 to me. It's the best in the series imho.
WW is a 9 because of edited dungeons and that Triforce hunt bit.
17. BellGoRiiing
28 Jun 2009, 20:51 BST
Like a lot of people said, good game...but it was a bit easy. Hopefully this Wii Zelda game that was talked about at E3 will have some difficulty level or whatever. (or just make it harder, lol)
But yeah I enjoyed this game.
18. grenworthshero
28 Jun 2009, 20:51 BST
DaVeMaN99, I agree completely.
19. Prosody
28 Jun 2009, 20:58 BST
@Captain Jack Sparrow - take a step away from the keyboard and come back to this thread later on. I don't want a repeat of the Smash Bros. situation.
20. DaDun
28 Jun 2009, 20:59 BST
this game is more than an 8, its a 9 for sure
21. PhoenixSage
28 Jun 2009, 21:01 BST
This game was pretty disappointing, especially considering all the delays we had to wait through. An 8 is generous IMO. I would have given it a 7 at most.
22. Twilight Crow
28 Jun 2009, 21:03 BST
Good score, but I don't feel like reading another review of this game, I liked it as much as most Zelda games, but being honest all these 3D Zelda games are awfully similar too each other, they're good and fun, but nothing really special.
23. Qwikman
28 Jun 2009, 21:04 BST
WHAT? This is one of the best games ever! (imo) This game easily deserves a 1000/10 from me!!! Besides, I've never even heard of this guy who reviewed it! Who's Spencer!? Anybody know!?
24. Drizzt
28 Jun 2009, 21:05 BST
I'm glad you're not afraid to give it the score it deserves just because it's a Zelda game.
Zelda's my favourite series, but TP sort of left me with a sad face. It was fun, but not quite as fantastic as previous games. Sort of a "been there, done that" sort of feeling.
8 is still a great score, and the review is pretty much dead on. Nice job.
25. Dazza
28 Jun 2009, 21:16 BST
@Qwikman - Spencer AKA Gabbo is one of our regular reviewers, not some n00b we picked up. 8/10 is still a really good score so it's not as if Spencer has been too harsh here. I honestly couldn't say that this is the best 3D Zelda that I have played myself.
26. RaccoonMario
28 Jun 2009, 21:17 BST
A good, reasonable score. My problem with the game is it didn't have that same "magic" that Ocarina of Time always had associated with it, like when you first stepped onto Hyrule Field, and gasped a little in awe.
The whole Twilight Princess game was a little over-hyped.
27. Link79
28 Jun 2009, 21:44 BST
You give Twilight an 8/10? I don't think so. I'm a Zelda fan from way back and even I think it's easily the best game in the series. Sure it doesn't have the wow factor that ocarina had being the first ever 3-D Zelda but Twilight is better in every other way. I can't see how any fan could have been dissapointed. Also why is a three year old game just now getting reviewed? A little behind aren't you?
28. XD375
28 Jun 2009, 21:45 BST
@Captain Jack Sparrow "If this was reviewed by none other than Corbie it would've gotten a 9 PERIOID!!!
"
Chill out, your post is an insult to the good community that is Nintendo Life. I think it woulda been given a 7 if Corbie reviewed it.
On a more serious note, that comment makes me really want to see Corbie come in and put his input in. What would you have scored it, Corbie?
29. Edwin
28 Jun 2009, 21:46 BST
@ Chicken Brutus
I agree with you. I am not saying that reviews should conform to anything. There is nothing wrong with a reviewer giving a game a high or low score if that is what he really feels the game deserves.
My point is that for someone considering buying a game that they haven't played before, they will be best served by looking at the average reviews of that game. That's the whole point of Metacritic. The highest reviews and the lowest reviews are probably written by fanboys and overly critical people, respectively. By looking at the average of what everybody thinks, you have a better idea about how good a game really is.
30. Turbo Genesis 64
28 Jun 2009, 21:57 BST
Part of me agrees with the review as it drags a bit with some of the wolf side quests and its more of an upgrade than a revolution, but part of me wants it to get a 9 because I think its highs are still higher than OoT's highs. TP had the best boss battles and dungeons of any Zelda game. Plus, I think the most intense Zelda experience is the Cave of Ordeals in this game.
31. WolfRamHeart
28 Jun 2009, 22:12 BST
Good review Spencer! This may not be the best of the Zelda series but it is still a great game and I think your score here reflects that. An 8 is still a very good score and I think it is justified. Personally, I enjoyed Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Wind Waker more than Twilight Princess but hey, that's just me!
32. blockhead
28 Jun 2009, 22:13 BST
OMG ITS NOT A 10/10
33. Aenaida
28 Jun 2009, 22:19 BST
I totally agree with this review.
34. Suikon
28 Jun 2009, 22:21 BST
I think 8/10 is a very fair score. For me it felt like an 8 when I played it. That doesn't mean it isn't a very good game though, I couldn't put it down until I finished it, but still, it wasn't "perfect" (as in, a 10). So I support the reviewer's score.
Remember, this is all opinion. If you see TP as a 10, then that's fine too, by all means.
35. ND799
28 Jun 2009, 22:24 BST
This game was just so boring. Hell, most of the LoZ series is really boring, I don't know why people like it so much
36. Jonny
28 Jun 2009, 22:25 BST
I agree with this score, while this game was solid there was nothing 'magic' that stood out, I daresay this is my least favourite 3d zelda yet for after completing it I have no desire to go back and replay it or even 100% it.
37. Jeroen.
28 Jun 2009, 22:26 BST
What's wrong with an 8?
38. Tony
28 Jun 2009, 22:38 BST
I am sorry to complain about a score, but this game is no 8/10. At minimum a 9/10, but I would give it a 10/10. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are 10/10 and this game builds upon them greatly. So I will ignore this review.
39. Spoony Bard
28 Jun 2009, 22:39 BST
This game was over-rated IMO. It was still fun, but I didn't have as much fun as Zelda games on older systems. I would have given it a 7 or 8.
40. Luigi78
28 Jun 2009, 22:49 BST
I think an 8 is about right when compared to other Zelda games.Compare it to anything else though and its still better than most.The main thing that bothered me with it was the fact that nintendo succumed to the pressure to make a mature looking Zelda title and personaly I don't like it.It's just not as fun or engaging as OoT ,MM or WW IMHO.
41. Pegasus
28 Jun 2009, 22:50 BST
@RaccoonMario "My problem with the game is it didn't have that same "magic" that Ocarina of Time always had associated with it, like when you first stepped onto Hyrule Field, and gasped a little in awe."
Hm. All i remember of it was how desolate it seemed. That said, I didn't play that one until the VC release, so it doesn't get any extra nostalgia points from me.
I must say I've actually thoroughly enjoyed Twilight Princess. Even with retreading some old ground it made the adventure grander in scale than ever before. Sure it was a tad bit easy but I had good fun with it. Frankly, it's my favorite Zelda game.
42. Turkey Brutus
28 Jun 2009, 23:12 BST
@Edwin:
That's fair. Thanks for expressing yourself so well; the discrepancy, I think, was just between the way you and I use reviews, rather than any fundamental disagreement.
Personally, I think "outlier" reviews are very helpful. I try to read as many "one-star" reviews as possible before I buy something, whether or not that's the overall consensus. It gives me an idea (usually) of the most potentially bothersome things about a title, and I can decide for myself whether those are things that would irritate me as well.
But you're right, there's a value in an average consensus as well. It's a fascinating topic, really.
43. cr00mz
28 Jun 2009, 23:16 BST
i agree with Majora above this game was really dissapoiting considering what the previous console Zelda games have been. I actually really dislike Ocarina of Time but i can absolutley acknowledge the impact it has had being the first 3d Zelda and all. Majoras Mask took it a step further withe a sort of parallel universe and it's a great game. I really like the map alot how it is made symmetrically (maybe the wrong word i'm using) the whole mask thing was intresting aswell. Wind Waker my personal favorite zelda game EVER. I like how its so different from the rest of the games. it had a kickass intro compared to the other games with a little story, and totaly redfiend what a Zelda game could be. and now they "put" it back inteo Hyrule that is a real let down. Iäm not saying the game is bad because its not but as a Zelda game it feels lackluster after the marvelous Wind Waker. I was hoping that they would continue somehow on what they did with Wind Waker and come up with something new, maybe Zelda in space or Zelda in the future
44. dimlylitmonkey
28 Jun 2009, 23:45 BST
Though it may not be the best Zelda (I'd put it at 4th or 5th), TP is still in a class way above most other videogames. I'd give it 5 out of 5 (or 9 out of 10 on this site).
45. expa0
28 Jun 2009, 23:46 BST
I certainly agree with this review. In my opinion the best word to describe this game is dull. The graphics, while good, are ruined because of the over using of the colours brown and gray (imo those colours are one of the curses of the games nowadays). After the refreshing colours of Wind Waker this was a huge letdown. Difficulty is far... far too easy and the game seemed to get even easier the further you got in the game, even the end boss was a complete joke. The game soundtrack was also very basic when compared to the likes of WW,MM and OC. Of course there were some great tunes in there but overall it was kinda meh. Also the lack of sidequests makes this game very linear and every time you seem to find something interesting it leads to a chest containing 20 rupees or a piece of heart the game never gave any surprises. I could go on forever with the negatives like, most of the items not being used after their correspondin dungeon, but I'm gonna stop here. In my opinion the game deserves 7.4/10 which in my books makes it the worst non-Cd-i Zelda ever.
46. King Elemento
28 Jun 2009, 23:53 BST
15. Hyperstar96.
What this guy said.
47. uel
29 Jun 2009, 00:15 BST
The wii game actually came out first. I appreciate your honest review, Spencer. I would have given it an 8 myself.
48. Darknyht
29 Jun 2009, 00:27 BST
This game should be a 9. The problem is that it has the weight of history on it. Wind Waker was a decent game, but the sailing made me want to kill myself sometimes out of boredom. Twilight Princess however offered a new take on the legend while sprinkling in the mythos of previous entries.
It did disappoint me in that the lantern and night did not play into the game more. I would have loved to see the game world actually get dark as woods or fields would be without electricity, as some of the pre-release shots showed. It would have been interesting to have the game require you to navigate into the darkness with only lantern light (or a magic item) to see with, or have some of the dungeons be dark until you relight the torches inside.
49. Kid_A
29 Jun 2009, 00:43 BST
I'm a little confused over your control complaint: you don't have to swing a certain direction to get a certain onscreen action. You just shake the Wii Remote and he swings his sword-- which direction you're holding on the control stick and whether or not you press A determines your sword move.
Overall, though, I agree with the review. The game is fantastic, but not as good as the previous Zeldas. It's still one of the best games so far this gen, IMO.
50. Objection_Blaster
29 Jun 2009, 01:09 BST
I would give it a 9/10 because I see it as (prepare for blasphemy) Ocarina of Time for GCN/Wii only I actually liked it enough to finish (end blasphemy.) However, as a retro score and in comparison to other more 'inventive' entries (go, go Phantom Hourglass! ahem) I can see how the 8/10 came about. Nice review.
51. AlexSays
29 Jun 2009, 01:20 BST
That score seems a bit high.
But we know you’re going to play it and love it anyway
Way off...
52. hylianhalcyon
29 Jun 2009, 01:36 BST
I would give it a 9/10. I really liked the spinner and actually being able to swing your sword while on horseback. I was disappointed that the dungeons were easier then previous zelda games but I thought that Wind Waker's were even easier than TP's.
53. Stuffgamer1
29 Jun 2009, 02:03 BST
I'm not as disappointed by the review score as I am by all the people who say the score was too high. To me, Twilight Princess is one of the top 3 Zelda games ever (other two being the N64 titles)! I love the increased focus on dramatics storytelling, and while it doesn't add many new items to the series, what it has is AWESOME (referring specifically to the Spinner, my new favorite Zelda item ever)! I look forward to seeing how the next Zelda on Wii might improve upon Twilight Princess (maybe have a lefty mode? They'd better if they're going to use Motion Plus...).
54. WhoKnew
29 Jun 2009, 03:47 BST
8? what? Can somebody please explain to me why what this game didn't have that the other games didn't? A 9 at least. Sure it was easier than the other ones. But thats not a good reason. Second best Zelda.
55. Token Girl
29 Jun 2009, 04:04 BST
I pretty much agreed with this entire review. I'm not sure if it will be possible to ever surpass that "Ocarina feeling" though. I did play it for like 8 hours straight pretty much daily over winter break when I got this for gamecube, but I just wish it was a bit harder to beat. I think for gamecube, it definitely deserved a 9, but I agree that more could have been done with the wii.
56. Ricardo91
29 Jun 2009, 04:05 BST
<Sticks knife into ATRUEZELDAFAN>
If you ask me, an 8 seems like the perfect score for this, maybe even a 7. I've never been much of a fan of the 3D Zeldas (always preferred the 2D ones), but I found this game to be particularly mediocre. The art direction was nice (if a bit creepy at times), but it had way too much brown in it. It didn't play much differently than every other 3D Zelda in history, and many of it's "new" features were gussied-up versions of those found in older games (twilight realm=dark world, clawshot=hookshot), and the game felt just plain dull. I just recently dug the game out again after not playing it in months when I got lost in the Gerudo Desert. I just can't get into it again.
But I give it a 7, cuz the Wiimote controls worked well and were fun to use, and the minigames were fun.
Also, what took so long to get a review of this out?
57. theguitarhero
29 Jun 2009, 04:36 BST
In terms of gameplay Twilight Princess is pretty good because it adds a lot of new weapons and stuff to the game.
In terms of story, however, it's pretty blah. Wind Waker, IMO, has a way more compelling storyline but seems to get crapped on because of the "kiddy" graphics, which is a shame.
58. deadly.by.design
29 Jun 2009, 04:41 BST
It's the first Zelda in 20 years that I haven't bothered to finish, so that's saying something.
59. motang
29 Jun 2009, 04:42 BST
One of my first games on the Wii...and I loved it. I would also give it an 8 out 10, but it was an excellent game, the reason I would give it an 8 and not 9 is because it is after all a GC game and we are still waiting for a Wii Zelda game, hopefully next year.
60. Clayfrd
29 Jun 2009, 05:22 BST
I love this game. That said, this (somehow) was the first Zelda I ever played, and I thought it was brilliant. I have to say, Ocarina or LttP are probably better, but TP is still great.
61. Marvelousmoo
29 Jun 2009, 05:45 BST
This game deserves a nine or a ten. 60 hours of gameplay, beautiful music and an epic plot. best zelda game yet. Lets hope zelda 2010 beats it though.
62. toby bob1
29 Jun 2009, 07:25 BST
????????????????????????????????????????this is a bull review it may not be as good as the rest but thats only buy a touch and i have played the previous games dont listin to this person see other reviews check out gametrailers,gamradar and g4 and how about the sposor above(metacritic)
63. tealovertoma
29 Jun 2009, 08:02 BST
I gues 3 out of the 4 Starfy games were better than Twilight Princess then, huh?
While an 8 is not extremely off the mark (I'd personally give it a 9 though), with the enormous amount of 9s that Nintendolife is giving to any game that's half decent, this seems a little odd. Almost seems like you're doing it to be controversial?
64. Prosody
29 Jun 2009, 08:42 BST
I completed it and really enjoyed it, and when I finished it I thought "ah, I'll go back through it and play it again now!", then when I did I remembered how horrible the wolf sections are when you can't switch at will.
I think when the next Wii Zelda comes out we'll see a fair downgrading of Twilight Princess in most people's eyes.
65. Bensei
29 Jun 2009, 09:22 BST
I think 8/10 is just right. TP has a great story and graphics, but despite from the great cutscenes and their mimics, all the other games had far more character depths and the difficulty was too easy. I mean, why did they give us 5 Heart Pieces for one heart and then throw them technically away? This is the first Zelda I completed with all hearts. Also: Why are there keys? Room->chest with key-> next to it locked door.
I don't say TP is horrible, I just say it's generally overrated, and 8/10 is totally justified.
Plus: This game got not Oktoroks XD
66. MrPinguy
29 Jun 2009, 09:35 BST
It's called opinion people!
It's like &%#holes, everybody as one and they all stink. :3
67. Wiiloveit
29 Jun 2009, 09:50 BST
Lol, this is getting out of hand.
I myself was surprised at first, mainly because I thought this had already been reviewed, and also by the 8/10, but I haven't played the game myself, so I can't really say anything about it.
68. LEGEND MARIOID
29 Jun 2009, 09:59 BST
Respect your opinion mate but I am still a little shocked. Even reputeable sites throw the occassional curve ball with a bizarre revw once in a while...and that's MY honest opinion
Anyway, by this site's scoring system there is little doubt in my mind it should be given a 10/10. I would give it about 96%. That's coming from someone who's played Ocarina, Windwaker and Link to the Past etc....for what its worth...
This reminds me of when the odd reviewer on the internet was reviewing "World of Goo" as an 8/10. That would have shocked many on here and, I would estimate, on the nintendo life reviewing team.
69. City Of Delusion
29 Jun 2009, 10:45 BST
If I came on here earlier, I would have said "You're going to get slaughtered for that", but I'm obviously too late.
70. dimlylitmonkey
29 Jun 2009, 10:47 BST
Ocarina of Time - 5/5, 10/10, 98%
Majora's Mask - 5/5, 10/10, 97%
A Link to the Past - 5/5, 10/10, 96%
Wind Waker - 5/5, 9/10, 95%
Twilight Princess - 5/5, 9/10, 94%
Link's Awakening - 5/5, 9/10, 92%
Minish Cap - 4/5, 8/10, 89%
Four Swords Adventure - 4/5, 8/10, 88%
These are the scores I'd give to the Zelda games I've completed. I prefer to give a score out of five because it keeps it simple, and means you don't have to worry too much about comparing it to ( or ranking it against) others.
71. Zyzzybalubah
29 Jun 2009, 11:12 BST
8 is right on. The entire game is too easy, especially the boss fights.
All of the previous Zelda games offer much more of a challenge
72. y2josh
29 Jun 2009, 11:29 BST
I agree with this score more so than the grand slam tennis score...
73. calculon
29 Jun 2009, 12:18 BST
I can't believe people actually wanted to finish this game. I barely got past getting the first three pieces of armor for Midna before I felt like I was in Dullsville. I loved Ocarina and Wind Waker (as well as Link to the Past) but this was without doubt one of the dullest Zelda games I've ever played. I'd say one of the best facets of the game was the fact that you could get the Homebrew Channel installed using it. Now there's freely exploitable methods even that doesn't work in its favor anymore.
8/10 makes sense for the majority - I wouldn't have put it past 7 simply because it's so uninspired.
74. SanderEvers
29 Jun 2009, 12:48 BST
I've played every single Zelda game, but only completed A link to the past and The Wind Waker. These are the scores I give them (top 5)
The Wind Waker (10/10, I just love the cellshaded look and the story is awesome)
Twilight Princess (9/10)
The Minish Cap (9/10)
A Link to the Past (9/10)
Ocarina of Time (8/10)
75. Machu
29 Jun 2009, 12:53 BST
An 8 huh, that's a shame. I really don't understand, on one hand you admit it's one of the best games on Wii and one of the best in this generation, and on the other you seem really keen to find any excuse for a point drop, which having been written in hindsight I imagine was fairly easy to do. A big fat 9.5 for me but what do I know.
76. Kirk
29 Jun 2009, 12:56 BST
I'm happy the score doesn't so over the top and just give it a 9 or 10 simply because it's a Zelda game because imo it's actually nothing special and having played it for a few hours it never really drew me in or impressed me in any meaningful way. I actually found it a little bit "outdated" in terms of gameplay and stuff and a little behind the times.
A good game but nothing amazing imo.
77. JimLad
29 Jun 2009, 13:22 BST
This game was essentially Zelda fan service after so many people (including me) kicked up a fuss over the the new cel shaded baby link.
On the surface it seems a very un-inspired Ocarina wannabe and in a couple of ways that is the case, but it still holds several traits that make it unique from other Zeldas such as: It has the biggest game world, it gives you precise projectile aiming (not wooden analogue stick controls), there is mounted swordplay, it has some of the best newly added items (dual clawshot, ball and chain, spinner) also the dungeons in my opinion are the best designed of any Zelda game.
I had loads of fun playing it. Maybe not as revolutionary as some of the other titles in the series but neither was Majoras Mask, yet a lot of people regard that as the best Zelda ever.
I would have given the game a 9, as tones of work went into it and at the end of the day it is a fantastic piece of entertainment software, much like every other Zelda game. It's only real shortcoming is the lack of difficulty (due to low heart drain) something that Wind Waker suffered from even moreso.
78. NESGamepro
29 Jun 2009, 14:03 BST
I loved this game, played through it several times. I think the score and review is fair. I hated the dog parts, even though it was the most original part of the game.
79. slambert215
29 Jun 2009, 14:49 BST
I TOTALLY AGREE. It brought nothing worhwile to the franchise and the wolf gameplay wasn't that great either.
80. LinktotheFuture
29 Jun 2009, 18:16 BST
I think this game deserves a 10, it is easily one of the best games I have ever played.
81. ALDAWGZ
29 Jun 2009, 19:43 BST
i like this 1 better than majora mask mm is prob my least fav out of the series
82. dimlylitmonkey
29 Jun 2009, 22:57 BST
^79. JimLad - What he said, apart from the dungeon bit.
83. Odnetnin
30 Jun 2009, 02:44 BST
9.
84. MAXIMUS_WiiMacus
30 Jun 2009, 03:14 BST
Good review but the game is a 9 at the very least. One thing though. You have to keep in mind that the game went into development a long time ago for the GC and was limited in disk space and processing power. Nintendo slapped on some motion controls and called it a launch title. We can't now make a complaint that the game has missed out on game evolution since Halo and other last gen games were designed for more powerful systems with larger disk sizes. Let's wait to see what Nintendo has in store for the TRUE Wii Zelda game. With Motion+, it could set new standards in game evolution for others to emulate.
85. Sean Aaron
30 Jun 2009, 09:51 BST
I bought this game to use the Twilight Hack and nothing more. After installing the Homebrew Channel I decided to actually play the game rather than just sell it, having had no previous interest in Zelda games simply because they didn't look great and were too bloody long.
I did enjoy this game, though the statue puzzle was pretty lame and required a walkthrough for me -- I'm trying to save the world for pete's sake, not play pegboard game! Side quests took me out of the rhythm and the mood of some impending tragedy facing the world (clearly it cannot be that big a crisis if I can piss away time fishing and looking for bugs -- wth?) so I skipped most of them.
From talking to others the game seems to repeat a lot from earlier games, and in that regard I think an 8 for this is quite generous -- it's definitely not a 9 or 10 because EVERYONE WILL NOT ENJOY THIS GAME! And that is the criteria that should be kept in mind.
Having played this I can safely say that unless the next Zelda has much different quests and a different story with a different antagonist it's doubtful I'll be checking it out.
86. Stuffgamer1
30 Jun 2009, 10:55 BST
If whether EVERYONE will enjoy a game is the criteria for getting a 9 or a 10, there's not a single game in existance that deserves the score.
I am truely astounded by the split opinons over this game! Were it not for this review and comment thread, I never would have known there were so many crazies (er, I mean people
) who don't like this game which is to me so very awesome!
I must agree that the sections where you can't change back from being a wolf kinda stink. I don't hate the wolf by any means, but I definitely prefer later on when you can change at will.
87. Sean Aaron
30 Jun 2009, 11:36 BST
Well, that's fair, but I cannot see many games deserving a 10/10; that really does mean everyone should check it out. 9/10 would suggest everyone into action games needs to give it a look and I'd say that is very much not the case with this game.
88. deadly.by.design
30 Jun 2009, 14:59 BST
Man, you'd think you guys rated Mario Galaxy 7/10 or something... with all the uproar.
89. Zenman
30 Jun 2009, 16:25 BST
deserves 8/10, it was a good game, but i liked WW and OoT way better
90. ATRUEZELDAFAN
30 Jun 2009, 19:47 BST
This score makes babies cry, puppies die, and chuck Norris mortal.
91. PhoenixSage
01 Jul 2009, 02:47 BST
@ATRUEZELDAFAN: Blasphemy! Nothing can make Chuck Norris mortal!
And all the babies in the world can cry, it still doesn't deserve a ten. Though dead puppies may make me change my tune...
92. The_Indigo_Effect
01 Jul 2009, 07:48 BST
That's about the score I would have given the game; it certainly had some great moments, but it really didn't push the envelope enough.
93. Qwikman
01 Jul 2009, 07:54 BST
K I got ahead of myself, there (Sry, Gabbo dude). I just never heard of Spencer reviewing any of the games. This game still deserves a 10/10, tho. (Probably its because I beat this game before I played Ocarina)
94. Sylfi
01 Jul 2009, 09:49 BST
I swear, I'm going to get all kinds of crap for this, but I think it deserved even lower than people have said on here. I'm not the average Zelda fan. I like the ones that people don't usually like. Minish Cap is my favorite, with OoT following (Okay, mainstream Zelda, but that's an outlier), and Majora after that. And I really want to play Windwaker. But considering all of these interesting things that the games I have listed have done, TP just feels absolutely boring and looks positively dreary. I think it deserves a 6/10. It brings absolutely nothing to the franchise, and it's made up of brown and gray. It's a tad overrated.
95. Gabbo
01 Jul 2009, 17:42 BST
Is it safe to come out yet?
96. moosa
01 Jul 2009, 21:22 BST
People who dislike modern Zelda games belong to one of two camps: those who think they're just more of the same since Ocarina of Time, and those who think they're way too different from Ocarina of Time. I sense a discrepancy.
97. LEGEND MARIOID
01 Jul 2009, 21:52 BST
World of Goo = 7/10............KIDDING KIDDING!
98. Gamer83
02 Jul 2009, 10:07 BST
8 is justifiable, but I'd give the game a 9. It wasn't as good as Ocarina of Time or Link to the Past, but I'd rank it third in the series just behind those two. And it's easily one of the greatest launch titles of all time.
99. RaccoonMario
02 Jul 2009, 17:55 BST
@Pegasus
It was a "you had to be there" kind of thing.
100. Gizmo
02 Jul 2009, 19:50 BST
I would give it a 9, and even the Edge did so^^.
101. Betagam7
02 Jul 2009, 20:50 BST
Then perhaps the Edge should go back to playing in U2
Seriously, what an overrated game this was. This was Zelda by numbers and barely deserves the 8 it got here let alone a higher score.
I'm often critical of this sites reviews but in this case they did well in not getting carried away with the hype.
102. briunj04
03 Jul 2009, 00:43 BST
i named link Sausage. get it? sausage link! AHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahah ha ha ha ha...ha.......ha.... ok i know thats a terrible joke
103. linrek-1
04 Jul 2009, 20:12 BST
I allways get sleepy from this game I would go for a 7, still have a long way to go so can't really review it yet.
104. Xthlon
07 Jul 2009, 04:32 BST
@briunj04 - =P I thought it was funny...I guess....
Im gonna say up front that I'd give this game a 6... Major dissapointment to the history of Zelda games...
Ive got every Legend of Zelda game ive ever heard of and finished OoT 14 times...
For me, I finished this game... and said to myself: useless
I am never going to play it ever again (it was pretty short too... the first 20 hr completed Zelda game Ive played)
105. Kadaj 11 Aug 2009, 13:45 BST
People need to chill O.o Everyone has their own opinions, you can't fault eachother or the reviewer because they have a different one than you.
For me, this game was a 10. I thoroughly enjoyed the darker setting, the graphic style, and how the whole adventure started in the first place. It had a great story, much more fleshed out than the usual Zelda game.
I also loved WW, MM, and OoT. All 10's as far as I'm concerned. To me, a 10 is a game that challenges you and draws you in. And if I love a game so much that I want to play it again, that is a 10. I've beaten TP 4 times, and the other Zelda's (except Link's Awakening) several times, some even more than four.
TP was good times.
106. Oll LG llO
14 Aug 2009, 22:26 BST
personally i think it should of got a higher rating because its a exellent game to play if you like adventure games i think it should atleast got a 9/10 or 10/10
107. Sylverstone
23 Aug 2009, 19:07 BST
8? Are you guys serious?
I've ben looking through the reviews trying to see which game got a 10 star review and the most likely game to get 10 gets an 8?
I don't believe it!
108. theblackdragon
17 Sep 2009, 00:01 BST
i can't believe I didn't comment on this before, but I will rectify that now -- a nicely detailed review and a very fair score IMO. anyone whining about how this game deserved a 10 needs to try and play it through a second time. OoT, I can play through over and over again with no lack of interest, but I couldn't stand to sit still for another go at this game for some reason. :/
109. JayArr
25 Sep 2009, 22:49 BST
lol. All hell broke out in the comments.
Nice review. Well said.
110. NotEnoughGolds
17 Oct 2009, 01:09 BST
Majora's Mask
The Adventure of Link
Ocarina of Time
Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda
Wind Waker
Twilight Princess
These are my rankings from best to "worst" Zelda games. It actually makes me sad to have to put Wind Waker so far down at the bottom because I thought that game was excellent.
However, Twilight Princess is clearly deserving of its spot at the bottom of that heirarchy because it is clearly inferior to those above it.
I would still give it an 8 because I'm physically incapable of assigning a Zelda game a lower score than that. But this entry was far too linear and boring to even compare to the rest of the series.
"Yay, I beat a dungeon! What should I do now? I know, I think I'll beat another dungeon!" Bleh.
Even after upgrading my TV from a 25" CRT to a 32" LCD, I still haven't felt motivated to play through this game a second time. Maybe after I finish replaying Faxanadu, Battle of Olympus, Crystalis, Zelda, Majora's Mask, Super Metroid, and Metroid Prime 3, and finally play GTAIV for the first time, I'll make my way through this game again.
111. retlawian
01 Nov 2009, 19:34 GMT
How can you possibly give twilight princess an 8/10. It is better than ocarina of time and wind waker in almost every single way. Its the longest of any zelda game and it is larger than any other zelda game. Also you cannot criticise the game for being similar to past zelda games because there are so many people out there who have not played a zelda game,
Leave A Comment
Please login to post a comment.