Game Card
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GameCube)
- Publisher:
- Nintendo
- Developer:
- Nintendo
- US Release:
- 11.12.2006
- EU Release:
- n/a
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Type:
- Action Adventure
- Reality Factor:
- Fantasy
- Perspective:
- Third-Person
- Blood Level:
- Blood-less
- Age:
- Multi-Period
Review
We play Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess...
The latest instalment in the epic fantasy
universe of Hyrule is thoroughly enjoyable, exciting, and immersive; in
other words, everything we’ve come to expect from a Zelda game. In fact
it’s the familiarity of our Zelda induced glee which highlights the
primary criticism of this awesome game – it’s a little too traditional
and, for the most part, unchallenging. But at least you know what
you’re getting with a Zelda game, and what you’re getting here is
around 40 hours of sofa filling gameplay that will occasionally
challenge, frequently entertain, and ultimately provide you with a
carefully crafted and exciting world to explore.
The story assumes a familiar mould; Hyrule is under threat from a new darkness championed by King Zant of the Twilight world. Somehow the Twilight world is extending its reach into the normal realm of Hyrule, bringing forth a host of Twilight monsters with it and forcing the native populous to assume the form of frightening spirits trapped in a kind of limbo. Hence a young lad, typically known as Link, from a small forest village steps forth into the green legendary hero’s clothes and must venture throughout the lands collecting various items which will allow him to defeat the evil. His assistant takes on the form of an entertaining imp known as Midna; she presents herself as mischievous and incidental, with a hint of mystery which unravels as the story progresses. Her frequent jokes and hilarious facial expressions make her a much more welcome guide than Navi or the Red-Lion from previous Zelda’s.
The Twilight Princess is best described as an action adventure, much like the previous Zelda games. Link is a silent protagonist who heroically charges around chopping up monsters and helping people. His health is measured in heart containers and throughout the game his maximum health can be extended by the collection of new heart containers. The majority of the gameplay takes the form of third person sword fighting and puzzle solving.
The game elements of Twilight Princess championed by Nintendo are Link’s ability to turn into a wolf, and his ability to fight whilst riding his horse - Epona. For a large part of the game becoming a wolf is not something Link can do voluntarily, and this makes for some interesting gameplay as you are forced to do without your arsenal of weapons and items for specific periods. During these periods Link must rely solely on his abilities as a wolf. Significantly, these consist of an enhanced fifth sense - allowing you to see strong scents and other things which the naked eye cannot; and a giant leap, which, with the help of Midna, allows you to jump large heights and distances to locations previously unreachable. Both are well implemented and used in various instances throughout the game for solving puzzles and chasing down main quest leads.
As for the mounted combat, one can’t help think this was somewhat neglected. There are three specific set-pieces I can think of where this is actually useful, and in-fact necessary. It’s a nice element and it’s very cool when it occurs, but it certainly seems underused. Furthermore, Epona’s usefulness in any context expires when Link inevitably gains both the ability to warp around the world as he chooses, and the ability to turn into a wolf at will - which is easily as fast as the horse for running through the fields of Hyrule.
As the formula goes, each major quest item Link is tasked to find is hidden within some dungeon or other; within which you must fight various monsters, and solve a wide variety of puzzles. At some point within each dungeon Link will gain a new weapon or new piece of equipment which ultimately allows the rest of the dungeon to be accessed and the dungeon boss defeated. Most of Link’s equipment from the rest of the series has a presence within the Twilight Princess – the bow, the boomerang, the lantern, etc – as well as a few new additions such as the dual wield clawshot, allowing Link to grapple from grate to grate in a spiderman-like manner; the ball and chain, a huge ball attached to a chain which Link swings wildly around his head and then hurls towards enemies; and the spinner, which is kind of like a momentum driven skateboard with a cog on the bottom which attaches itself to tracks along the dungeon walls.
None of the puzzles within the game are perplexing enough to leave anyone scratching their head for too long. They involve such things as pulling chains, pushing stone bricks, lighting lanterns in a certain order, shooting certain targets with a ranged weapon, or, a little less traditionally, firing a canon-ball into a block of ice. Most of the puzzles are obvious from the moment you encounter them, and the less obvious puzzles either have a very visual clue near-by or else Midna will butt in and basically tell you what to do. Although some people might consider this kind of frustration alleviation appealing, personally I think getting stuck at a certain point in a game is worth it just for the great feeling of satisfaction when you finally solve the problem; and therefore it feels to me as if one or two mind-blowers should have been thrown into the mix somewhere along the line.
The combat within the game is fun, but disappointingly unchallenging, and that goes for the bosses as-well. Its doubtful most gamers will need to seek out many of the heart-pieces hidden throughout Hyrule - five of which grant link a new heart container - let alone require the use of all seven of the special sword abilities which Link can optionally learn throughout the game. These special abilities come in the form of attacks like the shield bash which temporarily stuns enemies and deflects magic bolts, and the fatal blow which allows Link to apply the final sword plunge into grounded foe.
Around about the time you summersault the death-blow to a goblin, roll around the back and plunge your sword into another, and then simply button bush another crowd of them into oblivion, you begin the realise Link is hardly going to break a sweat if this is the best these guys have to offer. The dungeon bosses may seem a little more challenging at first while you get to grips with what they do and how to defeat them, but as soon as their weakness becomes known - and usually it’s pretty damn obvious - they are, if anything, less dangerous than a group of average monsters. Although the complexity and creativity of the bosses is apparent, this is hardly the level of challenge offered by Majora’s Mask and Link to the Past.
There are, of course, various side quests and enjoyable distractions for Link to partake in. Somewhere in-between eating his cornflakes and saving Hyrule, Link can play various games and undertake various activities which are ultimately to gain items which help him in his quest, but essentially they’re just fun things to do. Such things include boating down the rapids into Lake Hylia, using chickens to para-glide off huge cliffs onto a target area below, playing a game of pseudo-hide-and-seek with a group of amusing cats, snow-boarding into a mountain valley on an iced leaf, and (of course) fishing. Rewards include heart-pieces, empty bottles - which can be filled with a whole variety of useful things like lantern oil and health potions - and larger wallets allowing Link to carry more money – although to be honest there’s not a whole load of stuff to *buy* anyway.
The graphics are glorious as to be expected. Perhaps not the level of next-gen bloom enhanced glare streaming from the screens of oblivion players, but the attention to detail and artistic style makes up for lack of demanding 3d graphics filters. The frequently occurring Twilight theme has a very pleasing dark-orangey look to it, with the monsters looking stylishly tron-like. I, for one, was slightly disappointed by the reversion back to a pastel style Ocarina of Time look, as opposed to the cute cartoony graphics of wind waker, but of the quality there is no doubt. It’s also a matter of debate whether you will find Link’s new trendy earrings, which he also wears in *wolf form*, charming or annoying.
As for the sound, even my overbearing reviewers’ cynicism can’t fault it. The melodic music is cool, intricate and interesting; and the sound effects are perfect. Link’s annoying whelps and shrieks from Ocarina of Time have been given a more manly tone, and Midna’s indistinct yaps are almost addictive.
Is this the best Zelda game ever? Probably not, but besides it’s still one of the best games *this millennium*, and certainly one of the best action adventure games ever made. It may well be traditional (not to be confused with unimaginative) and not very difficult; but most aspects are unfaultable – the sheer length of the game, its interest-grabbing quality, the diversity of its gameplay, and generally the very high level of entertainment provided. If there’s such thing as a must-play game, this is one of them.
Top Game Moment: Playing the opening sequence of the game replicated the youthful excitement of Christmas morning better than anything I’ve played in the last two years.
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 |
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| Link wears earrings these days so he doesn’t look out of place in trendy bars | Mounted combat in action |
The story assumes a familiar mould; Hyrule is under threat from a new darkness championed by King Zant of the Twilight world. Somehow the Twilight world is extending its reach into the normal realm of Hyrule, bringing forth a host of Twilight monsters with it and forcing the native populous to assume the form of frightening spirits trapped in a kind of limbo. Hence a young lad, typically known as Link, from a small forest village steps forth into the green legendary hero’s clothes and must venture throughout the lands collecting various items which will allow him to defeat the evil. His assistant takes on the form of an entertaining imp known as Midna; she presents herself as mischievous and incidental, with a hint of mystery which unravels as the story progresses. Her frequent jokes and hilarious facial expressions make her a much more welcome guide than Navi or the Red-Lion from previous Zelda’s.
The Twilight Princess is best described as an action adventure, much like the previous Zelda games. Link is a silent protagonist who heroically charges around chopping up monsters and helping people. His health is measured in heart containers and throughout the game his maximum health can be extended by the collection of new heart containers. The majority of the gameplay takes the form of third person sword fighting and puzzle solving.
The game elements of Twilight Princess championed by Nintendo are Link’s ability to turn into a wolf, and his ability to fight whilst riding his horse - Epona. For a large part of the game becoming a wolf is not something Link can do voluntarily, and this makes for some interesting gameplay as you are forced to do without your arsenal of weapons and items for specific periods. During these periods Link must rely solely on his abilities as a wolf. Significantly, these consist of an enhanced fifth sense - allowing you to see strong scents and other things which the naked eye cannot; and a giant leap, which, with the help of Midna, allows you to jump large heights and distances to locations previously unreachable. Both are well implemented and used in various instances throughout the game for solving puzzles and chasing down main quest leads.
As for the mounted combat, one can’t help think this was somewhat neglected. There are three specific set-pieces I can think of where this is actually useful, and in-fact necessary. It’s a nice element and it’s very cool when it occurs, but it certainly seems underused. Furthermore, Epona’s usefulness in any context expires when Link inevitably gains both the ability to warp around the world as he chooses, and the ability to turn into a wolf at will - which is easily as fast as the horse for running through the fields of Hyrule.
As the formula goes, each major quest item Link is tasked to find is hidden within some dungeon or other; within which you must fight various monsters, and solve a wide variety of puzzles. At some point within each dungeon Link will gain a new weapon or new piece of equipment which ultimately allows the rest of the dungeon to be accessed and the dungeon boss defeated. Most of Link’s equipment from the rest of the series has a presence within the Twilight Princess – the bow, the boomerang, the lantern, etc – as well as a few new additions such as the dual wield clawshot, allowing Link to grapple from grate to grate in a spiderman-like manner; the ball and chain, a huge ball attached to a chain which Link swings wildly around his head and then hurls towards enemies; and the spinner, which is kind of like a momentum driven skateboard with a cog on the bottom which attaches itself to tracks along the dungeon walls.
 |
 |
|
| The familiar warm orange glow of the Twilight realm | The little goblin riding link’s back is Midna, and frankly she’s the coolest ally Link has ever had |
None of the puzzles within the game are perplexing enough to leave anyone scratching their head for too long. They involve such things as pulling chains, pushing stone bricks, lighting lanterns in a certain order, shooting certain targets with a ranged weapon, or, a little less traditionally, firing a canon-ball into a block of ice. Most of the puzzles are obvious from the moment you encounter them, and the less obvious puzzles either have a very visual clue near-by or else Midna will butt in and basically tell you what to do. Although some people might consider this kind of frustration alleviation appealing, personally I think getting stuck at a certain point in a game is worth it just for the great feeling of satisfaction when you finally solve the problem; and therefore it feels to me as if one or two mind-blowers should have been thrown into the mix somewhere along the line.
The combat within the game is fun, but disappointingly unchallenging, and that goes for the bosses as-well. Its doubtful most gamers will need to seek out many of the heart-pieces hidden throughout Hyrule - five of which grant link a new heart container - let alone require the use of all seven of the special sword abilities which Link can optionally learn throughout the game. These special abilities come in the form of attacks like the shield bash which temporarily stuns enemies and deflects magic bolts, and the fatal blow which allows Link to apply the final sword plunge into grounded foe.
Around about the time you summersault the death-blow to a goblin, roll around the back and plunge your sword into another, and then simply button bush another crowd of them into oblivion, you begin the realise Link is hardly going to break a sweat if this is the best these guys have to offer. The dungeon bosses may seem a little more challenging at first while you get to grips with what they do and how to defeat them, but as soon as their weakness becomes known - and usually it’s pretty damn obvious - they are, if anything, less dangerous than a group of average monsters. Although the complexity and creativity of the bosses is apparent, this is hardly the level of challenge offered by Majora’s Mask and Link to the Past.
There are, of course, various side quests and enjoyable distractions for Link to partake in. Somewhere in-between eating his cornflakes and saving Hyrule, Link can play various games and undertake various activities which are ultimately to gain items which help him in his quest, but essentially they’re just fun things to do. Such things include boating down the rapids into Lake Hylia, using chickens to para-glide off huge cliffs onto a target area below, playing a game of pseudo-hide-and-seek with a group of amusing cats, snow-boarding into a mountain valley on an iced leaf, and (of course) fishing. Rewards include heart-pieces, empty bottles - which can be filled with a whole variety of useful things like lantern oil and health potions - and larger wallets allowing Link to carry more money – although to be honest there’s not a whole load of stuff to *buy* anyway.
The graphics are glorious as to be expected. Perhaps not the level of next-gen bloom enhanced glare streaming from the screens of oblivion players, but the attention to detail and artistic style makes up for lack of demanding 3d graphics filters. The frequently occurring Twilight theme has a very pleasing dark-orangey look to it, with the monsters looking stylishly tron-like. I, for one, was slightly disappointed by the reversion back to a pastel style Ocarina of Time look, as opposed to the cute cartoony graphics of wind waker, but of the quality there is no doubt. It’s also a matter of debate whether you will find Link’s new trendy earrings, which he also wears in *wolf form*, charming or annoying.
As for the sound, even my overbearing reviewers’ cynicism can’t fault it. The melodic music is cool, intricate and interesting; and the sound effects are perfect. Link’s annoying whelps and shrieks from Ocarina of Time have been given a more manly tone, and Midna’s indistinct yaps are almost addictive.
 |
 |
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| This is link pulling off his traditional spinning sword attack which has been ever present throughout the Zelda games (minus Zelda 2 on the NES, of course) | Bosses come in various forms, however it always surprises me how many of them have a *giant eye* as their weak spot |
Is this the best Zelda game ever? Probably not, but besides it’s still one of the best games *this millennium*, and certainly one of the best action adventure games ever made. It may well be traditional (not to be confused with unimaginative) and not very difficult; but most aspects are unfaultable – the sheer length of the game, its interest-grabbing quality, the diversity of its gameplay, and generally the very high level of entertainment provided. If there’s such thing as a must-play game, this is one of them.
Top Game Moment: Playing the opening sequence of the game replicated the youthful excitement of Christmas morning better than anything I’ve played in the last two years.
