Topic: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

[nickmitch]

So, I finished the game tonight (this morning? ...need sleep...)

Total play time... 353:51.

Hey Nintendo - when I pull up the map or menu and leave it sitting there long enough for the remote to time out, can you stop the timer for me?

Geesh.

Why don't you just hit the home button? That's what I do.

[UncleBob]

So, I finished the game tonight (this morning? ...need sleep...)

Total play time... 353:51.

Hey Nintendo - when I pull up the map or menu and leave it sitting there long enough for the remote to time out, can you stop the timer for me?

Geesh.

Why don't you just hit the home button? That's what I do.

Check your play time... according to folks on GameFAQs, the timer still clicks when the Home menu is accessed.

[nickmitch]

No it doesn't, at least not for me. I'm just over 30 hours and right outside of the 3rd silent realm. I've been leaving the game on for some time to avoid the game constantly doing that thing where it thinks I've found something for the first time ever.

[Caterkiller]

just did the 2nd silent realm.
 
I keep expecting things to get better and they don't. 

I can't believe how badly pointer controls were messed up.  They worked fine in every other game.  Shooting stuff in TP was really fun.  I don't know why they changed it and then decided that I should have to use the broken controls for flying, swimming, and aiming.

Not being rude but I don't think you know how to play. It's not using the pointing mechanics from TP or FPSs. If you are like me and like to be lazy with the wiimote and let it hang anywhere, just be sure pick your item, point at the screen and immediately press down on the d-pad. The moment you figure that out it will work like a dream. It's actually much more responsive than the slight lag of just pointing.

[Caliban]

I've been leaving the game on for some time to avoid the game constantly doing that thing where it thinks I've found something for the first time ever.

Someone should use that to fill in one of the sections in the Skyward Sword survey for Club Nintendo.

[nickmitch]

And when you get an item out of a chest, it's cool that the game tells me about it, but I don't need to see it go up by one on my item screen. That part should be cut out as well.

[UncleBob]

I was greatly annoyed by the mini games.  When I got done playing, it would have been nice if the NPC just said "Hey, you wanna play again?", then we played again.  Instead, we had to go through the entire speech every single time.  Blah.

[King of Twitch]

This game is starting to get on my nerves         and i haven't even played it yet :|

[BlackNMild2k1]

I fell asleep during the intro portion 3 times....
40 minutes spent in the dormitories(including nap time)... then eventually making my way outside.

But then I spent 3 hours running around do a whole lot of nothing other than exploring.
2 of that on the bird. Fun stuff.

Now I think I'm at 6 or 7 hrs in and just finished the 1st temple. I'm really taking my time with this one.

[Adrock]

I just finished the 5th dungeon and got tired of playing. I'm about 30 hours in. Same problem as Twilight Princess. The game is too long and there's a lot of filler. There's a whole section where you're looking for the dungeon and you make a stop at a building where you do nothing except play a mini-game then fight a boss you fought earlier. Then, Robot Fi is like, "I've determined that there are no more things here. We should go now." What the **** was the point of that? I'm having trouble getting through the game. I wish Nintendo would spend significantly less development time making a shorter, tighter game. Zelda wasn't always about collecting nick-nacks. They need to go back to focusing on exploration and adventure. I don't need a 70 hour game to feel like I explored a fictional world.

And Jesus Christ on a crutch, the character and boss designs are awful in this game.

[lolmonade]

I've made it to the dungeon where you get the triforce.  I'm liking the mechanics of this dungeon so far, even though portions of the level are basically re-treads of the prior dungeons.  It's been acceptable just because it's just samplings of the different elements, and the inclusion of the moving dungeon rooms makes it entertaining as well.
 
I think most of the complaints about the game so far are valid, it's just a matter of how tolerant you are of those issues, and how much they ruin the experience of the game. 
 
One main issue I will contend with is the complaining about the silent realm.  Those were some of the most fun parts of the game to me, as it basically boiled down to a time-trial, so even if you don't like them, they're usually over quick enough to where you don't have to endure them too long.
 
What made me stop playing Twilight Princess were the Wolf sections where you were collecting those sun drops or whatever they were called because I would have every one of them except for one, and could never find the damn thing...they made them a bit easier to find in this game and inserted a few more elements (time/stealth), which made it a lot more fun for me.
 
I should really stop at some point to search for upgrades, as I feel like i'm not far from the end of the game, and I'd really like to devote some time to beefing up my items before reaching the end boss.

[Adrock]

One main issue I will contend with is the complaining about the silent realm.  Those were some of the most fun parts of the game to me, as it basically boiled down to a time-trial, so even if you don't like them, they're usually over quick enough to where you don't have to endure them too long.

I find it odd for a game with the word "sword" in the title to have several section were they take it away from you and leave you completely defenseless. You don't get to fight the coolest looking enemies in the game.

And I'm just so tired of collecting **** in games. It's not creative or especially fun. Zelda games are getting more and more annoying with this. If Nintendo nixed all of the filler collect-a-thons, Skyward Sword would probably still be a 40 hour game. In fact, they could stand to cut a few of the dungeons because they weren't terribly interesting. Even at 40 hours, the game is probably too long.

[lolmonade]

One main issue I will contend with is the complaining about the silent realm.  Those were some of the most fun parts of the game to me, as it basically boiled down to a time-trial, so even if you don't like them, they're usually over quick enough to where you don't have to endure them too long.

I find it odd for a game with the word "sword" in the title to have several section were they take it away from you and leave you completely defenseless. You don't get to fight the coolest looking enemies in the game.

And I'm just so tired of collecting **** in games. It's not creative or especially fun. Zelda games are getting more and more annoying with this. If Nintendo nixed all of he filler collect-a-thons, Skyward Sword would probably still be a 40 hour game. In fact, they could stand to cut a few of the dungeons because they weren't terribly interesting. Even at 40 hours, the game is probably too long.

Note the "to me" after every sentence in that quote . 
 
Also, I think that even if you don't enjoy the silent realm parts, they're over so quickly that it should be a small complaint.  There are more offensive issues with the game than the silent realm, such as only having three different land masses on the ground.  I don't care if the forest is underwater this time, or if the volcano has erupted, or if there's a new portion of the mines, it still represents the same area/mechanics, and it's lousy that they couldn't have given more areas to explore..
 
Again, I suppose it's dependent on your tolerance level for these things, and since I haven't played many new games this year, I imagine I find the silent realm and other grievances less offensive than most.

[GoldenPhoenix]

One main issue I will contend with is the complaining about the silent realm.  Those were some of the most fun parts of the game to me, as it basically boiled down to a time-trial, so even if you don't like them, they're usually over quick enough to where you don't have to endure them too long.

I find it odd for a game with the word "sword" in the title to have several section were they take it away from you and leave you completely defenseless. You don't get to fight the coolest looking enemies in the game.

And I'm just so tired of collecting **** in games. It's not creative or especially fun. Zelda games are getting more and more annoying with this. If Nintendo nixed all of he filler collect-a-thons, Skyward Sword would probably still be a 40 hour game. In fact, they could stand to cut a few of the dungeons because they weren't terribly interesting. Even at 40 hours, the game is probably too long.

Note the "to me" after every sentence in that quote . 
 
Also, I think that even if you don't enjoy the silent realm parts, they're over so quickly that it should be a small complaint.  There are more offensive issues with the game than the silent realm, such as only having three different land masses on the ground.  I don't care if the forest is underwater this time, or if the volcano has erupted, or if there's a new portion of the mines, it still represents the same area/mechanics, and it's lousy that they couldn't have given more areas to explore..
 
Again, I suppose it's dependent on your tolerance level for these things, and since I haven't played many new games this year, I imagine I find the silent realm and other grievances less offensive than most.

The silent realm bothers me because it just doesn't fit a game like Zelda, and it reminds me too much of the Ocean King temple from Phantom Hourglass which caused me to quit the game. Zelda, for me, is not about stealth or anything like that, the most Zelda had Pre-Wind Waker was dodging wall masters in quick sequences. I don't need a Silent Realm with Wannabe Wallcrawler knights chasing me around and sending me back to the beginning of the collectathon. It is just plain lazy to even have the Silent Realm, any game designer can litter a previously used asset with orbs to collect and have stuff chase you.

This game had a LONG development time, there is no excuse for the padding, which I feel is FAR worse then Twilight Princess, or perhaps it is similar and I am just getting too old to deal with it anymore.

[Adrock]

Zelda, for me, is not about stealth or anything like that, the most Zelda had Pre-Wind Waker was dodging wall masters in quick sequences.

Ocarina of Time had sneaking into Hyrule castle to speak to Zelda and freeing the carpenters in the Gerudo Fortress.

Stealth in Zelda just hasn't really been done well. You don't get to make a last stand if you're caught; you just start over. With no real consequences, I can't justify these segments as anything but filler getting in the way of the parts I want to play.

[lolmonade]

Zelda, for me, is not about stealth or anything like that, the most Zelda had Pre-Wind Waker was dodging wall masters in quick sequences.

Ocarina of Time had sneaking into Hyrule castle to speak to Zelda and freeing the carpenters in the Gerudo Fortress.

Stealth in Zelda just hasn't really been done well. You don't get to make a last stand if you're caught; you just start over. With no real consequences, I can't justify these segments as anything but filler getting in the way of the parts I want to play.

I can agree with this sentiment.  I also think the part where you find the fire dragon to get the 2nd part of the song is much more representative of how poorly "stealth" is handled in Zelda games than the Silent Realms. 
 
Again, I guess I just see complaining about the silent realm comparative to complaining about the parsley (silent realm) placed on top of a sandwich when it's the bread (collect 30 notes in teh water LOL) that's stale.
 

[Mop it up]

I don't really understand the complaints about revisiting areas. Every 3D Zelda game has been this way, so if that's a problem of this game, it's a problem of the entire series. I find it to be handled a lot better in this game for several reasons, including all the warp points strewn about the land. The land itself is also far more interesting and enjoyable than Zelda overworlds have ever been, since they're not just large, open expanses of land with little to see and do. Now, the sky is still mostly barren, though it's significantly smaller than Wind Waker's ocean of emptiness, so it's a lot more manageable.

I don't mind the item collecting either, but there are several reasons for that. I've always enjoyed treasure hunting, but the types of games that focus on that, such as roguelikes, are generally pretty difficult. So I don't mind having a little bit of that in a game like Zelda. As for upgrades, maybe it's because I'm used to games like Monster Hunter where upgrading weapons and armour require a ridiculous amount of material, but I found it to be pretty manageable. There were only a couple of times where I had to specifically go visit an area for the items I needed (how do tumbleweeds help make a shield?), but as long as I made sure to take my time exploring areas as I went through the game, I didn't find myself lacking the necessary treasures.

Now, the Silent Realms, I don't have much to say there. I don't hate them, I don't like them. They're just there. I never lost one except for the one time I was experimenting with how everything worked. All I can say is that they're a lot more tolerable than previous games' stealth segments because they are in areas that you already know, eliminating much of the trial and error usually associated with such elements.

[UncleBob]

Zelda, for me, is not about stealth or anything like that, the most Zelda had Pre-Wind Waker was dodging wall masters in quick sequences.

Ocarina of Time had sneaking into Hyrule castle to speak to Zelda and freeing the carpenters in the Gerudo Fortress.

Yeah, Majora's Mask had a pair of stealth-based mini-missions in it as well.
When I got Majora's Mask, I loved it so much, I played through a second time on a minimalist-quest.  This involved only having a single bottle.  It made the second stealth mission a pain in my neck... but it was all in good fun.

Never did finish that play though though.  I had minimal hearts and only one fairy - I was able to beat the first of Majora's forms, but when he had those evil spikey tops, I never could dodge them right.  Eventually, I tried it one day and my save files on my cart were erased.

[lolmonade]

Just finished the game.  Definitely worth my time/money investment, although my wife is glad to have me back from my Zelda vacation. 

I don't agree with a perfect score for the game that NWR gave it, but the grievances I've had with the game (heavy retreading, forgettable final boss, missed opportunity on deep customization mechanics) don't completely negate the charm of the characters, unique art style, entertaining origin story, and new gameplay style of motionplus sword fighting.  I was delighted to read in the Zelda Wii U future thread that they intend on continuing this swordplay into future console iterations of the game.  Easily a well-deserved 8.5/10 IMO.

I am still jonesing for some more Zelda experience.  As someone who has only beaten Link to the Past, Ocarina of time, and Skyward Sword, can anyone provide me suggestions on which games might be best to go to next? 

[broodwars]

I am still jonesing for some more Zelda experience.  As someone who has only beaten Link to the Past, Ocarina of time, and Skyward Sword, can anyone provide me suggestions on which games might be best to go to next?

Majora's Mask on the N64 (via the Wii Virtual Console).  It's like Skyward Sword in how it attempts to change-up the Zelda formula, only it's actually well-designed and fun to play.  Alternatively, there's also Wind Waker on the GameCube (via the Wii's backwards compatibility), which is not my favorite Zelda game due to pacing issues but it has a certain charm to it that's fun.

[lolmonade]

I am still jonesing for some more Zelda experience.  As someone who has only beaten Link to the Past, Ocarina of time, and Skyward Sword, can anyone provide me suggestions on which games might be best to go to next?

Majora's Mask on the N64 (via the Wii Virtual Console).  It's like Skyward Sword in how it attempts to change-up the Zelda formula, only it's actually well-designed and fun to play.  Alternatively, there's also Wind Waker on the GameCube (via the Wii's backwards compatibility), which is not my favorite Zelda game due to pacing issues but it has a certain charm to it that's fun.

I remember having trouble conceptualizing where to go/what to do when I tried playing Majora's Mask, but that was a good couple years ago.  Maybe I should try a re-tread, as I've never heard anything but glowing reviews on the game.  I've also considered trying to pick up Twilight Princess as I only played 5 hours before quitting when I rented it, but the Nintendo Selects pricing may make me consider picking it up to give it a 2nd go.

For Majora's Mask, is there any benefit to finding the original cartridge somewhere?

[broodwars]

I remember having trouble conceptualizing where to go/what to do when I tried playing Majora's Mask, but that was a good couple years ago.  Maybe I should try a re-tread, as I've never heard anything but glowing reviews on the game.  I've also considered trying to pick up Twilight Princess as I only played 5 hours before quitting when I rented it, but the Nintendo Selects pricing may make me consider picking it up to give it a 2nd go.

Majora's Mask is a classic IMO and my favorite Zelda title, but it does have some controversial design decisions that I had no problems with but tend to bother some people, such as the 3-day time limit.  It's funny, though, that I've seen so many comparisons of Skyloft to Majora's Mask's Clock Town, yet unlike Skyward Sword I actually cared about the citizens of Clock Town.  You actually see these people have lives, and you feel like you can play an important role in them (whereas in Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword they are at best Exclamation Points on your map leading to lame sidequests that ultimately lead to fulfilling a mediocre sidequest).  The game isn't to everyone's tastes, but if you liked Skyward Sword you should definitely check it out.

EDIT: As for finding the original cartridge, I don't think that's necessary.  I think the game runs better with a better controller and better framerate on the Virtual Console.

As for Twilight Princess, I just can't stand that game.  It has some good ideas in places, some good music in places, and some good storytelling in places.  That's the problem, though: it's inconsistent.  Some moments are really good, some are really terrible, and the entire game is one giant chore to play through (especially the atrocious opening).  By all means, play it for yourself and see if you like it.  Some people do.  But I just do not enjoy playing that game, particularly the waggle-tastic Wii version.

[nickmitch]

For Majora's Mask, is there any benefit to finding the original cartridge somewhere?

You could give it to your grandkids one day.

[Mop it up]

As someone who has only beaten Link to the Past, Ocarina of time, and Skyward Sword, can anyone provide me suggestions on which games might be best to go to next?

They all have their merits, so I'd say try them all eventually. As for next though, if the heavy retreading is your least favourite part of Skyward Sword, I'd be weary of Majora's Mask. It has far more retreading than any other Zelda thanks to the terrible implementation of the three-day system. For me, I find Twilight Princess to be more refined than that game and Wind Waker, despite some of its issues, so I'd say go there.

Of course, the original game on the NES should be played, if for no other reason than historical purposes. Might want to play that before playing all the ones that built on it, since that could make it seem even more dated.

As far as which version of Majora's Mask to get, I don't think the VC version has any issues. The only reason to get the N64 cart besides having a physical copy would be Rumble Pak support. However, don't get the Zelda Collector's Edition on GameCube, because the Majora's Mask on that disc may freeze up on loading screens, as well as having some sound issues.

[SixthAngel]

I just got out of Skyloft and I am really liking it so far.
I really like how they are making Zelda more interesting in recent games.  I enjoyed ghost Zelda in Spirit Tracks and Zelda in SS is great for completely different reasons.

Nintendo does a great job of introducing the different mechanics as usual.  When you first go into the cave to get your bird you fight slimes that you can just hack and then bats that basically need to be z targeted.  Then you fight bigger slimes that are the first enemies that need to be beat with a specific slash (up and down) so they spit and you can take out the small ones.

With SS I also get the feeling that this is the place where Link lives while in most previous games where you start is just where you happen to be when the game starts.  The interactions and relationships really cement Link as being part of Skyloft.  Oh man, Skyloft is gorgeous.  I really hope they keep using this style in the future.