FOR THOSE WHO PLAYED OCARINA OF TIME....
Post Via amazon in Wii Games ReviewThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
When I bought Ocarina Of Time back in 1998 I was excited and really impressed about the first 3D Zelda. When Twilight Princess was coming out I thought: how could they make it better than Ocarina?
When I mean better, I mean PLOT behind all of the flashy graphics and gameplay. I would have to say that the plot of Twilight rings equally with Ocarina only that it will be a bit difficult for a younger crowd to fully understand it. There is a lot of esotericism mixed in with the plot...and some shocking parallels to the world we live in: 'The people lived as ghosts - not knowing they'd passed into the twilight.' tells me of the indifference of people living in a depraved state from an unruly government...'nuff said.
One thing I've noticed in Twilight Princess is it's a bit more 'grown up' than Ocarina but there are still enough games and subquests to take on when you're not ready to complete that next big dungeon. I believe this is a game where you can really 'take time' with it. The designers spent so much detail on the graphics everywhere you go that it's fun just to stop and observe even the fine details. The music is also a strong point...ambient, and sometimes very simple - but very fitting and not overdone. Some places will give you an almost religious experience because they're so well-detailed with myths, liths, glyphs, and idols...and you can tell they were MADE to be looked at. The appearance and design of the dungeons will make Ocarina's quite a bit elementary looking.
A large element of the game you will play as a wolf when venturing through 'twilight'. Later you'll have the ability to change from human (hylian) to wolf at will. You'll meet an enigmatic female character named 'Midna' who rides on your back as a wolf instructing you where to go and what to do (a lot like Navi in Ocarina). It's ironic that your horse (Epona, or whatever name you choose) is your beast of burden when you're hylian, but when you are a wolf - the tables turn. As a wolf, you'll have other abilities combined with Midna like Energy Field Attacking for encircling a group of enemies and then turning on them at once in a lifelike, snarling, roaring melee; X-sensory for honing in on smells, seeing ghosts, and spotting hidden items and grottos in the dirt that can be dug into; the last skill is you learn to howl...a unique touch to Ocarina's idea of learning songs, but you usually only use them once.
Gameplay as Link (or whatever name) is somewhat straightforward. If you've played Ocarina, Majora, or Windwaker - you'll pick it up right away. I've never played it on the Wii so I don't know what that's like. You'll learn a lot of new techniques throughout the game like the shield thrust, back slice, and super spin - but if you're caught in the heat of battle you may forget them and just start doing baseball swings right and left.
As far as weapons and mobility for link you'll get a few new items: The spinner...a toothed, top-like device you ride on top of and use to cling to tracks in the walls; the ball and chain...well, ok it's a smash to use; the command rod is used to control large statues that mock your movements of the rod. You have multiple targeting with the boomerang (borrowed from Windwaker); you can raise or lower yourself from a vertical hang with the clawshot (hookshot), and with double hookshots you can cling to one target and shoot to another. The iron boots serve a dual purpose as they are magnetic which means you can cling to walls and ceilings that are....
Overall...a fairly serious game and not suited for an audience under twelve...as the plot is a little deep. Very well done and worth every penny...for the Gamecube anyway.
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