The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker Review 
| Posted |
Feb 05 |
| Genre |
|
| ESRB |
|
| Release |
|
| Gallery |
View Images |
| Game |
View Page |
Tokyo escort list. vkontakte any. Gun Accessories is nikon binoculars Opticsale.com .. amtel. buy cialis 5 mg
Greatness is not only defined by quality, but also by its impact and its ability to distinguish itself from the rest. There is plenty of quality in the world of gaming, but only a few can achieve a certain greatness that will be remembered for decades. Greatness will forever leave a lasting impact in the very soul and heart of a person. The magnitude of these games leaves its mark and then becomes the measuring stick for future games. The Zelda series is one of those series that continually rises above the rest. Zelda Wind Waker, the newest addition to the legendary series, not only proves itself to be one of best Gamecube games to date, but also leaves its mark as one of the greatest games of all time. And honestly, who’s really surprise? Elitists can argue about the art direction all they want, but Zelda Wind Waker is truly a testament to Nintendo’s ability to amaze and awe gamers around the world. Is it the best Zelda ever? Well, it isn’t quite at that level, but when some of its predecessors are Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, being extremely close is enough to put it above nearly every game that has been made. Do you think I’m kidding? My answer to you and the doubters is the following; it is Zelda. That very name alone will send shockwaves throughout the gaming world. Greatness will forever leave its mark, and Zelda has certainly done that.
Before its initial release, Zelda Wind Waker was criticized for its cell shaded graphics and the sailing. While the criticism maybe justified, people failed to remember that Nintendo was behind the helm. People needed to sit back and put their faith in Nintendo’s ability to amaze. Besides the addition of sailing and the new art direction, Zelda Wind Waker really doesn’t stray too far from the successful formula. The refinements and subtle changes found in Wind Waker don’t necessarily change the series too much, but it’s already on top of the food chain, so there is no need to adapt.
Zelda has never been known for its story, despite the past games having a solid script, but Wind Waker on the other hand has a relatively enjoyable and entertaining storyline. Like previous Zelda titles, Link makes his return and it is up to him to save the world again. Ganon’s tyranny is once again endangering the world around us. Saving the world is a recurring theme in many adventure games, but rarely does a game do it in a way that enhances the game and its overall atmosphere. Luckily for us, Zelda is one of those games. At the start of the game, our young protagonist is ready to celebrate his birthday and his path to adulthood. The celebration is quickly ended when a fallen pirate is being hunted by a giant bird. The game quickly thrusts you into action and those familiar with Ocarina of Time should have no problem familiarizing themselves with the control. Soon after, the bird captures your little sister, and it is up to you to save your beloved sister. Thus another epic adventure is upon us.
Perhaps the greatest aspect about Zelda is its ability to capture the imagination and the heart. More importantly, the game is always able to produce a loving sensation that other games have trouble grasping. Zelda’s core mechanics is certainly filled with depth. The slick combat is matched with responsive controls. In Wind Waker, a simple tap of the button will unleash a masterful parry that would frighten any enemy. But Link is also armed with his patented spin attack, which can clear surrounding enemies. Link also features a set of acrobatic moves that helps him move around the battlefield. One thing that I particularly like was how Link could utilize a dodge maneuver, where he would roll behind an enemy and slash him in the back. Even with his trusty sword, Link is also equipped with a full arsenal of weapons. Armed with arrows and boomerangs, the player has the capabilities to mix up their combat style. For example, one of those flying creatures (the name escapes my mind) can be knocked to the ground with the boomerang and then killed with the sword. I found the mix between the boomerang and the sword to be highly affective. Even with its many weapons, the weapons are never useless, as every weapon serves a purpose.
3d action/adventure titles tend to have a tedious camera system that would cause problems throughout the adventure. And while Wind Waker isn’t free of these same issues, the game for the most part has a remarkable camera system that is easy to use and quite affective. This is due to the fact that the game allows you to center the camera behind Link and also rotate the camera. In essence, the camera does a great job at covering all sides. More importantly, the fluidity of the camera made fight sequences much easier to cope with. Zelda Wind Waker’s camera system is as good as it gets in terms of 3d titles.
Another important aspect in Zelda games have been its brilliantly designed puzzles. At times, it was required to use different weaponry to succeed in solving the puzzles. The addition of these types of puzzles made the weapons feel useful rather than just a list of weapons that the player may never get to use. Take for example the deku leaf, which allowed players to blow a swirl of wind towards an object to cause a raft to move. Its functions served many purposes. In one case, the deku leaf was used to fly across the vast ocean, which required a well time jump into a whirlwind. At times the puzzles weren’t overly difficult, but in other situations, the puzzles became stump worthy. Certainly, the game had a nice blend of both easy and more difficult puzzles, as it slowly eased and immersed you into the game.
The newest addition to the Zelda series is the sailing and exploration in a vast ocean. In the ocean sequences, there are plenty of areas to explore, along with enemies to fight. In one particular issue that surfaces in these sailing sequences are due to some of the weapons that the player can utilize. The cannon that is equipped on the boat is quite powerful, but the aiming felt a bit sluggish and off. But of course, this is only a minor nuance considering how little you will use the cannon. While traveling across the vast ocean, changing directions will become a common theme. Playing certain musical themes can change the wind current and allow you to sail in that direction. There are certainly plenty of little features that add up and make this newest addition a worthy one in the Zelda series.
There are several dungeons in this game, and each one provides hours of gameplay. The dungeons are crawling with enemies and filled with puzzles. As previously mentioned each puzzle is certainly unique and at times require plenty of wit. Towards the end, two of the dungeons become extremely unique in their designs. Our hero will require the help of two friends that will provide aid in the puzzles and the dungeon. While at times, they can become troublesome, due to their inability to put up much of a fight, the utilization of their ability to solve puzzles ultimately makes it a better experience. You can also assume controls of these two characters when necessary, but due to their lack of fighting skills, maneuvering them can become a hassle at times. But when you break it all down it is more of a positive than a negative. Finally, you have the boss fights, which amount to some of the best in gaming. While Zelda fights have never been known for their difficulty, the amount of strategizing is always a welcome sight. Most of the times, the bosses will require a certain weapon that you have obtained in order to defeat. And it is due to this mishmash of weapons, that this game like its predecessors is always enjoyable.
Is gaming art? Through the evolution of gaming, there have been those that consider games art. With Wind Waker’s new cell shaded overall, who am I to disagree with that statement? The new graphics have a cartoon style to it, but considering the light heartedness and charming nature of Zelda, this new look certainly fits the bill. Being filled with lavishing good looks and lush environments, it certainly has an artistic outlook to it. Not to mention, the game’s cell shaded look brings this beautifully crafter fictitious world to life. Are there games that look better? Of course! But in terms of artistic style, there is no better than Wind Waker. Generally speaking the graphics are certainly some of the best on the Gamecube, but the backgrounds get a bit blurry when viewing it from far away. Despite that, the game is still a graphical feat and surely shows the Gamecube’s graphical prowess. In addition to the lavishing good looks provided by the cell shaded engine, the game also has a nice musical soundtrack to match. The Zelda theme never gets old, and along with the rest of the musical soundtrack, the high production values are quite apparent. Although voice acting is missing in this game, it isn’t really a deterrent because traditionally Zelda games don’t have voiceovers.
Continuing its long line of excellence, Wind Waker is among some of the best games of all time. By sticking to tradition and breaking the norm at the same time, Wind Waker feels familiar, but also unique. Consequently, Wind Waker is just as great or certainly right up there with the rest of the Zeldas, but with its new artistic outlook and massive amount of sailing, the game feels unique. While it isn’t a huge leap from its predecessors, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Zelda has been great since day one, so why change something that is continually a smash hit? With a refined combat system, a near perfect camera system, and an overall charming adventure, this game is certainly one of the biggest reasons to own a Gamecube. Any self respecting Gamecube owner should own this game. You’d have to be completely nuts to miss out on this adventure. As they would say, “Move along folks”, there is nothing out of the ordinary because it’s just another masterful addition in the everlasting and legendary series.
- Galactus21
|
