First impressions on Skyward Sword

[surgeworks]

This game is nearly ten years old.

...Wow, feels like only yesterday I was saying that on my Twilight Princess spork. Huh.

I have Breath of the Wild, but firmly insisted on playing this one before that one. So I only have Zeldas from previous generations to compare to this one.

As far as controls go, they've been updated and refined (as far as you can refine with motion controls). That said, we've got some complaints.

• That ever-present stamina meter is a gigantic red flag. It's a sign that screams "Zelda has absorbed elements from modern games of this title's time because Nintendo want to sell things and don't consider whether or not those elements fit into the game". Stamina meters and the over-use of them are hated for good reason. They fit best in stressful games, usually horror titles, where management is key. Careful management has never been an issue in Zelda and shouldn't be.
• Dialogue trees have been part of Zelda for decades, but...this is kind of approaching "obnoxious" territory.
• These characters do not shut up. I haven't even met the ever-grating Fi yet, but Zelda just goes on and on and on and on about her dress and her harp and Zelda's dad just goes on and on and on and on about the super special bond Link has with his super special Loftwing. SHUT UP!
• Concerning the above, there is no way to speed up or skip dialogue. Okay.

Comments

[radio_star]

Hi! Sorry about commenting on an old post, but you mention a Twilight Princess spork. Is there anywhere I could read it?

[surgeworks]

Hey there!

At this point in time, I had still not gotten very far into Skyward Sword, and still viewed Twilight Princess as the disappointing Zelda game. On completion of this game, that opinion changed WILDLY.

Twilight Princess, like Persona 3, is already complete and waiting in word docs; my plan was, on finishing the P3P spork, to post Twilight Princess on my home journal weekly or twice weekly before taking on Skyward Sword on das-sporking2. Holy mother of God, do I regret being as harsh on Twilight Princess as I was after playing this game.

[radio_star]

Ah, I see. I was thinking that you might have another journal somewhere.

Many people consider Skyward Sword to be the worst Zelda game, from what I've seen. Though many also think it's not unsalvageable. Twilight Princess on the other hand gets a lot of praise, so I'd be definitely interested in your more critical take on it.