Saturday, December 3, 2011

Review: Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword


The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Wii
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 20 November 2011

Nintendo has made a fortune over the years between Mario and Zelda. The franchises newest entries are always eagerly awaited and fans flock to stores to buy them at launch. Zelda enters it's 25th year with an entry built from the ground up for the Wii: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Since this will be the swan song of the Wii, I figured it was as good of time as any to finally experience a Zelda title. So, having no nostalgia-driven memories of saving Hyrule, nor a deep seeded loathing of Gannon to spur me onward, I delved into Skyward Sword and the world of Zelda for the first time. The experience turned out to be one of the best I've ever played.

Link and Zelda, the beginning of the legend


All legends have to begin somewhere. Skyward Sword tells the tale of hero Link and Princess Zelda just as all the others have done. However, this time is the first time. Herein lies the origin of the Master Sword and the fated hero's green attire. Skyward Sword shows us how all the iconic tools and equipment came to be. This is the first appearance of Zelda, and of Link working against all odds to save her. This is where the legend was born.

Link's adventure starts off on the floating island of Skyloft. Here, a small group lives their lives in comfort among the clouds. Below the floating isles is a sea of impenetrable clouds and myths about a strange “surface” below. The folks all ride large birds to travel the skies, and the game starts as Link is about to take his final test to become a Knight, the protectors of Skyloft and her citizens. After the ceremony, Link and best-friend/love interest Zelda share a celebratory ride that is cut short by a sudden tornado. When Link awakens to find Zelda missing, he sets off in search of her; their intertwined destinies sending Link searching above the clouds and about the mysterious and wild surface. Both play their parts in the coming battle with an evil force sealed away aeons ago, when Skyloft was created as a last bastion of humanity. We guide Link through many treacherous lands and fulfill his part as a hero foretold long ago. The foil, the effete demon lord Ghirahim (series villain Gannon is no where to be found), is out to revive his master, Demise, and needs Zelda to do it. The clashes between Link and Ghirahim culminate in the ultimate battle, and every meeting feels suitably epic. Link is joined by a sentient program in his sword, the Goddess Blade, named Fi. Fi helps Link make headway in his journey and is a great companion the whole adventure.  She offers insight when stuck, and never feels like an annoying nag.

Fi, an adventurer's best friend

This harrowing adventure plays out in many interesting locations. Each region visited by Link in his quest is self contained. However, this doesn't mean that the world doesn't feel vast. The puzzle filled lands are linear paths to temples which lead to more clues/items/challenges that progress the story. Though there is a lot of backtracking, each successive visit changes the land in some way. At first, it might be subtle, like a path being open to exploration (thanks to a tool or ability acquired elsewhere) or a friendly creature moving an obstruction. Later, it might be major, like a flood, which changes familiar ground in a dangerous new region. I found I wasn't too concerned with backtracking because the changes made familiar places seem alien. Though the overall layout rarely changed, finding new paths made it feel fresh. There are a few times where Link must return to Skyloft to open the next dungeon, and these suffer a bit. Replenishing supplies is always necessary, but running back to the temple to watch a brief scene where the next area is opened and then heading off again gets a bit tedious. Skyloft has plenty of side quests, most are simple fetch quests that don't really add much. If Link helps his fellow citizens, he will get items that make his quest easier. These didn't have the same allure as the main quest though, and I found myself neglecting them. Returning almost seems like an extra step to pad an already lengthy game out, which is a shame.

It is a gorgeous game

Skyward Sword introduces some new ideas that add positively to the game. Found in the environment or dropped by foes are 'treasures' that can be used to upgrade equipment. Most tools have an upgraded form that is leaps and bounds better. This means that tools that are picked up early can change and still be useful. New tools join series staples and offer fresh ideas. My favorite is the mechanical beetle. It can scout ahead, and hit switches out of reach. Upgrading this tool allows Link to deliver bombs to enemies or items to locations Link cannot reach. Shields can also be upgraded, and repaired. This new wrinkle means that you have to be aware of your environment and enemies. A wooden shield isn't going to be very useful when enemies shoot fire. If it breaks, it's gone, but a helpful Skyloft citizen offers repairs and upgrades. Upgrading tools and shields is a great way to keep adventurers scouring the lands for parts.

Dungeons are puzzle-filled joys to explore. Each room contains some manner of challenge to overcome. These are not the mundane “find-the-key-to-proceed” puzzles either. They require careful consideration of the environment, the tools at your disposal and the abilities you have learned. There are not a lot of secret areas, and a thorough adventurer will find everything while working toward the exit. Enemies don't respawn too often, though some are necessary for puzzles/obstructions. At the end, where the treasure lies, also waits a boss. These are some of the best and most involved fights in the game (as it should be). All of them require not only use of the proper tools (usually found shortly before the dungeon), but also your skill. A particular favorite of mine involves a giant scorpion. The claws are destroyed with precision strikes and the beast burrows. Through use of a tool, the beast is forced out where his eye is exposed. The heavily protected eye can only be hit with a thrust, so the player must position themselves and then drive their swords forward to eventually fell the best. It's intense, clever and immensely satisfying to finally stand victorious. The boss vanquished, Link can claim his prize and begin the next leg of his journey.

Link VS the scorpion!

When Link reaches the tests of the Goddess to prove he is worthy, players enter the Silent Realms. These challenges task Link with collecting items scattered throughout a familiar area. The catch is that Link has no items or tools besides his legs. There are no enemies to fight, but plenty to flee. Guardians await any adventurer foolish enough to draw attention to himself, and the terrifying music and washed out visuals as they close in ramp up the tension. Guardians are silenced/stilled temporarily when the collectable is gathered. Link must swiftly traverse the land, avoiding ghosts with lanterns and water lest the Guardians awaken; a single hit from a Guardian will result in restarting the entire challenge. I found these stages a welcome change of pace and they were hard, but fun. I actually spent a hair-raising 30 seconds (it felt much longer) fleeing toward the last item with several Guardians nipping at my heels. I relished the relief at finishing that challenge, and it's just one of several memories I made while playing.

To sell the world, the game employs an amazing art style. The Wii isn't known for it's visuals, but the water-color inspired vistas of Skyward Sword are breathtaking. The style also helps the game process the data better. Objects further way fade into the vague color pallet, and come into focus as you near them. The bright colors pop off the screen and make for a vibrant, living world. Pictures don't do the game justice; it really is one of the best looking Wii titles available. To compliment the visuals, iconic tunes are blended together with new music that always fits. The aural soundscapes go a long way to making an incredible journey memorable. I still find myself humming some of the tunes.

The Main Menu theme of Skyward Sword

Combat is the only bit where Skyward Sword stumbles. Wii controls have always been hit or miss, even with Wii Motion Plus (required for Skyward Sword), and when precision is needed, it can be a drag. It may sound like hyperbole, but when it works, Skyward Sword can be as rewarding as Demon's Souls. You cannot rush into enemies and waggle the Wii-mote frantically and hope to survive. Each enemy has a pattern to learn, and openings to exploit. Some are simple enough, openings either length or width-wise, while others require much more patience. For example, there are four-armed skeletons offer only one safe attack avenue that constantly shifts. Miss and you'll face a powerful counter attack. When you get into a rhythm of attacks, parries and exploits, you truly feel like a hero. Enemies fall around you and collecting the spoils makes you feel bad-ass. But, when things do not work as they should, there are senseless hits and even deaths. I was using a Wii Motion Plus attachment (not the built in model), and occasionally it wouldn't register properly. Rarely, this would have the Wii-mote register the inverse of what I wanted. Other times, especially when thrusting, even a slight twist of my wrist or a not-perfectly-straight-forward thrust would instead lead to a slash. In the above mentioned boss fight, a thrust would injure the boss. A slash would leave Link open to attack. Needless to say, this was frustrating. It wasn't constant, but it occurred enough to knock the score a bit. Other reviews have mentioned similar issues, while some have never experienced them, so it could have been my controller, but it may not have been.

Bosses are mostly well designed and offer outsized challenges that fit their epic scopes.  These fights follow the age-old trend of finding the pattern and countering it. Bosses on the whole are great fun, with a couple of exceptions. Some great ones include the scorpion, a lava fiend that approaches on spindly legs, a kraken and the first Ghirahim fight. While those are memorable and straddle the challenge/fun line well, the last few are some of the most rage-inducing fights in recent memory. The repeated boss battle is one that deserves a special place in the “Hall of Damned Annoying Fights.” Still, the challenge these creatures present nearly always ends up being more fun than frustrating.

Demon Lord Ghirahim toys with Link

While it sounds like some of these issues may be deal breakers, they really don't detract a lot from the game. This will be a classic, and it is a reason to own a Wii (or dust one off). Since I don't have the nostalgia factoring in, I got to enjoy Skyward Sword on it's own merits. I loved nearly every minute of it. Whenever frustration mounted and I walked away, I found myself drawn back. This game deserves high praise, and I could go on describing more amazing situations or fantastic memories. For an introduction to Zelda, this one is amazing and deserves consideration for Game of the Year. I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a great adventure. I know that I'll now be returning and experiencing the rest of Link and Zelda's tales now that I know what all the fuss is about. I can't give it higher praise than that.

Score: 9.5 out of 10
Bottom Line: An amazing adventure that even sporadic control issues cannot derail, a future classic for sure
Check it out if you like: The Zelda series, Okami, Darksiders, adventure games, sword fights
Game of the Year Contender – 2011

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