RolStoppable said:
Most of this is similar in nature to what Sean Malstrom goes on about, the main difference being that the author of this article has played all Zelda games while Malstrom just stays away from what he calls Aonuma Zelda.
Anyway, there is a major problem with the series and Thompson nails it down pretty well: Without being challenged, there's no satisfaction. With no satisfaction, there's not much of a point to play a video game. You don't need to earn anything in modern Zelda, aside from a few exceptions.
What Skyward Sword proved pretty well is that it's not the controls that are/were the problem, but rather the fundamental structure of the modern games. The developers do their best to give you an illusion of freedom, but actually there's just one path that you can follow. And like Thompson correctly noted, the secrets aren't really hidden.
Also, because the games are on the easy side, all the optional stuff doesn't have much of a purpose. An additional heart container in the old games? Absolutely welcome, because you knew it would help you. In the modern games? Just there to give you something to collect. Most of Skyward Sword's item upgrades are basically useless. Silver Arrows in the old games? You instantly notice that you've become more powerful. In SS? It doesn't seem to make any difference if you have the Sacred Bow.
The solution would be to drop the story almost completely, it would allow for a more open world. Nobody to guide you along, you have to figure out where to go by yourself. THAT is what it means to go on an adventure. No artificial roadblocks; enemies that are hard to defeat make it pretty clear to the player that he is better off to take another route first, but of course he is free to make his way past these enemies and get some good items rather early in the game.
The dungeons need to be even more dangerous than the overworld. It has to feel rewarding, if you make it through. Pressing switches and lighting torches is hardly something you are proud of. And yes, mazes would be better than the linear stuff we get in modern Zelda. Mazes that allow you to skip plenty of rooms with the possibility that you might miss an item like the boomerang.
In the overworld, hidden entrances should be hidden again. If walls are marked and bushes or stones are arranged in obvious patterns, you know what to expect. Whatever happened to the current Nintendo mantra of everything needs to be full of surprises? Apparently this doesn't count for Zelda.
Long story short: It's about damn time for New Legend of Zelda. A fresh start for a series that shouldn't be just good or great. It needs to aim for legendary status. |
