Really disappointed in Zelda Spirit Tracks...

[burgerstein]

I completely disagree. I thought PH sucked, and ST is loads better. It was kind of boring at first, but it's definitely better. I'm just going to do the point for point thing because it's the easiest way to explain myself.

shams said:

Ok, I'm not going to rave on too much here. Figure I'm about halfway through the game, and should reserve judgement until I'm done. But in short:

 - I loved Phantom Hourglass (more so than Twilight really)
 - I hated PH. Worst Non-CDi Zelda ever.

 - big Zelda fan in general, have played all the games
 - Haven't played all the handheld games, or Windwaker (I can't find that game anywhere)

I'm really disappointed with Spirit Tracks. I'm slightly less disappointed now than I was at the start, but still...
Spirit Tracks intially met my expectations, which were for it to suck like PH did, but it got better after the first dungeon.

 - I feel its the first time there has ever been a real derivative game in the Zelda series. Every game up to now has been really original, and different when compared to previous titles (including Majora) - with Spirit Tracks, it feels like they took PH, added the on-rails part - and extended the game. Its more an expansion than a real new Zelda.
 - I'll admit the formula was similar, but that can be said about all Zeldas. I say they improved upon PH.

 - I enjoyed the boating in PH, but I'm close to disgusted with the train sections in ST. Apart from really not making *any* sense (in story terms) its just *not* fun in any way. Its also Zelda on rails - something that amuses me (in a bad way). Its lost a core element of the classic zelda gameplay - it limits exploration, removes puzzles from the overworld (and so on).
 - I feel the exact opposite. I hated the steam boat with a passion. ST wasn't any more limiting than PH where you couldn't visit sections of the ocean because you didn't have the chart, or there were rocks in the way, or a storm. There were like two freaking islands in the whole game you didn't need to visit to finish it. At least the tracks gave a satisfying reason you can't visit parts of the world you dont have a map for, there are no tracks to get there. Honestly though, Zelda games need a real overworld.

 - even the original zelda's had the player exploring a large world. In ST, they have managed to break it down to small, digestible segments - and taken away most of the fun in the meantime. The levels I have explored seem to be more about constraining the player, then encouraging exploration and creativity with the items.
 - The same can be said for PH. Those were some of the reasons I didn't like PH. I can't understand how you see that as a diffrence between the two.

 - the production (for a Zelda game) is some of the worst I have ever seen from Nintendo - ever. Part of the purpose of having an "on-rails" system is to enhance a game visually (control camera/placement) - but there is no attempt of this at all. The entire overworld feels like a quick tech demo, with programmer art - something someone whipped up in their spare time, and was considered 'good enough'. Some of the textures and flat trees ... are truly horrible IMO. In comparison the overhead levels are excellent.
 - On rails doesn't mean the same in ST as it does for an on rails shooter. When you get near the end of the game you can travel all over the place, it's not a linear track at all. I'll agree the textures suck, but they sucked in PH aswell, I balme the hardware for that.

 - its extremely 'rinse-and-repeat', even more so than I have ever seen before from any Zelda. Go to tower. Get 3 things. Attack X. Get map. Go to point 'A'. Solve Puzzle. Go to point 'B'. Play song. Go to temple. Solve temple. Go back to tower, do 4 times to get to end of game (* - based on my current experience - with some extra events thrown in here and there).
 - Just like PH, and every other Zelda since Oot. Arguably every Zelda.

 - one of the big advertised things for me was the duality control of Hero & Zelda - but I was extremely disappointed to see it only used in the tower sections (to date). Boo hoo.
 - Honestly, I'd find it a pain to have to lug Zelda around everywhere. I can agree to disagree here. I'm glad you didn't need to use both young and old Link for every temple in Oot, and I'm glad you don't need to become a wolf in every dungeon in TP. The gimmick would get worn out.

 - the player guiding is much worse than previous games. Lets just say I got "stuck" at a section because the game was telling me NOT to leave - when I actually had to leave, explore half the world, and learn some obscure song to continue. No hints, guidance or anything - in fact it was anti-guiding me. Boo, boo, boo!
 - Finally a Zelda that doesn't hold your hand! Haven't had one of those in a while. I haven't actually checked but I believe the leader of that ocean town can tell you what to do next like the fortune tellers in ALttP.

...

There have been some pro's for me:

 - interaction with the Princess is cute and fun

 - the dungeons are classic zelda, with lots of fun puzzles (but so far with too little and easy combat)
 - Classic Zelda was all about combat in the dungeons, with sprinkles of puzzles thrown in. ST (and PH) is the opposite. Though to be fair the control scheme doesn't lend itself to combat very well.

...

I'm not going to write it off until I finish it - but so far its a disappointing 7/10 for me. I was hoping for much more from Ninty - I really hope the Wii Zelda is better.
I'd also give it a 7, or maybe an 8 out of 10, but I was expecting a 5. A lot of it comes down to expectations. I was expecting to hate it and I liked it, you were expecting to love it and you disliked it.