I started a thread a while back that was critical of SS, so it is nice to see I'm not the only one who doesn't think it's a masterpiece.
I have loved the Zelda games up to now, I even loved TP which a lot of people seem to dislike. Sadly, SS has been a disappointment.
Firstly, the world seems tiny compared to previous games, I do have a problem with there being only three main areas because I am used to exploring varied environments, rather than constantly backtracking. The flying sections are clearly meant to be awe inspiring and give the illusion of a sense of scale, when in fact they are a bit boring and annoying - making it feel more like a hub than a world.
As far as the style of the game goes, I'm not personally that fond of it. I liked the look of Wind Waker, I liked the look of TP but this is in some vague area in between. It doesn't have the darker look of OT/TP and it doesn't have the vibrant cartoony look of Wind Waker. I know this is just a personal preference but somewhere inbetween was no good for me.
The story has not grabbed me so far as well, the text interaction whereby characters say the same thing all the time and seem like inanimate objects is starting to wear a bit thin now. I have not found the characters in SS that engaging.
I have forced myself to play through this one and it does have some great moments, but they are few and far between. I'm guessing I'm at least two thirds in at the moment, and I hope Nintendo pick up their game for the next one. I'd hate for this to be some kid's first impression of what Zelda's about.
Too much planning, and you'll never get anything done.
Karl Pilkington.
