| Ocilayton said: Not a complete consensus. That would be impossible. But generally (Just look at the top 300 games thread here) it is a consensus. Also to you comment about nostalgia goggles I'd like to know what game you believe surpasses oot in overrall accomplishments. |
I last played Ocarina a couple years ago so it's all a bit fuzzy but I remember that there were some issues that really bothered me. I see the 5th console generation as an ugly mass of warts rife with design and technically problems and Ocarina wasn't entirely immune. There were very few technical shortcomings but the first village had terrible draw distance problems. You couldn't see any of the elves (except for their fairies) until you were practically standing on top of them. The camera was also problematic although far better than the vast majority of 5th generation games.
As far as design issues, I have to say that Ocarina's biggest offense was extremely poor combat. The majority of the enemies I defeated were beaten by blocking until they attacked, then I countered. It's such a painfully simplistic combat system it was pathetic. Sure, it improves as you gain new gadgets and fight more complex enemies but Ocarina still had the worst combat in the series (as far as I can tell). The environments were enormous, empty and dead with almost nothing of interest. It felt like I was trapped in a barren wasteland. I'm not exactly a Zelda veteran so it may just be me but I found many secrets to be either too well hidden or too time consuming / difficult to acquire.
I remember that when I used to review games I had almost twenty negative points to make about Ocarina but most of them were relatively minor, hence why I would need to play the game again to remember more. That being said, I feel no desire to do so because frankly, it wasn't all that great. I'll get back to it one of these days but there are literally dozens of games I would rather play at this time. I can not wait until I get my new computer, I'll be breaking it in with Planescape: Torment, a game with a vastly, and I mean vastly superior story.
Edit: Good lord I really am tired, how on earth could I forget that awful Water Temple. Pause > Equip Iron Boots > Walk Five Feet > Pause > Unequip Iron Boots > Push Switch > Pause > Equip Iron Boots > Walk Five Feet > Pause ...
Edit the 2nd: Again, I'm not firing on all cylinders hence why I forgot so many of the aforementioned issues. I've got HFA so certain sounds bother me, a lot. Two fine examples are Navi and Young Link. Between "Hey listen" and the "wha! ha! hwyaaa!" of Link swinging his sword around I just want to gouge eyes while playing Ocarina >_>
