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“The recent Zelda games have been rather linear, as I thought players didn’t like getting lost, wondering what to do, or where to go. However, I’ve come to question this ‘traditional’ approach as I felt that we couldn’t gain the sense of wonder that existed in the original Legend of Zelda, in which you made unexpected encounters and where what used to be impossible would suddenly become possible.” - Aonuma "You see a bit of that in Wind Waker HD and A Link Between Worlds. But the main place where I'm hoping to change a lot of things and show a lot of new ideas is in this next console Zelda. In the process of coming up with them, some of those ideas wound up in A Link Between Worlds. But my focus in changing things is going to be in this new console Zelda." - Aonuma Aonuma literally said that he was putting his ideas from Zelda U into ALBW. He directly addressed linearity as an issue, said getting lost is a good thing, referanced those things specifically in Zelda NES as being something he wanted to bring back in Zelda U, and constantly referanced how ALBW was only a small taste of the drastic changes in the sense of exploration and non-linearity he plans to fully implement in Zelda U. And that isn't even the quote that specifically says you can explore the world in any way you want. I just needed to bring up your completely wrong idea that Zelda U will, in any way, try to protect the player from being "opaque." That perfectly describes what Zelda U will be. Don't like the sound of that? Play Mario, where linearity belongs and is actually good. It will absolutely not be like past 3D Zelda games outside of WW, which is the only 3D Zelda game out side of the spin off HW he has ever referenced when talking about what will influence Zelda U, and with HW was only to talk about bosses not being confined to one room, but to be let loose in the open world. It will be like ALBW, who's selling point was literally to stick a middle finder to guiding the player. ALBW was enguaging enough without needing to resort to the completely un-Zelda linearity and guidance of past titles. There's literally no way to make a game where you can go anywhere any time you want in any order you want, which is literally what "tackle dungeons in any order means" while having a linear narrative with guided progression. It's literally impossible, and even if it was, Zelda U is literally confirmed to not do it. And Zelda U is confirmed to have that, and Aonuma used ALBW to say "See this? This is what I'm doing with Zelda U, only that game will be bigger and more free." Will it have the same narrative presentation as 3D Zelda games? Absolutely. Probably even better if they finally add voice acting. Same guided structure though? Keep dreaming. You can reject it all you want. Aonuma is explicitely rejecting your premise with Zelda U and going with mine, and that's all I care about. And once that premise is successful, and ALBW proves that it will be, that will be the the outright permanent death of the linear era of 3D almost-Zeldas. And the world will be better off for it. |
I'll admit, you have me confused. You say that modern 3D Zeldas have been structured in the manner we have seen up until now due to hardware limitations. I find a quote from Aonuma discussing how hardware limitations segmented the game's worlds, and you say that was not the quote you were referring to. But anyway, that's besides the point.
I will say again what I said before: you are misinterpreting these quotes, or at least, taking them too literally. When Aonuma says that he wants to "change things" in Zelda Wii U, I really do not think he means "change how all 3D Zeldas have been played up until now." I think what he means is that there will no longer be a 'Navi,' or 'Fi,' or 'Midna' character, who constantly hints at or explicitly tells you where to go. But it does not in the slightest mean that we will see a return to the opaque, yes opaque, structure we see with Zelda NES. That type of formula simply does not work in the modern age, and again, I will say that you should expect to be disappointed if that is what you are hoping for from Zelda Wii U.
The reason why I am excited for Zelda Wii U is because I really think they will be able to strike a wonderful balance between providing the player with some sort of basic structure with which to progress through the game, while at the same time allowing the player to do or go anywhere they please. That way, while I may know that my next objective will be completed in the next town over, I am not obliged to go there immediately in order to accomplish something. That is the type of game I am expecting from Zelda Wii U.
