If I am actually only 25% way through (just finished fixing the bridge), then I may live to eat my words. I didn't imagine I was 50% done... but closer to 40%.

I did preface my rant saying that it was "partial" thoughts - but these thoughts are real, and in no way made up.

Again - I loved PH to death - from the very, very beginning all the way through to the end (including all side quests). It was a solid 9.5 for me.

I'll get back to playing it now, and see how it goes...

The score is the score. The game isn't terrible - I'm still playing it. I'm just finding it disappointing.

For reference, my approx scores for some previous Zeldas (IMO):

PH: 9.5

Twilight: 9

OOT: 10

Wind Waker: 9.5

LTTP: 9.5

Zelda (original): 10 [hard to explain, but still my favourite in the series]

Zelda II: 9.5 [also really loved it at the time, as different as it was]

Majora's: 8.5 [really enjoyed it, but never finished it - and ultimately found it frustrating]

Awakening (GB): 9.5

Minish Cap: 9.5 [Brilliant game, unbelievable production for a GBA title]

...

I tend to rate Zelda games *very* highly. Hopefully ST will reach 8.5 or higher by the time I'm done with it.

I'll update this thread if/when my thoughts change...

I agree with you in part about the over world.

For me it’s the only section of Spirit Tracks that’s disappointing. It really is anti exploration – even the boat let you draw your own path. But the game has some of the hardest (and most fun) Zelda boss battles to date and the dungeons are some of the hardest in years.

Plus I thought the story was well presented and the tracks themselves were tied in cleverly. On the graphics... well I've never been a fan of the cell shaded style on DS - it just looks wrong to me. I'd rather go back to 2D, but you can't have everything.

I just hope Zelda Wii brings back over world exploration on foot… if there is one at all.

Still have to pick this one up.

To each his own, but I loved every second of Spirit Tracks. Not that I didn't like Phantom Hourglass, but everything just felt so much more tighter in comparison of the two. Better puzzles, epic boss fights, awesome story, and they fixed the damned rolling which made me want to stab the stylus through my DS in PH.

Funny, considering the method for rolling in Spirit Tracks provides a better opportunity for "stabbing" through your DS with the stylus.

Maybe, but the whole "draw a small circle in front of your character to roll" rarely worked for me, whereas the double tap never gave me a problem at all. Maybe I'm the only one though.

@SaviorX,what's the big deal with online?How many points do u personally subtract from a game that has no online?I've never played online before & the same is true of many gamers,but in a game that only allows 4 players at once(GOW,SSBB,NSMBWii),I'm very sure I will ALWAYS prefer 4 players in the same room to online.Can't say the same 4 games with more than 4 players at a time,though.

Phantom Hourglass was probably the worst mainline Zelda imo, and it all had to do with the overly simplistic hand-holding dungeoning. It's like they put everything into crafting this amazing interface (that actually works!) and just dialed in the rest.

Spirit Tracks is better in about every regard, but I have to agree that I'm tired of the vehicle based overworld. I'd kill for a DS Zelda using this engine with an oldschool overworld to manually traverse and explore.

NOOOOO!!!!Finish the game you must!It's my 2nd best game of all time(OoT) is my 1st.That's cuz it's the hardest 3d Zelda imo,and has by far the best side quests.If you beat the side quests in this game,ALL of them,the game becomes almost twice as good as if you had just beaten it normally.For me,OoT & MM are 10s!