 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - N64
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Action/RPG |
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| PUBLISHER |
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Nintendo |
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| DEVELOPER |
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Nintendo |
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| ESRB |
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| CREATED |
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11/09/05 |
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Let's see....not only was this the return of one of the greatest franchises in history, but it was also one of the greatest games ever concieved.
It is no secret that I love this game, and not a bigger secret that it is one of the greatest of all time, but looking back nearly 10 years now since it was released, it is hard not to wonder if it wasn't hearld the pinnacle of gaming by the world community. Is it truely that great? Simply, yes.
Graphics-
The only bad spot I can think of is the blurry marketplace, but everything else is sharp and crisp. Age has made it look a bit cruder, but despite that, they are still marvelous to look at. Very few games today have a wide open space like Hyrule Field, for example. This was, until the next generation, the largest free zone in the existing video game world. Oblivion blew it away, but its scale is only the tip of the iceburg of the graphical capabilities of this game. And considering it is on a cartrige format, which at the time was definitly inferior in terms of space than disks, this is a technical feat.
True, some parts were weak, such as marketplace mentioned before, but that can be overlooked as miniscule details into the grander picture. Each dungeon and grotto, puzzle piece and weapon, enemy and item, is crafted with detail, and are, frankly, just cool to look at at times.
Final Grade- A
Play Control-
Despite a few minor camera quips, the control is near flawless. The option of the z-targeting and the easy interface with the c buttons makes quick changes and can totally change the way you combat enemies and solve puzzles. Speaking of that, the puzzles are well planned, and the enemies are vast and great to tango with. Not to mention some of the greatest boss battles ever concieved. Bongo Bongo was a challenge, Morpha was near impossible, and fighting Shadow Ganon before the real thing was a great hint to the real battle later on.
The game also has some of the best dungeons ever concieved. I still shudder trying to get through the water temple, one of the most advanced ideas for a dungeon I have ever seen, and probably ever will. The Forest temple is a close second, as well as the clever design of places like Jabu-Jabu's belly and the Ice Caverns make it worthwhile to explore.
And explore you shall, because the game has great hidden treasures throughout Hyrule. the grottos all over the map are well hidden, and for years were debated if they were the hiding places of heart pieces, gold skullatas, or the fabled triforce, which to this day, is debated if it is in the game or not.
The game also sports a lot of mini-activities, from fishing to bombachu bowling. They even have some side quests thrown in the mix, such as the quest for the biggoron sword, the longest sword in the game, or the poe quests, which add some depth to the single player experience.
Lastly, the whole concept of time in the game is well utilized. Townsfolk and people in the present are affected by the future, when Gannondorf takes over, and the enviorments are affected in numerous ways to solve the world puzzles, such as unfreezing the Hyrule Lake and refilling it with water, dealing with the gerudos as an adult, when you can't even acess the area as a child, and saving the Deku Tree by gathering his seedling in the forest temple, all part of the overarching story that makes the game more than just a typical quest, but something that affects every facet of the world. It truely is a great experience to play and watch.
Final Grade- A+
Sound-
Despite being a cartrige game, the sound's pretty good. The normal music has some catchy tunes and great medlays, the dungeons each got their own sound, which fits them all perfectly, and the music you can make with the Ocarina's themselves are pretty nice. Hard not to give this a bad grade.
Yes, there arer no voices, and they can be overlooked, however, because the background music is so good, it doesn't matter if voices are missing or not. This is one example where the games music not only enhances the experience, but drowns out all negative flaws as well.
Final Grade- A
Overall-
Do I even need to go through this? VERY satisfying. Over 30 hours of gameplay, fun little extras, one of the best storylines ever concieved, and a great enviorment for it to boot, this is one of the greatest games ever created. It's no secret that this is a favorite of mine, but the best part is it's a favorite of almost everyone else.
Final Grade- A+
OVERALL- A+
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| Posted: May 21st, 2007 at 8:50 pm |
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| COngratulations on a great user review. Probably the only one I've seen that actually states WHY its a great game. |
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