Gaming The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

[eleanor]

[quote name='Charles']They make a HUGE difference. However, if you have an HDTV and run a game in standard definition, it looks far worse than it would on a standard definition television with composite cables. This is why the graphics are such an issue to me right now. They look far worse than they should. :animedepr[/quote]

[color=dimgray] That's what I thought. :animesigh I'm thinking about buying a VGA adaptor, since my computer screen is actually really nice.[/color]

[DeadSeraphim]

[QUOTE=Zidargh]Owned. *PS turns red and then vanishes in a transparent haze with a weird sound.*

[i]Anyway.[/i]

Right, I'm not sure if I'm going to ask for a Wii for Christmas, however I'd definitely like to play Zelda. The only problem is that I'm not sure if I should wait 'til I get a Wii, or just request the Gamecube version.

For any of you who've played it, and I'm assuming the responses will be from a Wii perspective, could you try and tell me if the GC game's worth getting?

I understand that the Wiimote is incredibly different to a standard controller, but do you feel the system will 'convert' just as well onto the Gamecube?

Much obliged.[/QUOTE]
[size=1][color=indigo][font=arial]It was designed for GCN first, then had Wii-related changes. It'll play just like TWW, dude.[/font][/color][/size]

[Desbreko]

[QUOTE=Zidargh]Right, I'm not sure if I'm going to ask for a Wii for Christmas, however I'd definitely like to play Zelda. The only problem is that I'm not sure if I should wait 'til I get a Wii, or just request the Gamecube version.

For any of you who've played it, and I'm assuming the responses will be from a Wii perspective, could you try and tell me if the GC game's worth getting?

I understand that the Wiimote is incredibly different to a standard controller, but do you feel the system will 'convert' just as well onto the Gamecube?

Much obliged.[/QUOTE][color=#4B0082]At this point I really can't say whether or not the Wii version is better, since the GCN version hasn't been released yet and there's some things about it that I don't know yet.

The biggest question is whether or not the GCN version features a full manual camera like TWW had. Wii-TP does not, since it doesn't have a C-stick to work with. The game doesn't really seem to require it, but it would be helpful in some situations. (Especially for seeing behind you during horseback combat.) If the GCN version does have this feature it might just put GCN-TP on par with Wii-TP for me, since I really loved TWW's camera.

Another, more minor question I have is how you're going to do the shield attack in the GCN version. In Wii-TP you just thrust the nunchuk forward while Z-targeting, but the GCN controller obviously doesn't have a motion sensor. I would guess they'd map it to the R button (you keep your shield raised automatically while Z-targeting so the R button should be free), which would be fine. But if they try to make it context-sensitive with the A button I can't see that working well at all.

I can say for sure, however, that the only thing which will be able to match pointer-controlled aiming for projectile weapons in Wii-TP will be a full manual camera in GCN-TP. If GCN-TP doesn't have that then I think Wii-TP is going to win hands down.[/color]

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

[color=#4B0082]Ooh, baby. Twilight Princess just got a whole lot more interesting. If you've played TWW, you should know about what happens after you beat the Tower of the Gods (the third dungeon). There's a nice section of plot twists that really sparked my interest in the game's storyline. Well, what happens after you beat the Lakebed Temple in TP (again, the third dungeon), completely puts that to shame.

I'm not going to talk about specifics, since even with spoiler tags I know people will ruin it for themselves (them tags are addicting, you know), but a bunch of stuff happened that I did not see coming at all. Usually at this point you can get a good idea of where the story is headed, but right now I still have absolutely no idea what's going to come next. And I have a [i]burning[/i] desire to find out. I have little doubt that TP is going to feature the best story in any Zelda game to date.

One thing I will say, however, is that I can now [spoiler]switch between human and wolf forms at will.[/spoiler] I'm really excited about this since it opens up so many gameplay possibilities. And they're possibilities that I actually want to explore since, [spoiler]unlike the mediocre transformations in MM (rolling around as Goron Link was the only thing I really enjoyed), playing as Wolf Link is actually fun.[/spoiler]

In other news, I learned a new sword technique! The Back Slash is basically taken straight out of TWW (you roll around behind a baddie, then jump up and slash at their back), but instead of it being an auto-counter move you actually perform it yourself. What you do is sidestep, then instead of a second sidestep you'll roll around behind the baddie you're Z-targeting. Then, as you're coming out of the roll, you have to time your sword swing so that you jump up and do the attack.

I haven't gotten much of a chance to use it yet but I am [i]so[/i] happy about the move being controlled manually instead of it being automatic. I've always thought TWW's counterattacks were really cheap since they were stupidly easy to pull off and they gave you a free hit. But now, in TP, you actually have to see an attack coming in time to sidestep it and roll around behind the baddie to counter.

TP's combat system is turning out to be the best of any 3D Zelda yet. I just hope there's going to be more frequent opportunities to really make use of it. So far a Lizalfos-like enemy is the hardest non-boss monster I've encountered and they never even blocked any of my attacks with their shield, let alone hit me. Bring on the Moblins, Darknuts, Wizrobes, Iron Knuckles, Stalfos, and all the other big baddies!

Oh, and James, if you wanted another Water Temple you got it. The Lakebed Temple bears an uncanny resemblance to the Water Temple (and rightly so, considering it's at the bottom of Lake Hylia which means that for storyline purposes it's actually the same place), though I think it's vastly improved. This time around, instead of half the challenge lying in simply figuring out the layout of the dungeon, it has a fairly simple layout and relies more on its actual puzzles. And as puzzles go, they took another large leap in complexity from what was in the Goron Mines; all told it took me about three hours to complete the Lakebed Temple.

But, once again, I'm extremely disappointed in the dungeon's boss. This time I did actually take damage but it was only about one heart due to some smaller enemies that it released into the room. It never even came close to hitting me itself. If TP's boss fights don't turn around soon the game is going to top even TWW in terms of boss fight boringness.

PS. [strike]Syk3's[/strike] The Master Sword is mine![/color]

[Ellerby]

[QUOTE=Desbreko][color=#4B0082]But, once again, I'm extremely disappointed in the dungeon's boss. This time I did actually take damage but it was only about one heart due to some smaller enemies that it released into the room. It never even came close to hitting me itself. If TP's boss fights don't turn around soon the game is going to top even TWW in terms of boss fight boringness.

PS. [strike]Syk3's[/strike] The Master Sword is mine![/color][/QUOTE]
[COLOR=DimGray][FONT=Tahoma]Yeah, I was quite impressed with the third dungeon. But, like you, unimpressed by the boss. However! There is hope. The boss of the fourth dungeon was a lot of fun. Especially since you had to [spoiler]use a new item you find in the dungeon[/spoiler]. Spinner rules. That's all I'll say.

And if you thought the story expanded after lakebed, then wait until Gerudo Desert. Wooie![/FONT][/COLOR]

[James]

[font=arial]I played Zelda for a couple of hours last night and I'm now up to the first temple. While I'm obviously not very far into the game at all, I can finally comment on a few of the elements that have been discussed so far.

The major thing is the controls, I guess. Initially they did seem a bit floaty and odd - it took a little while to get used to fighting by shaking the remote. But in all honesty...it isn't a big issue. Once you get used to how it all works, it becomes second nature. And of course, it frees up the other buttons for various other actions.

It's really no different from getting used to an analog stick for the very first time - yeah, there's some adjustment required, but it feels very natural once you're used to it. And using the slingshot with the pointer is very engaging.

The first section of the game (in Ordon Village) is definitely very slow and it didn't impress me much. But as soon as you become the wolf...the game just seems to move from strength to strength (and I'm only a tiny part of the way through).

I can see how some might say the game is stale or tired...but I think that's only a surface-level thing. Yeah, TP doesn't have the visual impact of a next generation game - but once you get into it, this really becomes irrelevant. The game control and the variety of gameplay really keeps it interesting. I particularly like a lot of the interactions with Midna - I think they add a freshness to the game early on. If the latter part of the game provides even more new elements, then I don't think I'll have any complaints about TP feeling "last generation".

So far, I'm very impressed. TP could easily become my favourite Zelda. I'm so pleased that they've injected some true darkness into it, especially after Wind Waker's relatively lighthearted atmosphere. This game already has moments that remind me of Majora's Mask, which can only be a good thing.

I think MM is my favourite of the 3D Zeldas, so I'm really hoping TP can top that.[/font]

[John]

[quote name='James][font=arial']It's really no different from getting used to an analog stick for the very first time - yeah, there's some adjustment required, but it feels very natural once you're used to it.[/font][/quote] Natural, sure, but does it actually feel [i]better[/i] than an analog stick? That's what the Wii is about, so I'd expect it to be able to hold up.

[James]

[quote name='John]Natural, sure, but does it actually feel [i]better[/i'] than an analog stick? That's what the Wii is about, so I'd expect it to be able to hold up.[/quote]

[font=arial]I don't think that's what Wii is about though, really - I don't think it's about being a better way to play...I think it's about being an [i]easier[/i] way to play. Wii Sports is probably the best example of that. Whether or not the Wii Remote makes Zelda any easier is definitely up for debate - so far I think the main difference is that aiming at the screen with the slingshot and the bow and arrow is quite a fresh experience. I personally prefer aiming like that compared to using the sticks - there's a sense of speed and accuracy that I don't quite get with the sticks themselves.

But is it better than an analog stick? That depends on the game. In Zelda's case, I think shaking the remote is about as good as pressing a button - but it does feel somewhat more immersive, which probably makes it a little nicer. Once I got used to it, I started to really enjoy it. But I can understand that some people would prefer thet old way of playing.[/font]

[Ellerby]

[quote name='John]Natural, sure, but does it actually feel [i]better[/i'] than an analog stick? That's what the Wii is about, so I'd expect it to be able to hold up.[/quote]
[COLOR=DimGray][FONT=Tahoma]I tried playing Halo 2 the other day after Zelda. I couldn't do it. It just wasn't as fun when it came down to aiming.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[James]

[font=arial]After playing Zelda for a few more hours tonight (and forgetting to save...grr) and I'm really getting used to the flow of the game. I think you need to invest serious time with this game to fully appreciate it.

There are certainly areas where you think "we should be past this by now" in terms of how certain things work...but honestly, those moments are few and far between. Even early on, TP consistently presents new ideas and new gameplay challenges, the likes of which haven't been seen in Zelda before. In some ways I almost feel that TP brings more new gameplay elements to the table than TWW - regardless of its new control scheme on Wii.

The only advantage I can really think of with the GameCube version is the ability to use a free-look camera. But the benefits of this are largely overstated I think - when you're playing the Wii version you rarely notice camera restrictions and I think that in large part, this is due to the way the game's environments are designed. If it weren't for Z-Targeting, things would be much tougher.

Still, it's difficult to compare the Wii Remote to a regular controller...many Wii games strive to achieve different outcomes than those on competing systems. Would I be happy to replace existing controllers with a Wii Remote? Well...if all new Wii games are of the calibre of Wii Sports and TP, then the answer would probably lean pretty closely toward a yes. This is especially true after playing Wii Play - many of the mini-games in that could be extrapolated into fully-fledged games. I think fishing in a real 3D space was one of the main things that sold it for me recently (fishing in Wii Play is actually much better than in TP though, I think).[/font]

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='James][font=arial']The only advantage I can really think of with the GameCube version is the ability to use a free-look camera. [/font][/quote]Well putting aside all the talk about the Wii version, for a poor college student, the biggest advantage is you don?t have to buy a new system to play it. ;) Especially if you already have a GameCube.

And speaking of the GameCube version, I just got my copy today. I?ve only played it for a few hours but it?s fantastic. The whole package has a much more polished look , even the rupees have a more three dimensional flair to them. The landscape, from the water to the flowers and grass, it all looks great. It?s defiantly a step up from the previous 64 Zelda games.

I?m also liking the set up for accessing your items and how you can easily change your view. I?m still getting use to the wolf form, but it?s definitely quite interesting. The only drawback, I have finals this week so I can?t play it as much as I would like.
[/COLOR]

[Semjaza]

I just picked up the GCN version too. I don't have a Wii and have no real intent to buy one for a while, so I figured $50 was a better option compared to $250 + $50. Although Elebits came out today and that looks pretty awesome.

As an aside, I was surprised to see Best Buy sells DS imports like Jump Superstars and Naruto.

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][QUOTE=Charles]The game's opening is decidedly dull. Ocarina of Time opened with an intense prophetic vision of Ganon in pursuit of Zelda on horseback. WindWaker opened with a beautiful, albeit somber montage of stained-glass storyboards. Twilight Princess, on the other hand, puts Link in a rural setting where the player herds goats, chases a cat, and fishes.

Anyway, after the boring opening, suddenly the game takes off and you see why the opening was so stale. This world you think you know, is suddenly going to get flipped upside down. The fabric of society is going to crumble and the feeling of terror is pervasive. [/QUOTE]Well I just got the game for GameCube yesterday and naturally I played it for a bit. I agree that the opening seemed a bit flat, but I was already noticing the differences from the previous 64 Zelda games and the Wind Waker and in that respect it?s got a whole new depth and level of interactive ness that?s very enjoyable. And though I?m sure they could have done better, for the GameCube the graphics and the way it is put together is simply beautiful. I?m really enjoying how things look in this game. But what really threw me for a loop is exactly what you just described Charles. I was comfortably going along with the way the story seemed to be sending you only to have it suddenly flip. And it was done well enough that for those of you who are playing it, I?m sure you can guess which part literally startled me as it was so unexpected. [quote name='Charles'] However, it should be noted that the actual composition of the music is still quite beautiful. Just imagining it fully orchestrated really leaves me wanting more.[/quote]I would just love to hear it fully orchestrated, it?s like a tiny glimpse of what the music really is. It?s a shame they didn?t do more with it.

The whole game is just as you described it, it has a wonderful mix of the traditional Zelda look with the overlay of a darker overtone and the artwork for it is beautifully done.

I also love how the character development has more depth to it than in previous games. I won?t post spoilers either since I was pleasantly surprised by how they handled that aspect. I?ve only gotten a bit past the first dungeon and that part of it really draws you into the story and has you feeling more connected to what?s going on.

So far the dungeons or rather quests as well have had interesting new aspects to them, but the first boss was terribly easy to beat so I hope that trend doesn?t continue through out the game. It was still fun since figuring out the dungeon was quite different, but the boss battle was rather anticlimactic in how it was so simple and easy to do.

Eventually once Nintendo actually has more than one game that interests me for the Wii, and hopefully it?s dropped in price too, I?ll have to pick up the Wii and Twilight Princess so I can play it and enjoy it all over again with the differences due to the remote. But for now I have no complaints as the GameCube version is so far more than living up to my expectations. (other than that one boss fight that is. )[/COLOR]

[Charles]

Yeah, the orchestrated music would have really elevated the ambience to a new level; it did wonders for DQ 8 on the PS2. I don't know if you've ever seen the E3 2K5 trailer, but I suggest watching it if you really want a glimpse at how terrific the game's score would sound if orchestrated:

[url]http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?fs=1&id=2631[/url]

On the bright side, I'm glad that there are so many quality original compositions. When I first began the game I was treated to the exact same MIDI tracks I heard in Ocarina of Time, which was rather disappointing; as the game progresses and the new stuff sets in, the soundtrack quickly becomes awesome despite its technical shortcomings.

Unfortunately all of the bosses [I]are[/I] ridiculously easy to take down. Most of them can't sustain more than a handful of blows and finding the pattern to kill them is as easy as equipping whatever new item you've found in a dungeon. Fortunately, the boss battles are still epic and super fun. I'm really inclined to think that the dungeons in these games are typically "the bosses" and the encounter at the end of of a dungeon is almost like the reward. The boss battle in the Arbiter's Grounds dungeon is easily my favorite thus far. So, look forward to that one; it's still a while off but I think you'll really like it too.

Anyway, I'm still liking this game a lot. Thanks to some advice from Desbreko, I've managed to master the backslash, which was one of the only things annoying me.

I also just wish that some of the items took advantage of the Wii-remote better. Many of the items tend to control the same.

The difficulty is just way too easy. Although the dungeons, like the bosses, are fun to tackle, most of them are just far too easy to blow through. The puzzles are clever but most are straightforward. The actual layout and design of the dungeons mostly makes up for their shortcomings though. The dungeons are basically the same deal as the bosses--easy but enjoyable. I have stumbled across a couple sections that have made me pause to think, however.

Lastly, as the game goes on I think it sheds some of the more unique elements that were present at the outset and it becomes a bit "too familiar."

Overall though, I'm satisfied and the game is on track to be my favorite in the series.

[Semjaza]

This difficulty thing you guys are bringing up is a major problem for me.

Wind Waker was just ridiculous. I made myself die just to see what the game over screen was like. There's something wrong when a big pig in your opening village takes away more hearts from you than the bosses in the game.

I think the problem, partially, is the addition of quarter hearts. I think this is the worst addition to the series so far. When you're going to get over a dozen hearts just by playing the game normally (and WAY more if you look around), quarter hearts are pointless. Pick-ups to regenerate are so plentiful that it winds up just being a cake walk.

If Nintendo wants to do this, then fine, but at least include a hard mode. I've brought this up on other Nintendo sites and people jump at me like this is an insane request. They'd rather play the game "how the creators envisioned it". If the creators envisioned a game without real challenge, I have to say it makes me sad.

I think this hurts the series. It takes away any sense of live or death, basically removing any sense of fear. There's a lot to be said about just barely clinging on to life and still defeating the boss. Zelda has managed to destroy that.

If they want to take the game and leave the settings for Normal Mode, and then increase the strength of the enemies for a Hard Mode, I'd be all for that.

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Generic NPC #3']If they want to take the game and leave the settings for Normal Mode, and then increase the strength of the enemies for a Hard Mode, I'd be all for that.[/quote]I feel the same way. I adore the Zelda series, but on some level it does get annoying that it?s too easy to beat. The first time through it?s no big deal for me since you are figuring everything out, but I really wish they would do like other games I enjoy that have multiple settings for difficulty. Like Diablo II Lord of Destruction and Star Ocean: Till the end of time and Tales of Symphonia. Even though you have to unlock the harder levels in those games, they still at least exist so you can take on the game on a more challenging level.

I really wish Nintendo would take that into consideration. It would make Zelda all that much sweeter to beat it on the normal level, then a hard level and then an expert level. I?d probably never beat the final level, but I know I?d enjoy one that?s at least a little harder than the typical normal level.

So far it?s unique enough that the different aspects of what your character can do is keeping me entertained. And if it continues on that trend it?s definitely going to be one of my favorite games. [QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]I think the problem, partially, is the addition of quarter hearts. I think this is the worst addition to the series so far. When you're going to get over a dozen hearts just by playing the game normally (and WAY more if you look around), quarter hearts are pointless. Pick-ups to regenerate are so plentiful that it winds up just being a cake walk.

If Nintendo wants to do this, then fine, but at least include a hard mode. I've brought this up on other Nintendo sites and people jump at me like this is an insane request. They'd rather play the game "how the creators envisioned it". If the creators envisioned a game without real challenge, I have to say it makes me sad.[/QUOTE]Well if you?re like me and miss a jump and land in lava. [spoiler]which by the way, is pretty awesome looking as to how your character just slowly sinks in [/spoiler] that mistake takes quite a bit more than a simple quarter of a heart.

How the creators envisioned it? *snicker* That?s priceless. It?s not like they couldn?t play the game and never turn the hard mode on. That?s about as dumb as the argument over subtitles and dubbing in anime. Technology today makes providing more than one option in games much easier, so they can easily stick to the way it was envisioned and yet still give people more variety in their gaming experience. [/COLOR]

[Treble]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=2]I too do not have the Wii yet, but I do plan on getting Zelda: TP for the GCN at Circuit City since they have a good deal going on right now for only $37.99. However, all of these negative impressions, such as boring intro, unorchestrated soundtrack, easy challenges and bosses are discouraging. [/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=2] [/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=2]And for some reason, I tend to have a hard time getting into the 3d Zeldas compared to the 2d games. The simplicity of the 2d Zeldas were able to draw me in right away. A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, and Minish Cap are my personal favorites from the series. [/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=2][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=2] For those that have played TP, how would you rank this game compared to Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask (have yet to play), and Windwaker? Also, are there any more impressions for the wolf segments?[/size][/font]

[Desbreko]

[quote name='Charles']Anyway, I'm still liking this game a lot. Thanks to some advice from Desbreko, I've managed to master the backslash, which was one of the only things annoying me.[/quote][color=#4B0082]It's such an awesome move once you get it down. I use it more than any other sword technique, short of the spin attack.

Oh yeah, and if you want to hear the orchestrated theme from the E3 2005 trailer you can just let the game sit at the title screen for a bit. It'll go through the little opening where Link rides around Hyrule Field then go to a new trailer set to the same music. The composition of it is really similar to the E3 trailer, only it uses clips from the final game (obviously) instead of the in-development version.

The difficulty. . . . Yeah, it's pretty safe to say I'm disappointed. I beat the seventh dungeon yesterday and I can say that it never gets much harder than the second dungeon. And what's really sad is that the mini-bosses are usually just as hard, if not harder, than the actual bosses.

On the plus side, the boss of the seventh dungeon was a lot of fun to fight, if still really easy. It's definitely my favorite in the game so far, possibly my favorite boss out of all the 3D Zeldas. The underlying mechanics of the fight were great, they just needed to make it do two or three times as much damage and move/attack about twice as fast. I mean, seriously, getting thrown back through the air by a stream of flames and then falling a hundred feet should do more than two hearts. lol

Overall, I think TP is a little easier than OoT. (Hearts in pots coming back when you leave and re-enter the room has a lot to do with making the game as easy as it is.) Thankfully I'd say it's harder than TWW, though. The removal of the auto-counter, instead making you do the moves manually, makes a big difference there. Along with not giving you triple heart drops from every other enemy. . . .

But in terms of how much I'm enjoying the game, TP wins out by far over the other 3D Zeldas. There's so many improvements over OoT in terms of play control, dungeon design, storyline and character depth, combat. . . . I think TP improves on OoT in every possible way except difficulty. A lot of the same things apply to the MM/TP comparison as well, though the gap between storyline and character depth is a bit narrowed. And the TWW/TP comparison swings the other way, with the gap closer in the combat and dungeon design areas.

Oh! One thing I should mention, though: Twilight Princess does have at least one hard area. It's the Cave of Ordeals and it consists of room after room of enemies with almost zero heart drops. It's a lot like the cave on Outset Island in TWW only it puts that cave's difficulty to shame. Some of the later rooms can easily bring you down from full life and kill you if you're not really, really careful. I haven't managed to beat it yet; right now I'm going around collecting all the pieces of heart that I missed and I'm going to give it another try after I'm all stocked up.[/color]

[Meggido]

I got this game on gamecube yesterday. yes poor poor me can't afford a wii so have to deal with the downgrade. ANyway From what I've played so far and what I've seen of the wii version, there is no difference with the exception of the controls. In fact I played the game for 11 hours yesterday and finished the first 3 dungeons.

I have to say I love this game. Probably the most challenging Zelda game in a long time, and in my opinion, the greatest Zelda story since Link to the Past. I absolutely love Midna. Don't understand who's side she's really on, but that's what makes her so great as a character. SO far the hardest boss for me was the mini-boss in the second dungeon, kept rolling off the platform when trying to do a jump slash. But I have to say that 3rd dungeon reminds me of the water temple in OOT. Long and complex.

[Charles]

Well you know, I would love it if the game had a hard mode but in all honesty, Zelda's always been more about exploration than difficult combat.

"Shadow of the Colossus" would probably be a great game for some of you to try if you want a Zelda-like experience with a higher difficulty.

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue]So far the dungeons or rather quests as well have had interesting new aspects to them, but the first boss was terribly easy to beat so I hope that trend doesn?t continue through out the game. It was still fun since figuring out the dungeon was quite different, but the boss battle was rather anticlimactic in how it was so simple and easy to do. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]I just finished the first dungeon and I agree, though fun, the boss battle was way too easy. And yet in it?s defense, it was entertaining to complete. [QUOTE=SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue]Well if you?re like me and miss a jump and land in lava. [spoiler]which by the way, is pretty awesome looking as to how your character just slowly sinks in [/spoiler] that mistake takes quite a bit more than a simple quarter of a heart. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]I?m not to a point where there is lava you can fall in, but now that you?ve said that I?m going to have to jump in just to see what you are talking about. [QUOTE=Treble][font=Comic Sans MS][size=2]I too do not have the Wii yet, but I do plan on getting Zelda: TP for the GCN at Circuit City since they have a good deal going on right now for only $37.99. However, all of these negative impressions, such as boring intro, unorchestrated soundtrack, easy challenges and bosses are discouraging. [/size'][/font][/quote]Well I haven?t played it very far yet so I can?t comment too much on the difficulty or lack of difficulty in the game. But as for the intro, Charles summed it up quite nicely, the opening may seem boring, but it?s setting the tone for literally sucking you into the game. You think you?re getting a grasp as to what?s going on and then the game yanks the ground out from under your feet. It?s very effective in totally immersing you in the storyline. Out of all the Zelda games I?ve played, I think the method of how this one opens is one of the best for it?s deceptive simplicity in setting the stage to pull you into the real story. [QUOTE=Charles]Well you know, I would love it if the game had a hard mode but in all honesty, Zelda's always been more about exploration than difficult combat.

"Shadow of the Colossus" would probably be a great game for some of you to try if you want a Zelda-like experience with a higher difficulty.[/QUOTE]As much as I?d love to see Zelda have different difficulty settings, it certainly won?t stop me from getting the games because in the end, each and every one of them has been enjoyable, regardless of the easy factor as others would put it. And even then I would imagine it has to do with how quickly you figure things out. When I first tried to beat the final boss in Majora?s Mask, I followed the advise of the fairy and got clobbered many times before I went with my own strategy to finally take the boss down. I even had plenty of fairies and other stuff to restore your life and yet that final boss still kept nailing me.

And the boss in the shadow temple in OOT was a pain as well. It would get a hold of you and once that happened if you didn?t have a fairy in a bottle, you were history. Something that also happened to me many times.

Anyway, back to Twilight Princess, as Des put it the first dungeon set the tone for a far more impressive and unique experience in solving the dungeon and other than the boss fight being a little on the easy side, the rest of it was totally enjoyable and I wasn?t disappointed in it at all. If the rest of the dungeons are just as fun and innovative I can safely say that this will end up being my favorite out of all the Zelda games.[/COLOR]

[James]

[font=arial]I've been playing a little more and I'm now up to the [spoiler]Lakebed Temple[/spoiler]. How many dungeons are there in total, by the way?

So far I'm loving the game, although I think I've gone to the third temple a little prematurely - I still only have one special move and I haven't learned any more. My sister was telling me that she had learned one or two more by that stage, so I'm behind her I think, lol.

Anyway, I felt that the game's opening was relatively slow, but once you hit the first dungeon the game really hits its stride. So far I've been thoroughly impressed - I'm now used to using motion control for combat (which I love) and I am loving horseback combat and using the pointer for the arrows and boomerang. Great stuff!

I do agree with others in the sense that TP is just too easy in termrs of combat...this is disappointing when you also consider that fighting in the game can be so much fun. I would personally rather simpler dungeon puzzles and much tougher enemy battles in Zelda games. TP's dungeon puzzles are okay - nothing too complex yet, but certainly there is plenty of variety to keep things interesting.

The story seems to be moving along well - probably better than in past 3D Zeldas - and I am really preferring many of the characters in TP. Last night I [spoiler]escorted Telma to Kakariko Village[/spoiler] and I thought that was a great way to break up gameplay (and to make the journey back a lot more fun). This level of variety seems to be seperating TP from past 3D Zeldas (particularly OoT).

Despite the fact that people have said TP seems very tired...I'm actually finding a lot of fresh experiences here. Yes, the general progress and many of the game's key elements are very familiar, but the overall experience is definitely quite new where it counts.

It sounds like I've still got a long way to go though, so I'm looking forward to seeing what more surprises are in store.

Oh and...I have to say, now that I'm used to the Wii version, I don't think I'd want to play this game on GameCube. The manual camera just isn't worth what you'd sacrifice in play control. If you have no choice then sure, the GameCube version is going to be great. But if you own a Wii...I think the choice is a no-brainer.[/font]

[Desbreko]

[quote name='James][font=arial]I've been playing a little more and I'm now up to the [spoiler]Lakebed Temple[/spoiler']. How many dungeons are there in total, by the way?[/font][/quote][color=#4B0082]I'm pretty sure there are eight dungeons altogether. I've done seven so far and I have eighteen heart containers, I know I'll get at least one more from pieces of heart, and I know that the end dungeon won't give me one (since the end boss obviously won't drop a heart container). So either eight or nine dungeons, but I'm betting on eight since it's a pretty standard number for the Zelda series and the storyline seems to be leaning that way.

Also, you bring up a good point which I also noticed, about the game being broken up by sequences like the wagon run from Castle Town to Kakariko Village. I really like how they added more of those kinds of events. In OoT, once you got the Master Sword and had explored nearly the entire overworld it was mainly just dungeon-to-dungeon with little else in between. The Gerudo Fortress was about the only change of pace throughout the rest of the game.

In TP I find it really nice how they always give you something to do in between each dungeon. For most of them that means traversing a new area of the overworld. But even ones that don't involve much extra exploration, they always manage to put something in to keep you from getting burned out on the dungeons. My favorite so far has been the sequence between the sixth and seventh dungeons. The pseudo-western-style shoot-out was just awesome and it was made all the better by the Wii's pointer control for the bow.

You've got a lot to look forward to, Jeh. :)[/color]

[Charles]

Yeah, I just did the Western-style segment today; I played through it twice just because of how much fun it was. I also like the story elements that take place afterwards.

As for the variety--it's pretty cool. Many of these segments seem like mini-games, which is no big deal, but the way they're worked seamlessly into the game is cool. I probably like the snowboard segment the best. Fishing is also cool once you're [I]really[/I] able to do it (none of that Ordon village crap). The Wiimote fishing alone makes it the definitive version.

Also, EGM says that there are 9 dungeons.

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='James][font=arial] So far I'm loving the game, although I think I've gone to the third temple a little prematurely - I still only have one special move and I haven't learned any more. My sister was telling me that she had learned one or two more by that stage, so I'm behind her I think, lol.[/font][/QUOTE]Hmm, you must have missed them because I?m about to enter the third temple and I?ve got three of the special moves so far. [QUOTE=James][font=arial]I do agree with others in the sense that TP is just too easy in termrs of combat...this is disappointing when you also consider that fighting in the game can be so much fun. I would personally rather simpler dungeon puzzles and much tougher enemy battles in Zelda games. TP's dungeon puzzles are okay - nothing too complex yet, but certainly there is plenty of variety to keep things interesting.[/font][/QUOTE]If it wasn?t for the other unique aspects this game has to offer, the lack of more serious combat would be a big turn off. But the rest of the game so far has been so much fun that I really don?t care. It would have been nice to have that hard level though, as it would be fun to play it again on a more challenging aspect once I beat it. [QUOTE=James][font=arial']Oh and...I have to say, now that I'm used to the Wii version, I don't think I'd want to play this game on GameCube. The manual camera just isn't worth what you'd sacrifice in play control. If you have no choice then sure, the GameCube version is going to be great. But if you own a Wii...I think the choice is a no-brainer.[/font][/quote]All the more reason to play the GameCube version first. :p Then you get the best of both words, the Link who is left handed along with the camera advantages, and then later again with the new challenge of getting use to the Wii version. Though due to money constraints, until Nintendo has more than one game I like for the Wii, even Zelda isn?t enough to tempt me to fork out an additional $250. [/COLOR]

[Semjaza]

Quite honestly, the manual camera isn't so precise or necessary that it even has been majorly useful in the game for me. The automatic one works well enough and is usually positioned where you would want to put it yourself to begin with.

Point being, I doubt anyone with the Wii version is missing much.