SUMMARY
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time features a young elven forest type by the name of Link as a protagonist, who, as far as I currently know in my game progression, is trying to save a local wise man tree, the Great Deku Tree, from certain death by roaming through his interior and killing baddies with a magical sword that Link finds in a secret part of his small elven village.
GAMEPLAY
What really hit home with this game was the story and the way it was presented. I haven't played any of the Zelda series prior to this, but I really felt a connection with Link. His little crush on Saria and his scuffles with that neighborhood tough were subtly done, but they gave me a feel as to what his lifestyle was like, especially with the opening scene in which Navi, Link's fairy companion, flies into his house and tells us through a conversation with some type of higher being that it was time to awaken this prophet of sorts, a boy with no fairy, and accompany him on his journey to his hero-esque destiny. That sort of dialogue and character caught my attention a wee bit, as it made it sound like a grand adventure, and the vivid colors and at the time revolutionary graphics make the game flow like a 3D platformer RPG should. As the story progresses, we go from the village to saving the Deku Tree, a local wise man in tree form, and it is at this point that the puzzles that the series is supposedly reputable for kick in. In order to save the Deku Tree, Link must kill a beast that is currently inhabiting it's insides, but to get to that beast, he must find keys and use his slingshot to open the right doors to get to the beast.
The other great aspect to the game is the puzzle solving that is inherent in all the levels. As much as it makes me feel like Homer Simpson to say this, it's been keeping me busy for a while. First I had to go find a small series of keys in rooms that had a little trick to them, then I had to figure out how to get a slingshot, then I had to defeat a mini boss to get to the main boss, and I'm still working on that. But this game is such an uplifting game for me personally. It's nice to come home from work and see what Saria has to say or to get a little farther in the Deku Tree. I always feel a little better playing it, thanks to such smooth narrative.
1 Hour Later
GAMEPLAY
This game is so tight. Definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I love the story, I love the progression, I love the controller configuration, I love the currency. Seriously, they're multicolor diamonds. I got as far as getting into the Gorgon's Palace, due largely to the fact that I explored the terrain extensively. I visited the Gerudo Valley and swam in the lake and ran through a village and a ranch and helped a rancher wake up by hatching a chicken and saw the princess. I love being a part of this mini world. It's a great escape.
The minigames in the palace walls are even sick. I love everything about this game.
This time around, there were some bystanders watching as I played as Link, and the game received positive response from the people that weren't even playing it. As we took turns running around at night, we flipped out when skeletons popped out of Hyrule field, we all made horrible comments about each other's mothers while we played the various mini games, we were all in it. The game is complex enough that there are fun little things to find in the oddest locations. For example, it was all by chance that we found that Link will swan dive off the Gerudo bridge. And it was by a greater bit of coincidence that we found that he floats to a secret boulder on a ledge by the bridge if one were to jump off the bridge holding a chicken. Little secrets like that are everywhere to match the ridiculously good story and the impossibly creative depth that the game contains. I think I might just be Link for Halloween to celebrate how grand this all really is.
DESIGN
Never before and possibly never again will I find a game with the brilliant design that went into The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I still have yet to encounter a dull moment, as the story is incredibly compelling, while at the same time, if anyone should get bored with the storyline, there is enough to do as far as little side quests go to keep anyone entertained. The artistic styling alone could keep a body busy for a spell. The architecture of the different areas of the world and the levels differ greatly, and each of them has their own unique attributes and originality. The fashions the characters sport are strange, original, and interesting. So much detail went into this, and it shows best in the art that expresses so much emotion and thought in so many small ways. The boss levels are dark and foggy and a wee bit freaky deeky, while the meadows are open and inviting, while shops are warm, yet slightly uncomfortable, while Zelda's courtyard is serene and calming and bright. The game communicates a wide spectrum of moods and feelings though its art, which only helps to further the brilliant story.
In case you weren't sold already, this game has a new innovation that I haven't even shared yet. The game makes use of a magical instrument called the ocarina that allows Link to do things like communicate with Saria when he leaves to save the world from a sketchy man from his dream in the opening sequence or to present his ties with the royal family. No other games that I know of besides the Guitar Hero series have used music as a central piece of the story. In all, this is quite possibly the best game I've ever played. Final Fantasy is the only other game to have a story as original and grand, but it lacks the gameplay that Zelda does. I love this game. There is no one single thing I would change about it. I will play this game over and over until the day I day. Yee.
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Feb 20th, 2008 at 23:28:26.
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