|
dtonys's Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
|
| [February 21, 2008 06:06:58 AM]
|
SESSION #2
GAMEPLAY: After conquering the first dungeon, you are free to explore the wide open world of Hyrule, with only your fairy Navi nagging at you every so often to remind you where to go. I couldn't help but explore everywhere I could, because a game like Zelda rewards you when you explore areas you arn't necessarily supposed to go to. I wandered around in the magical lost woods, explored the vast lake Hylia, and fell into magical random holes that contained treasure chests and Deku scrubs and all sorts of wonderful things. Even though I had already played Zelda: OOT a few years back, I discovered a lot of through things through exploration. The vast Hyrule overworld is the great space of land that separates each town in the land. Time goes in a day-night cycle in this outside area, while time stands still in each individual town.
Sent to meet the princess of Hyrule, you are sent off to Hyrule castle. The castle town is a rustling bustling town filled with people and shops. In order to get to the princess within the castle, you have to get past gaurds, which is a relatively easy affair. Once at the castle, more delicious storyline is revealed, songs are learned (via the Ocarina), and Zelda, the Ocarina of Time, and the Triforce is explained. I had to stop playing at this point, as I already spent over 2.5 hours playing the game and would have been sucked into the next dungeon if I had continued.
DESIGN: OOT features many impressive design features that are impressive even in today's standards. The graphics are outdated for today's standards, but they absolutely fit the gameplay experience. Updating them to Twilight Princess standards would ruin the game's feel. The combat system, Z-Targeting instantly gets rid of any player/enemy camera problems, as it centers the enemy and the player in clear view. The music is used well to effect the tone of the game. For example, as an enemy gets closer, battle music gets louder and louder. Boss battles start out in an eerie silence and until the boss is spotted. The ocarina melodies are catchy and original, and will get stuck in your head.
In dungeons, the camera sets itself up very in a way that leads you where to go. In the Deku Tree on the top floor, the camera goes at an almost bird's eye view, which leads you to jump off the top ledge to break through the web at the base floor. Disposable items key for solving puzzles are often stored in bushes or drop from enemies. The vast overworld provides a sense of "realism", in that the land of Hyrule is an active an connected land. However, when it comes down to it, the overall feel of OOT is just darn magical and mysterious. It is hard to describe exactly why it plays so well. Exploring random pits and going off track is often rewarded with heart pieces and fairy fountains, and yet it is completely optional. Perhaps the freedom and non-linear gameplay, combined with impressive graphics, sound, and storyline filled with magic and mystery creates this perfect gameplay experience.
add a comment 
|
| [February 21, 2008 05:31:29 AM]
|
LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME
SESSION #1
SUMMARY: In OOT, you play the role of the Link, a young boy who's destined to save the land of Hyrule from evil forces. OOT is an action based RPG, which includes traversing the vast land of Hyrule while visiting dungeons and towns. Link uses his sword, shield, boy, and a wide variety of other items in order to conquer obstacles that come in his way.
GAMEPLAY: OOT is just one of those games that has that magical feeling that prevents you from putting the game down after starting it. This game simply has the perfect balance of combat, story, puzzle solving, and exploration. The game has a stunning level of originality, along with some outstanding songs. Right from the start in Kokiri village, you can feel the magical natural aura of the green vegetation along with the buzzing fairies. The tutorial aspects in the village not only teach you the basic sword, shield, and movement mechanics, but presents them in a non linear way. By exploring different areas of the village, you can learn various gameplay aspects.
The first dungeon, the Great Deku Tree, exemplifies many of OOT’s innovative systems. The combat system, Z-Targeting, makes good use of the N64 controller to make a combat system. When an enemy is targeted, the camera centers around the enemy, and Link goes into an offensive stance. This system is great because the enemy and Link are both always on screen and are in plain view. The initial enemies are stationary (parasitic flowers and spiders), and so the game eases you into combat. Zelda mainstays like the dungeon map, compass, and the dungeon specific treasure are still in effect. And each of these treasures lies within a puzzle or enemy guarded room in the Great Deku Tree. One innovative aspect of the Deku Tree is the spider web that blocks certain rooms and passages. In one instance, in once instance, you are required to jump from a high platform to stretch and break through the web to get to the floor below. In another instance, you use fire via a deku stick to burn the web. The treasure of the dungeon, the Slingshot, is a wonderful reward, as it is immediately effective against pesky hard to reach spiders.
The combat in the Deku tree turns intense with the boss Gohma, a giant spider parasite which attacks viciously while pumping out baby spawn. The feel and intensity of this battle is terrific, as the music and graphics of the boss arena set a dark and dangerous feel. It is certainly satisfying to hear the slashing and ripping sounds as the metal sword slashes through the boss’s eye. As the boss is defeated, you are rewarded with a heart container, and more of the intriguing story is revealed as the Deku Tree gives you a sparkly green emerald.
read comments (1)  -
add a comment
|
|
|
 |
dtonys's Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
|
|
Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Thursday 21 February, 2008
|
|
