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Saturday 9 February, 2008
GAMEPLAY
Phantom Hourglass has delivered standard Zelda fare so far. Although one could enter a Pulp Fiction-esque "little differences" diatribe, the main elements are still there - the puzzles based on environmental details, the constant rewards of varying value for varying tasks, the patterned boss fights, the acquisition of new tools and abilities for the purpose of solving puzzles and opening new paths, and the slow but steady expansion of the game world as the player progresses. As mentioned in the previous post, what sets this game apart from previous Zelda games is its interface and the degree to which it is integrated.
During the gameplay after my previous post, I encountered several shining examples of the utilization of the DS's capabilities. One such example required the player to create their own map of an island, and then unify the image they've traced with clues as to where to do certain things and in what order. The notion that I would have to be the cartographer myself seemed preposterous at first, as I had been trained by countless previous games that a pre-made map hidden by some omniscient cartographer would inevitably be found within five or so minutes. Once I gave in and decided to try sketching the map with the built-in capabilities that the game offered, however, it seemed a completely natural and logical thing to do, and I felt silly for not considering it straight off.
Another example of the game using the stylus to better immerse the player is in treasure hunting. Hints are laid around to connect certain points on the map and investigate whatever results, usually leading to some goodie or another. I found this particularly successful at making me feel like I had honestly discovered it on my own, and on a higher mental level than similar treasure situations in previous Zelda games. This resulted in much more satisfaction from the find than usual and gave me a genuine sense of accomplishment.
Combat, a major facet of the game as well, continues to be fidgety, but I seem to have adapted to the controls a bit more. The serial nature of the control of the player character still presents a problem, but I have become more fluid with it, meaning the transition between movement and attacking is no longer quite as jarring.
Finally, the characters continue to be deeper and more likable than ones in other Zelda games, with a very noticeable streak of humor present throughout. The player is often offered the chance to respond to non-player character remarks in a binary but often humorously befuddled manner, which drew me in to the world a bit more than I would have expected. The character development is definitely a highlight of this game.
DESIGN
The high level of integration of the control scheme into the game has a very noticable impact on the game. Puzzles, a major aspect of any Zelda game, are very player-centric, relying on them to keep track of information and transform it into a usable format. As a result, the dungeons have shifted away from the traditional Zelda spatial skillset (block pushing, combat, navigation) and towards one that is based on the ability of the player to draw figures and keep track of multiple pieces of information simultaneously.
Time-based gameplay is also significant in the game, requiring the player to manage their time resource (the Phantom Hourglass) while in dungeons to avoid damage for just occupying any space but specific safe zones. This means that any space but those safe zones takes on an immediate air of danger and instability, as the timer will count down in there, but stop when in a safe zone. The fact that the player can not regularly recharge or regenerate the timer without leaving the dungeon puts a high priority on the time resource. This puts the player continually on edge while in the dungeons, as the physical space they're occupying is actually trying to kill them.
The continual deliverance of rewards is always present, as with all Zelda games. The rewards range from small scale and high frequency (a rupee or heart every few seconds, from grass or enemies or some other common source) to large scale and low frequency (the new piece of equipment you pick up in a dungeon, vital to continuing onward, picked up once every few hours). This continually encourages the player and compels them to push onward, as they quickly learn the reward structure and become driven by it. Aside from the unique puzzles that populate Zelda games, the reward structure is perhaps the most important and recognizable aspect of the games, and Phantom Hourglass is no exception.
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