Usually, I have a really hard time putting into words why I love games I rate 10/10 so much, but I think I can finally, at the very least, explain the genius of Majora's Mask.
You've probably played a really hard game, right? Whether it's cryptic or just unforgiving, a hard game can be really fun- when you get good at it. Sometimes, that takes a while. Sometimes hours. Sometimes you have to play through the game all over again to 'truly enjoy it'. A bit of hyperbole, but point is, many games are better on replay as a result. There's an argument to whether or not the first or subsequent playthroughs are more important when rating a game. Personally, I feel the best games are great on a first play and even better on replay. And what's so genius about Majora's Mask is that it emulates this experience in a single playthrough.
Let's say you're playing the game. You're at the Great Bay Temple. You get near the end, and now the moon is about to kill everyone. You get annoyed, and you play the song of time. Ok, now you gotta restart. You know what to do this time though, and you have a limited amount of time to do it. And you DESTROY the dungeon. And you probably feel really good. Your mileage may vary, of course. AVGN played the game in 2020 and the 3 Day mechanic annoyed him thoroughly. But to me, what should be a tedious mechanic combines with what is a really steep learning curve and creates an extremely satisfying experience!
All of this ignores some great stories, an interesting world, excellent music, NPCs that run on schedules, excellent side content, incredible atmosphere, and some of the best and most creative dungeon design in gaming, and so many other positives. Point being, it's an extremely unique yet still well-made game that I'm happy has recieved the acclaim it deserves.
You've probably played a really hard game, right? Whether it's cryptic or just unforgiving, a hard game can be really fun- when you get good at it. Sometimes, that takes a while. Sometimes hours. Sometimes you have to play through the game all over again to 'truly enjoy it'. A bit of hyperbole, but point is, many games are better on replay as a result. There's an argument to whether or not the first or subsequent playthroughs are more important when rating a game. Personally, I feel the best games are great on a first play and even better on replay. And what's so genius about Majora's Mask is that it emulates this experience in a single playthrough.
Let's say you're playing the game. You're at the Great Bay Temple. You get near the end, and now the moon is about to kill everyone. You get annoyed, and you play the song of time. Ok, now you gotta restart. You know what to do this time though, and you have a limited amount of time to do it. And you DESTROY the dungeon. And you probably feel really good. Your mileage may vary, of course. AVGN played the game in 2020 and the 3 Day mechanic annoyed him thoroughly. But to me, what should be a tedious mechanic combines with what is a really steep learning curve and creates an extremely satisfying experience!
All of this ignores some great stories, an interesting world, excellent music, NPCs that run on schedules, excellent side content, incredible atmosphere, and some of the best and most creative dungeon design in gaming, and so many other positives. Point being, it's an extremely unique yet still well-made game that I'm happy has recieved the acclaim it deserves.
Nate
1 year ago