In many ways, Majoras Mask and Ocarina of time are very similar games. From an aesthetic and design perspective they look and feel very similar. All the good things about the gameplay and design of Ocarina of Time are present in full force in Majora's Mask. The emotional experience that MM creates for the player however, could not be more different than that of Ocarina of TIme. Where Ocarina of time tends feel like a fun, relaxing, and balanced experience Majora's Mask often feels like a depressing and bewildering ordeal. This however, isn't neccessarily a bad thing. This is not a relaxing or pleasant game to beat, but it is a very rewarding one to beat. The harsh time limit, the often cryptic nature of side quests, the increased difficulty of dungeons and the dour tone of the game all work towards the common end of producing an experience where the player is meant to struggle and feel helpless. As a player, you're made to experience a lot of the same emotions that characters in the game are feeling. For people who can get past the unwelcoming nature of this game, this produces an intimate connection with the game world and a feeling of investment in your actions that not many games achieve. Most Zelda games aren't much more than very fun and engaging romps that sometimes have emotionally resonant stories that ground and enhance the experience. This is something very different. Majora's Mask is that rare and perfect melding of gameplay, story and characters where all work perfectly together to create something far greater than the sum of its parts. Games like this are often lightning in a bottle. It can be difficult to pin down exactly why it works so well in certain games and not in others, why some games have to settle for being merely great and why others can achieve a transcendent status for many players. Majora's Mask struck lightning for me, and I'm so glad it did.