lithiumproject
2015
Actual perfection.
2015
A dumb ass game with a dumb ass story and God bless Ed Boon for it.
2015
Its influences are worn heavily on its sleeve, and while it doesn't meet those lofty heights, it still offers enough to make it another worthy Metroidvania title.
I respect your right to hate this game, but you are wrong.
2014
Easily one of the best experiences to be had on mobile platforms.
Ready to die? Because you're going to die, a lot, and you. will. LOVE IT.
Tweaking the formula to buy items and having dungeons available to complete in any order comes with its strengths and weaknesses, but this quasi-remake/sequel to one of the great games of all time is a worthy companion.
I mean, it is terrible, but it's so spectacularly terrible.
2013
I remember when mobile phone games didn't have gatcha mechanics.
An absolute disaster.
2013
Super underrated game from the heyday of the XBLA days.
So much GOD DAMN BLOOM.
But yeah, Nintendo tightened up most of the issues with the original, but the obvious omission of the 3rd dungeon is still unfortunate to see, and the Triforce fetch quest is some of the worst padding the series has seen.
But yeah, Nintendo tightened up most of the issues with the original, but the obvious omission of the 3rd dungeon is still unfortunate to see, and the Triforce fetch quest is some of the worst padding the series has seen.
2011
My only frustration is the lack of ports for this in 2021.
Ocarina of Time is the Nevermind of video games; they’ve reached a status of legend that is almost impossible for them to live up to. Perhaps they are not the greatest of all time, and there certainly are flaws you can pick at, but they are timeless and I’ll continue to revisit them knowing they still kick ass.
It’s my first time revisiting the game since it was released on 3DS and it still holds up as an epic, sprawling, coming-of-age tale. Though there are always two things I forget when replaying it; at least one key in the Water Temple before the Boss Key room, and the sadness that hangs over the story and mood of the game. ‘The Hero of Time’ gets a pretty shit deal compared to the other incarnations of Link, which follows through in his journey in Majora’s Mask, and his eventual state in Twilight Princess.
But where MM draws from surrealism and the sheer oppressiveness of perpetual destruction that hangs over Termina, there’s an understated, unspoken sadness in OOT, mixed in with the more traditional fantasy elements of light vs dark, man vs nature, and Link’s own battles going from child to adult. Oh, and, y’kno, when you enter the Market for the first time as an adult.
The issue I have with the 3DS remake is similar to the problems with remakes like Silent Hill: in the process of cleaning the game up and adding extra touches of detail, they take away the grit and the edge of the original. This is most apparent in the Shadow Temple, where rooms made wall-to-wall out of skulls, are replaced with a mixture of skulls and dirt. It does contain the elements of the original - I still hate going to the bottom of the well regardless, and Dead Hand is still Dead Hand - but it doesn’t feel as ‘dark’ - whatever that means.
But it goes without saying how much the remake sorts out numerous quality-of-life issues the original has; the additional buttons on the inventory screen, no longer having to pause to change items, that feeling of stiffness when trying to aim with the longshot/arrows being replaced with gyro controls, having a map that is visible at all times! All these changes streamline the experience and the inclusion of the Master Quest does make this the preferred way to play OOT.
Over the years we’ve had numerous articles and video essays analysing the dungeons of OOT; are the layouts more linear than in previous Zelda games? Is it worse that you do them in a specific order? (or at least you’re meant to!) Is the Water Temple actually shit? They are all legit questions. For me, I would argue the pacing is uneven, with the Shadow and Spirit temples feeling easier due to their focus on a more linear and action-orientated path. As a result, the strongest Temples are front-loaded. But I’d also suggest the argument about being able to choose which Temples you do in which order is a moot point - it’s wholly dependent on the game and what it is trying to achieve. Yes, you can do the Dungeons of NES Legend of Zelda in any order, but that game is also a fucking nightmare to navigate.
Plus, nowhere has the long-told story of Miyamoto discovering a cave in the forest nearest his house and its influence on the Legend of Zelda better translated than wondering into the Forest Temple for the first time, those first notes echoing into effect, and the camera panning up to showing you this massive Temple buried deep within the forest.
Ocarina of Time is and forever will be one of the greatest games of all time.
It’s my first time revisiting the game since it was released on 3DS and it still holds up as an epic, sprawling, coming-of-age tale. Though there are always two things I forget when replaying it; at least one key in the Water Temple before the Boss Key room, and the sadness that hangs over the story and mood of the game. ‘The Hero of Time’ gets a pretty shit deal compared to the other incarnations of Link, which follows through in his journey in Majora’s Mask, and his eventual state in Twilight Princess.
But where MM draws from surrealism and the sheer oppressiveness of perpetual destruction that hangs over Termina, there’s an understated, unspoken sadness in OOT, mixed in with the more traditional fantasy elements of light vs dark, man vs nature, and Link’s own battles going from child to adult. Oh, and, y’kno, when you enter the Market for the first time as an adult.
The issue I have with the 3DS remake is similar to the problems with remakes like Silent Hill: in the process of cleaning the game up and adding extra touches of detail, they take away the grit and the edge of the original. This is most apparent in the Shadow Temple, where rooms made wall-to-wall out of skulls, are replaced with a mixture of skulls and dirt. It does contain the elements of the original - I still hate going to the bottom of the well regardless, and Dead Hand is still Dead Hand - but it doesn’t feel as ‘dark’ - whatever that means.
But it goes without saying how much the remake sorts out numerous quality-of-life issues the original has; the additional buttons on the inventory screen, no longer having to pause to change items, that feeling of stiffness when trying to aim with the longshot/arrows being replaced with gyro controls, having a map that is visible at all times! All these changes streamline the experience and the inclusion of the Master Quest does make this the preferred way to play OOT.
Over the years we’ve had numerous articles and video essays analysing the dungeons of OOT; are the layouts more linear than in previous Zelda games? Is it worse that you do them in a specific order? (or at least you’re meant to!) Is the Water Temple actually shit? They are all legit questions. For me, I would argue the pacing is uneven, with the Shadow and Spirit temples feeling easier due to their focus on a more linear and action-orientated path. As a result, the strongest Temples are front-loaded. But I’d also suggest the argument about being able to choose which Temples you do in which order is a moot point - it’s wholly dependent on the game and what it is trying to achieve. Yes, you can do the Dungeons of NES Legend of Zelda in any order, but that game is also a fucking nightmare to navigate.
Plus, nowhere has the long-told story of Miyamoto discovering a cave in the forest nearest his house and its influence on the Legend of Zelda better translated than wondering into the Forest Temple for the first time, those first notes echoing into effect, and the camera panning up to showing you this massive Temple buried deep within the forest.
Ocarina of Time is and forever will be one of the greatest games of all time.
2021
A game that I could swear came from XBLA and one that cannot meet the ambitions I'm sure Image & Form had set out to accomplish.
A core mechanic doesn't expand to offer enough variety meaning the game actively regresses the longer it goes on, and while it finally starts to show some potential by the last chapter, I was hoping for the game to wind down already by that point. You also get the sense there will be a degree of depth to gathering and crafting resources, but this ends up being far too simplistic and the upgrades you make have minimal impact on your character.
Environmental puzzle elements are too simple or get explained by the character as you enter the room, but the overall environmental design is lush and detailed - albeit with some texture popping here and there.
A core mechanic doesn't expand to offer enough variety meaning the game actively regresses the longer it goes on, and while it finally starts to show some potential by the last chapter, I was hoping for the game to wind down already by that point. You also get the sense there will be a degree of depth to gathering and crafting resources, but this ends up being far too simplistic and the upgrades you make have minimal impact on your character.
Environmental puzzle elements are too simple or get explained by the character as you enter the room, but the overall environmental design is lush and detailed - albeit with some texture popping here and there.