If you didn't check it out back in December, I did a partial review of this awesome game when I played through the beginning of Skyward Sword and I wrote a teaser article which you can find right here. I covered a lot of basics in that piece, so I won't spend as much time on them here. Without further ado, I present to you The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword!Skyward Sword is the first entry in the entire Legend of Zelda timeline, so the game takes its time setting up various items, locations, and characters that we've met later on. The game initially takes place in Skyloft which is a huge mass of land floating in the sky, with many small "islands" surrounding it, while later on you get to go down and explore the surface area. Link, along with his best friend Zelda attend the Knight Academy where they hope to become Skyloft Knights. This very friendship is what drives your emotions during this game. After a string of events where Zelda goes missing, you aren't just rescuing a princess. You aren't just beating the bad guy because that's what you have to do. You want to progress forward because Zelda is your friend, and you as the player have already developed a bond with this character and want to make sure she is safe. The story is one of the best ones in the franchise, which isn't surprising since we ARE talking about the ORIGIN story of one of the best series of all time.
Nintendo took the art style a different direction this time, blending some of the lighthearted color schemes from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask while still keeping a close eye on details like the leaves of the trees, pollen floating through the air, just the little things they didn't HAVE to do. During the cutscenes of the game emotions are very well displayed in the characters' faces and body language, as the game kept a more mature style of character models like that of Twilight Princess. Aside from the color choices, the art looks almost painted, and if you check out promotional art for the game (including the box art) the in-game art is very similar. Overall it's a beautiful style that can be appreciated both for being new while keeping some familiar touches.
The music in the game is outstanding, and if you bought a new retail copy of the game, it comes with the Skyward Sword soundtrack. This is the first time in the history of the franchise that a full orchestra was used for the score, and it sounds amazing. It makes beautiful scenes more serene. Battles feel more intense. It really adds a whole new layer of depth to the feel of the game. (At the time of this writing the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddess Tour is actually making its away around North America, so check out the locations and see if there's one near you!)
The controls are a huge selling point for Nintendo and while I fear they didn't entirely capture the accuracy people wanted, they did a pretty damn good job. Instead of randomized hacks, you can now angle the sword however you want while fighting even though most puzzles or enemies will make you swing vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. You will learn very early on that you CAN NOT just go up to many enemies and swing wildly and hope for the best because they will block your attack then punish you with a counterattack. Learning the controls and being accurate with them is extremely frustrating and it may take some time but once you get the hang of the controls and various enemy patterns, the game becomes more enjoyable. Flying on your Loftwing (your mode of transportation while in the Sky) and the skydiving segments (very few) are probably the most frustrating part of the control scheme. It feels unresponsive in my opinion and practically requires you to recalibrate before doing one of these sections.
One of the majorly vast improvements of this game that developers should take note of was the addition of streamlining the items and their menus. In many games you have to pause the action, scroll to a certain screen and choose your equipment or item and select it, then unpause and jump back in. In Skyward Sword, they have included real-time item menus. Simply hold down a button (B for weapons or the - button for potions and such) and it will bring up a circle of your items. Then drag/point the remote to which one you want, and release the button and you're ready to use it all the while still able to move about freely and never ceasing the action. Another addition to the series is the Stamina Meter. Anytime you want to make Link run forward, jump across or climb vines, or if you try to do too many spin attacks in a row, your stamina meter will deplete and if it runs out you will be rendered very immobile for a few seconds while it recharges. You can use up your meter to about 90% and let go and you will keep your normal movement while the meter refills again, and there are also small flowers that allow you to instantly replenish your stamina if you run over one of them. I was pretty opposed to this new feature at first but it's definitely a welcome change.
Lastly on the additions side of things, is item customization. By finding random treasures out in the dungeons or sometimes dropped by enemies you can upgrade your weapons and items into better forms. I was shocked by the amount of customization you have access to including reinforcing your shields to make them stronger, infusing potions with insects to give them additional effects, or making your weapons stronger. Finding some of the items required for the upgrades can be a pain sometimes, but it's a cool feature that will keep you coming back for more.
Gameplay is phenomenal, as would be expected. Overall regarding land mass and explorable areas it's hard to say how this game compares to the others (but I'm going to attempt to do it anyway in a future article!) and it looks as though there's not much to it because you find yourself revisiting previous areas a la the Metroid series but at the same time when you think about the amount of stuff these few areas consist of, it's impossible to say the game isn't full of content. The various dungeons all have a unique feel to them, the puzzles have just the right amount of difficulty. Sometimes you walk into a room and the solution is obvious while other times you have to explore the room and figure things out first. There were numerous times where I thought I was being creative and thinking outside the box to solve something, but it turns out that's how they designed the puzzles to begin with!
One of the downsides to this game is a new feature in the gameplay called dowsing. You go into first-person view mode and a reticule representing the tip of your sword will appear and as you point around the area the reticule will flash and ding brighter and faster as you get closer to your target, whether that be an item, an exit, a person, etc. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a cool feature. Very helpful for finding hearts when you're low or finding the goal if you're having trouble doing something on your own. It does have useful moments but my problem lies in the fact that many parts of the game require you to use dowsing in order to progress and I feel it would've been much better as just an optional thing that could come in handy.
While I won't give any spoilers, I will say this: boss battles are a double-edged sword in this game. If the battle revolves around a dungeon item, it's almost TOO easy to figure out how to beat it. Conversely if it's a battle based on your sword and slashing techniques, it's extremely difficult to figure out sometimes, but it gives the feel of a good challenge. Just don't give up when it feels impossible or unresponsive. You probably just haven't figured out the niche yet.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was definitely a great mile marker for the series, and a celebration of 25 years of Zelda history. The biggest thing I ask of players out there is PLEASE don't compare this game to previous games. It is a separate entry in the franchise and deserves to be treated as such. It's an amazing game with a great story, beautiful art style, and gameplay that will keep you glued to the TV for all 40 hours of gameplay. Also, after completing the game you will unlock a mode called Hero Mode. Similar to Ocarina's Master Quest, Hero Mode will cause enemies to do double damage, and hearts are much more scarce this time around. The good news is, any treasures and insects you acquired on your first playthrough will still be accessible so you can upgrade your weapons earlier!
***TLDR: Skyward Sword is a fantastic game. The controls are a little weirder than expected, but not as clunky as they could be. It really boils down to learning how to use them properly. The story is great, the art is great, and every self-proclaimed Zelda fan should play this game at some point.***
Gameplay: 8.0 - Dungeons and puzzles are amazing. Enemies are new and creative. Controls are lacking in a few minor areas but it's not a deal-breaker.
Graphics/Presentation: 9.5 - Beautiful painting-style graphics, bright colors, a fully orchestrated soundtrack, and vivid emotional cutscenes make this one of the most beautiful Legend of Zelda games to date.
Story: 10 - This story explains a lot of origins such as the Temple of Time, the Master Sword, even the on-going struggles of the Hero of Time and the Princess. Very well-done, presented at an excellent pace.
Sound/Music: 10 - This game really nailed ambiance and presentation. As stated above, a fully orchestrated soundtrack that plays off the strongest emotions and scenes of the game, the classic sounds you've always known and loved, it's everything you want in a Zelda game.
Replay Value: 9.0 - If you're a completionist this game will have plenty for you to do. There are a multitude of side quests, bugs and items to collect, upgrading weapons, and when you finish the game, you can play through a more challenging Hero Mode with slight modifications.
Overall Score: 46.5/50
