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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review
by on 2011-12-22 at 20:56 (12051 Views)
Whether it’s the fact that Ocarina of Time is the only game I own multiple copies of (four), or the fact that I spent the first twenty days of November celebrating its games and characters, or the fact that text messages and e-mails notify me with a familiar “Hey!” or “Listen!” respectively, I have made no attempt to hide what a huge fan I am of the Legend of Zelda franchise. It should come as no surprise that I have been eagerly waiting for the release of Skyward Sword for the Wii since the initial image of Link with a mysterious character who resembled the Master Sword behind him appeared in 2009. Naturally, when its release date was announced, I could not wait for the chance to express my love for this phenomenal series in my review of Skyward Sword.
Skyward Sword is unique in the Zelda Franchise in that it is the first game in the story, chronologically. As such, it plays the crucial role of explaining the origins of one of gaming’s most well-known weapons, the Master Sword. Many years before the start of this story, the goddess Hylia helped the Hylians of the early Hyrule flee to the skies and escape the battle against the armies of evil. For many generations, the people of this floating continent lived ignorant of the world below. One day this all changes when destiny calls out to two youths of Skyloft -- the spirited Zelda and courageous Link. While they’re out flying, a dark storm suddenly appears and knocks them from the skies and Link is separated from his childhood friend. That night, a mysterious figure appears before Link and guides him to a hidden blade, the Goddess Sword. The figure reveals she is an artificial intelligence construct named Fi, embedded within the sword to guide the one destined to be her master. Forged by the goddess, Fi has waited for many years for the arrival of the hero destined to carry out the goddess’ will. Guided by her, Link soon departs from Skyloft to fulfill his destiny and reunite with Zelda. His adventure returns him to a world that many have forgotten, but has not stopped moving. As is the norm in Zelda games, this seemingly simple journey to find Zelda soon transforms into a grandiose quest against forces of evil interested in dominating Hyrule. However, one of my favorite parts of this game is the fact that at its core, it never forgets that it is about the quest of a boy trying to save the girl he loves.
As someone who has played every Zelda game (minus the CD-i disasters..), it is always interesting to see how Hyrule and its inhabitants are portrayed in each iteration. Whether it’s the lonely world of the original Legend of Zelda, the expanses of Ocarina of Time, or the vast seas of Wind Waker, no Zelda game offers the same portrayal of Hyrule. Skyward Sword is no exception. This depiction of Hyrule is vibrant and colorful, which should come as no surprise given it was inspired by impressionist paintings. This art style is especially stunning considering the diverse worlds Link traverses during his journey. Link’s adventure takes him to four major areas: Skyloft and the world above the clouds, the lush green forests of Faron which contain the cool blue waterways of Lake Floria, Eldin Volcano and its bright red fires, and the dusty and dry Lanayru Desert which glows under the blistering sun. Long-time Zelda fans who take a moment to step back and admire the world are in for another surprise as the world of Skyward Sword bears a striking resemblance to the Hyrule of Ocarina of Time. It put a smile on my face when I realized the similarities and started imagining how this world would eventually become Hyrule. Of course, there’s no denying this is a Wii game, and compared to the graphically stunning games available on other consoles, Skyward Sword unfortunately falls short. Even compared within the franchise, the fluid art style lacks the realism and detail of Twilight Princess, but whether this is a problem or not will depend on the individual.
While Link was practically alone in the world in the original Legend of Zelda, later renditions have served to craft a world full of other characters around the hero and his quest. As the series has expanded, so has the collection of colorful characters and races. Skyward Sword introduces players to four new races, scattered around the world below the clouds. These range from the adorable Kikwi, the boorish Mogma, the peculiar Parella, and the endearing Ancient Robots. These races often turn to Link for help and in turn, help him with his journey. Link’s journey often returns him to Skyloft where a plethora of characters also rely on him for help. Some of these characters can be aided by simply running around Skyloft, but others send him below the clouds in search of items that have fallen out of reach. One of my biggest complaints regarding Twilight Princess was that Midna was the only character who appeared to show character development. While the majority of the minor characters don’t really change over the course of the game, some of the central characters show drastic changes, especially in their views of Link. Unfortunately, Fi is not one of those characters. Honestly, I expected her to be cold and emotionless, but I hadn’t anticipated what an impact that would have on the game. Considering how amazing the chemistry between Link and Zelda was in Spirit Tracks, Fi’s lack of passion came as a shock. Yes, she and Link do manage to forge a powerful bond and have chemistry, but it was definitely not on the same level as some of the franchise’s other companions.
Those who have played any of the Zelda games since Ocarina of Time will feel right at home in Skyward Sword. While the series hasn’t changed too drastically in thirteen years, the inclusion of the Wii Motion Plus certainly has added a new element to this game. While Twilight Princess introduced the Wii-style gameplay to the franchise, I still contend that it felt tacked on and that the game plays better on the Gamecube. Skyward Sword manages to show what a Zelda game built from the ground up for the Wii can be. Link’s arsenal is now entirely controlled through the Wiimote. Traditional weapons like the bow and bombs are now controlled by pointing at the screen or flicking the Wiimote respectively, and the various new weapons are associated with similar appropriate motions. While some continue to be wary of motion controls, it’s through the swordplay mechanics that the new reliance on motion controls truly shine. Enemies now require Link to swing his sword, mimicking how players swing the Wiimote, to break their defense. Almost every encounter requires players approach them strategically. Players can’t just charge into every situation, swinging their sword and expect to come out on top. In fact, there were several battles where, rather than button mashing, or in this case flailing my arms about, I had to slow down, give my opponents a moment to react, and then continue to attack based on how they had adjusted to my attacks. Honestly, I’d rank Skyward Sword as the second hardest Zelda game in the franchise, although still miles behind Link’s Adventure. While the system is certainly not perfect, sometimes did not feel like it captured my movements well enough, and often required recalibrating (can be quickly done with a single button press), there’s no denying how impressive the combat system is. A common criticism of the Wii is that Nintendo is the only company that manages to capture its full potential. While this may be true, when Nintendo does capture that potential, they certainly know how to make it shine.
The lack of orchestral music was another deficiency that disappointed me in Twilight Princess. Not only has that problem been remedied, but it has been done in an exceptional way. The soundtrack is beautiful and the songs have been perfectly crafted for the locations they play. Skyloft’s theme captures the carefree and laidback nature of the city and Faron Woods’ appears playful and quirky. Eldin Volcano’s music seems clunky and unrefined while Lanayru Desert’s conveys a feeling of being forgotten to time. In fact, I’ve been humming the Ballad of the Goddess almost constantly since before the game was out. Unfortunately, one of the flaws that still remain is the lack of voice acting. Early on, Zelda is given a moment to sing which gave me hope.. However, this was soon dashed. Similar to Midna, Fi’s voice is simulated by a string of chirps, but she is the only character given such treatment. Sure, other characters usually start speaking with some sort of exclamation, but it’s really not the same..
A number of individuals and reviews have criticized Skyward Sword and Nintendo in general for not deviating from the same formula they have been using over the past thirteen years. While I can ramble about this point for days, that’s not the purpose of this review. As I said earlier, there’s no denying that Skyward Sword will feel familiar. Still, the game manages to show, not only how Nintendo continues to improve their stories, but also why the Zelda formula is so phenomenal. While Skyward Sword was built around the gameplay, the story permeates Link’s journey better than previous iterations. Rather than chasing after a set of objectives which occasionally have bits of story interlaced, Skyward Sword presents more of a flowing story that continues to develop at every step. For the first half of the game, Link chases after Zelda, constantly trying not to remain behind before she leaves for her next destination. Even when he’s pursing his objectives, the game does a great job of immersing him in the world. While the dungeon might seem shorter than they have in previous games, when you take a step back and realize the entire journey to each dungeon is laced with puzzles and the obstacles to overcome, it’s quite a nice surprise.
Of course, not every change is perfect. Personally, I really liked how Twilight Princess’ inventory continued to expand as Link acquired new weapons. Unfortunately, Skyward Sword drops this feature, immediately revealing Link’s arsenal will consist of eight items. While this might seem tiny compared to other games, this inventory is augmented by the Adventure Pouch. Early on, Link receives an expandable pouch where he can keep a variety of tools including his bottles, medals which provide various benefits, and even items like his quiver and bomb bag. While this was a cool idea, allowing players to switch out different items depending on their situation and play-style, I also felt it was somewhat restrictive. Of course, this might have just been my play-style, but some of the items, such as Link’s shields and quiver, I felt were necessary and constantly took up spaces. That said, this take on the inventory system is certainly novel, and combined with the ability to upgrade weapons and items, serves to add a new twist to Link’s arsenal. Another unfortunate flaw with the game is in regards to Link’s latest means of transportation, his Loftwing. Since Ocarina of Time, Link has required a form of transportation to traverse the vast landscape of Hyrule. Skyward Sword, although not used to cross land, is no different. The denizens of Skyloft each have special bond with giant birds called Loftwings, reminiscent of the Ikran from Avatar. When they’re initially introduced, the bond between a Hylian and a Loftwing is such that Hylians are only half of a whole. Based on this, I expected Link’s Loftwing and the flying aspect to constitute a major component of this game. However, not only is the Loftwing only a means of conveyance, it is such a minor character, it never receives a name. For some, perhaps this isn’t as big an issue, but the fact that Zelda’s father’s split-personality cat had a name, but they couldn’t come up with a name for Link’s “other half” is mind-boggling to me. Another issue I had was the lack of nighttime flying. Due to Link’s "inexperience", he is not allowed to fly at night. While the game certainly had enormous depth, I can’t help feeling the lack of adventures at night removed a layer from the world. True Link can run around Skyloft at night, but it’s not the same as exploring a world that could potentially look very different without the light of the sun -- it would have been the perfect time for the demons and monsters under the clouds to come out to wreak havoc.
If you have a Wii, I cannot imagine that you haven’t picked up Skyward Sword yet or are eagerly waiting to pick it up. As someone who has grown up playing this franchise, I spent a long time anxiously waiting for this game, and it lived up to almost every expectation. Was it the best Zelda game? For me, no, but let me remind you, four copies of Ocarina of Time, not counting the 3DS. Skyward Sword is still an amazing game; one of the best in a year of extraordinary games. True, gamers have criticized it for a variety of reasons, but we’re a fickle crowd that demands change from games like Mario Kart while complaining when games like Majora’s Mask and Final Fantasy XIII deviate too far from our expectations. Still, in a world where the Modern Warfare/Madden crowd dictates gaming trends, and employees of Gamestop can get away with saying “we’re not having a midnight release for Zelda ‘cause it’s a kid’s game,” it’s nice to go back and enjoy a game that was crafted for the true gamers. Skyward Sword is such a game and if you are a gamer, I hope you have, or soon will pick it up. I promise, it has been well worth the wait~
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A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage…
…You must use your courage to seek power...and find it you must.
Only then will you become the hero for whom this world despairs. ~ Hero’s Shade
All Images Owned by Nintendo.
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