This thread is intended as a counterpoint to the "Stupid Criticisms" thread. To be sure, there exists quite a large number of astonishingly ill-founded critiques of the series, including such gems as "lol kiddie grafix r 4 fgts", "link warez tites, so ghey", and "halo iz THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST GAEM EVAR OR I WILL KILL J00". But just because some criticisms are stupid doesn't mean all of them are. Here, we outline problems with the series which stem from gameplay mechanics, setting, or plot (in other words, the aspects of the game that decide whether it's playable or not).

One item of dispute which has recently been noted by an increasing number of reviewers is that the series can get repetitive; the basic formula of find three talismans, get Master Sword, find 4-7 random other things, kill Ganon, is beating the proverbial dead horse rather cruelly at this point. The series needs to start orienting its gameplay more around plot, instead of the converse. That's not to say that the series doesn't have a plot, but Miyamoto has openly stated that he doesn't like too much story in his games, to the point where the other developers almost have to sneak it in under his radar. In general, I'd say the series focus needs to be less about item-hunting and more about detailed character development. Half-Life, another game featuring a silent protagonist, is a perfect example of the kind of design ethic that could be adapted to serve the needs of a Zelda game; it features great gameplay but offers loads of characterization as well. I personally believe that the idea of a silent protagonist is outdated and no longer serves a purpose, but that's my opinion, and it has nothing to do with how the game is played.

Second on my list of things that could be changed for the better is the use of magic. Not since AoL has Link had a truly substantial arsenal of spells to draw upon. With current technology, there's no reason why magic couldn't be brought back in force. Not only would it provide new and interesting ways to battle the forces of darkness in shiny 3D, it makes for great puzzle fodder. Giving attention to Link's swordsmanship without offering as much to his magic makes him a one-trick pony and forces Nintendo to dumb down the enemies, which is another glaring problem. Twilight Princess is perhaps the most visible example of this phenomenon; the only enemies that were even vaguely challenging were the Darknuts, and even they could be defeated without too much trouble unless there was more than one. The Ganondorf battle wasn't nearly hard enough, and the combat difficulty in general was far too easy, to the point where Link is actually cheapened as a fighter. Some of this criticism could be mitigated if the game had featured multiple difficulty levels, but no such animal exists (or has ever existed) in Zelda.

Next is the inconsistent level of strength with which Link is portrayed; being able to shove massive stone blocks around (even as a child!) and survive being shot several miles out of a cannon makes him the closest thing there is to Hyrule's Superman, and the game engine should reflect this by allowing him to destroy the environment with sword attacks. I realize that part of the point of the game is to show that brains and heart can triumph over raw power, but there's a limit that cannot be crossed without sacrificing believability, and thus immersion, which is part of what Nintendo is going for. No matter how courageous an ordinary twelve-year-old child is, if he tries to go up against an NFL linebacker the odds are he's going to get his ass handed to him with all the trimmings unless he comes up with a way to use the environment to his advantage (which is often what Link is forced to do even with enhanced strength and reflexes). Like it or not, fighting powerful enemies requires you to have power of your own, and the more this fact is ignored, the less compelling the games will be.

The last of my initial complaints is the undue nerfing given to the Master Sword in many of the newer games. It's supposed to be the special sword reserved for the Chosen One, but if it's theoretically possible for any dumb**** with enough money to buy a better one at the top of a mountain, the reason for even having a chosen hero (and thus a series) is marginalized. The Master Sword should always be the strongest sword. Period.

Now it's your turn. I'm sure that many of you have at least one or two complaints about the way the series has been put together, so speak out! If no one criticizes the games, they won't ever get better.

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