Legitimate criticisms

[Project 2501]

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 I personally believe that the idea of a silent protagonist is outdated and no longer serves a purpose, but that's my opinion, and it has nothing to do with how the game is played.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.

[Eternal Legend]

Originally Posted by Project 2501

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.

^ I found it hard to imagine how much can a single young boy can run for. If you play Ocarina of Time before you gained the horse, Link can run. And I mean he has unlimited stamina to be able to do this, which makes him inhuman. No one can run for days straight without slowing down or eating and drinking etc. If you play GTA Vice City, the main character slows down after bolting away from the cops. But I'm just worried that if they did this, they may make most fans maybe unhappy that Zelda is just a game of magic and everything shouldn't be classed under physics or body body science.
Even when Link falls off a high cliff, I don't see how it is possible to survive by rolling forward. Doing this in real life will kill you.
Still, Link is the Hero of Time. I don't know what to say else. I don't want to start an argument here, but you do realise things that are possible to do or not.

[Ganonslayer2000]

You touch on good criticisms that I definitely agree on. Especially with the need for difficulty levels that many purists are totally against. Though I really liked TP, overall it was too easy and the only challenging part of the game for me was completing the cave of ordeals with the Ordon sword and just two potions without resorting to using the magical armor. But yeah I also would like more magic to be used in Links arsenal as it was with AOL and ALTTP with the golden medallions. I also wouldn't oppose to actual voice acting in future Zelda games. If Nintendo wishes to still limit Link to sighs, yells and grunts thats fine but I would at least like detailed VA's for NPC's without a doubt.

Another slight disappointment with TP was the dungeon music which to me was like background ambience. Its hard for me to believe but now that I think about it, the dungeon music in the forest and spirit temples in OOT were far more memorable than any of the dungeon music in TP. As many times as TP was delayed to be released, it was sort of a minor tragedy that TP did nothing to improve and build on from the dungeon music in OOT. Well thats my two cents.