APRIL FOOLS: Skyward Sword is Awful; Nintendo Needs To Kill The Franchise

IT WAS ALL A JOKE. HAPPY ALRIL FOOLS, EVEYBODY. SORRY ABOUT THE INCESSANT TROLLING IN THIS THREAD, BUT IT WAS NECESSARY.

Before we proceed, I'm going to make one thing very clear: I'm serious. This is not a trolling thread. My bet is over, and whatever I post now is stuff that I mean. That includes this thread. This thread has my opinion on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and I mean everything I say.

When I played the game, I liked it initially. After a few hours, disquiet began to settle in. Glaring flaws in the game's design that were simply inexcusable in today's day and age, that dragged the game down. Stuff like repeated tutorials, often within the same game session itself, poor world design, drab music, awful graphics, inconsistent characterization, broken controls for anything that isn't swordfighting, and most of all, absolutely ridiculous pacing make this game the weakest 3D Zelda game till date.

It's not just about that, though- at first, I figured that as bad a Zelda game as it was, it was still a good game overall. However, a repeat pkaythrough of the game recently showed me that Skyward Sword was just a bad game period, an anachronism, a relic of an era where the franchise used to be at the top, unlike today where it's humiliatingly being dragged into the 21st century, and being forced to play catch up to other, more superior games that do everything better.

The series is fatigued. Finished. It needs a rest, a long one. For nearly two decades now, the current Zelda team has been making Zelda games one after the other, without any breaks, any gaps, anything to mix it up. It's getting to them. They're stuck in a rut. Their design processes and philosophies are all reflective of the N64 era. Following Twilight Princess, the series has been in a steep decline. Phantom Hourglass took a heavy hit, Spirit Tracks dragged the games down further, and Skyward Sword pisses on the sorry corpse of the once glorious franchise that was Zelda.

It's sad, and I feel sad saying this. The Legend of Zelda is my favorite gaming franchise. It's the reason I got into gaming, it's the reason I continued gaming every time I was close to being disillusioned. But it's time has gone. Many franchises have struggled in the modern era, fighting against irrelevance, franchises like Mega Man and Castlevania, and these franchises amount to nothing today, and are pretty much running jokes. I really hope Nintendo lets Zelda retire gracefully, so that it becomes more than a running joke, so that it truly lives up to its name and becomes a legend, a franchise that one day we will tell our kids about how it epitomized gaming.

I hope so.

And if not... then get ready for some crash and burn. After Skyward Sword, we're going in for some Metroid: Other M level of disappointment here.

I haven't played the game yet so I can't agree or disagree. I ain't gonna lie, I'm hoping Zelda is refreshed on the Wii U, great opportunity to do it.

I've never played it and I know you're right.

Stupid elitist cow. Can't enjoy AAAAE quality games because the only AAAAE they got is a movie.

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. More freedom
2. Top-down perspective
3. More secrets
4. Get rid of the complicated story

Wow, this is an almost depressingly negative account of the game and the current state of the franchise. If that's how you feel, then so be it. You are right that Zelda is no longer at the forefront of adventure gaming, but I still have yet to play one that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. Now, I wouldn't even try to do a second playthrough of SS, because that just sounds like a terrible idea. But I really did have fun during my time with it.

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

nitekids2004

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. More freedom
2. Top-down perspective
3. More secrets
4. Get rid of the complicated story

nitekids2004

It should also copy Demon's Souls/Dark Souls combat. They are already kind of similar, but allow Link to get different weapons/shield that behave differently. Make it slightly more difficult and have a darker theme (similar to Majora's Mask)

Basically smash Zelda and Dark Souls together and you have an amazing game

Yet you gave it an 8 on this site........

because it's comming from you, it has to be true

Controls worked perfectly fine, and the game was well designed I thought. There were some annoying instances of backtracking that I didn't want to do, but in general it IS a great game. Not to mention it has arguably the best Zelda yet.

[QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

5. Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist

waltefmoney

Yet you gave it an 8 on this site........

ryangcnx-2

I wouldn't mind seeing a franchise reboot (like Metroid Prime), but other than that I mostly disagree with you.

The game was fine in its own right - the combat was really well done, the boss fights were some of the best in the series, the last few dungeons were very well designed, and there were definitely enough general additions and unique ideas to keep the game feeling fresh throughout (besides a couple of weak spots, like the swimming bit).

Basically smash Zelda and Dark Souls together and you have an amazing game

BPoole96

Please don't ruin my Zelda by putting Meh Souls into it.

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

[QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

5. Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist
7. Bloody screen
8. Hookers

BPoole96

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

Basically smash Zelda and Dark Souls together and you have an amazing game

ChubbyGuy40

Please don't ruin my Zelda by putting Meh Souls into it.

No need to put photo's of you're self to scare members around here

Nintendo Needs To Kill The [Legend of Zelda] Franchise.

charizard1605

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

5. Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist
7. Bloody screen
8. Hookers

9. Link on steroids

10. Make Zelda a slutty super model

11. crappy ME conversation system

12. Useless RPG elements

nitekids2004

[QUOTE="charizard1605"]

Nintendo Needs To Kill The [Legend of Zelda] Franchise.

D4W1L4H

Show some respect for your leader.

No need to put photo's of you're self to scare members around here

Pikachu69er

But I found it on your Facebook bro.

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

Basically smash Zelda and Dark Souls together and you have an amazing game

ChubbyGuy40

Please perfect my Zelda by putting best game ever Dark Souls into it.

I wish I could man :P

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

5. Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist
7. Bloody screen
8. Hookers

9. Link on steroids

10. Make Zelda a slutty super model

11. crappy ME conversation system

12. Useless RPG elements
13. Puzzle that involves impaling forest animals
14. Itagaki lead designer

nitekids2004

Zelda is so overrated.

just let it die already, nintendo, along with your other ancient IPs...

[QUOTE="Pikachu69er"]

No need to put photo's of you're self to scare members around here

ChubbyGuy40

But I found it on your Facebook bro.

No broo, i uploaded it while you wern't looking, it was like 4 months back when i stayed over at you're mums for the weekend

heads up, she like's a little light spanking

It was already very clear what state Zelda was in once WW hit the market. Who knows what part of Nintendo shifted gears after MM, because it's certainly not comprehensible. It's like WW turned MM upside down.

Instead of focusing on a smaller, more intricate world full of detail and wonder like MM, WW was a bland, open ocean. How fun. Moreover, the graphics. Dear lord. Once the novelty of cell shading wore off (as soon as the novelty of the graphical power of the gamecube wore off), you have a very, very visually dated game.

[QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

5. Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist
7. Bloody screen
8. Hookers

9. Link on steroids

10. Make Zelda a slutty super model

11. crappy ME conversation system

12. Useless RPG elements
13. Puzzle that involves impaling forest animals
14. Itagaki lead designer

15. Link is bald and wears no hood

16. Hyrule is in outer space during a post apocalyptic zombie epidemic

17. Epona is a Walrus that wears a top hat and a monacle

waltefmoney

it was like 4 months back when i stayed over at you're mums for the weekend

Pikachu69er

dafuq you doing in afghanistan bro?

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

[QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. Sex scenes
2. Gore
3. Multiplayer
4. ME3 type ending

5. Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist
7. Bloody screen
8. Hookers

9. Link on steroids

10. Make Zelda a slutty super model

11. crappy ME conversation system

12. Useless RPG elements
13. Puzzle that involves impaling forest animals
14. Itagaki lead designer

15. Link is bald and wears no hood

16. Hyrule is in outer space during a post apocalyptic zombie epidemic

17. Epona is a Walrus that wears a top hat and a monacle

18. Needs to bring back Navi with MUCH more dialogue

BPoole96

Yeah I was just trollin' mon. It needs to be more like the flawless Witcher 2, and with the graphics too match.

BPoole96

If only that were possible. It'd be far too epic for us to comprehend though.

Skyward Sword is awesome

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

[QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Ways to improve Zelda:

1. kaz hirai in Sex scenes
2. Gore caused by kaz hirai
3. kaz hirai downloadable content in Multiplayer
4. kaz hirai p0rno type ending

5. kaz hirai with Guns

6. Ganondorf is a Russian Terrorist that is after kaz hirai
7. Bloody screen caused by kaz hirai
8. Hookers that are associated with kaz hirai

9. kaz hirai on steroids

10. Make kaz hirai a slutty super model

11. crappy conversation system involving kaz hirai trying to pick up chicks

12. Useless elements involving spanking kaz hirai
13. Puzzle that involves impaling kaz hirai's mum
14. kaz hirai lead designer

15. kaz hirai is bald and wears no hood

16. kaz hirai is in outer space during a post apocalyptic zombie epidemic

17. kaz hirai is a Walrus that wears a top hat and a monacle

BPoole96

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

taterfrickintot

19. Tingle is Link's permanent side kick

20. Kaepora Gaebora talks to Link over a codec that is unskippable

Skyward Sword is awesome

Solid_Link22

No, just because SS did not live up to expectations does not mean it's time to bin it. My favourite games have always been the Zelda titles, but I understand that the series has been going downhill after TP.

[QUOTE="Solid_Link22"]

Skyward Sword is awesome

charizard1605

Final Fantasy XIII was awesome too.

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]

Yeah I was just trollin' mon. It needs to be more like the flawless Witcher 2, and with the graphics too match.

ChubbyGuy40

If only that were possible. It'd be far too epic for us to comprehend though.

Touche, although I do prefer Dark Souls combat to TW2. Imagine Zelda with TW2 graphics though :o

No, just because SS did not live up to expectations does not mean it's time to bin it. My favourite games have always been the Zelda titles, but I understand that the series has been going downhill after TP.

SpinoRaptor24

Final Fantasy XIII was awesome too.

Solid_Link22

Touche, although I do prefer Dark Souls combat to TW2. Imagine Zelda with TW2 graphics though :o

BPoole96

Just imagining it

Needs sex scene with Zelda modeled after real-life Playboy as well.

Zelda will win you back, resistance is futile.

I usually agree with the jist of your posts but your melodrama always makes me cringe a tad.

The franchise does not need to be killed. It needs a real reboot, and some new blood working on it. They should completely do away with gameplay elements that has seen it through the last decade and come up with something else. Don't ever compare it to Other M which was a development nightmare, EAD Tokyo has never made games that bad and never will.

Yep, I agree TC. Top McShea's review really probed into the true issues of the game; the controls are abysmal and the ambience is terrible compared to past titles. I think 7.5 probably doesn't justify the game; I'd have given it a 5.

I'd much prefer to be playing cinematic QTE masterpiece's now, such as Uncharted. The pacing is better and so are the graphics which are better than anything Nintendo can offer.

SS came out 6 months ago.....we still talkin bout it?

the game is good only SW has a problem with the game but in the real world people love it

Yep, I agree TC. Top McShea's review really probed into the true issues of the game; the controls are abysmal and the ambience is terrible compared to past titles. I think 7.5 probably doesn't justify the game; I'd have given it a 5.

I'd much prefer to be playing cinematic QTE masterpiece's now, such as Uncharted. The pacing is better and so are the graphics which are better than anything Nintendo can offer.

DarthJohnova

Yep, I agree TC. Top McShea's review really probed into the true issues of the game; the controls are abysmal and the ambience is terrible compared to past titles. I think 7.5 probably doesn't justify the game; I'd have given it a 5.

I'd much prefer to be playing cinematic QTE masterpiece's now, such as Uncharted. The pacing is better and so are the graphics which are better than anything Nintendo can offer.

DarthJohnova

SS came out 6 months ago.....we still talkin bout it?

the game is good only SW has a problem with the game but in the real world people love it

Mario1331

You do know that people in SW exist in the "real" world, don't you?

[QUOTE="DarthJohnova"]

Yep, I agree TC. Top McShea's review really probed into the true issues of the game; the controls are abysmal and the ambience is terrible compared to past titles. I think 7.5 probably doesn't justify the game; I'd have given it a 5.

I'd much prefer to be playing cinematic QTE masterpiece's now, such as Uncharted. The pacing is better and so are the graphics which are better than anything Nintendo can offer.

charizard1605