There's a boatload of creativity and fun, but Phantom Hourglass simply doesn't match up to the Zelda namesake.
The Bad: The Temple of the Ocean King is frustrating; The game's too easy; Replay Value's a little flat on the ground; Why is the touch screen the only option?...
The Legend of Zelda series has produced instant classics. There's Ocarina of Time's revolutionary Gameplay, Majora's Mask's dark theme, the brilliance of A Link to the Past, and so many others. While there's a boatload of creativity and fun involved, you'll find that Phantom Hourglass is a bit of a disappointment that doesn't live up to its namesake.
The game begins in ways that will immediately make you think of Wind Waker, and I enjoy the sense of nostagia involved. Link is with Tetra and the crew (BTW, Link's a HORRIBLE Pirate), and they're planning to find the Ghost Ship. Right on cue, the ghost ship appears, takes Tetra on board the ship, and Link dives after her. A fairy (Ceila) then wakes Link up, and declares herself his partner and decides to help him in his quest to save Tetra. A little cliched? Yeah, but it gets the job done.
You'll find that the gameplay is very nicely done, but there are a few gripes to all the creativity. While the sword play is accurate, fighting certain enemies is a downright chore due to the lack of targeting presented in the 3d Zelda games. You'll literally find yourself playing hit and run with certain baddies, and waiting for the opportunity to attack. It's very frustrating. Also, while the touch screen options are cool, I can't understand why it was the only option. It would have been far easier in some areas of the game with classic controls. The handwriting recognition is probably the most frustrating part of the game. If you can't draw a proper Triforce on your Nintendo DS, don't plan on getting much farther. Nintendo seems to be covertly training our ability to draw shapes and write numbers... disturbing, eh? While the ocean parts are improved, that doesn't make them perfect. Taking down enemies at sea gets old after a while, and traversing the ocean still takes quite a bit of time. Nintendo fixes this problem with warp points, but why the hell do we have to draw a shape whenever we want to warp? Not to mention that you can erase markings on your map, so don't piss off a family member or they might destroy your chances of getting around quickly.
The dungeons are neat, but the Temple of the Ocean King was the worst idea that I have ever seen in a video game. You have to keep repeating the dungeon over and over after each dungeon, and I'm afraid that not even shortcuts and a half way point can excuse Nintendo's need to torture their fans. This, combined with the simple nature of other dungeons, the sailing, and odd ways to progress the game just kill the replay value in its tracks. How did I beat Twilight Princess 3 times in one month, when It's been two months since Phantom Hourglass came out, and I can't bring myself to play through again?
The bosses are easy, but neat. They utilize the DS' controls very well, and are a sheer joy to play. The final boss was particularly entertaining, and the game's main villain was pretty neat. Bellum is no Ganon, but I give him credit for getting his evil across without talking. The closest villain to Bellum would be Gaia from Grandia. You'll find that they're very alike.
The graphics are (obviously) a huge downgrade from Wind Waker, but they're still mighty impressive for a DS game. Phantom Hourglass lookas like the N64 version of Wind Waker, and I see that as a great accomplishment. Nintendo knows how to make a game look great on a technically weak console. The textures can get ugly, but you'll like the goofy character design (Especially everything about that goofball, Linebeck). This is a powerful acheievement, folks.
The sound can hurt, mainly because there's practically zero variety between town and dungeon themes, and there's no spoken dialogue. We get a few nice nostalgic tunes (The pirate theme, Zelda's Theme, and lots of stuff from Wind Waker), but few really stand out. But I must admit, the final boss music was INCREDIBLE. Leave the epic for last, as always. It also doesn't help that the DS' puny speakers make the sound difficult to hear unless you're in a silent room. I hope Nintendo sets their sights higher with the next Zelda installment.
The game is good, but that's all it has going for it. There are a few familiar and pleasant things, and it can be very compelling, but it doesn't match up to Nintendo's refusal to make revolution from their latest consoles. If they can make Super Mario Galaxy an absolute thrill, why not do the same for Zelda? We need orchestrated music, voice acting, and true REVOLUTION. If they don't get started on making these hopes a reality, I truly believe that the big N's current success will be short lived. I know there's a problem when my favorite franchise does not compel me to play a second round, and it's about time for Nintendo to take advantage of their potential while they still have the lead.