Difficulty:

Easy

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Disappointing"

As an avid Zelda fan, it breaks my heart to write this review, but this is the first Zelda game I have ever played that hasn't grabbed me by the wrist and bound me to Link's journey. The game is slow and dry, and the motion controls - while surprisingly accurate - are more of a nuisance than anything. The dialogue is bland and excessive, and Link's robotic guide is a dull addition to the franchise. I'm fairly tired of Nintendo's "make it smaller" ideal that both Mario and Link have fallen prey to (3D Mario land anyone?). Instead of the sweeping fields of Hyrule we now have small islands in the sky, or sectioned-off fragments of earth down below. Despite its "open world" attempts at a Wind Waker-esque flight travel, it's all surprisingly claustrophobic. Yes, Wind Waker followed a similar design, but its islands had a lot of character, the lands below the sky are highly mundane, with the art design more fitting to Banjo Kazooie or Mario than the Zelda Universe. It all feels very foreign. There are some nice moments, and some cool new additions have been made - but overall, it is a weak game at best. Nintendo, while The Legend of Zelda series still holds a very special place in my heart, I am disappoint.