Zelda on the right track
The good news, the game format is basically the same but that's fine by me if it's not broken don't fix it. I do like the fact you get to venture on a new vechicle a train, even though personally I'm not a big train fan because there are only so may things you can do on it. But what really makes it interesting for me are the enviorments that you pass by which are beautiful and always different and there are a few chalanges further along the line that do get harry as you progress but at least keep things from getting boring.
But what I really like are some new things even a couple of improvements. One of the best new things about the game is the fact you have a co op ability which isn't really anything special now but I thought that it was cool having it in the Zelda game finally. And it really fits this game because you really have to use some teamwork to solve certain puzzles and get though opsticles so this fuction really fit like a glove for this game. Two improvements are the puzzles are a bit more complicated, well ok not that complicated but it really causes you to think of even more logical and creative solutions as before all in a different way. Which is fine by me because mini maze puzzles in Zelda were always my favorate thing in the game.
Most of all I like how Zelda has a bit (if not much) of an active role, in the franchise she always had a passive role. But here she gets to participate a bit by the ability to jump into Phantoms which is great because those Phantom shells are a very useful tool to get and do what you need.
I even like the new items you have, like the flute which is useful though I'll admit sometimes those opening passage rythm games do take considerable practice to get though but it's worth it and it's not that hard. With the flute you will be able to gain acess to certain things of the game, plus it's just the best use of the mike. And you're items for the adventure much like the gadgets "James Bond" would have. Two new items I really liked using were the fan and the whip which is a lot of fun.
But now for the bad news, as I said before it's lived up to an extent my problem with the game is almost the same problem "No More Heroes 2" (game I reviewed) has it's storyline I feel isn't as interesting as "Phantom Hourglass" (game I reviewed) it lacks the intrigue and emotion that game has. I know that the series isn't one that always concerned too much for it's story, but it's still an important element in the series and each story in most of the games in series I played I found memorable and matched the magnitude of the game because it constantly developed with twists which can really blow me away and really make me feel what I did mattered. The storyline in this game has some twists, consequences and development of it's own but not enough. I'm not saying it's a bad storyline it's decent if not memorable but as a fan of the series it could be better.
Another is in characterization of both Zelda and Link, I really hated how they handled both of them both felt a little out of character whcih made the dialog between the two a bit lame and almost cringworthy. The interaction between the two character was to me another one of the best things about the game because both had a chemestry. In this game they lack that chemestry, Link at times acts like a wimp and Zelda too much of a ditz (that whole fear of rats is kinda stupid) both were never known for that. I think they were trying to go a different direction but it doesn't work.
I feel these two pieces of bad news sort of hurt the game a little for me making this my least favorate in the franchise, but it's the gameplay that saved it for me which kept me on this game.
So overall I think this is a good sequel in the series that like any new Zelda adventure is worth venturing toward and getting lost in, I hope the possible third may'be last entry in the DS series will be better. Zelda: Spirit Tracks is on the right track.