There is a note of truth in the article, namely this from one of the later paragraphs:
Yet I look back on the last three Zelda titlesPhantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and Skyward Swordand I cant help but feel as if all three of them are more or less forgettable now.
I played Phantom Hourglass through partway, and stopped due to bad dungeon design.nd I never even played Spirit Tracks. I noticed awhile back that the portable Zelda titles were going downhill in quality. I look back at Minish cap, a game I beat, and I can barely remember anything about it. That's the definition of a forgettable game.
Skyward Sword was fun, I beat it, but to be honest, a big part of why I enjoyed it as much as I did was BECAUSE it's a Zelda game. I feel that if it were a new IP, nobody, including myself, would have really paid much attention to it. The traditional Zelda forula has been tried and true for ages, but it's been so tried that it's getting tired. I look back at even Twilight Princess and I recall that, while it was enjoyable, Okami, which came out at the same time and was a very similiar kind of game, was so much more original. Sure Okami was a bit less polished, but the freshness of the game made me realize that the Zelda formula needs an overhaul.
Personally I think that one of the most important changes that Nintendo can make when deciding on the direction for the next flagship title in the franchise is to realize that Zeldas fans are not still little children. We can handle challenging fights, we can handle more obtuse puzzles, we can handle more... maturity. Zelda games are still marketed toward the teen that I no longer am. Nintendo needs to realize that it's audience are the same people, but they have changed. Zelda needs to change with them.
My DREAM is to see a Zelda game style after Dark Souls but with more puzzles.
Log in to comment