Extraordinary! A game that set the pace for many adventure games to follow. One of my all-time favorites.
The story begins as a young Link awakens in a small tree hut. Staying true to past games, you start off with no items or weapons. You soon learn that the Great Deku Tree wishes to see Link, and thus you set out to explore Kokiri Forest. Upon taking your first steps outside, you meet the elfish inhabitants of the forest. While you search the area for a sword, you have time to get accustomed to the controls and the environment. Once you have sufficiently explored the forest and gathered the required items, you head for the Great Deku Tree, accompanied by your faerie friend Navi. After completing this first dungeon, the Deku Tree explains the history of the Triforce and rewards Link with the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, thus setting the story in motion.
The graphics of this game are fantastic for its time. You can now journey through a fully navigable 3D map. The details of the environment properly capture the mood of each setting, be it a forest village, a watery temple, a haunted underground maze, or the inside of a giant fish’s belly. The map of Hyrule is pretty expansive and full of places and objects to explore. The cinematic sequences look great and tie the segments of the story together well.
I absolutely love the controls in this game. Everything is pretty intuitive: the A Button is used to execute actions, the B Button swings your sword, and the C Buttons allow you to store up to three items to use during play. You’re able to roll and jump, swim and climb, block attacks, stab, and build up power for swing attacks. But the greatest addition to the control features is the Z Targeting ability. This function allows you to lock on to people and enemies and focus a particular action on the targeted object. Moreover, this button will focus the camera directly behind Link, allowing you to have control over your point of view. To this day, I compare games’ camera controls to Ocarina of Time, often wishing for that very desirable Z Targeting capability. A great addition to your supply of character controls.
The story itself builds upon previous games in the series, for we interact with familiar characters like Zelda and Ganondorf in addition to many new individuals. As always, there are a whole variety of weapons and items to collect during your travels, some that are familiar and some that are new to this title. What makes this game even more engaging is the idea of traveling through time. You begin the story as a child, growing as a warrior and searching for the Spiritual Stones. When you travel into the future, the world has become darker and your missions more challenging. There is a constant interplay between the past and the present as you try to make your way through the dungeons and numerous side quests. The multitude of puzzles, games, and items to collect makes this story very immersive and entertaining. The endearing characters that you meet provide for a rich, enjoyable plot, furthering your adventure along with their dialogue and aid.
And the game would not be complete without sound. Again, Ocarina of Time gains a perfect score here. The sounds that Link makes when he fights, moves, and interacts with others are both enjoyable and believable. The echoes that your character makes are varied depending on what type of environment he is in. Likewise, the soundtrack is just as appropriate. Each level has a different musical score, and each song blends in beautifully with the surroundings. Also, some of the songs are familiar tunes from the previous games, transformed just right for a sound that is nostalgic, yet new. The ocarina songs are appealing as well, adding another interesting component to the gameplay. Ocarina of Time really has a wonderful soundtrack, and even today I still enjoy listening to it.
All in all, this game is truly a classic, and yet another impressive sequel in the Zelda series. From the sensible controls to the superb storyline to the awesome soundtrack, Ocarina of Time is a gem in the adventure game genre.