Ocarina of Time... the greatest console game in history? That's about the size of it.
I have seen few finer games than Ocarina of Time.
This is the game that turned me into a Zelda fan. I always thought the 2D games were a little average... but this is where the series came into it's own. This game single-handedly justifies the existence of the otherwise mediocre Nintendo 64.
I'll try not to gush... but it is very hard to speak ill of this game.
The adventure is timeless. It is a great story with plenty of twists, that moves from intense to humorous to endearing with unparalleled grace. It's not a sweeping political epic... but it doesn't need to be. It is a tale that drives this game's top notch gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda is the definitive adventure game. Collect tools, explore dungeons, and seek out artifacts to do battle against evil. Each new weapon and item is challenging to obtain and satisfying to use. The world is packed with characters and secrets. The dungeons are masterpieces of design, with plenty of atmosphere, traps and puzzles.
You can bring all of your equipment to the battlefield. There is a satisfying variety of enemies to do battle with, and many prove to be challenging when they get the jump on you. Z-targeting works really well to simplify movement and eliminate some of the frustration that comes with battling in third person.
This game, with perhaps the exception of Majora's Mask, is the best-looking N64 game out there. The major characters are fluid and expressive, and the world shifts from bright and colorful to bleak and back again. Few games have better captured the sense of dread when the world is on the brink of disaster.
A lot of the classic Zelda tunes are suprisingly missing from this game, but the game features a wonderful soundtrack all it's own. I can still hum you any theme from the game should you ask... just call it by name.
Geez. So much for not gushing, eh? This review doesn't say much...
If I were to find any fault with this game, I would have to say that it can sometimes be too easy. After pilliging Hyrule for all her secrets... the wealth and power of your arsenal can make you nigh unstoppable, especially against the more common enemies. However, even to the end, doing battle remains tremendously satisfying... and the cast of formidible boss foes in this game is one of the best I've seen.
The Verdict:
Ocrina of Time is one of, if not THE, greatest console game in history. It is a required play for any fan of fantasy adventure. The game is beautiful, challenging, compelling and endearing. It is worth the effort to go seek it out and play it.
+Perfect graphics and sound
+Flawless execution
+Timeless story
+Definitive gameplay, excellent dungeon design
-Combat can be too easy sometimes, especially on subsequent playthroughs