Inarguably One of the Greatest Games of all Time
This game is amazing. From humble beginnings as a woodland child to the final climactic battle as the Hero of Time, Link's journey grabs hold and refuses to let go. The storyline and game structure brings together elements from the previous Zelda games and transplants them into a fleshed out universe, with its' own races and mythology. The characters and locations act perfectly to immerse you in the world; love them or hate them it keeps you coming back for more.
The graphics are stunning. In its day Oot was truly incredible and looking at the game today it is surprising how well they have stood the test of time, especially considering that the load times that are so prevalent in current-gen titles are non existent here.
Sound is equally well done, music in particular (the Ocarina songs for example) is generally easy to listen to and catchy, rarely becoming annoying. The almost total absence of voice acting has long been a point of complaint among critics, but looking back at the inconsistent voice acting in titles of that era it was probably a blessing in disguise; the game retains a classic, clean feel and no doubt there would have been at least one character with an un-necessarily annoying voice (additionally Link is a silent protagonist).
The gameplay is fantastic, combat is fast paced and the platforming elements are extremely well implemented thanks to some some innovative features that really bring Link into 3D and establised the foundation for the subsequent Zelda titles. Dungeons and challenges can be fustrating but never at the games fault, the difficulty is constantly fair. Link's arsenal includes classic weapons like swords and bombs along with magic abilities and less conventional weaponry. As OoT is not a pure RPG (in which stats and experience usually account for ability) the varied weapons really boost your ability in and out of combat and the transition from a barely equipped boy to a fully armed warrior is very satisfying.
Overall the game is impeccable and stands as a true example of gaming in its highest form.