After swapping Ocarina of Time for Twilight Princess with Rachel yesterday, I asked myself this question. If I really think about it, every time I’ve ever played a Zelda game it has ended in some negative emotion. Looking back, I can vividly remember all of the times a Zelda game caused me to either send it back to the shop or put it down for a few years.
So why do I keep going back to this series? Am I a masochist or are these games that good? I’ve yet to hear anyone viciously rip this series apart, despite how easy it is to get lost, stuck, or lose interest. I don’t particularly find wandering around in circles for hours enjoyable.
She still creeps me out.
I played four hours of Twilight Princess yesterday, actually hoping to encounter some frustration and figure out the answer to this pressing question. The last time I played Twilight Princess was almost exactly four years ago (a couple of months off). Oddly enough, I lost interest at about the same part in the game; four hours in. To be fair though, I was playing on a borrowed GameCube at the time, so combat wasn’t nearly as involved. And by involved, I mean sitting on a bed and flicking my wrists to perform horizontal and spinning slashes all afternoon. It’s much more involved than tapping away on a controller.
There were a few parts that I got stuck at, namely finding Talo in Faron Woods and catching a fish. I asked around and it appears that I’m not the only one who had a bit of trouble catching a fish. Every friend I talked to also had a hard time. Now, this is a bit troubling for a game as linear as Twilight Princess. You can’t progress unless you complete an action. I knew what I needed to do, but doing it was another thing. I caught a few fish but I still didn’t know what I was doing. There I sat just shaking the Wiimote back and forth.
Another problem occurred when I found what I thought to be the correct way to progress. I came across a ledge with two thin rock pillars bridging a gap to a path made in the trees. Setting out to put my platforming skills to the test, I spent a good half hour attempting to access an area that wasn’t meant to be accessed until later. I guess I should’ve gotten the hint when Link kept sliding off or jumping too far to the left or right. I found another way to progress and was able to revisit that area about an hour later.
Now, I have played (and own) other Zelda games and haven’t beaten any of those either. For example, Ocarina of Time. That may be the farthest I’ve ever gone in a Zelda game. I somehow made it through the first three dungeons, traveled through time (you can’t even call this a spoiler, it’s alluded to in the title), and went through the Forest Temple. From there, I simply lost interest. Wandering around in the same areas for hours will do that to you.
Please laugh at me while I futilely attempt to solve my problems.
It was while I was wandering around, listening to Midna’s giggling blend into the background music, that I realized something. I finally figured out why I actually bother to play this game, or at least what gives me the energy to keep persevering.
The most enjoyable aspect of these games are the characters. I’m not particularly fond of Midna but the way she talks down to you.. it’s kind of charming, in a way. And I’ve always loved Epona, even if she can’t talk. She’s silent, gentle, and unnecessarily loyal, what more could you ask for in a companion?
I like puzzles and everything but the series isn’t really about that for me. It’s more about the dopey Fado and his inability to keep goats within his ranch, not beating down goblins before they have a chance to react (though that is a plus). I’m a fan of the guards cowering in the sewer beneath Hyrule Castle.
I know I’m not the only one to have a hard time with The Legend of Zelda games. What puzzles/areas have you been stuck in? Did you ever drop a title and come back to it later?
If anything the characters are like the worst part of Zelda games. None of them have any personality! When I was a kid I used to love Zelda because of the expansive world and epic premise. There was nothing more cool than a guy with shield and sword in a quest to save a kingdom from the darkness! But as I grew up I just got bored of it because I wanted more but Nintendo kept giving me the same shallow experience. My first game ever was Zelda on the Nes, my favorite series was Zelda, my favorite cartoons was Zelda! Now I hardly even care about it. But why?
Well, I’m not into huge worlds with silly looking characters and shallow premise with no back-ground or story anymore. Zelda games have become more like a mini-game and puzzle collection than a dungeon crawler on an epic quest like the old games. Now I like games that are more story driven like Uncharted or Yakuza series, their stories motivates me to keep playing while Zelda games bores me to death (unless I play the old ones for nostalgia’s sake :::OOT and below). I simply cannot find the motivation to play a game when I don’t care about the characters or what what’s happening. I need an epic setting ala Vanquish even if the story sucks, or something really charming like Valkyria Chronicles but Zelda games? I find them annoying and on top of it, archaic. Metroid is the only thing that I still like from Nintendo to be honest but buying a console for one game is not worth it.
Thanks for the comment!
I’ve never actually beaten a game so the quirky characters are the only thing that get me to the point where I quit. I haven’t gotten far enough to find out that the characters are bland (if they really are). Though from what I’ve read about Midna, she seems to at least have some sort of motivations.
I still have no idea how the overall storyline all works out (Nintendo claims there is one) or even how the stories pan out in the games I have played. I don’t even understand Link, who you would think would provide a bit of backstory.
I understand what you mean about story-driven games though. The latest one I’ve played is probably Persona 3. Even though I started over, I actually want to find out what happens at the end of a year.