Legend of Zelda, The: Twilight Princess (Wii)

When game developers create a master piece, it’s such a joyous occasion, everybody is happy. The developers are proud of their work and we, the humble players are happy with the end result. The game sells incredibly well and the publisher commissions more. Everybody wins.

But then the real problems begin, the developers are now expected to create a masterpiece either on par, or better than their previous work. They are given shorter amounts of time, and the pressure builds with the entire gaming community adding to the pressure. Release dates slip and the fans start to groan. I am, of course talking about The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time.

That game was so revolutionary that it’s only fair to talk about it. Some of you will be confused about this, but please let me explain. Ocarina of Time works as a root for the rest of the series, with the young Link, Wind Waker story as one branch and the adult, Twilight Princess story as another.

The only reason why Wind Waker was received, eventually, so well was because it was entirely different to any other game before. It took the idealism of cel-shaded graphics and made it into the true art form it could be. On the other hand, with Twilight Princess the game has a more serious, Ocarina of Time’s style and its unfair the comparisons that will be made between them.

Ocarina of Time was far beyond anything we had ever seen before; it was the first fully 3D adventure game with such a gripping story. It couldn’t fail, however their have now been many games of this genre since 1998, and Twilight Princess has its work cut out to match its predecessors.

Let’s start with the visuals. They are nearly perfect, crisp and beautiful with plenty of attention to detail that really creates a charismatic and lovely world to feel apart of. The game is far bigger than Ocarina of Time, and the sheer amount of land to explore is amazing. Throughout the game, the change in elevation and texture, the different sounds depending on the floor type and the whole atmosphere, the slightly futuristic portals and warp animation, the way that all of these are implemented gives an amazing land to look at.


You will never stop being amazed at what the game, visually, throws at you. I have never had a single visual glitch and the game pulls off the lighting effects of a 360. Just comparing the game to a first generation 360 game (such as Call of Duty 2), it’s hard to actually see much of a difference. It’s fair to say that it quails in comparison to the likes of Gears of War but it’s technically very good for the Wii or even the Game Cube.

The level of detail in the game is staggering, just standing outside of Links house you can see insects and squirrels running about. Look to the skies and the game throws a lonely bird floating around for you. Trees can hang low with bendy branches, grass shudders in the wind and the water effects are magnificent. When it rains, the combination of sound, wind change, change of clothing colour and the way the rain falls is un-matched. I have analysed the rain effects in Gears of War and I have to say that in this way Twilight Princess wins.


There are some flaws with the game though. Some of the textures that have been applied to the game are in quite a low resolution, such as pattern on ruins of the symbols on doors and they don’t look pretty at all.

Whilst adding some dark and mysterious tones to the series however (such as the way that Hyrulians react to wolf link or the use of shadow) it’s nice to see that the humoristic charm that surfaced in Wind Waker has been retained. If you have any sort of funny bone in your body then you will laugh out loud the first few times the postman tracks you down, or the way that animals follow you around with playful barks and meows in the Castle Town.

The first time you stumble into Ordon Village, the use of music, combined with the simplistic, yet homely feel of everything gives a player a sensation of joy. The game really starts to draw you in from the word go and it’s un-relentless at this.

The control system that Nintendo has developed for the Wii version is amazing and has the best control method of any Wii game yet by far. The whole, swing your arm to use the sword method helps to add character to the game and there is no trouble with your arm aching after long sessions of play.


The only problem I have found with the controls is the first person mode. If you use the bow or the hook shot, you move into a first person/over the shoulder view. The game gives you a huge red target reticule but if you are too close to the sensor bar then it won’t pick up the remote and you find yourself in a prime position for arrow attacks.

The execution of the Wii remotes speakers has been used quite well. Some people complain of sounds from the Wii remotes speakers being annoying but I quite like them. To turn them of, just hit the home button on the remote and turn the volume on the speaker fully down. It’s one of those simple problems to fix and it’s annoying to hear complaints about.

The sound in the game, as to be expected is orchestral and it’s beautiful. I have already sourced some of the music to put on my MP3 player, it’s that good. Most of the music in the game is remixed versions of classic themes, with the Zelda theme returning in the credits.

Just stopping and listening to the music in certain areas of the game can pass the hours away, particularly at Lake Hylia or in the Temple of Time. The sheer amount of music itself is staggering, but it’s the quality of it that never seizes to impress.

It’s the music that creates an atmosphere, it can be loud or quiet but it’s always breathtakingly good. The use of sound effects are also very good, you will recognise most of them. In this game though, they have been polished and perfected.



The credits are a total of twelve minutes long, but the story continues through them and they are the twelve most un-missable minutes to the entire game. The combination of music and superior animation is superbly implemented.

The animation in the game is so well done and I have found just one bad animation to the entire game. The way that people move, the scampering of animals, the movement of Epona and Link when combined together, the way that Link uses his sword on his enemies or any other piece of his gear. These are just some examples of technically advanced animation that appears throughout the game. It’s mesmerising to see in motion.

You will also recognise much of the style. Old enemies return in newer, scarier forms and the whole black dust cloud when enemies die from Wind Waker has been moved across and made darker. The way that dust, sand and snow move around Links feet is very nicely done.

Even the use of the camera throughout the game is very good, whether it’s seeping around a new location to give you an overview, the Resident Evil 4 style over the shoulder view for targeting or the bog standard way it hangs just behind and above you is very well done. Something that the boffins over at Sega would do well to observe!

They have made the game even bigger by the use of side quests. To gain a new heart piece, you will need to collect five heart pieces. This makes the game huge, plus all twenty four bugs, four bottles, the extra armour and the Hawkeye, the fishing, all sixty Poe’s to collect (still have just 40 myself!), the game gives you plenty to do.

The game is absolutely amazing at the beginning. That’s when you notice the problems, the poor resolutions on the symbols and such and you start to feel guilty for questioning a Legend of Zelda game. I did. It’s when you are reaching the game, when you have climbed the mountain that you can look back and forgive each and everyone. They don’t matter at all, because the game is so good everywhere else. The game has done just as well as Ocarina of Time; it just takes a while for it to shine through.

The storyline is very well used. They reactions that the characters make, the plot twists and the way that Midna turns from a dark mysterious character into a heroine of huge proportions all combine to tell a compelling and imaginative tale. At the end not all of the ties are made and in some ways you are left guessing which is slightly disappointing but that just leaves it to the next game to pick up the torch and carry on.




- Amazing visuals
- Brilliant animation
- Compelling storyline
- Great controls for either the Wii of the Game Cube
- Nice humorous touches
- Plenty of nods to Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker
- Best music in a game for nearly a decade
- A game that is worth buying a Wii of Game Cube for
- Plenty of side quests and items to collect
- Will always be compared to Ocarina of Time
- Some low resolution textures
- So good that you miss it when it’s gone
So now we are reaching the end of my review for this game and what a game it is. You will have such a range of emotions upon completing and playing through this game. I laughed and I nearly cried at the end. I now, however have a hole in my heart because I know that I cannot, and will not feel this range of emotions about a game like this for more than two/three years.

The games biggest flaw, therefore, is it’s so good that you are left wanting more. Even after nearly sixty hours, and if that doesn’t sound like a good game to you then I am sorry for not convincing you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a Wii; get a Game Cube for about £25 just to experience this game.

In a word – Glorious

Ps. just to note, the next Wii Zelda game has been in development for 1 year already, good news eh!

Zelda Twilight Princess has been eagerly awaited by legions of Zelda gaming fans. This version features a more adult Link who rides a horse, swings a sword and saves the day.

The title is available for both the GameCube and the Wii, and there are definitely some advantages with the Wii. First, you can see the game in 480p, which is DVD quality. It's not quite high definition, but it's still quite nice! Second, you get widescreen, which means you get much more game to see on the screen. Finally, you get to use the motion sensing controllers on your Wii to swing your sword, go fishing, aim your slingshot, and much more.

First, the gameplay. Most gamers will be thrilled to hear that Link is less cartooney in this game. That's not to say it's a mature title - it's still a game without blood. You kill evil enemies who vanish in a puff of smoke. You go on a variety of quests, and it's very much good-against-evil. Rather, with this Link you're not a little 6 year old on a toy sailboat. Your Link is in his late teens, has his own house, owns a horse. He is harassed by three little tykes, but there's a certain young lady whose large eyes catch at Link's heart.

In no time at all Link is out in a world which is not all butterflies and daffodils. There are dark things afoot in Hyrle. The land is covered in twilight, and you turn into a wolf to deal with the shadows. Your senses serve you well in this realm. It's not too scary for kids - but it gives the game much more depth for older players.

The graphics are rather impressive for a Link game. Remember, the game is still a cartoon, so you're not seeing detailed tanks or the pores in the characters faces. The world you are in is stylized. There is plenty of detail in 480p - or even in regular TV resolution - to show the orange pumpkins, green vines, and fluffy white chickens which make up Hyrule. The water ripples, the dust billows and the fire flickers in the fireplace.

How about the sound? The Link games were famous (or notorious) for the silly noises characters make. None talk. I suppose this makes it easy for them to convert the game to every language in the world - they just change the text out and are all set. Also, you can change your name and your horse's name without any speaking issues. The voices might not know how to pronounce ''Shadowfax''.

Gameplay is just amazing in its length and depth. There are numerous worlds to traverse and dungeons to delve into. There are the standard collection of mini-games, quests, things to collect, puzzles to solve. You could easily play this for months and not be done. This isn't a game to race through to say ''I solved it'' and move on to something else. It's a world to immerse yourself in, to get to know every hill and dale, to track down those secret locations.

I really like how the Wii controllers integrate into the game. It's not like you are using them constantly, getting exhausted with hand movements. Instead, you do a fair portion with the regular joysticks for fine movement. The joysticks are used in a more general way, for sweeping sword attacks or relaxing fishing. You can use small movements if you want - but it's much more fun if you get into the spirit of things and swing away. Just make sure you have that wrist strap properly connected!


Downsides? The little ''he he he'' voices can get annoying quickly, especially if you are stuck on a puzzle and they are tormenting you. Sometimes the checkpoints send you back further than you might like.

They do a good job of giving you little nudges if you get stuck, helping you figure out your way through the puzzles.

In general, I think they struck a great balance between ''tame enough for younger kids'' and ''in depth enough for older players''. There are a lot of teen and adult Zelda fans out there, and they'll be quite pleased with what the game offers. This is definitely one of those must-have for gamers who like adventure games even the slightest!

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the best game so far made for the Wii. Learning TP is very easy and in a few minutes of playing you will have a handle on it. Learning the moves is quite easy also. The controls work very well, there are special moves that you gain as you play the game that really help with defeating enemys. The story is something new and quite different. Sometimes even a bit freaky. The graphics are the best I've seen so far for the Wii. Link looks amazing and can express emotions with his face very well, and you even get a few grunts from him.

Voice acting would have been a plus but this game has so much in it they probably didn't have time.

As you progress in the game you are allowed into a fishing hole where you can use different lures and bobbers to fish to your hearts content, the fishing controls let you feel like your really fishing. Catching the bigger fish are a challenge too.

There is hours of gameplay, things to collect, secrets to find. If your a person who loves really deep and long games (like I am) you will enjoy this. The controls are very handy and easy to use
The graphics are very good for the Wii
The story is well written

No voice acting
Not a big enough wallet
This should have been the game that came with the Wii not Wii Sports If you want a game that works the best with the Wii's controls, this is it. The game is long and not boring. It's a great game, and if you just got the wii this should be the game you get first. It's well worth the money.

Twilight Princess is an awesome game period.

Link has been in many games over the years, starting from the basic NES game, The Legend of Zelda to the Gamecube Masterpiece; Wind Waker. Now, he has his own adventure on the Wii; The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This game included the mysterious 'Midna' along with Link's new form - wolf form!


Link, a mysterious boy from Ordon Village is sent upon a quest to the castle of Hyrule, but strange things start to happen.....



-Wii Controls work a treat in this game. Swing the Wii Remote to swing your sword and twirl the Nunchunk to perform a spin attack! Also you can fire projectiles by aiming at the screen!
-A brilliant selection of mini-games! This includes fishing, but instead of using buttons, (like in OoT) you cast your 'rod' by casting your Wii Remote, and reel your rod in by turning the Nunchunk. This works much like a real fishing rod!
-Great storyline!
-Given the power of the Wii, this Zelda game has the best graphics.
-You can do a '3 Heart Challenge' on Twilight Princess, which is great because fans of the series liked to do this challenge on other Zelda titles such as OoT (Ocarina of Time) and MM (Majora's Mask).
-There are mini-quests that will keep you busy for hours.

-Very easy compared to Link's other games.
-Boss Fights are very easy (Midna gives tips which basically tell you how to kill it)
-One of the main features of this game was to ride Epona (Link's Horse) and fight on horseback. This isn't really needed because later on in the game, you can 'Warp', which means no use for Epona.


Twilight Princess is a gaming masterpiece. If you have a Wii, but don't have this game, you are missing out on alot of things. Definately the best game I have played (and normally I don't have favourite games).

This is a very good game the Controls are very well used and the story line for this game is one of the best in a zelda game


Loads of new weapons
very good use of the Controls
its got epona for the first time in yrs!
playing as a wolf
great bosses



The mini games can get boring
It's quite short to say ninteno have been working on it for 4 yrs now
This game is very good even if it is a little bit to easy its got something for everyone from fishing to shooting far of enemys with the wii-mote

Well we waited for this game for more than a year, while clinging onto hopes it would live up to expectation, and did it? Yes!!!
This is The best zelda game in the current series and was defantly worth the wait.
firstly you start of a small village as a farm boy but then you get possesed and can turn into a wolf, then you go and save hyrule from the evil king ganon.
As you would proberly already know this is a game of two halfs (the wolf and link). Personally I enjoy link more as the scenery is usualy nice and colourful when you are link, but dark when you are the wolf.
The hyrule map is massive and you need epona otherwise it might take you a good 10 mins just to get to the other side of hyrule.
-Its zelda!!
-The wait is over
-fun
-Not hard but not easy
-good gameplay
-good graphics
-very big map
-long dungeons -when you save in a dungeon and turn off you start at the beggining
-bosses are easy
sometimes (very rarely) gets boring overall zelda is the best game on wii and gamecube. with stunning graphics ,a huge map and superb gameplay I can see why.

Welcome to my review of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess!


The Legend of Zelda is the best game on wii hands down. The graphics are good but really they are imported game cube graphics so Ninty could have done a lot more there! The music is atmospheric but where is the orchestrated music???
The story is amazing with a lot of side quests to get on with-i'm still fishing now after 6 months!


Well my main point here is that it is far too easy! I know that Ninty are trying too appeal to non-gamers too...but Zelda has always been a game for hardcores! The boss battles were far too easy!


Don't let the bad point put you off! This an unmissable must buy! You could do nothing better with £39.99!

Zelda is the greatest game on the wii hands down. Controls are amazing, the graphics are simply outstanding, the characters look great and the levels are long and really creative.
This is a must have! -Graphics are outstanding
-The game is really long with many side missions to do
-Controls show off the wii more then wii sports
-Every character looks different and looks amazing -When you swing your sword it doesn't swing the same way as you Zelda twilight princess is a must have. If you don't have it and you are not planning on getting it, then you are missing out of something really special. You have been warned!
The game deserves 100% hands down.

Twilight princess is the most anticipated zelda game of all time, with rumors of the game lasting 80 hour's (yea right). As a zelda fan I couldn't wait to play it, I ended being dissapointed, it took me 41 hours with some sub quests done, enemies took too little damage and done to little. If you are a fan you will find this game to easy, if you are a new player then it is great, for me a dissapointment.

Wii controls made the game quite fun.
Technically the best zelda ever.

Too easy for seasoned zelda players.
Too short. Good game quite fun, but not great for me a massive fan of zelda. 85%

Twilight Princess is one of the greatest games of all time, if not the best. The storyline is superb, the contrls work perfectly, the graphics are good...

The storyline is as follows:
Link is a ranch boy who lives in a place called Ordon in the Kingdom of Hyrule. But one day, the king of the darkness, Zant, came upon Princess Zelda and said to her
'Now you must choose:
Surrender or Die'
Zelda chose to surrender and from then on, the whole of Hyrule was covered with a foul blanket of Twilight. All but one person turn into spirits that are but a green spec in the Twilight world. But the ine who does not turn into one is Link, now a blue eyed wolf.

With Midna at his isde, they both have to fight their way through the darkness to free hyrule from the everlasting balnket of Twilight.

The controls do work perfectly with the game, and it is simple to pick up- swing the Wii Remote and he will swing his sword, shake the Nunchuk and he will perform a spin attack, use the B button on the underside of the remote to fire usong a slingshot or the Hero's Bow...

It also goes on for a long time too, with all the dungeons and all of the DARK POWERS to collect...It will take you well over a month, I'd say.

The grpahics are allright, not the best on the Wii, but they are still passable.

After trying really hard to get to a dungoens boss, you expect for it to be tough to destroy it. But its not. It's relatively easy, and that kind of, like, pits you back a bit. Maybe its just Midna always tells you what to do, or maybe is that they are easy...I completed all the bosses first time apart from Ganondorf who i killed 3rd time round.

This is the Zelda that everybody has been waiting for. The storyline if fantatsic, even if the bosses are a bit easy!

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

[Publiher: Nintendo][Developer: Nintendo][PEGI 12+][Genre: Action Adventure][Released: 08.12.06]

The title every Nintendo and Zelda fan has been waiting for, for 4 years exactly, and the true sequel to Ocarina of Time, one of the greatest games ever relased in the history of gaming in 1998. Sure, it's just a flipped up Wii port of the GCN version, but it's still a must have for its excellent and seamless control transition from GameCube controller to the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. It's got cleverly designed levels, and a great (but could be better) storyline you'll wanna stick, complete with one of the best character designs I've seen, espcially the new Link, and (a few) expertly created cutscenes. Every Zelda fan should have this game by now (and if you haven't, what's your excuse???) and it's great for people new to the series, as well as a good start to your Wii library. I finished it in a whopping 65 hours and I'm still trying to squeeze as much as possible out of the game, such as fishing, white water rafting, exploring the vast Hyrule Field and finding all those Heart Pieces. Talk about lifespan! It also has some breathtaking visuals, topped off with a spiritual feel, and looks just as good as a lot of next-gen titles I've seen, although from a technical point of view (I'm looking at you PC gamers here!) it rarely takes advantage of the Wii hardware, since it is a GCN port with a little bit of a visual update, although it does show the understated power of the nearly-deceased GameCube. Still, gripes aside, the next Zelda will be designed from the ground up, and for the meantime, you can't look much further for a game that is sure to delight, excite and maybe upset you when you've finally finished this title. Just play it slowly to experience the magic moments! A true classic, although in my opinion, still not better than OoT.
> The best reason to buy a Wii.
> Some unforgettable set pieces in the storyline.
> Vast areas to behold and explore.
> Understated visuals. Not as good as most next-gen titles, but it feels like art.
> One of the best control methods on Wii, even if they were added from a GCN port.
> Nice mini-games, espcially fishing and water rafting.
> Amazing, sumptuous soundtrack. Although most are still MIDIs, there are at least 3 fully orchestrated pieces in the game.
> It shows, once again, Nintendo's classic touch in game development. It's Ninty, so you're guaranteed gaming quality!
> It's essentially a GCN port so it doesn't really use the Wii's hardware capabilities.
> No voice acting. Come on Nintendo, leave Link silent, but let the NPCs talk!
> Not much replayabilty after going back to complete it 100%, unless you play it every 8 months or so.
> If you've played al the 3D Zelda games, it may be too easy for you, although it really doesn't ruin the overall experience.


Well, what's there to say? If you miss this, you've missed out on of the most amazing achievments in gaming since Ocarina of Time 9 years ago. As well as being utterly charming and captivating, Zelda: Twilight Princess should be played by every self-claimed hardcore gamer, regardless of gaming preference. Once again, a true classic.

Possessing nowhere near the visual firepower of games on the PS3 and 360 platforms (it was originally worked up as a GameCube title), Twilight Princess is still every bit as eye-pleasing, in my opinion. The Twilight realm alone is bloom filled with an amazing array of particle effects all over the place.

It's the vastest Zelda game ever made, no small feat for a series known for its sprawling, detail-filled overworlds and formidable collections of dungeons, alter-worlds and secret areas. 70 to 80 hours of gameplay are well within the realm of possibility here for the truly curious, player - and that refers to active, meaningful gameplay, without the blight of needless backtracking and patches of functionless space that are common to so many open-world fantasy titles.

As usual, Link start out in a village, where our hero spends his days working on a ranch herding goats, chatting with the local *ahem* brats, and looking a lot more grow'd up, and more realistic than he has in the past.

Anyway, as so often happens in these kinds of games, the land is overtaken by the powers of darkness (yadda yadda yadda) but in this case, the ''darkness'' is quite literal, as a spiritual shadowland of twilight is encroaching on the world of light - along with a host of nasty beasties (not to mention a mysterious/snarky/annoying shadow-fairy companion giving invaluable hints that you'll nevertheless occasionally find yourself wanting to throttle).

The most unique feature of the gameplay is the motion-sensitive control scheme of the Wii remote and connected controller known as the ''nunchuck.'' What could have been risky turned out to be really fun and intuitive - shaking the nunchuck lets Link execute his classic spin attack, slashing with the Wii remote results in appropriate sword-attacks on the screen, and pointing with the remote and the nunchuck's Z-lock button allows for accurate, intuitive targeting of distance weapons like a slingshot, boomerang, a trained hawk, a bow, or whatever you happen to come across.

It all takes a little getting used to, of course - overcoming the gamer's dual analogue brain is a task in itself, so used to the shackles of a standard controller. However slashing at a foe or fishing with the remote really does feel great. Meanwhile, the Wii remote's built-in speaker provides all kinds of crisp (and often surprising, or even startling) audio cues, such as the clang of blade-steel, or the guiding giggle of a materializing fairy companion. I have no idea what the people were going on about when they said it was a cheap add on: evil:.

Another thing I love is the satisfying and creative nature of the puzzle-solving, both in-dungeon and out in the world. I'm not going to spoil it, but if you can think of a plausible, tricky way to combine your tools at hand, objects in the environment and obstacles blocking your progress, odds are that's just what you'll be able to do. If it's not, the game has friendly hints and tutorials to set you on the right track.

To the delight of many I'm sure there’s a lot of horse riding in the game, and once you master jumping and stuff you will find the controls are really well-implemented. Also as with any Zelda game, the world is full of clever secrets and surprises,
Quote:
expect animals to be a big part of these

a lot of which will leave you scratching your head and wondering what on earth your supposed to do. Most of the times that’s happened to me so far I end up thinking I'm really stupid when I see how simple the solution was.

And despite all the new-fangled motion-sensitive gimmickry and the newer, more 'serious' look, Twilight Princess is firmly rooted in the long-standing audiovisual language of the Zelda series - long-beloved tones for discovered treasure, combat schemes and variants on classic musical themes give the game a welcoming sense of familiarity for those who've ventured in the Hyrulian world before; in other words, what wasn't broke, they didn't fix lol. Sound
Graphics
Gameplay Longetivity Twilight Princess is an example of an ''instant classic.'' It's also what our world calls a ''system-seller''; if you're unsure about getting a Wii and wonder if any single title could justify the (minimal) expense, ponder no more. This is the biggest, tightest Zelda to date, and worth every rupee.

First up, it is essential to remember that Twilight Princess is basically a Gamecube port. Everything seen on this is seen on the Gamecube version. With this mindset you are ready for a truly amazing game.

Point 1: Controls

The controls feel fairly natural, with a nice blend of buttons and movements meaning you can have some fun with the Remote, but still be able to play without tiring or having issues with sensitivity. A simple swipe of the remote makes Link attack, and shaking the nunchuk causes him to release the spin attack. There are also seven 'secret' moves that are learnt which also involve use of the remote; I won't spoil them for you, but they all essentially involve the same thing, that is waving the remote. The only damning thing I will say is that while the controls are fluid and enjoyable, they do also feel tacked on. There seem to be two uses of the remote; a nondescript wave of the remote or nunchuk that could easily be a button, and a basic aiming system for projectiles, only to be expected. Both of these are easy to visualise on a normal game pad, and thus the experience is slightly worse for it. Despite this the remote controls do, I think, add something to the game.

The button controls are fairly standard; nothing hugely new or innovative but nothing feels stilted either. The nunchuk is used for moving and camera controls, while the remote covers weapons, actions, maps and the menu. Due to being unused to waving a remote to control, some people may find themselves using Z-targeting (locks on to an enemy, for people new to the series) and pressing A to leap attack quite a lot. Other than some minor setbacks with some confusion over how to select weapons at first, the system becomes natural and in general everything flows well.

Point 2: Music/SFX

The soundtrack to Twilight Princess is one of the best I have ever experienced. The music always fits the scenery perfectly, and the dungeons have a certain quality about them that makes the adventure seem truly epic. In some areas it does not measure up to Ocarina of Time, the game everybody compares it to, but in others it does. Take a certain part where Link has just been attacked and must flee to Castle Town; some striking piano music kicks in and the game plays like a movie, the emotion conveyed perfectly. This is one of the high points of the game. At the other end of the spectrum there is the ‘battle’ music; whenever Link approaches an enemy, a different piece of music starts to play. While at first it seems like a nice touch, after 20-odd hours of gameplay the effect begins to wear thin, especially in certain areas where the enemies come in droves, causing awkward switching between the two tracks. The real highlight of Twilight Princess’s music, however, is not in itself music. Throughout the game when playing as a wolf, Link must ‘howl’ a song in order to be granted audience with the Spirit of Twilight. There are three pitches, and using trial and error the correct notes must be discovered. Each song is one of the songs from previous games, and waves of nostalgia set in as a pair of wolves howl together some of the most poignant songs in the series. These alone are enough to score maximum marks for sound.

The sound effects are similar to every Zelda game; Link’s shouting and sword slashes are the most common sounds, with the occasional word or two spoken by an NPC. One thing to note about Twilight Princess is the voice acting – there is not full voice acting, but there is far more than in other games. Characters will often shout, “Hey!” or, “Over here!” unlike other games in the series, where words were rare and strange grunts were more common. Midna (your partner) has a giggle that can occasionally annoy, but her likeability makes up for this. Midna is also one of the only (possibly the only) characters in the series to feature full voice acting; it is not in English, though, just some kind of garbled Hylian language.

Point 3: Graphics

There is not a lot to say about the graphics in Twilight Princess, as they are the usual for fantasy games; fairly detailed textures looking a little blurry in places, with some excellent weather effects. One thing I will say is that the draw distance is truly incredible; objects that appear to be ‘distant scenery’ often generically scattered throughout games, unreachable, turn out to be reachable after all. Possibly the best examples are ‘warp portals’ around Hyrule; the are black and position about 20 feet in the air, and as such can be seen almost from the other side of the map. Using a sniper scope upgrade, it is quite possible to vaguely see the other side of the game world.

Point 4: Gameplay, lastability and replayability

Gameplay: This game plays fairly well, with battles and horse riding taking the lead in terms of sheer enjoyment. The one setback is boss battles; they are spectacular but very easy, and almost all can be completed first time without using any healing items. The overall difficulty is not too high, and while the dungeons are cunning they are not particularly hard.

Lastability: With an enormous game length of about 50 to 60 hours at a leisurely pace, plus another 10 or so hours of side quests, Twilight Princess has enough to keep most people going for a while. Just be careful not to rush this game, which can easily happen as the game gives off a certain aura of urgency.

Replayability: Apart from the secret dungeon (a difficult sequence of 50 battles in a row) and final boss, this game offers very little replayability. I class ‘replayability’ as doing the same thing over and over, and so to me collecting upgrades and completing side quests count as lastability. One thing that is depressing is the lack of mini-games; Majora’s Mask had plenty of games around town that could be played, while Twilight Princess has only two that will be played more than once or twice. One of these is a game using the hookshot to travel around a cage collecting balls of light; the other is a monkey ball style game called Rollgoal where a marble is rolled around a path. The fishing in Twilight Princess is enjoyable also, but once the main game has been finished the Fishing Hole does become a little boring. Despite thisit offers an amusing side attraction for a while, as well as being right next to Rollgoal for convenience. -Controls work well and allow precision aiming and fast movement
-Graphics look nice enough and draw distance is incredible
-Music draws player in extremely well
-Very long life
-Nostalgia trip
-Excellent horseriding sections
-Dungeons very clever
-Some brilliant new weapons

Almost definitely the best game on the Wii right now, and will stay that way for a while. -Movement controls feel a little tacked on
-Graphics often blurred
-Music occasionally sound stunted
-Once finished offers little replayability
-Easy bosses and dungeons
-Supposedly dark but not as dark as Ocarina of Time

All of the bad points are either minimal, rare or occur after the game is over. Absolute must have buy for anybody owning a Wii, and anybody looking into a Wii should certainly read up about this game. While there is split opinion over whether it is the best Zelda ever, it is certainly right up there amongst them. Gamecube owners should also look into the Gamecube version.

Deserves any review of about 90%-98%

Once players have accepted the fact that Twilight Princess is essentially a Gamecube game, they’re in store for an admittedly pretty adventure.Twilight Princess features draw distances that beat out even next-generation software on Microsoft’s Xbox 360, such as Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Of course, it also features the longest draw distances we’ve seen in the franchise, so far. In Hyrule field, on a clear day, Link can see far into the distance. Other times, the game’s draw distance is skewed by different special effects, such as a mirage. And throughout all of this, the game never suffers any framerate problems.

The game’s real-time lighting is impressive. When the sun sets, a scene of dusk engulfs Link’s view. When the sun rises, on the other hand, a realistic portrayal of dawn swallows the world of Hyrule before player’s very eyes. In the sky, clouds realistically move over the land. Some days it rains, and some days seem to be foggier than others. All these things blend together creating a visual experience that despite technical inferiorities is undeniably good-looking.

Link’s character model – human or wolf – is the most detailed in the game, minus one or two story-important characters, which are just as detailed. Regrettably, some of the NPCs (non-playable characters) don’t look nearly as detailed. In the town of Hyrule, this is dramatized by the fact that a large number of characters are moving around on screen, many of which look identical to each other.

Ultimately, what makes Twilight Princess a good-looking game after having played next-gen software on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is its art style and direction. Nintendo’s team has an imaginative vision of The Legend of Zelda, and it brings it to life nicely. Twilight Princess is a seasonal adventure with many different locales, each uniquely different than the last. The adventure stays fresh throughout because of this, and it’s made even more memorable because of it as well. Of course, nice special effects – even simple ones – like particle effects when smashing crates, wind effects when throwing the Gale Boomerang and others help a lot, too.

Twilight Princess features a fascinating storyline – one that’s more developed than any in a Zelda game before. From the get-go, there is more storyline, cut-scenes and dialogue in Twilight Princess than any other Zelda to precede it. Best of all, the adventure is one of Link’s moodiest and darkest. And Twilight Princess’ gameplay, the very thing that makes Zelda Zelda, delivers. Remarkably, this adventure is home to some of the best dungeons in the franchise.

It’s on a technological level that Twilight Princess doesn’t perform quite as well. The game’s textures are blurry and unimpressive. This is, after all, a GameCube game, and that’s something to consider. The Wii can do better, and I expect it to do better in the future. The lack of voice-acting sometimes makes Twilight Princess feel like it’s stuck in the past. Thankfully, the storyline is so entertaining that you’ll quickly forgive this imperfection. The same is true even when it comes to the game’s visuals, which while employing unattractive textures, impress with appealing art direction. The normal great Zelda have been amazingly enhanced by the Wii Remote
Challenging, yet rewarding gameplay Lack of the Camera Control introduced in Wind Waker
Lack of sidequests mean once you've completed this, you probably won't pick it up again For many, Twilight Princess will be better than Ocarina of Time. And for many, it will quickly become their favorite game of all time, to boot. Twilight Princess is an excellent, excellent adventure that shouldn’t be missed – Zelda fan or not. Twilight Princess enjoys flirting with perfection, delivering a truly fulfilling experience that makes purchasing a Wii worth every penny.

Nintendo went all-out on Twilight Princess, and it shows.

Link once again arrives in a brand new Zelda game. Previously made as the final game for nintendo gamecube, it was then updated with Wii add ons to make it into this amazing game. The gamecube version was shortly released after.

Following along the same lines of every zelda game, an acient hero, a young boy from the forest, a mysterious Princess. Link sets off on an amazing journey to conquer the twilight.

Twilight princess contains many similarities to Ocarina of time, but as its set in HYrule and is probably the most direct sequel to the N64 top game, its understandable.

It has a total of 9 dungeons in the game each around 2 hours long! The longest of any zelda game. Puzzles, tough enemies and hidden items really prolong the game.

Probably the most interesting mini game is fishing, using the wii remotes as a rod and reel, u can fish as if its the most natural thing in the world, absolutely anyone can play it, its just like real fishing!

Pointing with the wii remote also comes natural, with very process aiming u can target enmmies quicker than previous titles, but, if the player decides against this, he/she can swap options to make poitning using the analogue stick insted of the remote.

-Darkest Zelda yet
-Many new weapons to use
-POint and aim system works amazingly
-Fishing minigame
-Its a Zelda game!
-Its got EPONA! -A bit too similar to ocarina of time

Thats it! This game is probably the best game on the wii right now, as im sure many would agree. Its Zelda, its Wii...what more could you want?

For once living in the US paid off lol. I picked this up with my Wii on the 19th of November 2006. Please let me assure you that it has not dissapointed. I have indeed become so immersed in the story that I take no notice of my surroundings. You could rob me and I wouldnt notice until you tried to take my Wii. It really is that good. This is the Zelda we have been waiting for. Its story is amazing, it just sort of sucks you in and won't let you go until you switch off which it makes amazingly hard. I find myself thinking ''Ok I'll just finish this dungeon and I'll stop'' and a few hours later I still havn't!
This is also the darkest Zelda yet, if you watched the video review on IGN you would have seen that freaky cutscene, well I've seen a few so far. The atmospher is terrific, dungeons are creepy and the bosses are amazing. Midna is funny but I'm still not sure about her.

Visual effects are a big part of this game. In the twilight realm this is most apparrent, bloom and particle effects are most prominent there.

Exploration possibilitys, practically anywhere is reachable, I havn't explored too much but Hyrule is HUGE! I mean about 10 times the size of Ocarina of Time maybe more. This adventure will certainly keep a casual gamer going well into the new year. It's definitly a must have purchase for any Wii gamer in my opinion. If you don't purchase it your missing out on one of the most amazing experiences availiable in gaming. Well people comment about the music and graphics. I personally don't agree but I have to admit textures can me a little rough in places. Also it would be nice to have more orchestrated music even though whats there is pretty atmospheric anyway. I'm giving this 100% If they cleared up what I talked about it would be 110% lol It really is unmissable. Get it.

cheers

mrmuse64