smadakcin's Full Review: The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time for Nintendo 6...
Hype being what it is, I was ready to be a little disappointed with this updated installment of the legendary Zelda series - technology had made vast strides in between this and the previous game, and coming off the back of the hugely successful N64-isation of Mario, expectations were always going to be high for this one. However, given that four years after its release I still occasionally dip into this game, despite having completed it twice, it is clear that The Ocarina of Time met these expectations and more.
In a sleepy forest ...
Link wakes to find himself being bothered by a persistant fairy, who tells him that he has been summoned by the Deku Tree, the guardian of the forest in which Link's people, the Kokiri, live. The old tree has been possessed by dark forces, and implores Link to enter and recover the precious Kokiri Emerald, before sending him away from his home to travel to Hyrule Castle, beyond the Lost Woods.
Upon arriving, and managing to avoid the attentions of the guards, our hero meets Princess Zelda, who reveals her suspicions about the stranger from the Desert who has suddenly appeared in Hyrule, pledging his allegiance to the King. Urged to act, Link begins his epic quest to save both Hyrule and, ultimately, the Princess from the clutches of this dark figure.
First Impressions
Right from the off, the great strides that the advanced technology of the N64 had made were obvious - A new millenium's abilites saw Link's world rendered in glorious 3D, with everything from the houses of the Kokiri Village and the people inhabiting it to the great expanses of Hyrule Field, and the sights in the far distance flawlessly created in vivid colours and smooth designs. As a 3-dimensional character, Link's range of movement is much increased, and the animation that has gone into this brings the best out of the complex environment's potential; our boy can roll, climb, jump and somersault around his world, not to mention interact with it.
Link is quickly equipped with his basic weapons - a short sword and a wooden shield, both of which can be upgraded twice more, and gains a nifty slingshot (plus some hardy staffs) inside the Deku Tree, which forms the first of eight dungeons within the game, not including the final level. The game's pause menu allows you to peruse all of your character's capabilities and manage his inventory; one of the best features of the this game is the way in which you can assign any three objects (weapon, Ocarina, gadget etc.) to the lower three C-buttons, making for a better flow of the game - the player doesn't have to fiddle around repeatedly swapping over their one special item, as in Link to the Past.
The other functions of the N64's controller are equally well designed - A performs a number of tasks, as indicated by the text in the top-right of the screen (which will change to show possible actions; Grab, Open, Talk etc.). The Z-button is also superbly useful, allowing the player to centre the camera behind Link (vital for overcoming the standard 3D camera problems) or Z-target an opponent. This entails keeping Link's aim, and the camera on a designated enemy or part of an enemy - especially handy when they are moving about, or in Boss fights. It certainly makes the bow easier (and more fun to use, zipping shafts into the enemey from all angles).
Sumptious Stones and Troublesome Temples
For the sake of explaining the depth and range of the game, a wee spoiler is required here. Once Link completes the three opening dungeons, and collates a nice collection of precious stones (the Kokiri Emerald, Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire), he comes into possession of the Ocarina of Time, thrown to him as Zelda flees the castle, pursued by Ganondorf. With these items, he is able to open the Door of Time, where the Master Sword and the Sacred Realm lie.
Annoyingly for Link, Ganondorf has followed him into the Temple of Time, and is able to use the fabled Triforce to gain great powers, allowing him to seize control of Hyrule and mold it in his dark image. Link is protected by the Sages who guard the kingdom, and suspended in a void for seven years. When he awakes, he learns from Rairu, one of the Sages, that he must travel around this dark Hyrule and free the other six Sages, who will be able to help him to defeat Ganondorf and restore peace.
From here, it gets pretty hard - the temples are incredibly difficult (sometimes too much so), although such is the great variety of side-quests and sub-missions, this never becomes too tiresome. Tricky though it is, it is here that the game's creator's efforts really come into their own - Link becomes a powerful character, with an expanding inventory, and confronts more powerful and impressive enemies.
The music hits near-perfection in this half of the game, as well - in each case, it is perfectly tuned to suit the location and create a unique atmosphere. In the Desert, one of the most visually impressive areas of the game, with sandstorms whipping across the bleak, rough landscape, a maracca-style beat adds a sense of pace and subtle threat to a whistling, serene arabic tune. On the other hand, the slow pace and safe atmosphere of Kakariko Village is complemented by a gentle, banjo-style rhythm, accompanied by the creaking turning of the windmill in the background - although this aura disappears as Link enters the more sinister and mysterious graveyard behind the Village.
The temples themselves are created with devious skill - it takes some effort to beat the later ones - and are always wonderfully varied and imaginative. The Water Temple is probably the most troubling, but even when cursing in frustration as you find yourself stuck again, you have to admire the design of the level - Link must manage the water level within the dungeon to gain access to different areas. Elsewhere, more regular key-and-lock puzzles, powerful villains or hidden traps block the way.
And finally ...
Even in such a lengthy review, it is difficult to really do justice to the game - it truly is an experience and a joy to play, with a cracking, if largely unoriginal story to keep you going all along. Are there shortcomings? Yes, although they tend to be minor and inconsequential. It would have been nice to have evened up the balance between painfully difficult temples and disappointingly easy bosses - Ganondorf (and Ganon) is particularly simple - and an extra incentive to play the game over, in terms of a more dominant sub-quest; as in Majora's Mask, with the collection of all masks) would have gone down well.
However, the game is so fun to play and perfectly designed that you'll almost certainly want to give it a second go after completion - the sheer size of the playing area alone makes exploration a joy, and the games and side quests are fun to play with. For me, this is the defining piece of modern gaming, and nears perfection (maybe even achieves it). No-one should go without playing it - it really is worth buying the N64 for alone, especially at current prices.
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