Reviews// The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - The Full Review (Wii)

In spite of how much bitching was done when Wind Waker was released, a very vocal group of people really appreciated it for the masterfully crafted work of beauty that it was. Those same fans have now expressed concern for the re-re-imagining of the Zelda world, back to its Willow-like 3D beginnings. To them I say, "fear not". I too doubted the GameCube’s and eventually the Wii’s ability to deliver a realistic Zelda with the proper amount of wit, charm and character that I had come to expect. But my fears were gradually put to rest as the game eventually gripped me firmly by the short and curlies and refused to let go.

Even now as I type this, my mistress calls to me from the den. I’ve never so badly wished for the ability to have multiple saves so that I could more easily revisit my favourite scenes. Sadly the life of a games journalist doesn’t allow for repeated playing of 70-hour games.

As I said in my earlier pre-review, there are some spotty textures to be found, artifacts of its 4-year old console hardware roots, but the game, in spite of its limitations, stands as one of, if not the best looking Game Cube game to date... on a Wii.

The audio is classic Zelda - for better or worse. The score, of course, cannot be acclaimed enough. Unnumerable, haunting, well-arranged pieces help to carry you through an equivalent number of scenarios. Never grating or irritating, the music is nothing short of superb. Sadly, it's all Midi - another hold over from the small discs of the GameCube, I’m sure.

As a positive though, the Midi arrangements in Z:TP far exceed the quality of a great many fully-orchestrated games I’ve played over the years. So, while it might not rattle your 7.1 system like you may have hoped, it does serve to heighten the whole experience.

Other sound effects feel as though they were lifted straight out of previous Zelda games, and mixed with the guy who does the voice for Kilik in Soul Calibur (seriously, when you toss your first goat tell me that’s not him). The classic ding of a rupee, the little slap noise from Link’s hand as he finishes a forward roll and the “DU NU NU NUUUU” of treasure-chest-opening fame, they’re all in there and then some.

One major complaint I keep hearing about, and that I can only partially concur with, is the lack of voice acting for the non-Link characters. However there are two good reasons why this game should not, and luckily did not, have voice acting throughout:

First, anyone who has played Oblivion can tell you how annoying those same five actors got to be after just 20 hours of game play. Unless Nintendo felt like bullet-pointing Zelda with "the largest voice cast in a videogame ever", I don’t see it turning out well.

Secondly, for all intents and purposes, it is a GameCube game. Unlike Oblivion where you can play for 80 hours and hear the same phrases over and over again, every character in Hyrule changes what they have to say based on current events. The amount of dialogue would be staggering. The extra time spent recording it all would have pushed back the game's release and possibly upped the price, two things I don’t think any of us wants.

Despite its few flaws and unfortunate technical limitations, Twilight Princess still stands, in my opinion, as the greatest Zelda game yet created. The revolutionary controls are stunning. The unmatched storytelling creates an experience that is simultaneously familiar and like nothing you’ve ever seen before. If you have a Wii you must own this game. If you don't own a Wii, get one, if for no other reason than to experience this bit of classic Nintendo magic.

SPOnG-Score: A

Extraordinary story told through stunning cinematic sequences engages like no Zelda before it. Wii-specific controls not only add to the immersion but help improve the actual game play. Slight control issues and lack of camera controls are disappointing. 50-100 hours of playtime, hidden mini-dungeons and secrets galore. Buy this game, go now, stop reading and go do it!