Open World Generation

After two generations of open-world games, there is little left in the genre that hasn't been explored. That's why it's pretty remarkable that Nintendo is able to come into the open world genre with something as refreshing as Breath of the Wild. And to do that with an established IP like the Legend of Zelda is certainly no small feat here. There are conventions and standards to honor, and I can say that all expectations of the legendary series are met.

The magic of Nintendo games has always been the simplicity by design. The result of this simplistic design is a game that is easy to pick up and appeals to gamers and non-gamers alike. The less is more philosophy is not very popular in modern games but Nintendo is an expert at applying this to their games and the sheer elegance of its simplicity is really the envy of the game industry.

Much of the game world is populated only by wildlife and nature and while this may feel like barren, it actually creates a better sense of depth and exploration. Many other game will try and stuff as much events and things to do until the point where you need to stop and chat every 5 minutes. I can't tell you how many open world games I played where I'm not appreciating the details of the game world because my eyes are too focused on the mini-map to get to the next location. 

Breath of the Wild doesn't have a mini-map on-screen or even a map screen on the Wii U gamepad. While I initially loathe the idea of scrapping the Wii U Gamepad second screen for console parity with the switch version, I soon come to realise it made the game better and more immersive. In fact, I even made my Witcher 3 session more Zelda-like by removing the mini-map now and relying on my own sense of direction instead. It sounds like a crazy idea especially after relying on the mini-map for over 60 hours on The Witcher 3 but part of me realised I wasn't focusing on the game world as much as I should be even before playing Breath of the Wild. BOTW was just the final nudge that made me realised it and now this is how I would probably play all open-world game from here on. 

Another simplistic design element of this game is the musical score or lack of. There are no grand musical score except for the major cutscenes so for the most part, the game feels very lonely. I have seen divided opinions on the game musical score and so far, I don't really mind having less music in the game. It's certainly much better than hearing the battle score of Fallout 4 over and over again every time I play that game. I was a bit disappointed how little voice-overs are used in the game, there was simply too much text reading like the old Zelda games. 

The world of Breath of the Wild is pretty vast, I remember going from point A to point B without backtracking or fast-travel and it was days before I finally felt the need to go back to a village. If it's not about the destination it's the journey then that saying certainly rings true here. I always find that fast-travel detracts you from the open world immersion and would like to avoid using them as much as possible. What Rockstar did with GTA V when you switch characters is pretty cool where you don't see any loading screen, I only wished more open world games would do that. 

I could go on and on about the Breath of the Wild, I find the game so addictive without able to pinpoint what exactly it is that keeps me coming back. The intangible element that makes a game great, not the story or the characters, I guess you can say it's the heart. While I still don't believe any one game alone can justify the purchase of a system, Breath of the Wild make a pretty darn good case for that. 

Never On Time

A new Zelda game don't come around very often, that's why it's a pretty big event for the game industry and more specifically zelda fans.

I remembered the last few Zelda games launch very vividly, I remember the hype just as much as the games themselves.

I remember A Link Between Worlds getting released with a highly-sought after gold-plated 3DS. The timing of the release around Black Friday made it impossible to get one of those of gold 3DS locally without paying an arm and leg. I wanted both the system and the game as I have yet to own a Nintendo 3DS that time. I didn't managed to get the gold 3DS after all but I did managed to win a copy of the game, A Link Between Worlds shortly after buying a 3DS system. I finally played the game late last year and it was very bit as good as you would expect.

I remember the last Zelda console game the Skyward Sword was such a long wait coming that I actually bought a Wiimote Motionplus in advance. I didn't expect Nintendo to put out a rather affordable bundle of the game and gold-plated wii-mote that would quickly sold out. Once again, I missed out on another fan coveted Zelda piece.

Since the Wii was my first Nintendo home console, I had the grand ambitions of finishing both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess before the Skyward Sword came out. Somehow I could never decide when and which version of Twilight Princess to play and I felt no sense in playing Skyward Sword before TP. So eventually I ended up missing Skyward Sword at launch but the hype was very real and still vivid to this day.

I finally got around to playing Twilight Princess Wii version a few years ago when I already have Wii U system. I think I was also re-playing the HD version of the Wind Waker. Though long overdue, Twilight Princess didn't feel aged to me as the scope and scale of the game was far more than I was expecting. 

This year the hype is back as the new Zelda game is coming out in less than a months' time. I finally have a copy of Skyward Sword now and I'm just starting the adventure despite knowing I wouldn't finish it in time for Breath of the Wild. I have already pre-ordered the regular (and only) version of the game for the Wii U system. No more fancy bundle or special editions, not that there are any available for me to buy on the Wii U system. I just want to play the game and have a copy on my shelf as part of my Zelda game collection. 

This time, I will be on time for the hero of time.

Good Will Funding

Publishers seems to recognise the importance of good will among the consumer these days.

Take Yakuza 5 for example, when Sega announced the localisation of this 3-year old game, fans lamented that they were basically sending the game out to fail without a retail release. It was only months later when the game is about to release that the full picture is revealed. Sega never had high hopes for Yakuza 5 given the circumstances of the timing, it's Yakuza 0 that they are pinning their hopes on.

But in order to ensure that they don't alienate fans and leave a bad impression before 0, Sega knew they had to give Yakuza 5 a localization even if it means losing money. Now Yakuza 0 takes centre stage and will get a proper retail release on Sony's thriving PS4 console. It's in a good position to succeed unlike Yakuza 5. The announcement of Zero on the eve of Yakuza 5 release hopefully created more good will for fans to believe again.

Another prime example would be Zelda Wii U. With the NX announcement looming this year, many believe Nintendo will jump ship and release the new Zelda on the NX instead. They might very well do so but probably not at the cost of forsaking the original Wii U version. Sure, Nintendo has no legal obligation to do so and would only be breaking their word if they do. But Nintendo can't afford to lose anymore good will at this point especially when they are hoping this very same customer base will buy their new NX.

Releasing the Zelda Wii U is probably a losing business for Nintendo just like releasing Yakuza 5 is for Sega/Sony. It's only the big picture that is making these losses worthwhile as any clever businessman will recognise. Sometime you need to lose a little first in order to win later. Or sometimes, it's not about losing but maintaining the relationship that matters here.

Good Old Fashioned Fun

Satoru Iwata, the beloved CEO of Nintendo has sadly passed away last weekend. It's hard to understate the impact of his passing because he was such a public figure for Nintendo. Having possessed all the Nintendo systems released during Iwata's reign, I do feel the desire to talk about what makes them great, or even superior to their peers.

I loved how Nintendo games has no difficulty class. This may create a perception that the games are easy but personally, attaining 100% in any one of these games is probably harder than any platinum trophy I have earned. The lack of difficulty class puts everyone on the same page, how far you decide to take it is up to you. In some ways, Nintendo is teaching you to let go of your elitism and all just co-exist as one. There are no casual or hardcore gamers, just the love for the game. Playing games is not an entitlement, I can play anything I choose without someone making a funny comment.

I also loved how Nintendo games speaks to their audience in a way other games just don't. Most games treat you as a dumb ass who can't remember what you learn in the first 5 hours and are content to hold your hand all the way by spoon feeding you. Metroid and Zelda teaches you the basic tools and expect you to apply them throughout the game. When you get stuck in the game, there are no hints to help bail you out that will just magically appear. It can be frustrating at times but the feeling of finding your own way out is unlike anything. It also speaks of the level of confidence Nintendo have to deliver a game and expect gamers to "get it". Like a masterful filmmaker who doesn't do unnecessary frequent flashbacks because all the cues are there.

I didn't have many Nintendo systems when I was younger due to strict parenting. I did get a Gameboy but have always long for a Super NES during my childhood. While modern games strive to be cinematic and forget gameplay, Nintendo never loses sight of what's important. Some may find that old fashioned but sometimes we just need a little old fashion. Right, agent Coulson?

Forgotten Wolf

One of the first games I finished this year was The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess. I felt like playing and finishing this Zelda game was a grand adventure itself.

First of all, I owned a Gamecube copy of the game and while my Wii is completely compatible with Gamecube, it's much more convenient playing the Wii version. That saves me the trouble of hooking up a Gamecube controller and memory card but more importantly, it tracks my playing time on.  So long story short, I was finally able to play the Wii version once I started running roms on the hard drive.

I loved my first Zelda console game The Wind Waker but there is no denying that The Twilight Princess is the better game. The Wii controls integrated into the game late in the development are a mixed bag for me while it's certainly useful when aiming in first person view, the use of Wii controls during combat feels tiring and cumbersome.

What really separates this game from the the Wind Waker were the dungeons, the staple of all Zelda games. The dungeons in the Twilight Princess were simply epic and really make you use each and every tool that you acquired throughout the game. There were a lot of the dungeons featured in this game and each of the dungeon were designed differently so it never felt like more of the same thing. 

I always thought that each of the recent Zelda game has a very clear theme, the Wind Waker was an experience set in the sea while Skyward Sword was obviously an adventure set in the sky. So where does that leaves The Twilight Princess? Well, The Twillight Princess covers all grounds, there was a dungeon buried deep beneath the sea and the last dungeon takes Link all the way up to the skies. Now I can't imagine playing the Skyward Sword and being confined to an adventure in the sky. 

Some fans complained that in between all of these impressive dungeons is a barren wasteland which offer little or not much to do. That's true but complaining about that is sort of missing the point, after all the dungeons are what most fans paid money to play and here they are scarily good. 

Windstruck

Having a biased love for all things cel-shaded, I was happy to finally get a chance to play one of the greatest cel-shaded game of all time, the Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker. Playing it not-so-religiously for a few months now in between other stuff, I have finally finished the game last weekend.

Despite being a rather short Zelda game, I wasn't in any hurry to finish it as I had nothing else I was rushing to play on the Wii. So towards the end, I took my time to explore the open seas and generally soaked in the game gorgeous graphics. Speaking of graphics, I thought the game looked like a Pixar animation when I first played it and the graphics really displayed full-effect during the day-breaking moments out in the sea and black-and-white sequences when the land of Hyrule was swallowed in darkness.

I was a little disappointed with the lacklustre ending and seeing that I left a lot of side-mission unfinished, I didn't really get a sense of fulfillment when I finish the game. Guess it's time to for a break from adventure games and get back to what I loved playing the most.

Power to the People

Nintendo Power v236 is the final issue for the year of 2008 and what an issue it turned out to be. Picking up a copy of Nintendo Power is always a bit of a gamble for me as there are usually no open issue for me to browse through first. Thankfully Nintendo Wikia provides a preview of each issue content for me to decide whether the issue is worth picking up and they usually don't disappoint. Nintendo Power is one of the few things related to Nintendo that have remained traditionally-hardcore. After all how many publications would feature Ninja Gaiden : Dragon Sword, GTA: Chinatown Wars and Madworld on their covers? I initially got this issue for the Castlevania poster included and the retrospective look at the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Power Profile feature on Shinji Mikami and also a nice coverage of the recent TGS 2008, complete with an interview with Suda51 on the upcoming No More Heroes 2.

Hear My Voice

The gaming world has played host to a number of silent heroes, most notably Link from the Legend of Zelda and more recently his spiritual successor Amaterasu from Okami. These characters despite being set off on the adventure of a lifetime has the distinction of letting their action define their character rather than their words. Vannesa Z Schneider from PN03 was set to join the list of heroes or so i thought, two-third into the game where she has yet to utter a word. It was certainly fitting for her character and the scenario as she is on a lone mission on a distant planet to destroy every moving mecha under the control of CAMS (Computer Arms Management System). She appears so cool and calm disposing each mecha with her slick moves and she is wonderfully animated down to every last intricate move. Receiving text orders from a faceless contact, it's easy to see why she's the most charming individual in the game despite being silent.

Then about two-thirds into the game, something happened. Faced with what looks like a clone of herself, she begins to wonder aloud what the heck is going on. I have yet to finish the game but i always figured her to be a clone, a terminator of some kind. Now she just sounds European and her thick accent makes her more foreign than any of the fancy aegis suit that she wears. You know, i bet Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) would be perfect to play her character if they ever do a movie adaption.

In My Restless Dreams...

My latest Play stuff, came in on saturday while i was home a pretty nice surprise seeing i'm usually at work when the postie arrives. While it may seem like random purchases, i actually have these in mind for some time now. I recently saw an akira yamaoka retrospective on the Silent Hill series which remind me i have yet to add Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams to my collection. I still remember shopping for this game at Sim Lim Plaza and having to choose between the two-disc PAL edition and the Japanese release of Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams. It was a hard choice naturally but ultimately i couldn't resist having the 2-disc set,what with it's sexy cardboard digipak packaging. This may not be the original release of Restless Dreams from those years back but it will do just nicely...

The Gamecube memory card is another essential purchase that i have been putting off for far too long, you see i have been using the memory card that came with Biohazard 0 all this long and while it's suffice, it's been subjected to a long of wear and tear seeing that i don't usually leave the card at it's port. So having this memory card allows me to back-up my saves to free up some much needed space so i can get on with playing the other games in my collection namely PN03, Twilight Princess, killer7...etc.

Zero Options

With the release of Biohazard Zero Wii in Japan less than two months away, i'm still undecided on whether i will be picking up the import release. I recently discovered that Okami Wii has updated my Wii system firmware, something i have refrained from up till now in hopes of using the datel freeloader to play import games. A small price to play such a classic game i suppose, maybe now i should start downloading those retro games on Nintendo Virtual Console, gotta get around to playing kamiya's all-time favourite The Legend of Zelda : A Link to the Past at some point.

Now back to the matter at hand, so Japan gets Biohazard Zero and America gets Okami both being ports of last-generation games that didn't sell very well and neither games scheduled to be crossing the shores. Okami was really a necessary purchase for me, as i have been putting off playing that game for far too long and having Wii controls was a really incentive for me, not to mention playing it on my "newer" console. Biohazard Zero on the other hand, is still a bit of a question mark for me at the moment since i already have three copies of the Gamecube version, making this my fourth copy.

The Good Ole' Times

They just don't make them like they used....the same goes with games. Many long time gamers who grew up during the 8/16-bit era will tell you that despite the improvements in visual and audio storytelling of games, the games of today just doesn't match up to the games of yester-years. Playing Dracula X the last two days has certainly rekindled a lot of fond memories of the 8/16-bit era, and while i can't attest to the fact that games back there weren't better than the ones now, I certainly remember them being a lot tougher. Then it got me thinking some more, were games back then intentionally made harder because they weren't half as long as games these days? Sure players moaned nowadays if a game can be completed in less than 10 hours but back in the 8/16 bit era, save for the Zelda games, most of them could be completed in one day if you really sit through it on a Sunday afternoon. Well if that myth is true, it certainly worked because i could remember some of these games better than the games of today which i completed over the last few years. Load up the ole Castlevania and i could still remember some of the more tricker level layouts and where exactly Simon Belmont should stand when the ole' Count is about to strike during the grand boss fight. The levels were much shorter and many times, player had to replay the level if they died at a boss fight...so we would play it again and again and again...

You will die a lot in this game.......

I'm afraid i can't say the same about recent games, I can hardly remember any of the boss fights from the last three Onimusha games and probably not even some of the level layouts too. Kinda sad don't you think? They just don't make them like they used to...or are we gamers getting too soft?

Are games today getting too soft?