The Video Game Critic

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Crevalle]I just rescued that kid from the cage with the monkey--I'm maybe an hour or two into the game, but I just cannot get myself to turn it on again.  The lack of voice is odd to me--it would have added a lot IMHO.  Also, even with the higher grade component cables, the graphics are horrible. I probably won't ever turn it on again. [/QUOTE] Give me a break.  Those graphics aren't "horrible" by any standards.  I assume you don't own any systems from generations other than the current, because those games would be absolutely unplayable by your standards.  They are graphics equivalent to any other really good Gamecube game, and if you think things this generation are just so far and away better than the last, it is my personal opinion that you are nuts or just impossible to please.  It drives me nuts when people act all high and mighty by complaining that anything less than the absolute best graphics on the absolute most powerful system are worthless crap.  It just seems like they are somehow trying to impress people with their tastes. I'd like to add that I am relieved that there are no voice actors in Twilight Princess.  Too often when they add voices to a character that has been around a long time, it conflicts with what I always assumed their voice would sound like, and really rubs me the wrong way.  Sonic is a great example.  His voice annoys me constantly.  I just don't think he should talk at all.  Adding voices to a Zelda game would be the worst game to do that to, because it has been around so long. [/QUOTE]

Yes, the graphics [I]are[/I] very poor by today's standards. I wonder if Nintendo has ever heard of anti-aliasing. Regardless, is there something inherently wrong with being more enamored with graphics in a game? I could not care less about stories in games.

Your suggestion that I would not play prior generation games due to less refined graphics is not analagous--mainly because the prior generations [B]did[/B] have good graphics for their time. If the Sega Genesis had graphics like the NES, it would have bothered me. FWIW, I've been a gamer since the 2600. Anyway, I don't see a graphical difference between the Gamecube and the Wii. It's [U]indiscernable[/U]. Is it too much to ask that the graphical prowess be improved from one generation to the next? Have you played Red Steel? Same thing.

It's funny to me that you prefer kiddie shrugs and peeps over real voices in TP--I find them incredibly annoying. Anyway, Jeff Gerstman at Gamespot gave it a lower score due to no voices--so I'm in good company. But, like you said, if they [B]did[/B] have voices, it very well may have shattered your fragile image of what their voices sounded like in your imagination.

**cough** fanboy **cough**

bfd when it comes to voices, most of the time when there is voice acting in a game, im trying to skip past it anyway


and graphics wise, it is a high end gamecube game, and it really only looks ugly if it is on a high def TV. tip for classic gamers, make sure you buy a nice standard def tv in the next couple of years for your old systems.

Hey guys, I'm starting to think I want to rent Twilight Princess. I don't own a Wii, but I have a Gamecube. Should I wait until I get a Wii and then rent it or just rent the GameCube version right now? This is just a question, because I have been looking forward to renting this game.

the graphics do vary quite a bit throughout the game- but artistically, they are wonderful. Sure, they have less polygons than 360 games, but they are drawn with more skill and imagination. Personally, I am turned off by the slightly odd looking realism of the next gen. Art has gone out of the window to be replaced by sheen


And the lack of voice is a good thing, and long may it continue. As soon as Link gets a voice, the magic is gone. Link's voice is the voice you give him, like the voice in a novel. No doubt there will be moaners whinging about any voice that is given to him.

I'd give it A-. It's not the best Zelda game. The severe lack of out-of-dungeon "fun" is a downer. For me OOT was the best of the series and the best game full stop. (even now. yes the graphics have aged, but it still looks wonderful, like a fantasy)

Twilight Princess gets an A- from me. The 'minus' part comes from how there is unnecessary stuff in the game that isn't that much fun (like the POE souls). But this game is pure awesomeness and gets up to the 'A' level.

What Orcarina did so well is tie the whole mood of the game together. It's hard to quantify, but that game had soul. How great did the music fit that game? Perfectly. And the orcarina game mechanic is to me the most brilliant idea in the history of gaming. Here you have in your hands a true 5 note musical instrument with flats, sharps and vibrato, worked in with the awesome original game music, that triggers events in the game world. Simply brilliant, intuitive and off the wall at the same time.

Of course, after Majora's Mask, Nintendo altered the idea, and we got the dissapointing baton (imho) in WW. I liked the Wolf Howl in TP, it made me laugh when I first used it, but the orcarina was truly a magical idea.

I'm a little off topic here, but I just had to give Nintendo (Myamoto?) credit for having the creativty and artistic vision to create game moments like no other publisher.

 

P.S., in regard to another fun graphics debate, (and you are kidding yourself if you think their is no noticably difference between GC and Wii (Zelda excepted), its just not as big as the difference between Wii and PS3/360), I  liked how on Orcarina they used prerendered graphics in select portions of the game, in Dampes' shack, Link's treehouse, Hyrule Castle Town, etc. That really created a nice little visual counterbalance to the weaker 3-d environments in the majority of that game, and I assume it was done to save memory. To bad they have not done more of that kind of thing in other Zeldas, sometimes tech limitations give a game more focus when they limit the scope of a game. If you cannot appreciate the artistic look of TP, well, that is your loss, and really is a chessy complaint.

 

P.P.S. Voice acting? Hah! If I went to a movie theater and watched a film with a script written,directed and acted out on par with your average videogame, I would ask for my money back, and this is from a guy who sat through "Secondhand Lions." I cried until I laughed. Go buy a HDDVD copy of "Ricky Bobby", and put that $600 waffle maker to good use. Its as if NASA sent Neil Armstrong to the moon to spray paint "turds" on a moon rock. Good grief!

[QUOTE=Crevalle][QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Crevalle]I just rescued that kid from the cage with the monkey--I'm maybe an hour or two into the game, but I just cannot get myself to turn it on again.  The lack of voice is odd to me--it would have added a lot IMHO.  Also, even with the higher grade component cables, the graphics are horrible. I probably won't ever turn it on again. [/QUOTE] Give me a break.  Those graphics aren't "horrible" by any standards.  I assume you don't own any systems from generations other than the current, because those games would be absolutely unplayable by your standards.  They are graphics equivalent to any other really good Gamecube game, and if you think things this generation are just so far and away better than the last, it is my personal opinion that you are nuts or just impossible to please.  It drives me nuts when people act all high and mighty by complaining that anything less than the absolute best graphics on the absolute most powerful system are worthless crap.  It just seems like they are somehow trying to impress people with their tastes. I'd like to add that I am relieved that there are no voice actors in Twilight Princess.  Too often when they add voices to a character that has been around a long time, it conflicts with what I always assumed their voice would sound like, and really rubs me the wrong way.  Sonic is a great example.  His voice annoys me constantly.  I just don't think he should talk at all.  Adding voices to a Zelda game would be the worst game to do that to, because it has been around so long. [/QUOTE]

Yes, the graphics [I]are[/I] very poor by today's standards. I wonder if Nintendo has ever heard of anti-aliasing. Regardless, is there something inherently wrong with being more enamored with graphics in a game? I could not care less about stories in games.

Your suggestion that I would not play prior generation games due to less refined graphics is not analagous--mainly because the prior generations [B]did[/B] have good graphics for their time. If the Sega Genesis had graphics like the NES, it would have bothered me. FWIW, I've been a gamer since the 2600. Anyway, I don't see a graphical difference between the Gamecube and the Wii. It's [U]indiscernable[/U]. Is it too much to ask that the graphical prowess be improved from one generation to the next? Have you played Red Steel? Same thing.

It's funny to me that you prefer kiddie shrugs and peeps over real voices in TP--I find them incredibly annoying. Anyway, Jeff Gerstman at Gamespot gave it a lower score due to no voices--so I'm in good company. But, like you said, if they [B]did[/B] have voices, it very well may have shattered your fragile image of what their voices sounded like in your imagination.

**cough** fanboy **cough**[/QUOTE]

 

I wish ya'll would consider using the word 'fanboy' on your profanity filter....it irks me every single time i hear it, and just ignites a "sony vs. microsoft vs. nintendo" debate, which in my opinion, is seriously ruining these forums...

I don't understand why anyone would want to be a "fanboy," but there seem to be plenty out there.  In fact there is a message board called www.systemwars.com where Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony fanboys duke it out calling each other names and telling people what system is better.  I think I understand.   Why purposly choose not to play great games on a particular system?  The majority are probably teens who don't get much money from their parents.  They can probably only afford one system, so they have to insult the other systems online to feel better about their purchase.

 

I myself am not a fanboy, what I stupid idea.   I do relise that great games come out on many systems, even though some systems are better than others.  I know someone tried to call me a Microsoft fanboy at this forum  because I was explaining how the 360 is a better value than the wii, even though it more expensive because of its awesome power.  Then I explained I owned a ton of systems, and Nintendo is my favorite game developer and I own all their systems.   Didn't hear back from him.

 

I think banning the word fanboy would be stupid, but I wouldn't want this place to turn into systemwars.com If we fan the word "fanboy"  then how are we supposed to make fun of fanboys? 

[QUOTE=Crevalle]

**cough** fanboy **cough**

[/QUOTE]



Great.  Not another person tossing the word fanboy around every time somebody gives their opinion.  Grow up.

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Crevalle]

**cough** fanboy **cough**

[/QUOTE]



Great.  Not another person tossing the word fanboy around every time somebody gives their opinion.  Grow up.
[/QUOTE]

I meant that you area a Zelda fanboy--and I still believe you are.  You cannot be objective as a result.  There's nothing inherently wrong with that--it just means having a discussion with you about anything negative regarding Zelda is futile.

I'm sort of a Doom 3 fanboy.