Metareview: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

by Alisha Karabinus { Nov 17th 2006 at 5:45PM }

The reviews are rolling in, and it's safe to say at this point that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is going to be a megahit. Reviewers everywhere are bestowing high-to-perfect scores on Link's latest, and many are already declaring it the best entry in the series. And considering the series, that's a bold statement. But there's one word that keeps popping up in these reviews: fantastic. And that's some of the best news we've heard in a long time.

1UP - 100%: Twilight Princess is something you rarely see: a 60-hour adventure in which every moment is memorable. But then, maybe that's no surprise -- it represents the full resources and effort of the world's most powerful first-party developer, and thanks to all those delays, it's even enjoyed an extra year of polish and refinement. The question to ask therefore isn't "Is it any good?" but rather "Just how good is it?"

The answer? Truly fantastic.

GameSpy - 100%: In the end, there's no way that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess disappoints. It's an excellent addition (and homage to Ocarina) to the franchise, and you'll have an enormous amount of fun playing it from start to finish. Get over the fact that the Wii's hardware is simply not as powerful as the other next-gen machines and get into the fact that Twilight Princess is one of the best games you'll play this year. If you've been on the fence in any capacity, then please rest assured that you'll not be disappointed. I'm looking forward to checking out the GameCube version later next month, but I'm having a hard time imagining it being any better than the Wii interpretation. Nintendo's flagship game has finally arrived and you better damned well appreciate it. It's ultimately fantastic.

GamersMark - 96%: Despite some issues with the control setup that really amount to a preference choice, Twilight Princess on Wii does actually play rather intuitively. The bottom line is quite simple; the Wii Remote and Nunchuk make playing Zelda easier than playing it on the GCN. For most, who find the older versions' game play rather good, but sometimes a bit too complex for perfection, Twilight Princess delivers a setup that is very easy to learn, and the game is setup perfectly as to take you through the motions early enough so you can tackle the later areas like a pro.

Tags: Legend of Zelda, LegendOfZelda, Nintendo, Twilight Princess, TwilightPrinces, Wii, Zelda

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Zachary Hinchliffe @ Nov 17th 2006 11:25PM

YES!!!!!! I can't wait!

Jay @ Nov 17th 2006 5:57PM

oh hell yes

Bruce @ Nov 17th 2006 6:01PM

I'm getting a Wii, and I've never had a Nintendo console before. Should I play through Ocarina before I play TP? I don' t have infinite time available, but what titles should I not miss out on?

bman @ Nov 17th 2006 6:17PM

Thats an interesting question Bruce, I had never played a Link to the Past before I played Ocarina. I loved Ocarina so much, I thought I'd give A link to the Past a go (as many people claim that it is better). I was disappointed. To me it felt like a smaller, crapper version of Ocarina. I wonder if you played TP before you played Ocarina, the same thing would happen? The Ocarina experience would be tainted because it feels like a smaller, down graded version of another game.

So in answer to your question, yes i would play Ocarina first, not because you need to to enjoy TP, but because you will enjoy it more not having experienced TP. Ocarina still remains my favourite game of all time, so playing it through is definatly worth your while..

name @ Nov 17th 2006 6:20PM

If there's any title you shouldn't miss out on, Ocarina's it. TP would be an admirable achievement if it was half as good.

cubeboy101 @ Nov 17th 2006 6:16PM

AND 1UP GIVE A NOT SO DEEP VERY SHORT RUN AND GUN GAME A 10/10 CAN wii SMELL IT YES wii CAN DO wii SMELL IT OOOOHHHH YES BULLSHIT REVIEWS FROM.....
A AMERICAN SITE
ON A AMERICAN CONSOLE
ON A AMERICAN DEVELOPED GAME 10/10 FOR A RUN AND GUN WITH A OUT DATED CONTROL PAD

YET REVIEWERS OF A FAR HIGHER STANDING THAN BIASED 1UP GIVE THE BETTER ZELDA GAME 9.7

ITS FUNNY HOW A AMERICAN SITE GIVES A WAY OVER SCORE TO A AMERICAN CONSOLE GAME JUST BEFORE wii LOURNCHES AND ZELDAS SCORES COME OUT

1UP THE SMELL OF HORSE APPLES COMES FROM MY LAPTOP SCREEN EVERYTIME I VISIT YOUR PSP BIG UP TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH BILL GATES LOVING BIASED BULLSHIT WEB SITE

YOU HAVE LOST ALL CREDABILLITY AND 1UP KNOWS IT PATHETIC

Grant @ Nov 17th 2006 6:19PM

Bruce, every Zelda game kinda starts the story over. Each Link (for the most part) is actually a new Link in a new era in Hyrule. Very few of the games refer explicitly to previous games in the series. In fact, the only game I can think of that does in an obvious way is Majora's Mask. (Wind Waker refers to Ocarina too, as events that happened far in the past, but you don't need to know Ocarina at all to get the story.) So, I'm sure you can easily play this game without playing Ocarina. It's not a direct sequel by any means.

Also, goddamn cubeboy, lay off the caps lock key and calm the hell down. What's wrong with giving high scores to American-made games?

eee @ Nov 17th 2006 6:24PM

ehm, whoever it was who capped their entire message, get back to school. 1: Nintendo is a JAPANESE COMPANY... not an american company like microsoft...

really, do us all a favour and never reply to a blog again... it's just sad to read your post... and I think it almost made my brain implode tbh...

AlexL? @ Nov 17th 2006 6:26PM

Dear Number 2 "cubeboy101", your facts are definatly wrong, the Wii was not made in America, it was made in Japan, as well as Zelda. Almost everything Nintendo is run out of Japan, same with Sony, I think.. The only Game Console making company that is run out of America is Microsoft.

And a good reason why the scores are coming out for Zelda now, is because this is Nintendo's big gun. Zelda is so far one of the few Wii titles that sold out (at EBGames/Gamestop around america) before the console's launch, followed by Red Steel.

The only review that matters to me is from GameSpot.com

cubeboy101 @ Nov 18th 2006 12:05PM

why does the gamespy review mention power wii all know its a gamecube graphics engine not a wii so those comments only give the impression wii is weak if anything the fact its a gamecube graphics engine is TESTAMENT TO GAMECUBES POWER SHOW SOME RESPECT

[GeekPunk] @ Nov 17th 2006 6:31PM

You don't really need to play through Ocarina before you play this, they've all got pretty much independant storylines, however, you should probably play through Ocarina anyway, because it's freakin' awesome.

With regards to what games you should get, I guess it's up to what kind of games you like. Personally, I'm going for Zelda and Red Steel (and Wii Sports), but that's all I can afford. Others aren't as drawn to Red Steel, so are getting Madden or Elebits, It's personal preference. I think I can say, though, that everyone here will be getting Zelda. Hell, some of us even pre-ordered it on GameCube before it was announced for Wii! Judging by the reviews, I'd say that's a safe bet.

I can't believe I've got to wait till December 8th to pick this game up. I hope you'll all be thinking about us Europeans while you're saving Hyrule and we're crying ourselves to sleep in jealousy.

[GeekPunk] @ Nov 17th 2006 6:29PM

Dammit, 4 posts in the time it took to write mine. Now I look like I'm copying everyone else [insert Sony joke here]. I do have to agree with bman, though, I did things in that order too.

Termite Studios @ Nov 17th 2006 8:30PM

At last, scores fitting to such a wonderful game.
Ocarina is definitely worth your while. If anything, it will get you used to how the games play, to avoid some frustration later. I played Ocarina shortly before Wind Waker, and despite some small changes between the games, Wind Waker was easier to control.
Cubeboy, I'm afraid I cannot grant any of my attention to a post that has no clear intention, or sentence structure, for that matter. Therefore, I must request that we all post our opinions and comments in a manner more fitting for a resident of this planet.

Bruce @ Nov 17th 2006 7:06PM

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll give Ocarina a try first if I can.

And cubeboy, I'm not sure what you're on, but you may want to lay off of it for a bit or your shiny new games are going to feel disappointingly slow. Or not - I for one enjoy the entertainment.

Good luck getting your Wiis, all!

lowallyn @ Nov 17th 2006 7:09PM

OoT is a great game in general is has to be to hold what many consider the spot for number1 get oot if you can on the wii virtual console.

Foxaii @ Nov 17th 2006 7:24PM

I never doubted TP, I knew it would live up to expectations. I just hope those guys over at Famitsu give it the 40/40 then the Zelda franchise will have 3 of the 7 perfect scores - with TP joining Ocarina and Wind Waker.

Cubeboy: you should learn how to read and write. The reviewer on 1UP gave TP a perfect ten just like Gears of War. The readers have lowered the average of TP to 9.8 and the average of GoW to 9.6. So stop moaning and just look forward to playing the game. I still have weeks to wait because I'm stuck in the UK...

bman @ Nov 17th 2006 7:34PM

lol look how Cubeboy spelt "LOURNCHES" bahahahahha

sixtyfps @ Nov 17th 2006 8:11PM

Dammit, could someone please ban cubeboy101's IP? I suspect this kid's first language is English, but 8-year-olds shouldn't be allowed on the Internet in the first place.

Josh @ Nov 17th 2006 8:24PM

Very very nice. Can't wait to see Matt's review on IGN!

lifescape @ Nov 17th 2006 8:38PM

did they announce a release date for the new nintendo yet?

sith @ Nov 17th 2006 8:46PM

Gamespot gave it an 8.8, i notice nobody included that as a score.

I mean really, 8.8? Come on. And they keep complaining in the review how the graphics are up to snuff with the 360....get with the times gamespot.

RupeeClock @ Nov 17th 2006 9:02PM

The thing is that game is a port of a gamecube title, surely they should appreciate that because they've given out great reviews for the Super Mario Advance port titles.

Ritz @ Nov 17th 2006 9:07PM

Yea, I know. It's like attacking all the graphics on the DS because they can't do what the PSP can achieve. Oh well. 8.8 is far from a terrible review. None of us will give a damn about the score either. We're still getting the game =(

blackace @ Nov 17th 2006 9:37PM

im surprised gamespot gave it an 8.8, i mean thats pretty good, but i was expecting more from gamespot, This makes me think they are not that reliable.

Foetoid @ Nov 17th 2006 9:40PM

OMG Ya'll need to learn to read. cubeboy101 was saying that a certain run and gun game got 10/10 on an american console with an outdated controller.....

He wouldn't be referring to Gears Of War would he???

He was saying that 1UP is crap and how on earth could GoW get the same score as the elite Zelda:TP. I know it was all in caps, but it was unreadable...

Matthew Ryan @ Nov 17th 2006 10:20PM

ONLY 100%... and here we were thinking it was gonna be better.... :\

Bob799 @ Nov 17th 2006 9:43PM

I think cubeboy101 might of been trying to say something good about zelda and bad about 1up but his english overloaded my brain.

Foetoid @ Nov 17th 2006 9:47PM

And as for Bruce, your best bet is to purchase Zelda: Wind Waker for Gamecube but MAKE SURE you get the version that comes with Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Master Quest. You can play that gamecube game on the Wii, so make sure you buy a gamecube controller to plug into the wii to play it. Finish Ocarina of Time, then Wind Waker, then go and buy Twilight Princess. You wont regret it.

blackace @ Nov 17th 2006 10:05PM

first of all, its pretty much nvr a good idea to write in all caps, and for bruce, it would take forever to play OoT and WW b4 playin TP, and as great s those games are, i would go crazy plying them ,and seeign the unopened tp just sitting on my desk waiting to be played, choose just one, i sugjest OoT

Jared @ Nov 17th 2006 10:17PM

lol, that cubeboy still posts here. What happened to his negative stars? Leave him be so he can die alone.

Rory @ Nov 17th 2006 10:28PM

I do not understand how GameSpot gave it a 8.8 ??????
http://www.gamespot.com/events/wiilaunch/story.html?sid=6161993&pid=928519&tag=topslot;action;1&om_act=convert&click=topslot

Billy_McBong @ Nov 17th 2006 10:51PM

"your best bet is to purchase Zelda: Wind Waker for Gamecube but MAKE SURE you get the version that comes with Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Master Quest."
correct me if i am wrong but i think they stopped giving away OoT:MQ
and if i am wrong and you can get master quest, get it

Ritz @ Nov 17th 2006 11:17PM

Matt's released his review. 9.5 while still saying "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is, in my opinion, the greatest Zelda game ever created and one of the best launch titles in the history of launch titles – second only, perhaps, to the at-the-time ground-breaking Super Mario 64."

He complains about MIDI music instead of orchestrated (its almost impossible to achieve the game's dynamic music without MIDI. Note that IGN complained about this with OoT). Another complaint was the lack of voice overs. Not something I care about, but some of you might. Annnnd points are low in the graphic department due to no enhancements that where made from the GCN port.

Anyway, Zelda shall rock. Just hours left D:

Gerwurztraminer @ Nov 17th 2006 11:23PM

I can understand what Gamespot says about an orchestral soundtrack; Zelda music would sound great in game that way. But come on, is it absolutely necessary to have spoken dialouge? They made it sound as if Nintendo's worst mistake was having all text.

Lem-Lem @ Nov 18th 2006 12:02AM

I posted a "rebuttle" of sorts to the Gamespot review. You guys can see it here:
http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/thelegendofzelda/show_msgs.php?topic_id=m-1-31833351&pid=928519&msg_id=m-1-348370855
Or if you don't want to look at a forum I also put it on my blog there:
http://www.gamespot.com/pages/profile/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=m-100-24771432&user=leminnes

BlackYoshi @ Nov 18th 2006 12:37PM

14. I never doubted TP, I knew it would live up to expectations. I just hope those guys over at Famitsu give it the 40/40 then the Zelda franchise will have 3 of the 7 perfect scores - with TP joining Ocarina and Wind Waker.

Too bad Wind Waker's 40/40 is horribly out of place; that game was nowhere near a "flawless game". In fact, I found it quite terrible for a Zelda title. Probably somewhere in the 8.5-9.0 range (which is still very good.)

Brandon @ Nov 18th 2006 12:09PM

I have played the first hour and a half of this game, and all I can say is, from what I've seen, possible the greatest game of all time. What just makes it so much fun is the wiimote, I'm having a hard time playing any normal systems now. It is the most comfortable controller I have ever used and it is weighted just perfectly. Your hands will never get tired playing TP on a Wii, and the graphics are great. The one bone I have to pic with the game is that when you call Epona or your hawk (yea you can call a hawk and throw him at crap, its really quite fun, I threw him at a monkey and a chicken and watched them fight :) ) you don't actually play it yourself. O and SPOILER ALERT you can sing when your wolf link, but from what I've seen so far all I can do is call a hawk. Yea so basically it feels rediculously awesome when you have a sword and your swinging your wiimote around.

BlackYoshi @ Nov 18th 2006 1:01PM

Here's my rebuttal to your blog:
1. "Seriously, with the new games coming out of completely voice-overed dialogue, the human race is going to become a giant amorphous blob of perspicacious philistines."
Yes, because when they added voices to movies, it made humanity stupid and movies worse, because you couldn't imagine what Charlie Chaplin sounded like.

2. People are going to compare it to the other system's graphics. Heck, they are comparing it to previous gen games. TP doesn't even look better on a technical than Resident Evil 4, and I think if that went by unnoticed I'd have to question the reviewers motives. The art style is great though, I love it.

3. Why can't Zelda have a good story? Just because the other ones have stuck to a mostly cliched formula, every other one must also? (I've actually heard this one is fairly fresh and new, so kudos.)

4. You miss what he is saying. Hes saying that he is able to defeat enemies with little strategy at all. Its not about the realism, but the fact that you can just button smash (or in this case, wand wave) your way through hordes of most enemies in the game. It's a difficulty complaint.

5. As much as I miss orchestrated music, I heard the digitized stuff is very well done and not that noticeable.

6. Why should standing up be a requirement? Generally, I game to unwind, and get a bit out of the real world. If I want to be active, I'll go do that. Also, realize this isn't like Wii Sports, with short bursts of playing time; a lot of sections in the game are going to take an hour, two hours, maybe even 3 hours. That is a long time for people to be standing and swinging wildly.

B1gC72 @ Nov 18th 2006 1:25PM

this is gettin me all kinds of excited. ive played zelda before but was never a "faithful fan" of the series. the games that i played were great and these reviews are making me feel like i made a really good choice deciding on this one game to go with my Wii first thing. well ill be picking up this and my Wii at 10am 2morrow. i cannot wait!

Brian @ Nov 18th 2006 6:46PM

The most highly anticipated Wii game has a lowest review of 8.8. The internet is destroyed.

phil @ Nov 18th 2006 8:49PM

OOT also came out on gamecube, so you really dont need to dl it on VC, id be playing it now but i traded my GC for downpayment on my wii, but i agree with the line ya should try oot first its a awsome game, in fact all of the zelda games were cool 1 and 3 were cool, the only one to stand out of the cool list is 2, which well didnt suck just wasnt that good,