"The Wind Waker: An Investigation"

This month my investigation is slightly different from all the others as I will not be exactly following one question, but instead I shall be investigating thoroughly the whole of The Wind Waker. It will be more like a review looking into the game in great detail. But if you still want a question that I should follow it would be, is the game any good?

Please be warned that this investigation goes into great detail, so there are loads of SPOILERS, it is solely up to you if you want to read on.

Graphics

Well this is something to start off with isn't it? Now let's all put our minds back to Spaceworld 2001, it was the joyous time when Nintendo were going to reveal the latest instalment of the Zelda series. And so the time came when Nintendo held a little show and then decided it was time, so they played a little video. The reaction was not of anything joyous, but it was anger and outrage that came out of the people. On the video they saw Link, that was all fine, but they had changed him dramatically, he looked like something out of a Disney cartoon. The gaming and Zelda world were shocked, how could Nintendo do this too one of the best characters around? This time Nintendo had gone too far, the Internet became rife with petitions, posts and message boards were full of angry people announcing that they weren't going to buy the game and so it all carried on from there. Well guess what? Just who got the last laugh? Nintendo of course! With pre-orders exceeding more than what GTA Vice City had made and loads of sales in Japan, the game is a hit.

So, what about the graphics? Well I know I'm not someone who judges a game by it's graphics, it still doesn't mean it's a factor I should skip out. Let me tell you something that may shock those who have read previous investigations, the graphics are great. There I said it, and you should believe it, the cel-shading has done the game a lot of justice, the vibrant colours work well with the game, it's just do pleasing to the eye as well. I have nothing bad to say about the graphics at all, the cel-shading has not destroyed the series nor has it hurt the game's image. I really don't think the game would look any better without the cel-shading, and I must congratulate Nintendo for sticking with the idea.

Sound and Music

Nintendo have done well in sounds department also, like always the sounds and music help make the game like it should and its atmosphere it's trying to create. Some of the old classic sound effects have made a return, for example the little fanfare you get for picking up a new item, the fairy fountain music has also made a return with a little bit of an overhaul. Though the game also has re-aranged music from the past games, it also has a lot of new music. But not all of the music is totally original some of the area's you visit seem to have a great soundtrack that has never been heard in a Zelda game before. But with some it is basically a new song, but if you listen carefully you will hear a tiny little phrase in the music that has appeared in an older game. An example of this is in Windfall where a tiny little phrase of the Kakariko Village music can be heard also another example of this is in Forest Haven, where a bit of Kokiri Village music is slotted in. Most of the time the phrase is quite small and most of the soundtrack is new, but its things like this that make a Zelda gamer feel at home with the game.

All in all I think the soundtrack really does in with the game and makes it really what it is.

Control

Have you played OoT? Yes? Well it's like that. A few changes have obviously been made, the items are now set on the X, Y and Z buttons and the Z-Targeting has been changed to L-Targeting. But basically nothing has been changed the controls are good end of story.

Storyline

The game fails and also triumphs here. Though better than OoT's it's a bit on the shallow and limited side. It just seems to go a bit quick for my liking, though a storyline has too develop some of the things are just done for no reason, like when you get the Wind Waker. You get it in the most weirdest way (read overall look) for a start, and then you're like, "What do I do with this?" The you suddenly happen to be able to learn a tune with it, there is no storyline or plot before hand into why it's yours, this is you're only connection into you becoming the one who's destined to have it.

But overall the storyline is a good one. Though shallow, it does go into detail and you do get twisted into something that you never knew you were going get into. Initially you go out to save your sister, but things become a lot more complicated. One thing I like about the game is that it gives a lot away about the Hero of Time, why Hyrule became flooded and at the end.(look below). A word of warning to all those who believe there's no time line, this game may and will change your mind about the time line thing.

Ending - Warning Huge Spoilers!

You know I said that OoT's ending was rubbish? Well I guess there may be something that can surpass it. It is good I will say that, you see how the original Hyrule finally met its doom under the water, yes you heard me, the original Hyrule. The triforce plays a key part in the ending and unlike OoT you get to see, Ganondorf gets so close to it as well that it does have you on your seat wondering what will happen. Ok I'll stop there and won't tell you what happens, as that would be a too bigger spoiler for anyone who hasn't played the game. So what happens afterwards? Well it leaves you with the question, "what the?" Simple as that, the game right at the end has no dialogue and it leaves you with the need to know what was said. All you see is Link and Tetra found in the water, the credit's role and then it goes back to Outset where you see Link leaving, for good? No one knows, though it may lead either to a sequel or how Link's Awakening came about.

So overall, though the ending was interesting, it leaves you empty. It has no charm to it what so ever and basically needs a lot of improving.

Overall Look - Other Bits Not Mentioned

Now things are about to get messy. First of the all the game is way too short and feels cheap. All there is around you is sea and every now and then you get a tiny island and sometimes not even that, it's this that makes me mad, it's just there to lengthen out the game and this truly is cheap of Nintendo. The problem is as well as the islands are small it takes you ages to reach the islands and really you spend way too much time on the sea. There are just not enough big islands you'll permanently be on Windfall for quite some time. And also there just isn't enough dungeons, overall there are 6 main dungeons (incl. Ganon's Tower and Tower of the God's), some of them are big but they are way too easy. It just doesn't have the expanse of the older games. There really should be 7 dungeons but Nintendo were too lazy to put in a dungeon for the third sphere, and instead made you go on a little task to find a big fish called Jabun. To even insult this task, you are told exactly where to find him and how to get him. Nice one Nintendo!

The game just has no replay value either, though Nintendo have added an extra thing where once you complete the game you get another save where you can replay the whole game as Link in his pyjamas and you get the Deluxe Pictograph straight away, wow! The game may be fun and it is, but I don't think you'd want to replay the game again or at least not until a year or so had passed.

The bosses are big there's no doubt about that, but they also are just way too easy. It's just so obvious how to kill them, you get an item in the dungeon where the boss is, so you have to use it that's fine, but it just so obvious to how you use the new items against them. Nintendo used to be able to provide great bosses, now they're really bad and even a little kid could destroy them easily.

One more thing which I'm rather sore about is the lack of the trading sequences, there is none. This time round to get anything off of anyone, you have find Joy pendants and such and give them to people. It's really easy to find the stuff as well, most of the enemies drop the items or they are in chests hidden in the dungeons.

Oh and about the Wind Waker, I am appalled to how you get it given. You make it to Dragon Roost and then the Sea King turns around to you and suddenly decides for no reason that you should have the Wind Waker, he says nothing about it, nor is there any storyline before hand involved with it.

There is one last thing I believe Nintendo should have, to at least make the game re-playable. They should have expanded the idea of the cabana more and actually introduce people to you own personal retreat and in fact turn the game into a slight style of Anime Crossing, where it expands when some one new comes and visit or stay on the island. It would certainly make a change to the real quest and keep you busy, if you know how good Animal Crossing is, then you'd know why this would be a good idea.

So, all in all, the game is fun but has a lot of problems to it. It has its ups and downs, most games do, but it won't make Zelda gamers leap out of their chairs feeling the greatness of the game.

It's not as good as it should have been, it's shallow and has a feeling of cheapness for a start. The game could be completed within a matter of hours, it's a shame to see such a short Zelda game again, the series seems to be failing, and maybe the series should just stick to its 2D roots, just look at LttP and LA. So Nintendo please do better next time!