The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review

I posted this in the Nintendo forums section but Im not sure if it worked so here it is again.


The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword Review

The Legend of Zelda series has always been unique in that while the games are all connected, you do not need to play any other Zelda games to "get" the story. Each game in the series presents a different approach to the overall story and each is special in its own right. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is no exception. The story in Skyward Sword is the origin story of Link, Zelda, and all of the central characters of the series. It is also one of the most heart gripping stories to come out of a Zelda title. The characters are developed well and I found myself caring for them, and at certain points, shedding tears. The entire cast is phenomenal and each character has his/her purpose to the over-arching story. The ending was also satisfying and explains a great deal about how Hyrule came about and where the Master Sword came from.

Where Skyward Sword is different from previous entries is in the approach to the game-play. Most Zelda titles since Ocarina of Time have included an open field which branches out into the different areas that you explore. These areas are then filled with enemies, dungeons, treasure, and the ever important quest items. Skyward Sword still gives you all of these things, but in a more puzzle oriented way. Gone is the free roam of an empty field, instead, being replaced by sections of land, that are themselves puzzles to solve. In fact, you could say that Skyward Sword is one enormous puzzle broken into smaller, easier to handle chunks. These puzzles are not the kiddified versions that we have seen recently in other Nintendo games either. They can be downright hard. Some, you will solve right away and barely notice a challenge. Others though, you will stare at the screen looking like you're brain exploded and all that is left is a shell of your former self. However, when you do solve them, you are instantly satisfied.

The controls have also changed. The Wii Nunchuck add-on works well acting as Link's shield and thanks to Wii MotionPlus, the sword in Link's hand moves exactly the way you are holding it most of the time. If you want to uppercut that ugly red monster, go ahead. Do you want to attack diagonally to catch him of guard? Go for it! However, this does not mean that the controls are perfect. There were some points where I would try to stab an enemy only to have Link slash him instead, leaving me flailing my arms around. Overall though, the sword mechanics are greatly improved over that of Twilight Princess and have quickly become my favorite method of controlling Link out of all the Zelda games.

The one and only true gripe I have about Skyward Sword is the resolution. In the High Definition world we live in, my eyes have gotten used to crisp textures and 1080p. Playing a game in 480p just looks old. I'm not saying that Skyward Sword looks bad, in fact, there are some areas that look beautiful when compared to other Wii titles. It is just a little disappointing that the Legend of Zelda series still has not made the leap to HD. Hopefully the Wii U will end all Zelda fans' suffering.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an excellent entry in the series and provides one of the best combinations of story, puzzles, and action, regardless of the game's resolution. If you are new to the Zelda franchise, this is a great place to start as it will introduce the origins of many of the characters. If you are a long time veteran, you may be put off slightly by the new format of exploration, but it works well and provides a great sense of enjoyment.

Final say: I heart me some Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. 9.5/10

*editor's note: The ranking system I use is a 10 point scale system in increments of .5. Therefore I will never have a game be 8.6 or 2.3. Games will always be rated with .5 in mind.