My Reaction to The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time

[Gabz Girl]

OoT is, admittedly, a slightly dated game. It sure doesn't give you as many good hints as more recent games do. But I still enjoy it and have to agree it's ONE of the best Zelda games, my personal fave next to Wind Waker. I've been playing the 3DS version and it's just as great if not better than the original because it at least gives you more hints and helpful advice. And even if I do end up getting stuck I will look up a guide like I've always done with any Zelda game, because sometimes I'm just too stumped to know what to do next. I remember most of it now anyway because the dungeons are great and on multiple replays you'll remember almost everything. They're that memorable!

 

As for TP, the only memorable thing about that game was Midna. >_>

Edited March 16, 2013 by Gabz Girl

[Solly]

Holy shit I did not expect to come into a Zelda topic to see everyone bitching at each other

Then you've never been to a Zelda forum, my friend.

 

Anyway, I agree that Ocarina of Time hasn't aged perfectly. It's a flawed game, but I still think it's a great experience, and it's up there with Majora's Mask as one of the most solid 3D Zelda experiences, because I feel that it has the best pacing, some of the most innovative ideas, and fewest dead spots. How much you enjoy a game like this really depends on how much you're able to get into it, though, and if you can't, that's cool. I'm also not about to defend the goron thing, because the game's got a few silly design choices, but I still think you should try and play it to completion.

 

I wouldn't really say it's "overrated." What people consider their favorite game is subjective, and the term overrated feels like a shortened and condescending way of saying "the thing other people like isn't as good as they say it is and I'M the one who recognizes this." On the flip side, I'm happy to see we went 3 pages without someone accusing someone else of having nostalgia goggles, because that would truly be the most presumptuous dickheaded thing.

[JezMM]

(This reply is a little overdue, went and had a bath forgetting I had it typed out lol).

 

And was I just lucky enough to have no problems with this whatsoever? Are we really comparing remembering Saria's Song (a song that can be remembered by accessing the start menu) to the Barrel? Really?

No, I'm just saying in the barrel topic people who had no trouble were being equally dismissive of people who did, inferring (or outright stating) stupidity on their part.

Yes Saria's Song is on the Start Menu, but so are several other songs that only need to be used once or even not at all to finish the game.  I think it's natural that after using it to cheer up Daurina you'll probably forget about it again.  And even then it doesn't tell you anymore information than Kaporea Gaporea or the flashing "go here now" icons on the World Map do.

[Masterofnone169]

I'm not getting annoyed because of other peoples opinions, I'm getting annoyed because they are treating my opinion as though I just spat in there mother's face (I would never do that just so everyone is aware).  I have said this 3 times now.  If you like the game cool.  what do you like about it that might make me enjoy it a little but more?  I just simply wanted to express my opinion in a respectful manner and have everyone else be the same way.  That obviously didn't work.

 

Sorry if I annoyed anyone.

[Pelly <3's U]

I feel like the original OoT is a bit dated, but really all N64 games are to me (just like ps1 games and many other games on old consoles). To judge a game that came out years ago by our modern standards is in many ways unfair, but at the same time if someone is jumping into the game now with a modern gaming reference point than it can't exactly be ignored. 

 

I recently started playing the game via the 3DS remake, and I can say I've been having some fun with it, but of course in some points that's due to nostalgia. I will say that I'm not spending as much time as I did on the game when I was a kid, but that's really because when I was a kid I played the game around the time when it first came out and just the very execution of it blew my mind. I think I spent hours just riding around on Epona and rolling down hills, because it was a world that felt open and ripe to explore. Granted now I see it as pretty limited, but it still has that kind of magic for me.

 

I think that the 3D remake still holds up as a solid game (and I also enjoyed playing master quest on the wii somewhat), but I do believe that playing it on the N64 would frustrate the hell out of me...as playing many things on the N64 do, mainly because of the controller (really people who say GoldenEye is still the pinnacle of FPS's?!). 

 

This game is forever doomed to be forever caught between the two paradigms of classic nostalgia and modern experience though, and that's going to be an unfortunate drawback in some ways, for both people experiencing the game for the first time and for those who have loved it for years. Of course in some ways we can look at all the passionate bickering and see it as the very proof that this game has the longevity and fondness that we would associate with it's 'best game of all time' category......I mean it's not very likely you're going to see heated arguments like this over Glover. 

[Masterofnone169]

Holy shit I did not expect to come into a Zelda topic to see everyone bitching at each other like it's a fucking Sonic game =/

 

I think this is a fair warning to make for everyone here: knock this shit off. This is less a conversation and more of a snark fest, with more "Uh, no"s and "excuse me"s than I care to count. It's a fucking video game, if you want to talk about games then maybe you should do it in a way that you actually enjoy over a tone that can burn bridges with others over pointless bullshit. Masterofnone169, while you're not the only one doing this in this topic, your posts are among the most bitter and antagonizing. If you continue to do this then you won't last long on this forum. If you have a problem with other people's attitudes then report them rather than attack them back.

 

At the same time I'm also not too happy with some other people's tones here towards him and you all need to stop it too. I'm pretty tired of people saying certain game design is obvious because sometimes people aren't going to be able to figure out the things you do, and when you say it like that you're fucking patronizing them.

 

This is a really terrible topic in the state it's in, I would have locked it but if I see this erupt again, I will not only close it but hand out strikes to anyone who makes more sarcastic or antagonizing posts.

 

ughgh

 

Can I just ask how most of my posts are bitter and antagonizing?  The main reason why all my posts are banned is because they already exist without me knowing.  Apart from that I just simple try to express my opinion on what I lie and don't like and hear what other people are thinking when it comes to it.

 

Like I said.  I only snapped at these guys because they treated my opinion as though it was the spawn of Satan.  Something which I didn't ask for.

[Abominal SnowTaz]

Can I just ask how most of my posts are bitter and antagonizing?

I think he's referring to this:

 

How about this for you.  I DON'T LIKE THE GAME ANYMORE!  all you have done is just piss me off.  if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.  I have simply said that if you like the game, then cool, I don't.  deal with it.

That comes across as pretty hostile brodino.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Abominal Taz

[Pelly <3's U]

Can I just ask how most of my posts are bitter and antagonizing?

Ok

 

... Did you even read the rest of this forum?  Excuse me for not remembering Saria's song all the way through the game, excuse me for having to look up a guide just to try and find the fucking Kokiri Sword at the beggining, excuse me for my first ever rage quit in a game because of the forest temple.

 

How about this for you.  I DON'T LIKE THE GAME ANYMORE!  all you have done is just piss me off.  if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.  I have simply said that if you like the game, then cool, I don't.  deal with it.

 

This is an example of the general contention and flamebait arguing that we saw /multiple posters/ (as Sean pointed out in his post) using in this topic. The frequent use of 'excuse me' sarcasm and all caps statements without addressing a single point in the quoted post certainly don't make this a post conducive to intelligent and respectful discussion (which you have claimed in your posts to want) rather than petty bickering. Finishing it off to basically blame him for pissing you off and 'deal with it' are again nothing but hostile remarks.

 

Then many of your other posts just came off as blaming this outburst on someone criticizing your opinion, which like it or not is going to happen if you post something on a forum. We do try to keep it respectful around here (which is why Sean came in and called people out for how things were happening here), but it's still an undeniable part of the forum experience, and if you want to keep discussing you need to realize that 'he criticized my opinion so I got pissed off, anyone would' is not a valid excuse for continuing bad behavior around here. 

 

Granted the only reason I'm calling you out specifically in my post is that you asked, I could go and quote multiple posts from people in this topic but they didn't ask for it and it's already been addressed. I have the feeling Sean called you out directly because you're newer on the forum and thus he wasn't sure you were as familiar with the rules as the other regulars that were taking it too far.

 

To continue this any further though would be to further derail a topic that was steadily climbing back on track, so from this point I'm going to ask that we all move forward and keep posts relevant to the topic from now on. 

[Meow]

I feel like the original OoT is a bit dated, but really all N64 games are to me (just like ps1 games and many other games on old consoles). To judge a game that came out years ago by our modern standards is in many ways unfair, but at the same time if someone is jumping into the game now with a modern gaming reference point than it can't exactly be ignored. 

 

Yeah I can kind of agree with this to an extent. I mean all games are going to look dated/aged, and possibly even play as such, but I think there are still titles that hold up extremely well even by todays standards at least in the gameplay department. But even then it all falls down to preference anyway because someone who doesn't like platformers is probably going to view old platformers as dated for example. I think though 2D games have largely stayed the same over the years - there isn't an extra dimension to worry about and I find that playing old 2D games hold up a lot better than when I go back to play old 3D games. Doesn't mean though that I don't consider those games classic or I can't give them praise for what they were at the time though all the same : ). I do think though that some game designers to this day still have troubles with that extra axis and how to incorporate it into a cohesive game design but I think that's touching upon an entirely different topic. 

[Pelly <3's U]

I do feel a lot of 2D games hold up, and in some cases you can make the argument that 2D games as a whole may just be less prone to aging for a variety of reasons, but I will say that when we think of many Nintendo or Sega or whatever 2D games that we like.....we have to realize that by that point 2D gaming was very far into it's lifespan. 2D games by the time of the SNES and Genesis had had 20+ years of really being developed and perfected into something like that. I have an old Atari and I really don't find myself going back to playing it, simply because the games are pretty ballz. Even simple repetitive arcade style games only have a limited playability if they can hook you in by the draw of  beating some sort of score. 

 

I think it's games that follow a narrative structure like almost all modern games (and late 2D games) that for whatever reasons have the broadest appeal to us. In a lot of ways the SNES generation in my mind is similar to the PS2 gen. Most of us would agree that despite it being quite an old console (yes I know they just recently stopped production on it but it was old), as far as 3D gaming the experience still holds up, but obviously this was years after 3D gaming had been introduced and experimented with. For me it's the same with relatively late 2D games, where many early ones I do consider aged horribly and almost unplayable by my standards.

[Meow]

Yeah I guess I neglected that part of it haha. I do agree with that sentiment though that 2D had a lot more time to perfect itself than 3D has had. I guess it was a bit of an unfair point but I still do think that there are a lot of good design principles from that era that have seemingly been shoved aside in most modern development. I understand things change though and to go into all that I'd probably have to write an essay on why I think that - but I'd have to get really bored one day and gather all the pieces of information I'd need just to write the damn thing that if I were to attempt it all now I'd probably lose the point somewhere haha. I do like a lot of early 3D games though despite still trying to figure it all out and I like a lot of lot of modern stuff as well, I just have a few peeves I guess with most modern 3D titles being put out now. Maybe one day I'll write it all out more eloquently than just saying "this holds up better than x" ahaha.

[Wraith]

I stand by my opinion that Twilight Princess is the most newbie friendly game in the series. It's easier to get into than say OOT(too old for it's own good) and SS(I think this game is the furthest away from newb friendly as a game can get, but that's just me), it's an easy ride that lets you know what the series is all about ans it's darker tone is more appealing to outsiders. Plus, it's the only Zelda my sister enjoyed out of the ones she's played, so there's that.

[JezMM]

The only thing I dislike about TP is how awful the start is.  I mean just that fucking fishing bit, I dunno why they thought that was a good idea.  The fact that the cat chases you when you have your fishing rod out, the fact that you have to catch not one but TWO fish.  Just awful game-to-player communication.

 

Wind Waker would be fine had they not put that stealth segment so close to the start of the game, and confusing to navigate for that matter.

[Kuzu]

I haven't really finished OoT so I can't say for sure if it's as good as everyone says it is. I'm having fun with it, but I remember having more fun with Wind Waker so maybe it's just me.

 

So far the game is alright, but there are times when I have to a guide because I couldn't figure out what the hell to do, but as far as 3D Zelda's, so far it doesn't hold a candle to Wind Waker.

[Mangoaxe5]

Overrated game is overrated. Twilight Princess is way better despite what people say.

 

First half of the game as Young Link is fucking boring. Second half is better but the fucking Water Temple sucks ass. The bosses are way too easy which is funny cause OOT fanboys will bash TP for having easy bosses despite the fact that OOT has bosses that are just as easy.

[Soniman]

Overrated game is overrated. Twilight Princess is way better despite what people say.

 

First half of the game as Young Link is fucking boring. Second half is better but the fucking Water Temple sucks ass. The bosses are way too easy which is funny cause OOT fanboys will bash TP for having easy bosses despite the fact that OOT has bosses that are just as easy.

 

Come on, Oot's boses were the first of their kind, while TP (a game made nearly a decade later) prides on having embarrassingly easy bosses that offer no challenge whatsoever.

 

And the Lakebed Temple is just as worse if Water Temple

[Conando]

I think TP's biggest problem was how almost all items, except for bombs, the bow, and the clawshot, were useless outside of the dungeon you found them in.

[Mangoaxe5]

Come on, Oot's boses were the first of their kind, while TP (a game made nearly a decade later) prides on having embarrassingly easy bosses that offer no challenge whatsoever.

 

And the Lakebed Temple is just as worse if Water Temple

So being the first of their kind makes it ok for them to be easy?

 

And Lakebed Temple is actually fun once you figure things out.

[Wraith]

So being the first of their kind makes it ok for them to be easy?

 

 

Well, yeah, considering it was their first time actually designing something like that and by TP they should have had more strategy to their attacks.

 

 

Skyward Sword was better about this.

[Remy]

I think TP's biggest problem was how almost all items, except for bombs, the bow, and the clawshot, were useless outside of the dungeon you found them in.

Pretty much, which has the side effect of making the game feel even formulaic than it is.

 

The worst part is a lot of these itmes even have kind of overlapping functions... They could have trimmed so much fat out of that game if they didn't want to stick to the "Dungeon with new puzzle ->get item -> use item to solve puzzle" formula as much as they did. 

 

Well, yeah, considering it was their first time actually designing something like that and by TP they should have had more strategy to their attacks.

 

 

Skyward Sword was better about this.

That's true. but if someone hasn't played with games like the OP of this topic, why does OOT get a pass and TP get a fail? By modern standards, both games have really predictable, easy boss fights for the most part. 

 

Yes OoT was amazing for it's time but it's not blasphemy to talk about elements of the game that didn't age well. 

 

The only thing I dislike about TP is how awful the start is.  I mean just that fucking fishing bit, I dunno why they thought that was a good idea.  The fact that the cat chases you when you have your fishing rod out, the fact that you have to catch not one but TWO fish.  Just awful game-to-player communication.

I consider this a problem that seems to inexplicably plague this whole genre (Okami for example has an awful introduction too.) But TP was probably the peak of that too. Yeeeesh.

[Masterofnone169]

I think that the biggest thing made me stop playing however was the fact was making use for over half the game. Unfortunately that is not what I play games for. I wouldn't mind the game probably so much if it had at least helped me a little. Yeah call me a noob or whatever but that ls just what bothered me most.

[JezMM]

I wasn't bothered by TP's items rarely being used outside of their dungeons because they were friggin' FUN even though they depended on specific uses.  And it was nice to see 100% new items anyway after MM and WW just copied OoT's inventory near verbatim (even if they did come up with excellent new puzzles/uses for them).  You also use them all a fair bit if you choose to explore all of Hyrule Fields nooks and caves.

 

I think that the biggest thing made me stop playing however was the fact was making use for over half the game.

 

I think you missed out a word or something here coz that made no sense.

[Shane]

You are trying to get to the fire temple but in order to do so you have to... do what exactly?  Well I looked it up and apparently you have to bomb that rolling Gorron so you progress through.

 

HOW THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

 

Not to mention trying to throw the bomb at the Gorron is next to impossible because the bombs throw at different types.

 

Am I...

 

Am I the only one who figured this out without much effort? ;v

 

I mean, the Bomb Flowers were right there, so I felt it was sort of an obvious solution considering that the game gives you the exact tool you need right next to the rolling Goron.

[Masterofnone169]

I wasn't bothered by TP's items rarely being used outside of their dungeons because they were friggin' FUN even though they depended on specific uses.  And it was nice to see 100% new items anyway after MM and WW just copied OoT's inventory near verbatim (even if they did come up with excellent new puzzles/uses for them).  You also use them all a fair bit if you choose to explore all of Hyrule Fields nooks and caves.

 

 

I think you missed out a word or something here coz that made no sense.

 

Yeah I was suppose to say half the game required a guide to play.

[-Mark-]

The only thing I dislike about TP is how awful the start is.  I mean just that fucking fishing bit, I dunno why they thought that was a good idea.  The fact that the cat chases you when you have your fishing rod out, the fact that you have to catch not one but TWO fish.  Just awful game-to-player communication.

 

Wind Waker would be fine had they not put that stealth segment so close to the start of the game, and confusing to navigate for that matter.

 

Oh man, yeah. As much as I love Wind Waker, I think putting such a stupidly complex stealth section right near the start of the game is a huge barrier. 

 

Come to think of it, I'm not sure what I'd say the best game would be in terms of a 'My First Zelda'. OoT and MM both suffer too much from 'where do I go/ what do I do?' for the uninitiated, Wind Waker has that bloody Forsaken Fortress stealth section in the first hour, Twilight Princess has godawful opening pacing for the first three hours and Skyward Sword does similarly IIRC (also Skyward Sword is IMO the weakest 3D Zelda anyway).

 

Come to think of it, I'd say perhaps Minish Cap is a good entry point to the series, actually. It's a little shorter and easier (overall) than most Zelda games, and is still oozing with more charm than almost every other game in the series. It's pretty much tied with Wind Waker as my favourite Zelda. The last couple of bosses can go and die in a fire though.