Anybody tired of the Zelda formula?

[Yegargeburble]

I love how the Zelda games are set up. The formula is still fun for me, no matter the game. Case in point, I just started playing Oracle of Ages again a couple days ago, and it is still really fun.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

How innovative, as opposed to 'refined', is the Legend of Zelda series? Comparing it to, say, the Final Fantasy series, is there really any difference beyond the genre (action/adventure to RPG) and number of titles?

Will you miss the last Zelda ever (of this style that is) or are you already looking forward to new game play mechanics? Do you think Twilight Princess is a genre killer?

Twilight Princess was a great game, but I felt the touch of stagnation creeping around the edges.

I don't think the basic formula needs to be changed, but they need to do something new with it. Give Link all new items (except for his sword, shield, and bow). Come up with a new style of puzzles for the dungeons. Do something fresh with the story.

 

[Flying-Emu]

How innovative, as opposed to 'refined', is the Legend of Zelda series? Comparing it to, say, the Final Fantasy series, is there really any difference beyond the genre (action/adventure to RPG) and number of titles?

Will you miss the last Zelda ever (of this style that is) or are you already looking forward to new game play mechanics? Do you think Twilight Princess is a genre killer?

You're kidding, right?

You're using Final Fantasy as an example of change over game titles released?

 

[Screens]

The formula is, in my most humble opinion, capable of creating some of the best games of all time (Ocarina of Time is my number one best game ever). But really, comparing Zelda to Final Fantasy is like comparing dogs to cats. They're both mammals, sure, but then the list of similarities grow short.

I really think that Twilight Princess was a weak addition to the series, however. I could never shake off that feeling that the dungeons kept getting shorter and shorter as you progressed. Not to mention the weak excuses for "puzzles" that were essentially a button to be pressed with the hook(claw?)shot. In contrast, OoT just kept getting bigger as you went (Spirit Temple is one of the greatest levels I've ever played), with equally challenging puzzles.

Also the items in TP only had pretty much one place to use it (spinner, for example) and that was the dungeon you found the item in. It got kind of pointless because I knew that I would almost never have to use something again, unless it had some use in battle.

I've never played the Zelda series.

Heretic, you don't belong here.
/sarcasm

 

[DragonChi]

nope. i like the formula how it is. that's what maintains my interest

 

[quack35]

Of course not, that's like saying, "Are you tired of fun?"

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

I am not, nor will I ever be. I can understand why it feels boring to people who play the continually updated FF games, or the neverending stream of innovative RPGs coming from Japan, but comparing Zelda to these games is like comparing Tolstoy to Steinbeck. You can hack at that comparison all day and not get anywhere.

Instead of tired and uninspiring, I find the games' similarity to be welcoming and reassuring. Rupies do this, hearts do this ... got it. There's no learning curve, and when something new does rear its head, it's exciting and fun. Twilight Princess has some of the most inspired level design I've seen (along with some of the most punishing). I'm over 70 hours in and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I've heard the following criticism of SF novels, that they require too large an investment of time just to figure out what the hell is going on, what planet we're on, and who the "Zargwolfers" are. I don't share this concern, but it is nice to find a good, long series of books, where each story builds on the last, and the Zargwolfers get to explore their true depth of character. Zelda is the game version of this.

I wouldn't call any Zelda a genre-killer, because I'm really not sure what genre they are. Sure, you can name your character, but you're not role-playing. Link rarely participates in the story except to build bridges and kill things, but it's a bit deeper than a typical action game. I think it'd be most correct to call it the genre of Zelda and leave it at that.

Uhm. . . This. Although I've been larking about for about 50 of my playing hours, most of which was spent going "Look at me! I'm using a sword on my horse, take that, Ocarina!" And I'm actually looking forward to whatever will draw me into the next game, and wondering if they'll make any more minor changes that will cause me to spurt cola out of my nose in rage (Change it to 5 hearts for a slot, will you?!)

If the next game has a grappling hook and a guy like Orca then I'll be sold on it.

i know this is sacrilege, but i wanna see link talk.

Take a look at Sonic.
Do you really want that to happen?

 

[Dele]

Short answer: yes
Long answer: yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

Wind Waker was a break from the tradition. A different style, a different sort of world, a different method of moving about, different types of characters. The whole thing felt fresh, like a nice ocean breeze.

But then it fell back into its old routines. They can tweak the formula, but unless they pull a Wind Waker all the new Zelda games are just that: tweaks to the formula.

Link finds sword, kills Ganon, rescues Zelda. Rinse, repeat.

I think you meant Majora's Mask.

 

[IamQ]

I still like the series, Twilight Princess wasn't so bad, if you don't count some of the wolf missions.

 

[Maddness101]

The rider on these sort of topics (Zelda, Mario, Metroid, etc ones in a similar style) seems to be 'if only Nintendo would stop making these games, they'd make something new and interesting' unfortunatly Nintendo probably notice the absence of the words 'which will sell for Just as much if not more that Mario/Metroid/Zelda' and go back to their guaranteed sellers.

 

[Stevedave00]

How innovative, as opposed to 'refined', is the Legend of Zelda series? Comparing it to, say, the Final Fantasy series, is there really any difference beyond the genre (action/adventure to RPG) and number of titles?

Will you miss the last Zelda ever (of this style that is) or are you already looking forward to new game play mechanics? Do you think Twilight Princess is a genre killer?

The "Formula" is getting massively old.

 

[Terramax]

As stated early on in this thread, Zelda, along with most of Nintendo's properties, are noted for their technical achievements.

Ocarina of Time was a milestone in 3D platform adventure (although they weren't the first), Wind Waker with its cel-shading (again, not the first, but it caused much controversy and caused others to follow suit), Twilight Princess being the first game to put the wiimote into good use rather than being a gimmick.

Personally, I'm bored of the franchise like a number of others, but I'm not going to argue with those who still do enjoy it. I'm just going to spend my money elsewhere from now on.

I think you meant Majora's Mask.

No, he meant Wind Waker. For me, the bright, colourful, breezy atmosphere of WW was what Zelda should've always been about. Many 'hardcore' fans of Zelda dislike the game, because it was a departure, but it's respected by non-fans for that very reason.

 

[Woem]

One thing needs to change to bring it up to date. FOR ONCE CHANGE THE GODDAMN ITEMS
Its always the boomerang, hookshot, bowandarrow formula

Alright, instead of a bow, we'll have a gun! Instead of a hookshot, we'll have the spy-kit 3000!

It doesn't look like a Zelda game already with just 2 minor changes.

And we still haven't seen a sword on any of the latest Zelda footage.

Seriously though, Zelda is here to stay, and that's a good thing.

 

[rosac]

I like the LoZ series as a whole, but TP was weak. I completed it in about 2 weeks. Not 100 percent, just the stroyline. My friend finished it 100% in 2 months.

The bosses were a lot weaker, and it ruined part of the game with the spinner. It was crap. Especially when you have the horse whistle.

I actually liked the beginning with zant, but when it turns out that a recuring zelda villain is actually the big bad boss, I was pissed. Seriously, that was lame.

however, it did introduce mounted combat, bomb arrows (woop) hawk goggles (awesomesauce) and the ability to summon hawks. And goron wrestling (I want 2 player of this!)

but all in all, nintendo were trying to best OoT, which is nearly impossible to do. Unless it's WW or MM. nuff said

rosac

 

[thiosk]

Not tired of it, nope.

 

[Snowy437]

They pretty much use a formula for everything but the story. Even the radical departures (Majora's Mask, namely) are still based around the original model of quest-dungeon-item-boss. And why not? It produces some very compelling results, and is a solid framework for puzzle-based progression.

Agreed..They found a successful formula..so they are gonna keep it along those lines... i haven't played TP.. so i cant really.. have an opinion towards that...probably should get on that...

Get rid of the dam boomarang though is the only thing i want changed....it is practically useless.

On a side note, it seems Link DOES talk to the other characters, its just we don't "hear" him. it kinda leaves you to imagine what he is saying as you interact, something very amusing to me.

yea.. i would also like to hear maybe a word from him at some point... other then the groans and moans and screams..... but then again.. it might get annoying at some point..

 

[Simalacrum]

considering the variance of Zelda games that have come out over the years (e.g. Windwaker refreshed the formula) I don't think its time to put Link down just yet, unlike other iconic characters like, say, Mario, which seems to have finally ran dry of imagination with Super Mario Galaxy 2 (don't get me wrong, it'll probably be awesome... but then it'll also be largely more of the same as Galaxy 1, which isn't something that Mario has done before...) or, most obviously, Sonic.

I have to admit, the formula is beginning to run a little dry though... Twilight Princess was more similar to older Zelda titles compared to the likes of Windwaker, and the cartoony Zelda's are no longer a new thing... still, the concept art of the next Zelda (showing link without a sword) looks like it might just stir things up again, so no, I'm not tired of Zelda just yet.

(besides the last Zelda game I played was Majora's Mask )

 

[Drakulla]

The overall formula of Zelda works because so many people buy the game every time a new one comes out. The basic story of Link going on a hero's quest to save Princes Zelda from the evil Gannon hasn't changed. What does change is the main story or plot for each game, the character design, the look on Hyrule (Links Awakening not set in Hyrule)(Awesome game though) and, well I was going to say the weapons but for the most part they are almost always the same weapons.

Gametrailers did a retrospective on the legend of Zelda. I liked it and thought it made a lot of sense for the different look and story of each game.

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/the-legend-of-zelda-retrospective/5269