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I enjoyed what they did with totk’s story. It’s not up to snuff with the rest of the series (besides botw) imo, but it’s alright. I understand why it had to be this way. But, if you were to ask me if I would take an older 3D style Zelda or another open world Zelda, I would pick the former in a heartbeat, and a part of this choice includes story. If anything, I’d be happy with a Zelda that continues this open world format but leans further into traditional elements, tightens up the design and therefore the narrative.
Not really, I like the story from TotK. I just hope to see more in the actual main quests and not just in very optional side quests. Not that I want to see TotK's story explained in dungeons, geoglyphs are fine for that, but the next one should be told by the main quests.
I grabbed a non spoilery guide to tell me what order the geoglyphs are in because I didn't want to see it out of order. I think what would have worked is if the main quest unlocked each geoglyph like one dragon tear at a time.
Only if they can do a lot better than the writing in BotW and TotK. TotK's story is actually awesome when you think about it but I truly think the writing in these games for the story is bad - mainly the cutscenes with voice acting, which goes hand in hand with the writing. Combined, almost every spoken line comes off sounding incredibly awkward to me. If they can get good voice acting, make lengthier cutscenes with some well written dialogue, yeah, give me more story please because I can't get enough of BotW-TotK Hyrule and these versions of the characters. And I'm not trying to hate, BotW is my favorite game of all time, TotK is probably gonna overtake it, but those are honestly my only real gripes. I'm dying for a really well written story in this new age of Zelda.
Oh, but never EVER sacrifice the gameplay for it. I would rather have fragmented stories with these awkwardly written cutscenes and have excellent gameplay before sacrificing any fun for story. That's how you get TP and SS's crazy long beginnings.
Great story, great characters that get proper exposure in the beginning of the game to have a final and rewarding and emotional conclusion in the end. All wrapped around great music and setting. Nothing in BOTW was as charming or meaningful... Just wondering around collecting materials and fighting Lynels for the 50th time. Nothing about it felt grand.
TP and SS? I mean everybody is a one note character, hardly any real arcs to have any kind of conclusion for. Hard to call SS good settings... felt empty and lifeless and like it was designed with a gaming philosophy about 10 years behind the times in every way. I'm genuinely surprised you find it more compelling in any kind of way than BOTW or TOTK.
SS's character design for Link is also painfully bad imo
I'm not going to argue with other people's opinions on character development (this shit isn't a novela) but these games have been largely praised for their stories and skyward sword in particular had people tearing up. Just a matter of checking their reviews at the time of release, the huge discourse around the time line and events in those games. YouTube is also filled with lengthy videos covering the story and lore and I honestly don't have the patience.
It's like the new Halo fanbase, games that that were built around its epic story and lore suddenly "was never about the story" to justify how shitty the story in the new games are. Get the fuck out of here lol.
SS has okay lore but it's impossible to take it seriously when The Imprisoned looks the way it does. Also it completely invalidates Ganondorf as an independent character, but that's cool because more lore anyway, I guess. Meh. I dunno. Been a fan since 98 and SS is the only mainline title I don't like at all. I really don't understand why it gets lauded for its story. It does nothing you can't really get in another Zelda game, just worse
The damn Avocado. Probably the worst Zelda boss imo. Ghirahim was great and I enjoyed when he would show up to fight again because it felt like a test of skill. The avocado was just annoying.
The story of this game was probably the weakest of all the mainline titles. Bog standard, no big reveals or twists, and destroys the timeline.
I’d absolutely want a return to form of grand, epic storytelling not through memories or at the end of the game, mixed with the gameplay of an open world.
“Bog standard, no big reveals or twists” Name another video game where (Major Spoilers) >!a beloved character willingly lobotomizes themself for the greater good, and the only thing you can do is stare at their conscienceless body, knowing that they’re alive but unable to help at all.!<
Overall, TOTK’s story is just ok, but it’s peaks can be amazing. “Bog standard, no big reveals or twists” is what I’d use to describe Pokémon Sword and Shield.
There’s a difference between a character dying, and >!a character being still there, still alive, yet completely unresponsive to anything that you do as if they were dead.!<
I’ve never had the former moment make me feel as helpless and doubtful as the latter, especially since >!you can interact with the Light Dragon and see that nothing you do will bring Zelda back.!<
>!Of course, her transformation is reversed during the ending, but up to that point, it’s like you’re separated from Zelda by glass. She’s there, she’s right there, you can see that she’s right there, you can be there for her, but nothing you could ever do would even crack the barrier between you and her.!<
Emotions are subjective though. This is just how I felt, and the same moment could’ve easily landed differently for you and other people.
It’s the exact same plot as BOTW where she was trapped in a void for years. Also shes fine at the end so who cares, no one thought it was permanent
Link saying goodbye to his grandma in WW and Midna breaking the mirror of twilight are both way more emotional
I am still shell shocked from when they tried to take a story heavy approach (ss) and almost gave up on the series from it.
Botw and totk - I honestly don't remember the stories at all except that the cutscenes were cringy and I can remember not being able to skip them.
I like oots themes, and some moments of dialogue (mostly sheik going all shinto'ist sentiment), Majora's mask tone, and links awakenings subdued melancholy. I guess I like themes and tones the series takes more than I've ever cared about any of their stories, or have been given reason to. The series has always put it's gameplay first and let that carry the tone and I appreciate that - my own job is as a game designer and I hope I've taken that lesson as well.
I guess it is about theme and tone - ocarina of time does a great job of having a textural motif of the pains of growing up and the things you lose, Majora's mask had thematic lines of the importance of our relationships in life with the people we meet and know, links awakening with its meditation on memory being where reality can live on, etc.
To be honest, Zelda games were always the games I grew up on and I remember playing games with coherent narratives and thinking "oh, all video games don't need nonsense bullshit as stories" as a realization.
Also, not to shit on totk, but I think this was my main issue with it - it felt like it lacked this strong thematic thought and I dunno what it was trying to say or be tbh.
I mean I wouldn’t mind them going back to how OOT or majoras mask tell their stories but really I don’t necessarily play Zelda for it’s story. I mean I like it and it is a reason I like Zelda but gameplay over story any day for me. Like I don’t wanna see zelda in the style of story like the last of us or other PS style games. I feel those lean in way to much on the story and the gameplay suffers for it. That’s just my opinion though and I’m sure there will be plenty of people that disagree with me.
I think that the story should be more linear like the older games, but still having the big spacious world like in BOTW and TOTK.
That’s how most open games work, so it’d work just fine for Zelda. Just make most of the main quests progress in a linear fashion, and the rest of the game can be entirely open.
They aren't, but they are done incredibly well sometimes. That's why I think Ocarina and Majora are great. Hell Majora's story can honestly be summed up in a couple sentences, maybe one even, but what makes it so good are all the little stories within intertwining and making the world feel lived in, which ties directly in with you saving it and finally getting out of it.
The voice acting in BotW and TotK really brings out the problems with how paper thin the story and characters are though and it's really glaring when you're trying to have a life or death save the world situation with an enemy and like one of your allies sounds like a one note Disney Channel teenager. Ugh
Majora's mask was my first 3d Zelda and I think it still does a great job interweaving its central motif of relationships and empathy being integral into every bit of its structure.
It's groundhog Day ha ha.
Patently false, Zelda games always have good stories with great world building, twists, and feeling. Archetypal calls to adventure that feel like myths.
Imagine saying Zelda games don’t have good stories…lmfao
I mean I'm glad you enjoyed them that much but I really can't disagree with you more. They're good for setting up the world you will eventually explore but it never really stuck out to me or alot of people to be Frank
I have seen some of these subs, so I know these people exist but I have never read any professional critique which puts the story of these games in a more charitable light than providing the scenario or central conceit for the game in question...
People acknowledge the story is there.
But Zelda games aren't exactly known for their story, and haven't really ever been praised for its amazing storytelling.
I would love to meet them because I'm genuinely curious what part of zelda games storytelling is that great, especially compared to games that actually have a story focus
Story was always a big part of the zelda series. OoT, TP and specially SS have a very strong focus on the narrative and lore. Maybe you didn't care for them but a lot of us did and I hope that trend resumes after breath of the wilds good for nothing story.
"OoT, TP and specially SS have a very strong focus on the narrative". They do focus on the narrative somewhat but even so it's not like they're amazing. You know I'm not gonna tell someone to play OoT for it's incredible story because it really is just a simple save the princess type story, SS and TP stories also aren't that amazing either
I’d actually like a linear game next time. Focus on dungeons and story, but with the freedom of the mechanics that the last two switch games offer. Realise I may be in the minority though.
hearing aonuma’s statement about how an open world is “the future” of zelda, i honesty wish we either get A) a 3d game with the “do anything” principles of bo/tk mixed with the coherent railroading of previous titles, or B) a similar botw-type game that takes place in a completely different continent. think labrynna, or holodrum, hell i’d even take hytopia. it’s not even that the map in bo/tk is bad or anything, it just gets kinda… expected after a while. either way, i feel like there is definitely potential to be harnessed
I think the problem with this (and BotW) is that the story mostly unfolds in the past and what you’re doing isn’t necessarily actively progressing the story. Both games you are reacting to past events and preparing for the resolution of those events. I think TotK did a better job with main quest lines than BotW, but the fact that most of the story is revealed through memories (again) really is a letdown.
I really liked ToTKs story honestly. Just finished it an hour ago and mb I'm on that high still, but I really liked it. I would've enjoyed more story than there was, but I'm just happy that it's not BoTWs story. This is infinitely better than the bare minimum BoTW had story wise.
I'd like the story to have more content for sure, but I'm hoping the DLC satisfies in that department at the moment. ToTK is definitely up there for its story for a Zelda game imo.
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I enjoyed what they did with totk’s story. It’s not up to snuff with the rest of the series (besides botw) imo, but it’s alright. I understand why it had to be this way. But, if you were to ask me if I would take an older 3D style Zelda or another open world Zelda, I would pick the former in a heartbeat, and a part of this choice includes story. If anything, I’d be happy with a Zelda that continues this open world format but leans further into traditional elements, tightens up the design and therefore the narrative.
Not really, I like the story from TotK. I just hope to see more in the actual main quests and not just in very optional side quests. Not that I want to see TotK's story explained in dungeons, geoglyphs are fine for that, but the next one should be told by the main quests.
I grabbed a non spoilery guide to tell me what order the geoglyphs are in because I didn't want to see it out of order. I think what would have worked is if the main quest unlocked each geoglyph like one dragon tear at a time.
Only if they can do a lot better than the writing in BotW and TotK. TotK's story is actually awesome when you think about it but I truly think the writing in these games for the story is bad - mainly the cutscenes with voice acting, which goes hand in hand with the writing. Combined, almost every spoken line comes off sounding incredibly awkward to me. If they can get good voice acting, make lengthier cutscenes with some well written dialogue, yeah, give me more story please because I can't get enough of BotW-TotK Hyrule and these versions of the characters. And I'm not trying to hate, BotW is my favorite game of all time, TotK is probably gonna overtake it, but those are honestly my only real gripes. I'm dying for a really well written story in this new age of Zelda. Oh, but never EVER sacrifice the gameplay for it. I would rather have fragmented stories with these awkwardly written cutscenes and have excellent gameplay before sacrificing any fun for story. That's how you get TP and SS's crazy long beginnings.
I had more fun in those long beginnings than anything BOTW offered.
Man to each their own. I'd call those the weakest parts of the series.
I find that bewildering, to be honest.
Great story, great characters that get proper exposure in the beginning of the game to have a final and rewarding and emotional conclusion in the end. All wrapped around great music and setting. Nothing in BOTW was as charming or meaningful... Just wondering around collecting materials and fighting Lynels for the 50th time. Nothing about it felt grand.
TP and SS? I mean everybody is a one note character, hardly any real arcs to have any kind of conclusion for. Hard to call SS good settings... felt empty and lifeless and like it was designed with a gaming philosophy about 10 years behind the times in every way. I'm genuinely surprised you find it more compelling in any kind of way than BOTW or TOTK. SS's character design for Link is also painfully bad imo
I'm not going to argue with other people's opinions on character development (this shit isn't a novela) but these games have been largely praised for their stories and skyward sword in particular had people tearing up. Just a matter of checking their reviews at the time of release, the huge discourse around the time line and events in those games. YouTube is also filled with lengthy videos covering the story and lore and I honestly don't have the patience. It's like the new Halo fanbase, games that that were built around its epic story and lore suddenly "was never about the story" to justify how shitty the story in the new games are. Get the fuck out of here lol.
SS has okay lore but it's impossible to take it seriously when The Imprisoned looks the way it does. Also it completely invalidates Ganondorf as an independent character, but that's cool because more lore anyway, I guess. Meh. I dunno. Been a fan since 98 and SS is the only mainline title I don't like at all. I really don't understand why it gets lauded for its story. It does nothing you can't really get in another Zelda game, just worse
That's fine, I respect your opinion if you don't like it that's that.
The damn Avocado. Probably the worst Zelda boss imo. Ghirahim was great and I enjoyed when he would show up to fight again because it felt like a test of skill. The avocado was just annoying.
The story of this game was probably the weakest of all the mainline titles. Bog standard, no big reveals or twists, and destroys the timeline. I’d absolutely want a return to form of grand, epic storytelling not through memories or at the end of the game, mixed with the gameplay of an open world.
“Bog standard, no big reveals or twists” Name another video game where (Major Spoilers) >!a beloved character willingly lobotomizes themself for the greater good, and the only thing you can do is stare at their conscienceless body, knowing that they’re alive but unable to help at all.!< Overall, TOTK’s story is just ok, but it’s peaks can be amazing. “Bog standard, no big reveals or twists” is what I’d use to describe Pokémon Sword and Shield.
Like... Any story with a noble sacrifice trope as a plot point?
There’s a difference between a character dying, and >!a character being still there, still alive, yet completely unresponsive to anything that you do as if they were dead.!< I’ve never had the former moment make me feel as helpless and doubtful as the latter, especially since >!you can interact with the Light Dragon and see that nothing you do will bring Zelda back.!< >!Of course, her transformation is reversed during the ending, but up to that point, it’s like you’re separated from Zelda by glass. She’s there, she’s right there, you can see that she’s right there, you can be there for her, but nothing you could ever do would even crack the barrier between you and her.!< Emotions are subjective though. This is just how I felt, and the same moment could’ve easily landed differently for you and other people.
It’s the exact same plot as BOTW where she was trapped in a void for years. Also shes fine at the end so who cares, no one thought it was permanent Link saying goodbye to his grandma in WW and Midna breaking the mirror of twilight are both way more emotional
I am still shell shocked from when they tried to take a story heavy approach (ss) and almost gave up on the series from it. Botw and totk - I honestly don't remember the stories at all except that the cutscenes were cringy and I can remember not being able to skip them. I like oots themes, and some moments of dialogue (mostly sheik going all shinto'ist sentiment), Majora's mask tone, and links awakenings subdued melancholy. I guess I like themes and tones the series takes more than I've ever cared about any of their stories, or have been given reason to. The series has always put it's gameplay first and let that carry the tone and I appreciate that - my own job is as a game designer and I hope I've taken that lesson as well. I guess it is about theme and tone - ocarina of time does a great job of having a textural motif of the pains of growing up and the things you lose, Majora's mask had thematic lines of the importance of our relationships in life with the people we meet and know, links awakening with its meditation on memory being where reality can live on, etc. To be honest, Zelda games were always the games I grew up on and I remember playing games with coherent narratives and thinking "oh, all video games don't need nonsense bullshit as stories" as a realization. Also, not to shit on totk, but I think this was my main issue with it - it felt like it lacked this strong thematic thought and I dunno what it was trying to say or be tbh.
Skyward sword is still the only zelda game I started then haven't completed
Yeap. I dropped it. I've finished every other mainline game. Dark souls was my best Zelda of 2011.
I mean I wouldn’t mind them going back to how OOT or majoras mask tell their stories but really I don’t necessarily play Zelda for it’s story. I mean I like it and it is a reason I like Zelda but gameplay over story any day for me. Like I don’t wanna see zelda in the style of story like the last of us or other PS style games. I feel those lean in way to much on the story and the gameplay suffers for it. That’s just my opinion though and I’m sure there will be plenty of people that disagree with me.
I think that the story should be more linear like the older games, but still having the big spacious world like in BOTW and TOTK. That’s how most open games work, so it’d work just fine for Zelda. Just make most of the main quests progress in a linear fashion, and the rest of the game can be entirely open.
I don’t just want it I need it. I won’t be playing the next game if the story is like BotW/TotK again.
I'm assuming you're talking about the structure of the story cause none of the zelda games stories are particularly amazing either
They aren't, but they are done incredibly well sometimes. That's why I think Ocarina and Majora are great. Hell Majora's story can honestly be summed up in a couple sentences, maybe one even, but what makes it so good are all the little stories within intertwining and making the world feel lived in, which ties directly in with you saving it and finally getting out of it. The voice acting in BotW and TotK really brings out the problems with how paper thin the story and characters are though and it's really glaring when you're trying to have a life or death save the world situation with an enemy and like one of your allies sounds like a one note Disney Channel teenager. Ugh
[удалено]
Well, true that.
Majora's mask was my first 3d Zelda and I think it still does a great job interweaving its central motif of relationships and empathy being integral into every bit of its structure. It's groundhog Day ha ha.
Patently false, Zelda games always have good stories with great world building, twists, and feeling. Archetypal calls to adventure that feel like myths. Imagine saying Zelda games don’t have good stories…lmfao
I mean I'm glad you enjoyed them that much but I really can't disagree with you more. They're good for setting up the world you will eventually explore but it never really stuck out to me or alot of people to be Frank
“To me or a lot of people”. An even LARGER majority of people think the story telling of Zelda is one of its finest assets
I have seen some of these subs, so I know these people exist but I have never read any professional critique which puts the story of these games in a more charitable light than providing the scenario or central conceit for the game in question...
You must be new to the series.
Since Zelda 2, so maybe. Didn't play the first until later.
People acknowledge the story is there. But Zelda games aren't exactly known for their story, and haven't really ever been praised for its amazing storytelling.
They have been praised almost exclusively for their stories in the 3D era. This seems like a zoomer opinion tbh
Sorry, but no. The story ain't bad, but you sound huge on copium.
Copium is thinking that Zelda games arent pinnacles of gaming storytelling tbh. Zoom zoom.
Ah seriously? I have been playing Zelda since ALTTP, it's my favorite series. but I would never compared it's story to Witcher or Bungie's Halo
You've already kind of lost the discussion because you assume people are zoomers because they disagree with your take.
I would love to meet them because I'm genuinely curious what part of zelda games storytelling is that great, especially compared to games that actually have a story focus
Story was always a big part of the zelda series. OoT, TP and specially SS have a very strong focus on the narrative and lore. Maybe you didn't care for them but a lot of us did and I hope that trend resumes after breath of the wilds good for nothing story.
"OoT, TP and specially SS have a very strong focus on the narrative". They do focus on the narrative somewhat but even so it's not like they're amazing. You know I'm not gonna tell someone to play OoT for it's incredible story because it really is just a simple save the princess type story, SS and TP stories also aren't that amazing either
I’d actually like a linear game next time. Focus on dungeons and story, but with the freedom of the mechanics that the last two switch games offer. Realise I may be in the minority though.
I’m happy how it goes so far All I want in Zelda is fishing, pls add fishing *w*
hearing aonuma’s statement about how an open world is “the future” of zelda, i honesty wish we either get A) a 3d game with the “do anything” principles of bo/tk mixed with the coherent railroading of previous titles, or B) a similar botw-type game that takes place in a completely different continent. think labrynna, or holodrum, hell i’d even take hytopia. it’s not even that the map in bo/tk is bad or anything, it just gets kinda… expected after a while. either way, i feel like there is definitely potential to be harnessed
I do not care as long as the tri force returns as an essential plot point. It could even be 2d that would change things up.
TLoZ is primarily a puzzle game, not a story game.
HELL NO, gameplay is king in Zelda. It never needed attempts of Metal Gear Solid narrative.
Better temples would be nice they're too easy :/
I think the problem with this (and BotW) is that the story mostly unfolds in the past and what you’re doing isn’t necessarily actively progressing the story. Both games you are reacting to past events and preparing for the resolution of those events. I think TotK did a better job with main quest lines than BotW, but the fact that most of the story is revealed through memories (again) really is a letdown.
I really liked ToTKs story honestly. Just finished it an hour ago and mb I'm on that high still, but I really liked it. I would've enjoyed more story than there was, but I'm just happy that it's not BoTWs story. This is infinitely better than the bare minimum BoTW had story wise. I'd like the story to have more content for sure, but I'm hoping the DLC satisfies in that department at the moment. ToTK is definitely up there for its story for a Zelda game imo.