Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess



There are epics, and then there is Zelda. This long-running series, which boldly began with a cartridge made of gold, has become the very definition of a timeless classic. With each new Hyrulian adventure that has hit the market, Nintendo has built upon perfection. From the moment that Link first unsheathed his sword, this series has redefined how we look at video games. As monumental as each entry has been, nothing, and I repeat, nothing can prepare you for the adventure that unfolds in Twilight Princess. The debate that has waged for decades over which Zelda game should stand as the series’ best will at long last come to a satisfying conclusion, as this is unquestionably the greatest Zelda yet.

From A Link to the Past’s complicated dungeon designs to Ocarina of Time’s powerful swordplay, this series has made its mark mainly through its remarkable gameplay. As memorable as the characters and battles are, the story has always been used as a device that moves the player from one dungeon to the next. Through an intelligently written script, Twilight Princess breaks free from this crutch and now stands tall as a vehicle for storytelling. Depending on the events at hand, you may go for hours without learning of a new dungeon, and may instead find yourself immersed in gameplay segments that tie into and build upon the story. Even without spoken dialogue, the tale is highly cinematic, surprisingly moving, and so creative that it rivals the best that Hollywood has to offer. This is a much darker saga that dabbles with the power of corruption much like Star Wars, but it’s not the influence of evil that drives the pulse of this plot. It’s the mysticism, the believability of the characters’ emotions, and the visuals that continually make you say, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Amazingly, you’ll find yourself repeating these same words when you take in the gameplay. The story sets the tone and opens up new possibilities, but it’s the gameplay that truly grips you. Every dungeon is a large and glorious creation, often keeping you confined and searching for the secrets to its puzzles for hours on end. The water temple in particular stands as a segment that made my brain spin in more different ways than anything I’ve encountered to date. The Wii’s motion-sensing functionality also makes you play very differently. It would have been nice to see the remote track your sword-swinging motions as opposed to triggering pre-made animations, but it’s a small gripe, especially considering how explosive the combat is and how much fun it is to use weapons like the bow.

The selection of weapons and gadgets ranges from trusty staples like the boomerang to new inventions that lead to amazing new feats, such as a device that allows you to zip along rails. The game does a great job of exploiting every possible usage for these items, especially in the larger-than-life boss battles.

This adventure also moves into uncharted territory with the introduction of the wolf transformation and a sidekick named Midna. The two go hand-in-hand. I won’t spoil how, but let’s just say that both have incredible effects on the gameplay, leading to amazing feats, brain-bending puzzles, and some of the flashiest animations to ever grace Zelda. I especially like how Link’s combat prowess is replicated perfectly as the wolf, but rather than brandishing a sword, he lets his fangs do the talking. Link’s musical expertise is also expressed through the wolf’s howling.

The adventure itself is a hefty one, and that’s without the seemingly endless array of sidequests, minigames, and secrets. Similar to the statues you could unlock in Wind Waker by taking photos of the world’s denizens, Twilight Princess will task the collector in you to find bugs (both male and female) for a creepy girl in Castle Town. This task alone can lead to hours upon hours of questing.


There really is no better introduction to a new console, or a better game for that matter, than Twilight Princess. This is the game of the year.
Posted by wii-play at 12:43 PM
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Resident Evil 4: Wii Makes The Right Moves


Resident Evil 4 is a beautiful game. The horrific European village is wonderfully crafted, there are residents pinned to walls with pitch forks, hands rotting on tables, towering bonfires, peeling wallpaper, ancient architecture and some truly terrifying enemies. So much artistic care and attention has gone into the title that you can’t help but admire it, even if they are outdated.

Indeed, for all their splendor, the visuals of Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition are very much last generation. They are the identical to the GameCube original (aside from the progressive scan and widescreen display of the PS2 version), so a visual face lift was certainly possible. However, with other Wii software boasting the graphical flare of N64, it is not surprising that Capcom didn’t feel the need to impress; especially as this is still one of the nicest looking games money can buy.


If you have never played Resident Evil 4 before, then get ready for something special. Six years have passed since the viral outbreak in Raccoon City, and Leon S Kennedy (of Resident Evil 2 fame) has a new job protecting the President’s daughter. But his job is made that little bit harder when she is kidnapped by possessed Europeans and taken to a secluded village in some Eastern European backwater. In his search for her Leon uncovers a village full of infected people and terrifying monsters, and a plot far more sinister than anyone had imagined.

Resident Evil 4 deviates from the traditions of the franchise. The puzzles are still here, but they take a back seat to the action; whereas the fixed camera angles, ink ribbons and box based item management are a thing of the past. Die hard fans may not be pleased yet, after five identical titles, it was about time the franchise grew up. And it has managed it with style. The opening village attack is one of those memorable gaming moments as a hoard of possessed zombie-like villagers descends upon you from all angles and you must fight them off with little more than a pistol. There are also some context sensitive knife fights, vehicle based gunplay and epic boss battles to break up the onslaught. It really is that good.

For those that have played the game before (probably several times) then there is only one real question, is the control system any good? Well yes it is. There are head shots a-plenty now the aiming has been improved and the clumsy knife is far more accurate and easy to access. However, Capcom could have taken these improvements one step further by allowing you to shoot and move at the same time. To shoot, gamers must stop, hold B to steady the gun, aim with the pointer and fire. This worked well in the past, but now that the cursor is onscreen at all times (courtesy of the Wii remote), it would have been nice to gun down enemies whilst on the run. This could have made Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition more next generation than updated graphics ever could.

Nevertheless the Wii controls are still impressive, making the title far more immersive than the PS2 and GameCube editions. Put simply, you are more in control, and swiping your knife and aiming your gun makes the violence more visceral and the action that little bit more real. The Wii remote does precisely what Nintendo said it would do: it makes gaming more interactive. It would have been nice to remove unnecessary button presses and some Wii specific content would have been appreciated. However, Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is still the greatest version of one of the action genre’s finest assets.
Posted by wii-play at 4:20 AM
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