The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Overview
A large part of being a Zelda fan is waiting. Waiting for a new game to be announced. Waiting for new information and a launch date to be released. Waiting for the game to come out. As unbearable as these annual cycles may be, they are also crucial to the progression of the series. We have an extended amount of time to rest and reflect: in most cases, the full effect of a Zelda title does not reach our consciousness until long after we have finished playing it. And after this period of stoical fasting, we are ready and eager to begin again, in hopes that the next epic will be greater than the last. It is a process that I believe makes the Zelda fan-base special. Unbelievably so, it has been six long years since the unveiling of the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princes; the most resent title on the home counsel. And finally, after all the excitement, hype, and speculation, the haze surrounding our next plunge into Hyrule has been lifted! The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was officially unveiled on June 15, 2010 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California. Offering a completely new and innovated style of playing, Skyward Sword seems to be taking the next step into the evolution of the series, and perhaps even the realm of gaming. Like it or hate it, suit up and grab that controller. Zelda is coming, and it isn’t far away!
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
It would seem that Nintendo understands our pain of waiting after all, as they didn’t spare any time presenting Zelda first in their bolstering lineup of announcements this past Tuesday! What they gave us was a nostalgia-inducing opening followed by quick snippets of gameplay footage, primarily focusing on swordplay and item usage. After the trailer, Miyamoto took center stage to demonstrate first hand the gameplay-altering implications of the motion plus add-on for the Wii-mote. Unfortunately, wireless interference hindered the experience (no doubt, a bad way to leave a first impression).
I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to attend E3 this year! Though I was not present to witness SS’s unveiling, I did have the honor to be one of the first to play ten, glorious minutes of the game demo, and I can safely say that any fears of broken gameplay mechanics can be discarded now. In this article, I will cover all aspects of the game from what I could gather from my first-hand experience, as well as from what we have been told by the Zelda Matriarchs (Miyamoto and Aounuma). I will also include my initial impression of the game through all these factors. Sit down! This one will be a doozy!
Story
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be a mold breaker as far as previous titles go, as it seems to predate the events of Ocarina of Time. Link is a proud resident of a world above the clouds known as Skyloft. Though some may consider this an unusual existence, Link is content, knowing nothing other than his own circumstance. One day, however, Link is made aware of the world below through a mystical blade known as the Skyward Sword. He is informed that this world has been overrun by evil forces, and is guided between the two realms by the sword itself, with the obvious intention of putting an end to the world’s (Hyrule) overbearing malevolent presence. Ultimately, the quest will reveal the mystery of the Skyward Sword’s transformation into the Master Sword, which would imply that this specific period of time must predate all other titles involving or referencing the blade. It would seem that Zelda timeline theorists have a treat in-store!
Presentation
Among the first of public impressions came from the new style the game has taken on. What at first seems to be a halfway combination between Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, is actually something completely new and unique! The graphic technology seems to reuse the cell-shading rendering implemented in the Wind Waker, but the style is significantly richer, colorful, and more detailed. Link’s figure resembles that of his Twilight Princess counterpart down to the way he trots about, but most enemies poses a goofy, dramatic build. Miyamoto has commented on the new style quite a bit, saying that such an over-exaggerated style makes it possible for the new 1:1 fighting system to work. Additionally, Miyamoto has stated his love for impressionism, and that Skyward Sword’s “moving paint” art style is an ode to many of his favorite artists, such as Monet and Cézanne. Of course, we shouldn’t necessarily judge the demo. Miyamoto has stated that the area would not be in the final game, and that the graphics still need a bit of polishing.
As far as music is concerned, there wasn’t much to speak of other than the simple, up-beat tune playing throughout the demo. But Miyamoto has promised us that Skyward Sword will feature a fully orchestrated score in line with the soundtrack from Super Mario Galaxy.
Design
Anyone who has played Twilight Princess on the Wii will be familiar with the overall structure of the game. The control scheme is almost identical in lay out: Link is controlled using the Nunchuck, while his actions are mapped to the Wii-mote. But there certainly are quite a few differences. Starting with the Wii-mote, you will notice that only one item can be equipped at a time. Just like in TP, the item selection screen is mapped to the plus button, while interestingly enough, bottles (perhaps only potions) are mapped to the minus button. Taping a quickly will cause Link to role, while holding it down will result in a sprint. The nunchuck is relatively the same, but now, giving it a shake will cause to equipped his shield ( a completely separate mechanic from any previous counsel Zelda). The map system has also been redesigned to make location and navigating more fluid.
Despite these few alterations, Skyward Sword will be the same old Zelda we know and love as far as design goes. It will be the Gameplay that ultimately distinguishes this installment from all the rest.
Gameplay
Clearly, Skyward Sword will offer the Zelda faithful a new and refreshing quest to save the land of Hyrule. However, no other facet will extrapolate the experience more than the gameplay itself. Though just a small departure from Twilight Princess, the new playing style (thanks to the added layer of motion sensing of the Wii Motion-plus) completely revitalizes and reanimates the game’s tried and true method of playing, begging the player to become more involved in the game than ever before. This effect is most visible through the use of Link’s Sword, which is now completely mapped to the Wiimote. Rather than simply shaking the Wiimote to execute a generic slice, the sword will now swing in exact accordance with the motion of the Wiimote. Even while unsheathed, Link will hold his sword exactly as you hold the Wiimote. Of course, this is not the only example of the heightened innovation the wii motion plus brings. Link’s bow no longer require the player to aim directly at the screen, but preserves the bow-like feel by the way you hold the the controller. Bombs can now be rolled across the ground (as would a bowling ball in Wii Sports) to obliterate obstacles through cover. The Beetle, a new item that can be used to solve puzzles, retrieve items, and defeat enemies from afar, is completely controlled by tilting the Wiimote in the direction you wish the beetle to fly.
It is clear that the new abilities a-la the Motion plus will be the hub of Skyward Swords new style gameplay, but that has not limited other, simpler mechanics from making an influence. One is the ability for Link to dash while holding down the A button, which can be used to escape enemies quickly, execute jumps with greater distance, and even bolt up walls to reach otherwise out-of-reach ledges. There are several other changes and additions (which I will probably detail specifically in another article), but all you must know for the time being is that Skyward Sword will bring about some of the most interesting, intuitive, and fun experiences a Zelda fan could hope for.
One thing I would like to remind everyone of, regardless of your opinion thus far, is that we have seen very little. I would warn those who look upon the game in doubt and disappointment that most everything we have seen is incomplete and is still in the process of being polished. Perhaps the only thing in its finished stage is the gameplay, and can speak from personal experience that at least THAT aspect of the game will not disappoint. The Zelda series has always relied on all its elements to create the experience we love, and Skyward Sword is no exception. It is dependent upon Nintendo how they will organize these elements, both old and new, to create the familiar, yet new and engrossing experience that is the Legend of Zelda.
