How can the next Zelda game dethrone Ocarina of Time?
Zelda series is one of my favorite games series ever. I really loved every title in this epic saga, but Zelda games are still using the same formula and gamers are getting bored with it. We want this series to evolve and to become the game that will define again the action-adventure genre.
A lot of people consider Zelda OOT as the best game ever made. You may like other games or other Zelda games more than OOT, but there is one fact all gamers must have to know: Zelda OOT is still ranked as the highest rated game ever.
A lot of games tried to take the crown from Zelda OOT, but till this day there isn’t a game that has been able to take its place as the highest rated game ever made. You may say “it is not necessary for the highest rated game to be the best game ever made” since scores from gaming websites doesn’t always reflect the quality of the game, but it is a different story here. Gamers around the world voted numerous times for Zelda OOT as the best game ever created, so basically you can’t ignore this fact also, because it is decided by the majority of the gaming community.
While integrating motion controls into the gameplay is a welcome addition, I want to see more important stuff in the game. This is my list, but feel free to add your suggestions in the comment section:
6. Fully orchestrated soundtrack:
when you play a game for more than 40 hours, it is very important for the gamer to hear a good soundtrack when he is playing the game for a long time, as you will hear most of the tracks over and over again. Am not saying that Zelda games does have a dull music, no, far from it. In my opinion, Zelda games does have some of the best music ever created in video games. But there is one problem, Zelda series is still rendering music in the same sample-driven, synthesized style that the series has had since the Nintendo 64 days. They have to let go of the midi sounds and to render the music in the next Zelda game using pre-recorded orchestra.
Listen to the original soundtrack from Twilight Princess (Hyrule Field Main Theme)
Now, listen to the orchestrated version (Hyrule Field Main Theme)
Which one do you think is more epic?
5. Make the game harder:
Zelda games has never been known for its difficulty, but if you have played OOT, you may have noticed that Nintendo has been tuning down the difficulty for every Zelda game released after OOT. You can’t blame them, as they have been trying to capture the casual gamers market and as you know by now they have succeeded in their mission. But there is one question, what about Nintendo hardcore followers?
One of the most impressive things about Zelda series is how they managed to design puzzles that are both challenging and logical at the same time. But at the same time, the combat in Zelda games isn’t challenging and it doesn’t requires a lot of skills from the players. I hope Zelda team to tune up the difficulty in the next Zelda game.
4. Make the story darker:
When you travel through time to the future in OOT and you see how the game world is in the verge of destruction, you feel responsible for saving the people and the world they live in.
The first time I pulled the Master Sword from the Temple of time and I went out of the temple to see what awaits me outside, I was like “wow, what has happened here?”.
OOT story was dark and gloomy, Twilight Princess comes close, but it doesn’t give the gamer the same feel of fear and disturbance.
3. Voice acting:
Most of Zelda fans will flame me because of this, but before you do that, just imagine your favorite characters in the Zelda series speaking instead of yelling, wouldn’t this make the story and the atmosphere of the game more epic?
Just give the supporting characters voices and keep Link silent if you (Nintendo) fear that Zelda fans will go against giving Link a voice, like how Lionhead did in the Fable series.
2. Make the game more Open-ended:
If you played one Zelda game you know exactly what to expect. You will see the same structure design; you beat a dungeon, then you will search the game world for someone or an item to progress in the story and you will repeat the same process over and over again.
How about to give the player more things to do in the game world? Also how about to give the player more than one way to finish a mission?.
If they considered doing both of the above mentioned suggestions, it will increase the re-playability of the game and it will give a refreshing feel to the gameplay.
1. More RPG elements:
I know that Zelda is an action-adventure game, but imagine if the Zelda team integrated a level up system like the one in Fable 2. I don’t feel like Zelda games really encourage players to toy around with the combat. It would be nice if the next one permitted more experimental combat.
Give more reasons to fight monsters, I don’t want to fight monsters just because the game is throwing them at me, the game must reward the player to encourage him to experiment with the battle system.
So, those are my suggestions. What are yours?
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Honestly, I totally agree with all your suggestions. I also would like the ability to transverse the environment. After seeing it in Uncharted, that needs to be in more games. Imagine being able to climb a building and sneak past guards. you should also be able to play on multiple difficulty levels. Like have a casual difficulty level, with toned down bosses, and that self-play function, and a couple hardcore difficulty levels that disable the self-play function and ramp up the difficulty. One thing that I really want is more side stuff, like in Majora’s Mask. I want to have stuff to do all the time.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 12:07 am
I still believe OoT is the best game ever made, but Zelda series need to evolve without affecting the core game play. The article did a good job on stating some points that’ll probably make the game better & more epic. I think the combat needs to evolve, the swords, skills & magic need to be more effective & should have a power up system or something. Hyrule main land need to change, I wish they would make something unique & different like Majora’s Mask.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 1:43 am
I do remember Zelda 2 having RPG elements in it and it was considered the worst Zelda by most fans, but maybe its time for a second try, leveling up your magic and health and attacks is good, and I did go back and played through Zelda 2 about a year and a half ago and I actually enjoyed it after hating it for so many years! Maybe they can include rankings or they can show how many bad guys you have killed, that would be nice.Voice acting would be nice but it never really bothered me, but I dont mind if its added. What I really want is there to always be a second quest like they did in the original !!!! And they can give it a different ending to make people want to play through it
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 1:44 am
I have to disagree with a couple of things. First of all, changing the formula of the game. No. It’s been done so many times in the past with many other games. People complain saying they want certain games to “evolve” and then go on to hating the game because so much has been changed. Secondly, voice acting. Please don’t even ask for this. Does Zelda really need it? Honestly? In my opinion no. Voice acting, for me, would take so much away from Zelda. Finally, the addition of RPG elements. This for me is the biggest point. One of the main reasons I enjoyed Zelda so much was because I could get everything that I needed from an RPG without all of the bullshit turn based fighting and levelling up. These things are the only things that stop me from playing most other RPGs. Anyway, i’m drunk and rambling.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 2:12 am
Wow your RPG stuff is some what right but they should look at western RPG and avoid JRPG like the black death. I don’t need zelda shooting it self in the foot and being not what it is at its core. Just making a game brad and bland does not sound that great to me. What they need is a good voice over team like the people who bring Miyazaki films to the USA. Hell have him write the game. Gezz you would have use nerdlings creaming are pants over that. I think all they really need is the NPC to be less stiff as in they do and say more things and you can bring them more in to gameplay. Since the NPC are really not a active part of the game.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 2:29 am
I like your ideas, although I’m not so sure about the leveling part and turn based battle system (but hé, lets keep an open mind). In a next zelda I would like to see a more lively world (In Zelda TTP, the field was masive but there was very little to do. You know what I mean?) and indeed a few things you mentioned. I’m also not so sure about the voice acting part, imagen a navi that talk even more =P (not that I hated it al that much, it just got on my nerves near the end). Well that’s about al I got to say on that =) .
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 2:42 am
Prehaps it’s not necesary to put RPG elements into gameplay (even though I’d like it a lot), but at least make enemies fun to defeat, same as bosses.
Hell, Zelda enemies are WAY too easy…
¿What I’d add to your list?
Make te game loger with more side quests and after-ending quests. That way I’d enjoy Zelda for much more time.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 3:25 am
There are a ton of RPGs in the world, don’t ruin one of the very few adventure games we have by making it some hybred.
If you don’t like Zelda the way it is, don’t play it. But don’t ruin it for the rest of us.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 3:39 am
I feel that, in order to make the Zelda franchise better, Nintendo should not be in charge of it. The same goes for Mario titles, and pretty much every franchise included in Smash Bros.
I feel bad saying this as I used to be a Nintendo Fanboy, but after comming into the light from exposure to all that is good and Sony, i can see that Nintendo will just…. screw it up. It’ll screw everything up. It can stick to Wii Fit and Cooking Mama.
It pains me to say this, but Nintendo needs to not have control of the franchises it created in it’s past. It’s for their own good. Give it to Sony.
( feel free to message me, EMAIL is cabbage240@gmail.com
PSN I.D. is Cabbage24 )
Thank You
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 4:18 am
blagh
/fart noise/
http://www.youtube.com
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 4:23 am
I totally agree with the orchestrated music and making the game harder, specially the enemies, the puzzles are good as they are, in Twilight Princess, there were a couple of challenging puzzles.
I totally disagree with adding RPG elemets to the game, cuz it will simply change the whole genre of the game and I don’t want a drastic change in Zelda games, their good as they are. I also disagree with adding the voice acting, I just don’t want to take out the unique feeling from the game, I don’t mind if they added more grunts and moans to the characters thou. The last point that I really really disagree with is making the game darker, a Zelda game is a magical experience, one that you would enjoy and be mesmerized with, I really hated the twilight and darkness stuff in TP, on ther other hand I was really fascinated by the experience I had with Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, it’s bright not dark, but it’s sensational.
I would like to add one more thing that I would like to see in the next Zelda game, I’d like them to make it more story-driven and both Zelda and Ganondorf play a big part in the story, and not just get squeezed forcibly in the story just to please the fans, also I would like the story to unfold the truth about some gaps in the history of Hyrule and the triforce, these things are integral to the zelda franchise and would make an epic story that will not feel like a filler story such as the case with TP.
Sorry that I let my fanboyism get the best of me, but the criteria that Nintendo is following now with the casual gamers, makes me really frustrated cuz they’re forgeting us.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 6:03 am
@ EmeraldDragon
When I talked about adding some RPG elements in the next Zelda, that doesn’t mean turning the battle system to turned-based. They have to leave the battle system ( free-roaming) and as I said, let them add a level up system like the one in Fable. Bioshock have some RPG elements(upgrading plasmids), COD 4 have some RPG elements (perks). It will give more depth to the gameplay and to the combat in particular. Upgrading and leveling up are the RPG elements I want to see in the next Zelda.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 7:32 am
I think another important thing for the next Zelda game to have is a more streamlined interface.
First and foremost, the HUD in Twilight Princess bugged the heck out of me. It took up about half of the screen, giving me almost no room to look around. There should at least be an option to let you take things off the HUD if you want.
But to aid in this effort, I want the gameplay simplified. The other thing about Twilight Princess that got on my nerves was the insane number of gameplay mechanics: horse riding, wolf form, and the dozens upon dozens of items, just to name a few. It just created a really schizophrenic and almost scripted game, taking the fun out of experimenting and exploring. I want the next game to focus on just one gameplay aspect instead of incorporating dozens.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 8:55 am
i think that most of these are very good suggestions, like i think that there should be voice acting, apart from for link, just keep that at his yelling and screaming, i mean they did it with metroid prime, why not zelda? it might just help to immerse the player that bit more, and maybe give more menace to gannondorf/ whatever else is the main bad guy in the game. however i disagree with the darker storyline, i think they tried that with both majora’s mask, and with twilight princess, and quite frankly, wind waker beats both of them, so i dont think that the storyline has to be dark, maybe to the extent ocarina of time was, but not any more than that, because i felt that MM and TP took the darkness a bit too far. Also, i would love to see a more challenging zelda game, but in the right mechanics, i think that majora’s mask was the most difficult, (also you could do things in more than one way in majora’s mask) but i think they tried to make it harder and more replayable through the 3-day system, which i think is one of the worst ideas to ever go into a zelda game, i mean yeh, there were plenty of boss fights, but it was just repeats of ones i had already beaten. it felt like they just added it in to increase play time, and it felt quite lazy tbh. one thing i did love about majora’s mask though, was being able to play as four different links, each with thier own abilities, i mean you can’t not love zora link, with his fish guitar. i just wish that they would do multiple character variations to play as, well apart from being a wolf, that sucked, i hated all the wolf parts in twilight princess. but if they either did another time travelling game, where you could be several different aged links, i think that would be cool, or just transforming link every now and then into something like a goron/zora link etc.
also nnot too sure about the whole level system, im not sure if that would work for a zelda title, but i think there should be a way of uprgrading items, and armour etc. and thats another thing, bring back the multiple swords, shields, tunics and boots, it was well cool in ocarina of time, it almost felt like you were customising link to make him look what you want him to, apart from the hover boots making you slide everywhere, lol, best boots ever.
but i would love to see a proper open ended zelda game which gave you loads of sidequests etc to do around hyrule, which should never be like wind waker again, it was far to spread out, and most of the islands were tiny anyway, i just want to see, one, or a few, huge land masses, not loads of tiny ones. but i do love the idea of a fully orchastrated, more RPG like, open ended zelda.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I agree with all except the last one. They tried a level system with Zelda before, and it didn’t work. Zelda is Action Adventure, not an RPG. In a game like Zelda, the ability to level Link up will just make the game either a. easier, since you can just go out and level grind to beat bosses or b. more tedious, because you would have to level grind before each over-powered boss.
And as for the Voice acting, I agree as long as there are good voice actors. Bad voice acting can truly ruin a game for many people. Hell, I have a friend that refuses to play Final Fantasy X because of it’s god-awful voice acting, and Sonic the Hedgehog’s voice acting makes ears bleed. Yes to GOOD voice acting, but if you have bad voice actors, it can ruin the game for many people, no matter how good the game is.
Posted on August 22nd, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I think the magic of Zelda rests within a couple of things:
-the enchanting music
-the engrossing plot
-the medieval timeframe
-the actors’ silence
-the freestyle battle design.
That being said, I think that giving Zelda a more RPG-ish feel will ruin the Zelda games we’ve all come to know and love. I think the freestyle action fighting like in OoT/TP was pretty good.
Asides that, I completely agree with the darker plot. I mean, we can’t feel any pressure anymore. Okay, sure, Zant’s turned all the Twilis into big ugly things, so what’s the rush? I think Majora’s Mask was the darkest: Moon’s gonna fall, you have 72 hours to break a curse, get some masks, beat some zombies, and stop the moon from falling and destroying everything. OoT comes second, like you said, with the “I feel like the world’s sorry state rests on my shoulders” thing.
Then… The difficulty. I think… Majora’s Mask was the hardest out of all 3D Zelda games. Dunno who, it just was. Twilight Princess was too easy. I think they should make bosses more complex, enemies harder to defeat, and most of all, lots of useless sidequests that make it SEEM like the game is harder…. (I was kidding about the last one).
Then, the Voice Acting. I think VA’s would just ruin the Zelda “feel” we’re all used to, because when the game is silenced, you can put yourself in the Hero’s place, and think out loud what you would’ve said in his place. If there is a text, or VA’s, there are less openings to all the things the Link could say. I think silence is okay, because it gives you more things to think about, and gives the game some deeper feelings.
Sides that, I’m completely with the thought of having more open endings. Maybe even go as to having multiple endings possible? Or at least have something else than the usual “realize you’re a Hero, save a Princess, save a land, defeat an Evil King, get the Princess, and BOOM, game’s over.” sequence. I mean, Majora’s Mask and TP were variants, and OoT had spectacular twists to the cliche plot, but maybe they could alter Link’s goal a bit? Not just “Saving the Princess, Beating the Dark Lord”…
As for soundtracks, I don’t really mind, because time after time, Legend of Zelda has surprised and enchanted me with many new and creative melodies that engrossed me deep and led me to do many things. The magic of Zelda is partly int he music, and I think… They should keep at what they do best.
That’s what I think, anyhow. Let’s see if our expectations will come true in the next Zelda games to come.
~Heroine of Time
Posted on September 1st, 2009 at 5:38 am
Yes! The next Zelda definitly needs a full orchestral soundtrack, with a wide range of ethnic instruments and choir and everything!
But dude, the music tracks that you posted where both midi-files:P
Posted on September 4th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
ok. the rpg idea is total shit. i like zelda because its a sandbox style game like gta, but with a medieval twist, and the whole leveling up would fuck up the game, because if you stay the same level thru the game, then the person playing has to develop their own skill as the bosses get harder, as opposed to the character leveling up, and then the bosses all seem like the same difficulty.
Posted on September 13th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
but anyways zelda is the worlds greatest game. minus wind waker…. whatta disgrace that was….
Posted on September 16th, 2009 at 7:21 am
You have a good point…..adding voices to the game would make it more epic and as you said it is also important that Link stay silent and that the game keep a certane amout of darkness, but a strong storyline is also very important……what’s the fun of a game if you have the whole thing figured out half way through?
Posted on September 25th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
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