The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Review
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Tantatus
Genre:
PEGI: T
Comments:
Reviewing what has been Remade: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is officially on three consoles: the Nintendo GameCube, The Nintendo Wii, and the Nintendo Wii U. In this latest HD remake, Zelda has never looked so good, and won’t look better until we get the new Zelda game later this year (more than likely not though…). If you’ve played Twilight Princess before, is it worth getting again? We think so, but read on to find out why!
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is known for its outstanding dungeon design and infusions of new, unique weapons that the franchise has not seen before. In the HD remake, this all returns with updated visuals and a much cleaner look.
Quick Overview
Zelda is Zelda. The world is in trouble you are one of the last heroes alive, and you must save the world, and by extension, the princess. Twilight Princess is unique in that it introduces something different to enhance the experience. In Majora’s Mask, it was a new setting and an interesting 3 day system to beat the game. For Twilight Princess, it is the inclusion of, well, twilight.
This Zelda title has some of the best characters ever introduced in a Zelda game. The kids that you meet early on and save often throughout are genuinely likeable. They can be annoying as hell, for sure, but you care about them. This hasn’t always been the case in past Zelda titles, at least in my opinion. The other big reason why I enjoy this game over many other Zelda titles is the dungeon depth. Dungeons have never been as exciting and deep, each utilizing a special weapon or item that makes it possible to traverse the many puzzles throughout.
What is Done Right
This game is so good looking. The detail really pops, especially in the areas where you notice, but don’t…i.e. on walls, bridges, and grasslands. I’m not going to lie to you like other reviewers, I did not just stand and look at a wall for a long time (no one really did that, right? Come on!). However, I could see the appeal. It all looks so good, and really shows that Nintendo did not simply just slap a few extras on this to package and sell it again. They took the time to do it right, and they did a great job. Many character textures – most notably Link’s hair – has been completely recreated to fit a 1080P console generation. Chalk this up as a success.
Some of the problems with Twilight Princess when it was originally released was the pacing of the game. Sure, collecting Tears of Light was fun in each unique area, but really…16 tears of light each and every time? This has been streamlined, and now players are only required to find 12 tears. I noticed in a few areas this actually only resulted in finding less tears in each part of the map; however, in other situations some of the more annoying tears were removed, making these areas of the game much more enjoyable.
Another great change is how you switch between Link and the wolf. In the older titles, this would require you to speak with your shadow pal, Midna, and then making the switch. With the extra screen on the WiiU game pad, players can now easily make the switch with a press of the button. Like the Wind Waker HD remake, having the extra screen is again incredibly beneficial, making swapping items a much less time consuming, and quest interrupting, ordeal. It’s a small change, but one that makes the experience so much better.
Small Disappointments
I really only have two, small disappointments. While the textures throughout the game got the 1080P overhaul, I could not help but notice that the cut scenes did not get the same treatment. While they definitely looked better than before, they weren’t as good as the product you actually got to roam around in. Also, the cut scenes were very jagged, and animations were not as smooth as I would have expected from an overhaul.
The other ‘letdown’ was the pacing problems early on. It is a number of hours before you really get to set out into the world of Hyrule. Everything that you learn at the beginning seems incredibly long and drawn out. In certain situations, I wish that the ‘tutorials’ you play through could be optional, especially since many will be playing this for the second time. No, I don’t want to heard goats 3 times (third time for a heart piece) or practice hitting targets with my sling shot.
Certain pacing issues are improved – the Tears of Light are a great example – but I feel like so much more could have been done to streamline the first few hours. I wonder how many people will give up before really getting to experience what this world of Hyrule has to offer!
Conclusion
Whether you are an old fan, or are new to the franchise, there is a lot to love in this HD remake. Despite pacing problems, this is still one of the best Zelda games available in 3D, and it should be a must-play on any Zelda fans list. This HD remake is definitely the definitive version to play, so grab it now. You won’t be disappointed.
Trailer
Article By Adam Roffel
Adam Roffel has only been writing about video games for a short time, but has honed his skills completing a Master's Degree. He loves Nintendo, and almost anything they have released...even Tomodachi Life.
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