Review: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Controls for Skyward Sword is what Twilight Princess should have been. By no means are the controls perfect, but they are a long ways ahead of what they were in 2006. Link now has a stamina bar, which is depleted by things like running and using vine walls. There are green bulbs scattered across the map to help replenish them or you can wait for it to recoup for a few seconds. Swordplay is as expected is close to 1:1 and I suspect this is why the game was delayed. Its huge steps forward in comparison to the waggle we had to endure in Twilight Princess, but is still, in my opinion a bit finicky when you do need to be very precise with your swings. Implementation of Wii Motion Plus is definitely a huge improvement for accuracy in swordplay and also ranged weapons. As much as I love the fact that the game does not require the sensor bar and has manual reset to center options when using the bow/slingshot or C to survey, I wish they had considered implementing sensor bar support to get a more accurate reading of where the center of the screen was. When the controls do work, they’re pretty amazing, but when they decide that they have an off moment, its pretty dang infuriating! There is a need to fine tune the controls just a bit as there were some deaths and lost HP that could have been prevented when actions weren’t registered correctly, but overall, controls are solid.

Items within the game are in general pretty well used and most, if not all items are reused again in other dungeons, which I find helps with the game, instead of using the item for one, or maybe two dungeons. And as always the keys that are used to get into the main boss rooms are a great puzzle in and of itself as the key needs to be put in a certain way to unlock a boss door. Even though the controls aren’t 100%, manipulating a 3D key to open a boss door is an ingenious way to add another layer to the game.

Dungeons are back, but timewise, you spend quite a bit of time getting into them as well as exploring and solving those dungeons. I find that the addition of a pre-dungeon puzzle or trial is an ingenious way to add length and value towards the game. Dungeons themselves are as fun as ever with new features like TimeShift Stones and water filled plants that change the landscape and adds another dimension of puzzle solving.

Once the main story is finished, there is a Hero Mode for those who are up for a challenge as enemies deal double damage. I find this a good way to extend the life of the game, as we all know how long it takes for a new console based Zelda game comes along. Let’s hope it’s not another five years before a new one comes out, even though they did say two years worth of work was thrown out as Miyamoto is famous for overturning the tea table in favour of making an exceptional game instead of a half baked idea.

Storytelling within Skyward Sword is as always with the Zelda franchise, pretty good, even though it does follow the usual Zelda fare of rescuing the damsel in distress after a horrible incident occurs. I find that the story makes you care about Zelda more than I would with many of the other Zelda titles within the franchise, mainly as you see her as a childhood friend instead if just another princess to save.

Skyward Sword is one of the best Zelda experiences, nay gaming experiences you’ll find on this generation of consoles. I think that if you look at it as a standalone game, It’s one of the more unique experiences you can find out there. Exceptional swordplay, vibrant art styles, fun puzzles and wonderful storytelling makes this Zelda titles one of my top games of the last decade. If you like adventuring through Hyrule or a good old solid game, this is the one you’ve been looking for!

Ratings
Graphics 9/10
Sound 9.5/10
Gameplay/Controls 8/10
Story 9.5/10
Replay Value 9/10
Overall Rating 9.5/10
Recommendation: It’s a game that will be remembered for a long, long time. You could even say it’s reputation is Skyward!