Like Link himself, “The Legend of Zelda” series has stood up well to the test of time, and its latest iteration is a testament to that legacy. “Twilight Princess” brings its players into a new era in the kingdom of Hyrule, and despite looking and feeling very much like 1998’s “Ocarina of Time,” new gameplay mechanics, gorgeous environments and the use of the Wii’s control scheme make it play like something new.Set about one hundred years after “Ocarina of Time,” a new Link ventures to Hyrule to do the usual “Zelda” tasks: save the princess, defeat the evil tyrant and restore the kingdom to its former glory. But the deeper variants in the story take Link into an unknown world called the Twilight Realm, which, unbeknownst to Hyrule’s inhabitants, has begun consuming the kingdom.
The twilight segments morph Link into a canine, who is guided and taken advantage of numerous times by a strange creature named Midna, an annoying (think Navi from “Ocarina”) native of the realm. The twilight is somewhat of a throwback to the dark world of the Super Nintendo title “A Link to the Past,” and while the eerie environs offer unique visuals, limited and gimmicky features make playing there somewhat tedious at times.
Thankfully the developers have struck a good balance between traversing through the dark and light worlds. In the light realm, human Link dons his famous green garbs and uses the Master Sword to slash through an army of evildoers more diverse than ever. Ganon is still the main baddie, but “Twilight Princess” has another antagonist, Zant, who rules the darker world. He’s also very maniacal and is heavily influenced by Ganon’s power.
One of “Twilight Princess’s” best features is held by most in the series: it’s visual and aural ambience.
Hyrule is massive, broken up into several terrains and climates. On the east side of the world is the vast and empty Gerudo Desert and, weirdly enough, it’s neighbored by a snow-covered mountain and a lush, vibrant lake. On the west side of the world is the volcanic Death Mountain and Old West-inspired Kakariko Village. In the center lies Hyrule Castle, surrounded on all sides by the massive Hyrule Field. The map itself is comparable in size to “Grand Theft Auto III’s” Liberty City, an impressive feat considering the primary means of travel in the game are either by foot or horseback. Thankfully Link can warp to different areas later in the game.
The sounds of “Twilight Princess,” like other aspects of the world, hold a very nostalgic feel. Music is as important in this game as it is in previous titles, and familiar tunes emit from revisited Hyrule locales. New songs are howled by canine Link in much the same style as the ocarina-playing and baton-conducting of “Ocarina of Time” and “Wind Waker.” And of course, Link’s signature “Hi-ya!” battle cry remains the same.
Long-time fans of the series will appreciate the feel of revisiting a practically unchanged Hyrule, especially a spectacular journey to the long-lost Temple of Time in the last third of the game. Minus a race or species here and there (where are those Deku punks, anyway?), most of Hyrule is changed only by time. What may tick off nit-picky “Zelda” fans is the location of some of those familiar lands. Nintendo had to mirror the kingdom in order to optimize Wii-mote controls, which also means the famously left-handed Link is now a righty. The Gamecube version, however, remains unscathed.
With about 35 hours worth of gameplay in the story and fun, sometimes quirky side missions in between, “Twilight Princess” will keep new Wii owners occupied for awhile, and Gamecube owners will be able to appreciate the last great game to hit the system before its imminent death.
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS
Nintendo
Rated T
Available on Wii and Gamecube
THE VERDICT:
Vast environments, sleek visuals and frequent nostalgia keep Link fresh in this iteration of the “Zelda” series.
3.5/4 stars