Want some opinions about the game before you dive right in or your curiosity
sparks you as to what we'll say about it? Below you'll find a review written by
the team who wrote the walkthrough.
~ Introduction ~
- Released in 2000, Majora's Mask was the much awaited sequel to Ocarina
of Time (1998), one of the best games in video game history. While it
wasn't what everyone was expecting, it stands tall as an intricate and
enticing game with a lot of stand alone flavor and new perspectives on
what had already been introduced.
~ Graphics [8/10] ~
- Because this game is a direct sequel, using the same graphics engine
and the like, there are a lot of similarities between it and its
predecessor. This is the only game (with the exception of the Oracle
Series, obviously) to do so.
- Nintendo did a lot with it, making a lot of the colors much more
lively and outlandish to fit the Termina theme. The lighting effects are
astounding and much more realistic. Walking by a torch really lights up
the area and there isn't much natural lighting in caves and the like
(other than your fairy). Luckily, little time is spent underground, so
this annoyance doesn't hinder your gameplay for the most part (i.e.
having an entire "dark" dungeon).
- Although everything is much prettier in this game, there are some
things that really bugged me. For example, the phasing out (blurry
moments) that occurred often during movies. Although it did make the
game feel disorienting, it didn't add much flavor, only made things hard
to make out. Every time I'd see it coming, I'd groan, "Not the stupid
blurriness again!"
- A lot of the same models were used in this game, which is
understandable due to the fact that it would take them nearly a day to
create a new one. Several of them have more expressions and fluid
movements. They aren't always standing in one place (walking animations)
which is a very cool addition as well.
- I'd have to say though, if you were looking to play this game and
don't feel like purchasing an Expansion Pack (upgrades some of the
graphics), you're not missing too much. With a little choppy animation
and lack of the blurriness (YES!) the game is still quite playable and
in some cases, preferred. There are times though, when the colors really
are quite enhanced. I'm not too nitpicky about graphics though, so it
doesn't bug me too much. I'd rather be able to see in those dark areas
than have my feet shadow correctly.
~ Sound & Music [7/10] ~
- As with all of the games in the series, the music is superb. The theme
for the Last 6 Hours before the Moon falls is simply beautiful and
certainly captures the mood. Everything has been form fitted (very
nicely) to this strange new land where birds steal your swords and some
invisible dude wants your help.
- The new Ocarina songs can get fairly annoying from being played so
much, such as the Song of Soaring and the Song of Double Time. Also,
Nintendo seriously got lazy with the theme song for each of the areas
because it's the exact same, just had the "instruments" revamped to fit
the theme. I miss the old Ocarina of Time teleportation songs (because
you mixed and matched them regularly).
- The characters (and even enemies) had a lot more sounds, such as
grunts, chuckles, the works. It truly made the experience much more
entertaining and interesting.
~ Gameplay [9/10] ~
- One of the main differences in this game is that everything is forced
into merely three days, after which the world is doomed. In order to save
it, you must return to the past with the aid of your invaluable item
from the previous title: the Ocarina of Time.
- Unfortunately, there are only four temples in the entire game, which
makes the game far shorter. To make up for this, there are lots of
side quests that will reward you with the many more Pieces of Heart
available due to the lack of boss battles. The Bosses were much more
interesting, had more attacks and animations. All around, they were
harder and engaging, which made the whole experience more memorable.
There are two or three mini-bosses for each temple as well, which is an
amazing addition.
- The dungeons in this game were far better than in Ocarina of Time.
They were innovative and relied more on almost cinematic advancements
than small keys and moveable blocks like the previous titles. I should
mention though, because of the lack of temples, there are many more
quests outside that you have to complete before being able to even enter
each of the temples. Taking us out of the dank rooms of the dungeons is
quite a feat, although it can feel rather pointless trying to help a
ranch girl from aliens or silencing a baby Goron's tears when the moon
is about to fall.
- One of the major aspects of this game is that the masks now have many
mystical powers and abilities. This was hinted at in the previous title,
but you never got to explore this. Now there is an entire section in
your subscreen devoted just to masks, most of which merely aided in the
collection of Heart Pieces or to progress through the game. This was an
interesting addition in that you got items often. You rarely went with a
stretch where you didn't feel like you were earning anything and you
could always tell how far you have progressed through the game by merely
pressing Start.
- The beauty of this is that you can decide whether to just skim through
the game or collect everything you can. In a way, this is where the game
fails for the average gamer who just wants to play the temples. This
game requires lots of waiting around and the action is spared for
special occasions in a sense.
- This greater reliance on items was a good and bad thing. In each
dungeon and mini-dungeon, you were forced to press Start repeatedly to
change your (C) Buttons for almost every room. This is good in that it
added variety, but there's just so many items and not enough time to
accurately use them all.
- The controls in the previous title were a little choppy here and
there, but they have since been refined. There was also a lot of
switching between "A" and "B" being the action/cancel button depending
on which item you were using or mask you were wearing. Although this did
come natural after a little while, it strayed from the system set in
stone and was slightly confusing at first.
~ Plot & Interaction [9/10] ~
- The storyline for this game is strangely creepy as well as quite
depressing. Not only is the world doomed, but each task you complete
will amount to nothing because for the people you helped, it never
happened. While you get items and masks to prove you have completed it,
you can't help but feel saddened and nostalgic seeing the same people
going about their lives aware of the fact they will die in three days.
- Because of this unique twist, you really felt connected with each of
the characters you help. It's unfortunate there isn't more depth to
everyone in the game, but the select few you do help certainly leave an
impression.
- The Bosses in this game seemed a little forced. Most of them had only
one way to truly defeat them, an entirely different gameplay mechanic
than the rest of them. An examples of this would include Goht (Snowhead
Temple) using the Goron Mask to roll after him and Twinmold (Stone Tower
Temple) using the Giant's Mask to slash them to bits. While this is
interesting and new, it also seems kind of patched together and
certainly gets old when you need to beat the same bosses over again to
complete other quests.
- One thing this game succeeded at was to take a deeper look at the
individual races of Hyrule/Termina; notably the Deku, Goron, Zora and
even the undead! The four Transformation Masks allowed you to see the
world from new perspectives, from the way characters treated you to the
way you battled, each had a different vibe that flavored the game. While
it may not be as "epic" and "big" as its predecessor was, it has what
Ocarina of Time didn't: a deeper look at the world and the characters
living in it.
- Beating areas in this game was a little more vindicating because new
possibilities opened up, such as mini-games. The only exception to this
would be Stone Tower, where nothing changed at all (other than Gibdos
leaving).
- The characters in this game all have specific schedules and walk
around the town. At first, it can be a little overwhelming comprehending
how to complete all of the quests and see everyone, but it is certainly
possible. To aid you in this feat, you are quickly given a journal to
keep track of them called the Bomber's Notebook. It definitely added a
sense of completion and made it much easier to complete quests. Also,
with Link's new facial features, it helps to bring the sense that he's
actually helping people, like the hero he's made out to be.
~ In The End [8.25/10] ~
- While I would have preferred more music, we were still introduced to
more beautifully conducted pieces and presented with new graphics to
drop jaws of those closely familiar with the previous title. The new
control schemes were excellent, if a little awkward. Nintendo brought
this world to life in a unique way and absorbed you into the lives of
the NPCs that stood around aimlessly before.
- To summarize: Majora is a wonderful game for those patient enough
relive the same three days over and over again. While it may fall short
for the average gamer who merely wants to play through temples, killing
baddies, it opens up new puzzle opportunities and intricate looks at the
characters living in this virtual world. It is one of my favored games
and its temple puzzles will hold a dear place in my heart compared to
some others in the series.
