How important is storytelling in a Zelda game?

[Iridescence]

I believe that the gaming medium is getting stronger with stories and has potential, but at the same time, games are still entertainment.

I agree that some storytelling is necessary. There needs to be a purpose for doing what you're doing. But at the same time, I wouldn't consider it just as important as gameplay (like I used to). I think of it like music. If a song has a catchy beat but filler lyrics, it's still fun to listen to. But if a song had profound lyrics but it wasn't very pleasing sonically, it would be a total no-go.

For example, Majora's Mask had great character driven stories, but side quests are still as fun as... well... side quests. Link's Awakening had excellent storytelling, but as a short dungeon-hop game with an overworld that's not convenient to navigate through, I wouldn't necessary call it more fun as the Oracles.

 

[ReveredPartisan]

Try all you might, you'll never find an answer. It's entirely subjective.

One of the reasons I oppose the statement "artstyle doesn't matter" is because it's just flat out incorrect. Artstyle does matter; you can play a game for an aesthetic just as you can for gamplay, or for a narrative, etc. You play the games you do because you see in them what you are personally drawn to-- others should not dictate the nature of your interest.

For those reasons, I can really only answer this from a personal standpoint-- and that would be that, to me, story is very important-- to me, Zelda isn't Zelda without one. At once, I'm both very happy with the increased emphasis on storytelling we've seen in recent years, and concerned that all of this progress will be pushed to the side in the name of reinvention in Zelda U. That's not to say there aren't a million things that make "Zelda" "Zelda," nor that tracing the franchise back to its roots won't be a good idea-- but 25 years of continuous progress has got to be worth something... Right?

 

[Iridescence]

Just like artstyle, to me, story matters. It's just not the end-all-be-all.

 

[DarkestLink]

Zelda has never been big on story, but it's nice to have.

 

[Jamie]

Storytelling for me is not very important. While I like to have a good story, has any Zelda game ever had a good story? I don't think so. As long as the dungeons are fun, the bosses are cool, the puzzles are hard and there is minimal fetching, I'll enjoy the game.

 

[Dio]

Storytelling for me is every bit as important as gameplay. If the story is enjoyable and captivates me I have even been know to play a game when I dislike the gameplay outright, like FF13.
That was a very beautiful game aesthetically and that also contributed to my enjoyment, so in my view, art style matters.
If there wasn't a captivating story I literally wouldn't want to play most games outside of just timewasting on my phone. When I play a game I want to be immersed in another world and having a good story keeps me going.
Its that perfect blend of captivating world, story and aesthetics that makes a great game great.

 

[Beauts]

Storytelling is very important to me in a game. It gives me a 'reason' to be playing the game.

 

[Lusoric]

I used to skip story points and hate unskippable cut scenes because i just wanted to play, TV and Movies was for the story. Now as i grow older I've found the story in games to be more captivating. Skyward Sword is one of my favorite LoZ games simply because the story and the great character designs, personalities, and development. Some characters didn't have the same personality beginning to end, some of them changed. I don't remember seeing much of that in the older LoZ games and i'm looking forward to that happening more in the future. Hopefully with Zelda U.

Forgot to answer the question

I think it's unimportant. Like you don't NEED it to have fun but i think it makes it all the better if it does

 

[Snow Queen]

I think it's not very important at all. Since Zelda has never once had a good story, I don't know why it has one in the first place. In Zelda 1, there was no story unless you waited oon the title screen, and even that seemed like nothing.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

Well the first time I play a game I don't mind watching cutscences. Plots in some of the games are decent, I don't know why you all are saying that no zelda game ever had a good story. I mean maybe the stories aren't as good as they could be, but in games like OoT, WW, and TP they aren't bad.

 

[T. Strudel]

I like an in-depth narrative.


Like DOOM

 

[Salem]

Very little, in fact there should always be an option to skip them.