Why a New 'Darker' LoZ Would Do Well

[Rytex]

As a fan of all things sadism and darkness, I would be interested to see another dark Zelda game. From what I've come to see, the prime time to release a darker game is after three "light" games, if you will. Twilight Princess was definitely dark, whereas Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks were definitely happy and light. Well, I would go ahead and place Skyward Sword on the Light side too, and not just because of the looks and semi-silliness, particularly at the beginning. The general plot was a lot more of a light plot than Twilight Princess or Majora's Mask. And look at the mood of MM. The mood was death, dark, and dreary, while the graphics were copies of OoT, which was very life-like and happy. Twilight Princess... that's a different story.

But I think it's a good time to make a darker Zelda game, and even better, make it for Wii U as the console launcher. I have a feeling it would sell really well and be really good.

 

[Echo]

i would love zelda to have a dark atmosphere just to mix things up a bit more

 

[Spirit]

Nintendo need to cut loose and start shooting for the spiritual successor to Majora's Mask rather than trying to outdo Ocarina with every home console outing.

Dancing with two semi naked sisters in the middle of a plaza for all to see while wearing a mask that made you appear as if you had no face is a much more memorable experience than trying to fly a big red bird towards a beam of light... I don't think Nintendo will give us a 'dark' Zelda game anytime soon though. The best I can hope for is for Operation Moonfall to come into fruition.

 

[Ventus]

Well played, Spiritofzant, well played. However, the Loftwing experience wasn't all that bad, was it? I can't say either experiences (meaning, the Rosa Sisters and flying around the Sky) were particularly memorable experiences for me, though if I had to pick one over the other it would definitely be the Rosa Sisters in HD/3D [MM remake for Wii U? /trollface].

 

[Spirit]

They were just examples off of the top of my head but I could mention anything from MM and SS and still favour MM everytime, MM was the better game. The Loftwing wasn't all that bad but i still hated it, there was very little do to, granted there was very little to do while sailing in the Wind Waker but it did feel like a journey and adventure, the Loftwing didn't really serve a very important purpose other than flying in a straight line. MM was smaller and still did much more than SS did in it's entirety. I'd also like to see Fierce Deity make a return.

To me MM is the only 'dark' Zelda game the series has seen. I don't view Twilight Princess as being a dark game. to me it was melancholy, not dark. I think the time is right for Nintendo to innovate again in the way they did with MM, keep the surrealist style and deliver a wholly new experience like the gave us in MM while still keeping the core gameplay and structure that makes Zelda games what they are, rather than shaking things up just a little like they did in SS, which being honest wasn't much at all.

Wouldn't it be lovely if MM one-upped OoT and got remade for the Wii U while OoT just got the 3DS treatment... one can dream.

 

[TheWind]

SS is just too childish with those cartooning graphics. Tp is probably the best graphics in a zelda game.

Questions:
Did you hate WW's graphics as well?
Are cartoons only for children?
While TP's graphics were great, do you think such realistic visuals are suitable for such an unrealistic fairy tale?

 

[Ventus]

Well, in reality, there was very little sadness going on in TP. The biggest 'moments' I can count are...well, Midna's longing to return to her previous status as ruler of the Twilight Realm, and of course Link wanting to fix Ilia's memory of things. I can't think of anything else. Zelda being locked away in her castle? She never seemed to be discontent. Hyrule as a whole? I'm pretty sure they functioned like they normally would, besides having Shadow Beasts waiting outside their walls. I doubt they even knew of Ganondorf, who I believe was always situated in Hyrule Castle (I've no sources to confirm this) from the start of Zant's invasion. Eh, I'm going of on tangent somewhere in this paragraph.

I wholly agree, Nintendo could deliver us something like with MM. However, along with realistic characters, I would also love to have a villain that actually makes sense. Don't get me wrong, I loved Majora, however we knew absolutely NOTHING about him/her/it. What was its drive to destroy the world? Why did it have such an annoying screechy scream? Why, why, WHY?! So again, if we could get a villain alike that of Caius Ballad from Final Fantasy XIII-2 – one with clear motives, an air of badassery, and an amazing design coupled with completely great actions (impale Zelda just like Caius did Serah/Noel), I believe it would make for one of the best Zeldas ever.

Knowing Nintendo, and knowing that Ocarina of Time is what it is...I don't think it's too farfetched to say that they *might* give OoT the WiiU treatment. After all, it's in every Nintendo fan's hopes and dreams to see Ocarina fully realized in HD glory. Realistic graphics and all that, just like what we thought it was back in the 64 days.

While TP's graphics were great, do you think such realistic visuals are suitable for such an unrealistic fairy tale?

To say Zelda is unrealistic is to say Prince Arthur is unrealistic. Amazing visuals such as TP (for HD screens, I implore you to see ZD user blubb's siggy) could definitely work for Zelda. After all, Twilight Princess proved that, Nintendo could take it a step further.

 

[TheWind]

Well, in reality, there was very little sadness going on in TP. The biggest 'moments' I can count are...well, Midna's longing to return to her previous status as ruler of the Twilight Realm, and of course Link wanting to fix Ilia's memory of things. I can't think of anything else. Zelda being locked away in her castle? She never seemed to be discontent. Hyrule as a whole? I'm pretty sure they functioned like they normally would, besides having Shadow Beasts waiting outside their walls. I doubt they even knew of Ganondorf, who I believe was always situated in Hyrule Castle (I've no sources to confirm this) from the start of Zant's invasion. Eh, I'm going of on tangent somewhere in this paragraph.

I wholly agree, Nintendo could deliver us something like with MM. However, along with realistic characters, I would also love to have a villain that actually makes sense. Don't get me wrong, I loved Majora, however we knew absolutely NOTHING about him/her/it. What was its drive to destroy the world? Why did it have such an annoying screechy scream? Why, why, WHY?! So again, if we could get a villain alike that of Caius Ballad from Final Fantasy XIII-2 – one with clear motives, an air of badassery, and an amazing design coupled with completely great actions (impale Zelda just like Caius did Serah/Noel), I believe it would make for one of the best Zeldas ever.

Knowing Nintendo, and knowing that Ocarina of Time is what it is...I don't think it's too farfetched to say that they *might* give OoT the WiiU treatment. After all, it's in every Nintendo fan's hopes and dreams to see Ocarina fully realized in HD glory. Realistic graphics and all that, just like what we thought it was back in the 64 days.

To say Zelda is unrealistic is to say Prince Arthur is unrealistic. Amazing visuals such as TP (for HD screens, I implore you to see ZD user blubb's siggy) could definitely work for Zelda. After all, Twilight Princess proved that, Nintendo could take it a step further.

I think the clarity of Majora gives MM just an even greater feeling of dread and urgency. The whole game you have absolutely no idea what Majora is and what it is capable of, thus inducing that much more fear. We know what Ganon is capable of. He turns into a pig.... Gosh I'm shiverin' in me timbers

To say Zelda is unrealistic is to say Prince Arthur is unrealistic. Amazing visuals such as TP (for HD screens, I implore you to see ZD user blubb's siggy) could definitely work for Zelda. After all, Twilight Princess proved that, Nintendo could take it a step further.

Well, what you think proved that the graphics worked, I think proved that they didn't work, we all have our opinions(wahoo). Also I don't quite know what you mean with the whole Prince Arthur thing.

 

[8skar]

Majora's Mask was the darkest zelda game by far, I'd like another zelda game like that.

 

[Spirit]

Well, in reality, there was very little sadness going on in TP. The biggest 'moments' I can count are...well, Midna's longing to return to her previous status as ruler of the Twilight Realm, and of course Link wanting to fix Ilia's memory of things. I can't think of anything else. Zelda being locked away in her castle? She never seemed to be discontent. Hyrule as a whole? I'm pretty sure they functioned like they normally would, besides having Shadow Beasts waiting outside their walls. I doubt they even knew of Ganondorf, who I believe was always situated in Hyrule Castle (I've no sources to confirm this) from the start of Zant's invasion. Eh, I'm going of on tangent somewhere in this paragraph.

I didn't mean the story was sad/melancholy or anything like that, i just meant, for me, the general feel of it seemed a bit downbeat, weathered and lonely. The overworld was huge and there were only really two or three places where I didn't feel alone, Castle Town and Kakariko Village (and maybe Zora's Domain). The opening cinematic is a good example of what i mean, the setting sun, the haunting music and the only living thing in the vast scenery is Link, I guess that kind of thing makes me feel a bit melancholy, i didn't feel like that in Ocarina. But to each his own. For 'darkness' though i'll still say that TP is further down the list than second since the Dampe scenes and the re-dead in castle town after the seven year sleep in OoT felt a whole lot darker than anything in TP.

Ocarina is like FF7, with every new console people would love to see a remake in glorious HD etc. I don't think it'd happen but would love it to. Though Sony did just give Silent Hill the HD remake treatment maybe Nintendo will follow but probably not. Even though like an HD ff7 remake, an OoT remake would sell well.

 

[Zeldafan777]

The brilliant dark atmospheric feel to TP is something I definitely want to see again. Skyward Sword was so different to TP for me, it completely lost that feeling. I think the Wii U is the perfect console to introduce a new Zelda with a dark feel to it. It would be a treat for long-time Zelda fans, but I disagree that it would sell well. Because of Nintendo's reputation of not producing many mature games, I don't think a darker Zelda title would attract new gamers to the franchise.

 

[Spirit]

The brilliant dark atmospheric feel to TP is something I definitely want to see again. Skyward Sword was so different to TP for me, it completely lost that feeling. I think the Wii U is the perfect console to introduce a new Zelda with a dark feel to it. It would be a treat for long-time Zelda fans, but I disagree that it would sell well. Because of Nintendo's reputation of not producing many mature games, I don't think a darker Zelda title would attract new gamers to the franchise.

I don't think it is a style thing that will attract new gamers to Zelda, i think its the fact that by now everyone knows what to expect form a Zelda game gameplay wise, and a lot of people don't like it, especially when the market has so many FPS games and 3rd person action games like Batman that play in very different ways to Zelda games and even more so now if Nintendo stick to the controls. I don't think anyone who didn't own a Wii bought one for SS, i don't think anyone cared aside from Zelda fans and those with a Wii smart enough to know that the game would be of a high quality (even though i really dislike SS). Though maybe it is a style thing.. no one cared about SS because they took one look at it and probably did think, 'ugh more childish nonsense' whereas TP has outsold OoT now in sales... perhaps because of the dark and serious tone.

For fans though i really agree that we would all probably lap up a dark Zelda game, i just hope Nintendo don't get confused and think dark means another TP, i think 'dark' for Zelda works best in a Majora's Mask kind of way. Surrealism and innovation that both pressures and confuses you.

 

[Ventus]

Ocarina is like FF7, with every new console people would love to see a remake in glorious HD etc. I don't think it'd happen but would love it to. Though Sony did just give Silent Hill the HD remake treatment maybe Nintendo will follow but probably not. Even though like an HD ff7 remake, an OoT remake would sell well.

Speaking of FF, S-E is making FFXHD, and I totally went "wtf, where is FF7HD?". Yeah, I was/am an FF7 fanboy. Anywho, it's Ocarina of Time. No matter what haters say, they still do have an affinity with the game, they're just trying to get attention. Very few of the Zelda population actually have some beef with OoT, just the same like very few of the FF population truly hate FF7. OoTHD is a must have IMO, just not now (in a couple years, maybe?)

The brilliant dark atmospheric feel to TP is something I definitely want to see again. Skyward Sword was so different to TP for me, it completely lost that feeling. I think the Wii U is the perfect console to introduce a new Zelda with a dark feel to it. It would be a treat for long-time Zelda fans, but I disagree that it would sell well. Because of Nintendo's reputation of not producing many mature games, I don't think a darker Zelda title would attract new gamers to the franchise.

A dark Zelda wouldn't be one with blood and what not, it would have the Majora's Mask feel to it (TP in my opinion just LOOKED dark. All of those dull browns and dark greens and yellows, it gave of the vibe of death but honestly I saw no death anywhere at all).

For a Wii U release, I'm looking for a cross between MM and TP – dark, realistic graphics with a dark, realistic theme to it. Sure, time travel doesn't appear to be realistic, because we can't do it at the moment, but I was referring to the aspects of the doom, helping others in serious times of grief and so on. With Majora's Mask, I felt like I was the one helping the people of Termina (fun fact, Termina comes from Terminus, which iirc means End or something similar), almost like I was doing some good deeds. With other Zelda games, except Ocarina, I felt like I was just controlling Link, watching him do his own actions. TP could've been like MM, however Nintendo fell short. I doubt they'll repeat with the Wii U, they can't.

 

[Spirit]

TP could've been like MM, however Nintendo fell short. I doubt they'll repeat with the Wii U, they can't.

I felt this too, when I saw the TP trailer with Wolf Link on the rooftops outside of Hyrule castle it looked great and those weird bird creatures that make awesome noises when you hit them... that with Midna, Zant and the Twilight realm told me we would have some Majora style craziness but we didn't, I really do feel as if Nintendo missed a trick there, it could have been so much better if they'd gone all out with the story. It probably would have helped with the plot too since TP just felt like one thing after another...

I'd also like to see an angrier Link, or at least a more desperate one. I think nintendo could do this quite easily form a design point of view. Take the Tekken series, a lot of the way the characters reacted to certain moves were all the same, then Tekken 6 appeared and the engine was different, the character reacted differently but the gameplay didn't change, i think this would be good for a Zelda game to do especially a darker one, the Link in SS felt as if he had a metal rod in his back, only his limbs seemed to move.. i think a new Link would benefit from new motions etc.. just to give it a little more realism in a dark and desperate time, like Shadow of the colossus for another example, that guy wasn't too sure on his feet but got the job done.

That being said even if Nintendo pull another 'light' Zelda game they really need to step it up. We've only had 5 3D Zeldas and already they're getting dull to play.

 

[Deeds]

Questions:
Did you hate WW's graphics as well?
Are cartoons only for children?
While TP's graphics were great, do you think such realistic visuals are suitable for such an unrealistic fairy tale?

Who says LoZ is a fairy tale? o_0
Realistic visuals are suitable for anything, just because the concept isn't very realistic (I think it is) doesn't mean the graphics have to be realistic. Right?