Please don't jump down my throat about this until you read and consider my entire post. And before I go any further, let me say that I am not talking about voice acting. Just dialogue boxes. Also, it has a spoiler tag because I give an example using a scene from the end of Majora's Mask that would be considered a big spoiler.
I've always felt that Link having dialogue would add to the depth of the particular game. Link having a personality would certainly help with this as well. These things would help make The Legend of Zelda an epic tale rather than part role-playing game. I understand that some people prefer to cast themselves as Link when they play the games, and I respect that. But let me just say this... Why does a character having dialogue and a set personality have to stop you from giving that character your own made up dialogue and personality in your head? It certainly doesn't stop me.
At times when I play through a Zelda game I've already beaten, I like to give some NPC's, and of course Link, new personalities and dialogue in my head in order to have a little fun with the playthrough. Those of you who adore the "Link Between the Player and the Game" aspect of the series, consider this: Even though Link would have a set personality and dialogue, that doesn't mean that you can't ignore it and make up your own dialogue and personality for him in your head. I do this all the time with NPC's, and Link too of course. Do you think that, if you learned to do this, you'd be willing to accept a Link who has a set personality and his own dialogue? Also, have you ever considered just how much deeper the Zelda games would be if Link could talk? Here, let me write up a quick example for you:
Don't you think the Zelda games would be so much more touching and deep if Link could say things like that? I certainly do. And like I said earlier, just because characters have their own personality and dialogue doesn't mean your imagination can't take those over. Even if Link could say things like that, or say anything at all, really, it shouldn't stop your imagination from working. All you have to do is ignore the dialogue and input your own made up dialogue in it's place when you read it. And, you can ignore a character's personality and input your own made up personality in it's place when you interact with them. It's as simple as that.
So, what do you all think of this? I hope I've gotten some people to really think about how they feel about Link having dialogue. And I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I respect all your opinions. All I'm trying to do is give you something to think about, and to show you that Link having dialogue wouldn't exactly be the end of the (Zelda) world as we know it. Thanks for reading!
I've always felt that Link having dialogue would add to the depth of the particular game. Link having a personality would certainly help with this as well. These things would help make The Legend of Zelda an epic tale rather than part role-playing game. I understand that some people prefer to cast themselves as Link when they play the games, and I respect that. But let me just say this... Why does a character having dialogue and a set personality have to stop you from giving that character your own made up dialogue and personality in your head? It certainly doesn't stop me.
At times when I play through a Zelda game I've already beaten, I like to give some NPC's, and of course Link, new personalities and dialogue in my head in order to have a little fun with the playthrough. Those of you who adore the "Link Between the Player and the Game" aspect of the series, consider this: Even though Link would have a set personality and dialogue, that doesn't mean that you can't ignore it and make up your own dialogue and personality for him in your head. I do this all the time with NPC's, and Link too of course. Do you think that, if you learned to do this, you'd be willing to accept a Link who has a set personality and his own dialogue? Also, have you ever considered just how much deeper the Zelda games would be if Link could talk? Here, let me write up a quick example for you:
~Majora's Mask~
After Link plays the Oath to Order and summons the Four Giants, the moon stops. Skull Kid collapses, and Tatl scolds him for all the bad things he's done. While Tael is trying to explain what the situation really was, Majora's Mask awakens and tosses Skull Kid away like trash, and then continues to pull the moon down to earth. The Giants begin to stuggle, and things are not looking good for our heroes. The evil Mask flees to the inside of the moon. As the moon continues to gain the upper hand against the Giants, Tatl panics.
"Link, hurry!! Play the Song of Time! The Song of Time!!", Tatl screamed.
Link remained silent.
"Link, what are you doing?! Come on, hurry up and play the song!!!", she yelled.
"... No.", Link said quietly.
"What?! No?!?", Tatl exclaimmed in shock. "Why not?!"
"Don't you see, Tatl?", Link began. "This is our chance to stop this! We have to follow him into the moon!"
"You want us to go in THERE?! Are you crazy?!", she shouted. "What can we even do, anyway? Not even the Giants can stop this!! How can we?"
"We have to try.", Link said. "I'm not giving up."
"Link...", Tatl said quietly.
"We can't give up!!", Link shouted. "No matter what was thrown at us... No matter what challenges we've faced... We always came out on top. Tatl, we can do it. We HAVE to do it! We can't afford to give up! Not with so much at stake!! We can't just quit when this world is about to be destroyed!!"
"Link this isn't even your world! Why do you care so much?", Tatl asked.
Link lowered his head. "... You're right. This isn't my world. These aren't my people. But still..." Link raised his head and said, "But still, none of that matters! I don't care if this isn't my world! I still care about what happens to it! I don't care if these aren't my people! I won't just let them die like this!!"
"Link...!", Tatl breathed.
"Besides...", Link began. "I've made too many friends here. I'm not gonna let them down! I'm going to fight for them, and protect them!!" Then at the top of his voice, Link said, "There's no way I can abondon my friends!!!"
Tatl stared at the boy in amazement. "You really are reckless, you know that?", she said. Tatl paused for a moment, and then said "But then, I guess that's what I like about you! All right then! Let's go save this world!!"
Link nodded and said, "Right!"
And with that, the two of them entered the vortex that would take them inside the moon.
After Link plays the Oath to Order and summons the Four Giants, the moon stops. Skull Kid collapses, and Tatl scolds him for all the bad things he's done. While Tael is trying to explain what the situation really was, Majora's Mask awakens and tosses Skull Kid away like trash, and then continues to pull the moon down to earth. The Giants begin to stuggle, and things are not looking good for our heroes. The evil Mask flees to the inside of the moon. As the moon continues to gain the upper hand against the Giants, Tatl panics.
"Link, hurry!! Play the Song of Time! The Song of Time!!", Tatl screamed.
Link remained silent.
"Link, what are you doing?! Come on, hurry up and play the song!!!", she yelled.
"... No.", Link said quietly.
"What?! No?!?", Tatl exclaimmed in shock. "Why not?!"
"Don't you see, Tatl?", Link began. "This is our chance to stop this! We have to follow him into the moon!"
"You want us to go in THERE?! Are you crazy?!", she shouted. "What can we even do, anyway? Not even the Giants can stop this!! How can we?"
"We have to try.", Link said. "I'm not giving up."
"Link...", Tatl said quietly.
"We can't give up!!", Link shouted. "No matter what was thrown at us... No matter what challenges we've faced... We always came out on top. Tatl, we can do it. We HAVE to do it! We can't afford to give up! Not with so much at stake!! We can't just quit when this world is about to be destroyed!!"
"Link this isn't even your world! Why do you care so much?", Tatl asked.
Link lowered his head. "... You're right. This isn't my world. These aren't my people. But still..." Link raised his head and said, "But still, none of that matters! I don't care if this isn't my world! I still care about what happens to it! I don't care if these aren't my people! I won't just let them die like this!!"
"Link...!", Tatl breathed.
"Besides...", Link began. "I've made too many friends here. I'm not gonna let them down! I'm going to fight for them, and protect them!!" Then at the top of his voice, Link said, "There's no way I can abondon my friends!!!"
Tatl stared at the boy in amazement. "You really are reckless, you know that?", she said. Tatl paused for a moment, and then said "But then, I guess that's what I like about you! All right then! Let's go save this world!!"
Link nodded and said, "Right!"
And with that, the two of them entered the vortex that would take them inside the moon.
Don't you think the Zelda games would be so much more touching and deep if Link could say things like that? I certainly do. And like I said earlier, just because characters have their own personality and dialogue doesn't mean your imagination can't take those over. Even if Link could say things like that, or say anything at all, really, it shouldn't stop your imagination from working. All you have to do is ignore the dialogue and input your own made up dialogue in it's place when you read it. And, you can ignore a character's personality and input your own made up personality in it's place when you interact with them. It's as simple as that.
So, what do you all think of this? I hope I've gotten some people to really think about how they feel about Link having dialogue. And I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I respect all your opinions. All I'm trying to do is give you something to think about, and to show you that Link having dialogue wouldn't exactly be the end of the (Zelda) world as we know it. Thanks for reading!