Zelda: Ocarina of Time

[Tr3vor]

I've had this game for like a year now, and I cannot see why people just say its 10/10. I think its like a 8/10 for me. I want to like it, but I just don't, and I don't know why...

 

What do you guys think about Ocarina of Time? Do you think its really that good?

If there is a game that should get ~10/10 it would be Banjo-Kazooie, not zelda.

[xg4bx]

i had it when it was a new release and didn't like it back then, i still don't like it now. zelda died for me when it went 3D, LttP was the best game in the series.

 

the only explanation for Ocarina's "legendary" status: zelda fanboys.

[108 Stars]

OoT is overrated imo too.

Last year I was at a retro event and talked about the game to a few people who (like me) did not play it until recent years.

And everyone agreed that it was... a bit dull.

 

It is by no means a bad game. But it is quite obvious that it still is from the early days of 3D. The controls, praised back in the days show just how much the handling of characters in 3D enviroments has improved since then.

The landscapes, a big deal for their far sight back then now look barren and lifeless. Where Zelda III on SNES had vibrant colors, OoT has somewhat depressing brownish green. The old problem of the N64, the mip mapping to soften textures just makes the game look smudgy. Together with the depressing colors it looks like a rainy day in fall.

 

There is too much walking and backtracking, also hindered by the mediocre controls and camera movement that lets you fall of ledges quite frequently when you run through some of the more interesting towns and dungeons.

 

It´s just never so tight and entertaining as the previous game.

 

 

I think a huge part of the great ratings back in the day were for one because of the hype and love for Zelda in general... and because of the great graphics for the time. But beyond this, while still okay, is a game that just can´t keep up with the great predecessor.

 

Technology is something you get used to, and as it advanced further this aspect just does not play in OoT´s favor anymore. Only those who played it back in the 90ies can still feel its greatness because of their memories... but if you go at it unbiased there are just better games.

[mbd30]

Like all N64 games I've played, I got tired of it less than halfway through.

 

On the other hand, I've beat "A Link To The Past" multiple times.

 

I think people were dazzled by the 3D at the time. 3D doesn't necessarily mean "better".

 

But I should give it another chance someday.

[StoneAgeGamer]

I don't know about 10/10, but it was a great game for the time. However, I am someone who also loved Shenmue as well and I know there are a ton of people who hated that game.

[Horst]

Wind Waker is a better game, its like playing a cartoon and its not overly long although the ending is not the best it runs out of steam. Link To The Past was probably the last great Zelda game. OOT in my opinion has not stood up well over time.

[godslabrat]

OOT, when it was released, was the first new Zelda game in almost 5 years. That, combined with the fact that it was on a new system and featured new gameplay, and was delayed a million times raised expectations to absurd proportions. I think a lot of people kind of play into their own expectations rather than admit the game has some faults.

 

Call it the "Phantom Menace" effect.

 

Again, it's by no means a bad game. It's actually a very good game. But in a franchise made of nothing but good games, it does not rise to the status of "Best of the Best". LTTP, Wind Waker, Link's Awakening, even the Oracle games or Majora's Mask are all better Zelda games and better games in general. And it's missing the Overworld theme. W T F was up with that?

[Austin]

Trevor, your tastes are weird. Shit, you don't like most popular NES and SNES games that others rave about. Why question this one?

 

Seriously though, this one may have been amazing when it came out, but it doesn't hold up as well thanks to things like framerate dips. It's still a fun game though, probably shouldn't be missed by any gamer that likes a good adventure.. but that's the case with a lot of great 3D games from the mid '90s.

[JPjuice23]

Any game that is said to be the greatest will be called overrated.

 

There's no such thing as the #1 greatest video game, since there are always a minority who doesn't like it, and will call it overrated.

 

I believe it earns a 10/10, but that's just me.

[godslabrat]

Any game that is said to be the greatest will be called overrated.

 

There's no such thing as the #1 greatest video game, since there are always a minority who doesn't like it, and will call it overrated.

 

I believe it earns a 10/10, but that's just me.

 

I can see your point, but I would have trouble believing anyone who said that Tetris wasn't a 10/10. Maybe not their personal game of choice, but the concept is like chocolate.

[+swlovinist]

Any game that is said to be the greatest will be called overrated.

 

There's no such thing as the #1 greatest video game, since there are always a minority who doesn't like it, and will call it overrated.

 

I believe it earns a 10/10, but that's just me.

 

 

Agree with this statement. The game is great, and has stood up over time as being fun. You have to take a hard look at ones own bias when truly looking at the game. I have observed that ones own preference can determine whether or not a game is deemed "worthy" of the 10/10 score. We all have our opinions of what a 10/10 game is, and have disagreements on other games that were rated 10/10. We are all guilty of it. I for one think that Rouge Squadron on the N64 is one of the best games on the system. I did not really care for Banjo Kazooie, but LOVED Zelda OOT.

[Atariboy]

I loved Ocarina of Time at the time and still do.

 

It's my second favorite Zelda (Link to the Past edges it out ever so sligtly), it's my favorite N64 game, and would likely find a spot in my top 10 list of favorites if I were able to narrow it down to just 10.

 

It's certainly not perfection like some reviewers claimed in 1998, but it remains a great game to this day and is about as close to a 10/10 that any game could be.

 

I can't wait to play a remake of it on a handheld game system.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Atariboy

[MagitekAngel]

I think it's a great game. As worthy of a ten as any other, there is no perfect game.

[Lord Helmet]

Its not a 10/10 but its a fun Zelda game. It pales in comparison to ALTTP though. That's probably my favorite game of all time.

[StanJr]

Love OoT and think it is one of the top Zelda games, (but I think most Zelda games are winners). I can easily give it a run through every so often, much like LttP.

[Emehr]

My first experience with Ocarina was on the Gamecube with the Windwaker pre-order disc. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'd have a hard time naming the faults of the game to bring it down to an 8/10. But then again, I don't like numeric rating scores to begin with.

[Tr3vor]

My first experience with Ocarina was on the Gamecube with the Windwaker pre-order disc. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'd have a hard time naming the faults of the game to bring it down to an 8/10. But then again, I don't like numeric rating scores to begin with.

 

 

I'll give you one, a camera thats a pain in the butt. I know there isn't enough buttons on the n64 controller for the camera *cough d-pad cough* It has tendancy (for me) to zoom way too close to link's head to know where I'm going in some dungeons. and sometimes it gets behind crap so I can't see.

 

I'm not a fan of 3d zelda games in general, but oot is the worst of them, but its still a good game, but not the 10/10, 100% or whatever they give it.

[Algus]

I never have seen what was so great about it myself. Don't get me wrong I think it is a VERY GOOD GAME and I have played through it several times. Plenty of atmosphere and mood for me. I don't think it beats the classic Zeldas though which had more interesting worlds (I hate how there is a GIANT FIELD with just stuff attached to it...boo!) and better controls. I think the controls are really awkward in OoT, especially when similar games like Mystical Ninja starring Goemon got them just right (well Goemon is a little loose, but meh)

 

I hate the camera, the way "jumps" work and really just laters and look around and stuff. The approach is needlessly backwards though that may be partly because the N64 controller is needlessly obtuse. It is definitely a great game but whenever people say "best game ever" I think, "hell it wasn't even the best game on the N64"

[per]

I didn't play OoT before some years ago. I grew up in the late N64/PS1 age, but my family never bought any console so I really had no ability to play it as a kid. Certaly *Hey!* some friends had it, but SuperMario64 was the only common thing which was worth playin if you only had an hour or two to spare during a visit.

 

I also have to say that I haven't showed too much *Listen!* interest into the Zelda series in the past either; mostly because I didn't know about it. The first game I completed (with walkthrough ) was the GameBoy games, then I ran through the original NES game (also with Walkthrough). I took a long break from the zelda games due to other interests, and Then I *Hey!* decided to try OoT (without walkthough as I started to realize that it kind of ruined the experience of playing the games).

 

I came all the way to the room outside where the final battle were to take place, then the summer vacation ended and I got a ton of schoolwork to care about. I eventually *Hey!* tried aLttP, but I never found it as spectacular as people says it should be. I got a Wii some years ago, and in fact; the only Zelda-game I have personally compleeted is Twilight Princess.

 

---

 

There are two things in OoT I really like. The first ting I noticed was how "dynamic" *Listen!* all the movements were. It's not like Mario64 where arms and legs move fixed and mechanically as if Mario was a robot. Those dynamic movments make the characters look way more life-like and people can much easier recognize and personalize their character then. This helps the story a lot, which is the other thing which is quite awesome about the game. I say "quite awesome" because it starts of flawlessly exellent, *Hey!* but into the game it becomes a little too obivous and cliche. It could have been improved a lot if they relayed more correctly on parts of the story revealed in earlier games and planned for the later games; it *Listen!* really looks like they didn't plan or agree on the timeline at all (which I guess was fact back then).

 

The graphics are done quite well, with respect to the hardware limitations. It doesn't look as bright and colorfull as aLttP, but the real world isn't that colorfull either. I would say that aLttP is more artistic while OoT tries to be more realistic.

 

Having played aLttP after OoT, I am quite annoyed by *Listen!* the fact that very many game-elements in OoT is taken directly from aLttP. This includes the entire 2-world concept and the general plot. Traces of those game elements still remains in Twilight Princess, but they have been developed into something which is new enough to not feel like you are playing the same game over again.

 

Bottom line, it is a very good game, but not the *Hey!* best game I have played.

Edited December 25, 2010 by per

[Rikkarr]

I'm definietly blinded by nostalgia, as OoT was my second game (first was Diddy Kong Racing), but I think it's a fantastic game. It's not perfect, certainly not a 10/10, but besides Twilight Princess, it's probably my favorite Zelda game.

 

Last year when I got a SNES, I tried a Link to the Past, but I was pretty much bored senseless within 30 minutes (which is odd, because I LOVED NES Zelda and Link's Awakening on GB). I never grew up with a SNES or knew anyone with one, so this probably has something to do with it...

 

Anyways...

 

I'll say what everyone else is saying: OoT is a great game, but not the best game.

[nester]

I've always thought OOT was very overrated. I might give it a 7. I love just about all the other Zelda games and got this one soon after it came out. It didn't take me very long to realize that this game wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I still think that if the game was exactly the same but had a different lead character nobody would hold it in very high regard. There are so many little flaws (and a couple of major ones) that really bring it down. It feels like almost half of my posts are on this very topic. I've been talking about this for the last 13 years or so.