Skyward Sword = Best Zelda Game Ever?

[wilco64256]

http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1211616p1.html

That's a very interesting read.  If that really is the case, this may be a solid contender for that best game ever thread.  I really have yet to hear any complaints about this game at all from early reviewers beyond the unfortunate oddities that Miyamoto experienced when trying to show it off that first time.

All the videos look really cool, and people are saying that the motion controls work incredibly well.  I'm definitely going to be picking this one up release day (hopes for a midnight release).

[dark-daventry]

Well, it's also a contender for Game of the Year on the spike VGA's. I can tell you that my Gamestop won't be doing a midnight launch. We very seldom do midnight launches for Nintendo stuff. Even for Pokemon, we only did an early opening. And my manager won an award at the Manager's Conference for the highest sell-through of pokemon. Our gamestop is in an area where we get a LOT of kids, and hence a lot of pokemon reserves. We had a mother reserve five copies of both Black and White for her kids.

Anyway, Skyward Sword looks amazing. I'm skeptical on whether it can beat out Ocarina of Time as the best Zelda game ever, but it's looking to be a fantastic game in it's own right. I already reserved the "collector's edition". I want that gold Wiimote!

[wilco64256]

Though it is an extra $20 I find that to be totally worth it just for the extra motion plus controller period.  And gold is even cooler.

[Rosella]

And all first-run copies of the game come with the soundtrack.

[dark-daventry]

And all first-run copies of the game come with the soundtrack.

A gold controller and a soundtrack is a win for me. I gotta say, my manager loves it when I come in after the VGA's or E3. I make our stores reserve numbers skyrocket. If I reserve anything, I do it like 5 games at a time in one transaction.

[wilco64256]

And the Zelda chatter just got even more interesting:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/121/1211631p1.html

[dark-daventry]

And the Zelda chatter just got even more interesting:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/121/1211631p1.html

No fair. You beat me to it! I was totally gonna post that! In any event, I hope (and expect) the next 3DS Zelda to be in the same style as Ocarina of Time. I like that the 3DS can actually run that kind of Zelda game, and it makes perfect sense for Nintendo to continue building on that, and potentially add in support for the second analog stick they're adding. Speaking of that second analog stick, I've been forced to buy it now. Kingdom Hearts 3D supports it, which means I'm a day one purchaser. I know, it's sad. Kingdom Hearts makes me shell out money. Hell, Video Games in general make me do that. I don't think you guys want to hear how much money I spent on video games in one year... Let's just say I spent half my fortune, and I'm still trying to get it back to where it used to be.

[MusicallyInspired]

I won't be able to tell that until I play it. And beat it.

[Rosella]

I'm going to wait until the inevitable 3DS Lite comes out with the analog stick built in.

[dark-daventry]

I'm going to wait until the inevitable 3DS Lite comes out with the analog stick built in.

I would wait for that, but I stupidly bought a 3DS day one. I'm an idiot. I should have waited until there was something worth my while to buy it. Though, Nintendo really missed an opportunity to bundle a game with the system. One such game to bundle would have been Ocarina of Time 3D. They really missed out on a great opportunity. Oh well. Hopefully they'll learn their lesson with the Wii U. After their latest financial report, they need to change something. I mean, they lost $926 million. That's a lot for any company.

[Bludshot]

Can't buy. Skyrim first.

[Fierce Deity]

A lot of editors that have played the game early are saying it's the best thing since chocolate milk. I don't think they would hype the game up so much unless a) it were true or, b) Nintendo payed them to hype it up. Speculate what you will, but I'm definitely not going to miss picking this game up. I passed on Spirit Tracks and in hindsight, it's the best thing I've ever done.

[dark-daventry]

A lot of editors that have played the game early are saying it's the best thing since chocolate milk. I don't think they would hype the game up so much unless a) it were true or, b) Nintendo payed them to hype it up. Speculate what you will, but I'm definitely not going to miss picking this game up. I passed on Spirit Tracks and in hindsight, it's the best thing I've ever done.

Well, for the record, there was a scandal a couple of years back involving the developer of Kane and Lynch who had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising on Gamespot. If I remember correctly, the scandal came about because the reviewer from Gamespot gave it a bad score, got fired, and the publisher removed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of future advertising from the site. I'm foggy on the details though; it's been a while. Either way, I notice that a lot of previews tend to praise games, and then when the review for said game comes out, it goes in the opposite direction.

[Fierce Deity]

Well, for the record, there was a scandal a couple of years back involving the developer of Kane and Lynch who had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising on Gamespot. If I remember correctly, the scandal came about because the reviewer from Gamespot gave it a bad score, got fired, and the publisher removed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of future advertising from the site. I'm foggy on the details though; it's been a while. Either way, I notice that a lot of previews tend to praise games, and then when the review for said game comes out, it goes in the opposite direction.

I don't doubt that those scandals occur. IGN gave Grand Theft Auto IV a perfect "10". Even if the editor had such a splendid experience with the game, the editor failed to bring up the list of bugs that plagued the game and the flaws that made up the multiplayer. It'd be hard for me to believe that there wasn't a transaction of some kind with that review. I just don't feel Nintendo would stoop so low, but desperate times would call for desperate measures. I don't know if Nintendo has reached that point yet. Also, previews do praise games for the most part, but making articles that describe why the new installment is the best one yet in the entire series is a pretty tall order. Sounds like somebody's honest opinion to me. 

[MusicallyInspired]

We'll see. I hope you're right. I have learned never ever to trust hype or reviews again.

[Cez]

We'll see. I hope you're right. I have learned never ever to trust hype or reviews again.

Not trying to say there's no truth to what you say, bust out of curiosity, what games have you been disappointed in that have been collectively praised to the max by the press? I normally find a very good sign that a game will be very awesome.

[wilco64256]

I think the only time that's happened to me was when a game was shorter than I expected.  I've mentioned this before but that's happened with the last couple of Tomb Raider games, and with Metroid: Other M.  Each time I was totally loving the game and then all of a sudden it was over in like 5-6 hours.  I'd rather have had a longer game that was less pretty or something.  Seriously.

[Fierce Deity]

I think the only time that's happened to me was when a game was shorter than I expected.  I've mentioned this before but that's happened with the last couple of Tomb Raider games, and with Metroid: Other M.  Each time I was totally loving the game and then all of a sudden it was over in like 5-6 hours.  I'd rather have had a longer game that was less pretty or something.  Seriously.

This. I have the same problem with games. If a game is good in quality, that's fine. But the longevity is what matters to me. I could just rent a 5-6 hour game, regardless of whether it's a perfect "10". I mostly buy RPGs or action adventure games (Assassin's Creed, etc.) cause they're the only games that have a long-lasting experience. Also, I was disappointed in Other M, both in quality and in replay value.

Not trying to say there's no truth to what you say, bust out of curiosity, what games have you been disappointed in that have been collectively praised to the max by the press? I normally find a very good sign that a game will be very awesome.

Well, my example in my previous post was GTA4. Not that it was particularly a bad game, but it was far from perfect. It was even a step back in the series. In San Andreas, you could fly planes, skydive, do a number of business ownership missions, and even max out your character with San Andreas' innovative stat-system. In GTA4, it was very mundane, boring, and linear for sandbox standards. Also, the recreational activities were reduced from skydiving to playing darts in a bar. Not nearly as entertaining. I think the Saint's Row series offers more of what made San Andreas so successful. Rockstar will have to step up their game with the new GTA5.

[Blackthorne]

I haven't paid attention to a video game review in almost 20 years.  I seriously almost rely soley on word of mouth from my friends, family and co-workers.   I know who to trust and who has good taste in video games.

I mean, a magazine review may give you a general idea about the game - but you gotta go with people you know and people you trust.

Sometimes, though, you're just going to get a lemon.  It happens - I've bought quite a few lemon video games, stretching back to my Atari 2600 days.... nothing worse than being 10 years old, saving 50 bucks and "Deadly Towers".  But you live through it.... and then you trade it to some rube for his copy of "Battle of Olympus"!


Bt

[dark-daventry]

I read game reviews because I'm curious what other's thought, but it doesn't necessarily sway me towards buying or not buying a game. If it's a game I've had my eye on for a while (Zelda, Assassin's Creed, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, etc) I plan on buying it regardless of what the review says. Now, if it's a game I've heard about in passing and it gets a good review, I may pick it up, but only if funds permit.