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How does Zelda Skyward Sword have such high metacritic score?

SantaC

Member
Zelda Skyward Sword is easily the worst Zelda game I ever played. (not counting cdi games here) it got released at a time when Wii was dying and the motion control fad was over.

The artstyle is okay but the low res on wii does it no favors at all. Original gamecube Wind waker looks much cleaner and better.

The motion controls are hit and miss, sometimes you need to recalibrate it, and does not make the game any more enjoyable. The swimming and flying are extemely frustrsting experiences. The game was built around the idea that motion controls were superior to regular button controls but it failed pretty bad.

The dungeons are ok, some of them are quite good actually. But it is the overall experience that is hurting this game, for example you fight the same boss like 4 times and the padding to extend the game is excessive. Nintendo also believed that you couldnt figure out where to go next so they introduced Fi which would make a 5 year old pull his/her hair in frustration.

Overall I would give the game a 6/10, and I have no idea how this is reviewed 90+

I beat it once but will never return to it again.

The Zelda cycle myth died with this game (that the previous zelda were better then the newest one)
 

Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
I've been a huge Zelda fan all my life, and I totally agree with you.

I had fun with the Wii, and I totally understood what it was about. But Skyward Sword totally went over my head. It wasn't that fun of a game, especially for a major Zelda.
 

LordOfChaos

Member
I tried it after BoTW was the first Zelda I played through somehow, couldn't do it. The Wii U not even upressing its backawards compatibility added to it looking really bad on a modern 4K TV, and the controls were eh, and it kept taking away control to painstakingly explain things. I guess I spoiled myself on the order of playing Zelda games, I can't go back very far.
 

Dr Bass

Member
I thought it was mostly brilliant. I never had a problem with the motion controls, and actually, part of that game fulfilled a dream I had as a small child where I imagined it would be amazing to have "real sword fights" in games. Skyward Sword basically did that with the different blocking and attacking positions. The one knock was that it could get intense to play and you had to remained focused during those battles, but yeah, the quality of the entire production, from the painterly visuals, to the mostly great soundtrack (with a lot of recorded orchestra) and world design that felt almost like Ghibli movie, combined with "real" fighting. I thought it was a hell of an experience.
 
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Kamina

Golden Boy
Just because it isnt a the greatest Zelda game doesnt mewn its not a good game.
I liked it a lot.
Yes the controls got old very fast, and i wished we could play it with a normal controller.
But it‘s still a good game.
 

Fbh

Member
Its a flagship Nintendo franchise so you need to take away around 10 points from "professional" reviews to get a more grounded and realistic score.

Even Pokémon Sword with the same basic gameplay as always, terrible story, basic animations and mid tier PS2 presentation has an 80 metascore
 
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It’s a frigging amazing video game, that’s why. I think it is underrated actually.

In fact, I think if it wasn’t a Zelda game, it would be more highly regarded today. It’s a bold, original and innovative video game.

The game succeeds in what it tries to accomplish. Maybe it’s not what some fans wanted, but that’s ok. Yeah it can get frustrating at times. But the game is still a work of genius.
 

dishapath

Banned
Zelda Skyward Sword is easily the worst Zelda game I ever played. (not counting cdi games here) it got released at a time when Wii was dying and the motion control fad was over.

The artstyle is okay but the low res on wii does it no favors at all. Original gamecube Wind waker looks much cleaner and better.

The motion controls are hit and miss, sometimes you need to recalibrate it, and does not make the game any more enjoyable. The swimming and flying are extemely frustrsting experiences. The game was built around the idea that motion controls were superior to regular button controls but it failed pretty bad.

The dungeons are ok, some of them are quite good actually. But it is the overall experience that is hurting this game, for example you fight the same boss like 4 times and the padding to extend the game is excessive. Nintendo also believed that you couldnt figure out where to go next so they introduced Fi which would make a 5 year old pull his/her hair in frustration.

Overall I would give the game a 6/10, and I have no idea how this is reviewed 90+

I beat it once but will never return to it again.

The Zelda cycle myth died with this game (that the previous zelda were better then the newest one)

You want to keep getting free early review copies of future Nintendo games, don't you?
 
Probably because the name Zelda was attached to the game.

Only Zelda I've played where I just quit after one dungeon. I've only finished wind waker, twilight princess, and BotW to be fair though.
 

Dr Bass

Member
Just because it isnt a the greatest Zelda game doesnt mewn its not a good game.
I liked it a lot.
Yes the controls got old very fast, and i wished we could play it with a normal controller.
But it‘s still a good game.

I think this is such an interesting take. I remember thinking when I finished SS how incredible I thought it was (as I mentioned above) and I remember thinking, if I were to ever play it again I would really like a way to just sit there like a slob and press buttons to achieve the same thing. That fundamentally changes the game though. Would not be surprised if it's the only Zelda game we never see again just because of the input requirements.
 

kingpotato

Ask me about my Stream Deck
I feel it was head and shoulders better than twilight princess which ended up being the worst entry of the mainline series. I hope they re-release it.

Breath of the wild is a continuation of this Zelda timeline and careful observers will note several details that insinuate as much.

Definitely one of my favorite entries right next to BotW, WW and OoT. Personally I don't see what people enjoyed about LttP and TP.
 

ExpandKong

Banned
I like it just fine 🤷‍♂️

The only motion control parts that really bothered me were the swimming and those were thankfully brief all things considered.

I liked all the Imprisoned fights too actually.

Maybe I'm just retarded though.
 

Xdrive05

Member
The only Zelda game that I couldn’t enjoy enough to finish, despite *really* wanting to. Best I can recall I was just too put off by the fickleness and imprecision of the controls, and also there was pacing issues and over-tutorializing that seemed to last way too long.

All of that said I would totally play a 1080P Switch version to see what brilliance I’m sure I missed. Could the joycons do that Wii motion plus stuff?
 

kunonabi

Member
It's one of the two best Zelda games along with LttP so seems appropriate to me. Well, it would if Metacritic scores actually matched with quality on a regular basis anyway.
 

Codswallop_

Neophyte
Tried to get into this a few years back but dropped it out of boredom. I'd put alongside Twilight Princess as my least favourite Zelda titles on console.
 

Closer

Member
I don't even know what to tell you other than "it's just your opinion man".

The problems you said I had zero problems with it and like it just fine. It's not the greatest game ever made, but it's enjoyable for what it is. This is my opinion, of course.
 

-Arcadia-

Banned
Apologies to the OP for laugh emoting him. I thought you said worst game you ever played, lol.

It's definitely an oddball.

The thing is, as time passes and you get sequels that carry the series forward better, you can appreciate an oddball more for what it did.

That's what happened for Majora's Mask's sidequest heaviness, Wind Waker's visuals and tone, and that's how I feel about the gameplay here. I don't think it's suitable for Zelda, but I think it's a really fun experiment with the series, and stands on its own as a great (seriously replayable) game.

I really like the art style, setting, and story too.
 
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Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
The only Zelda game I started and didn't finish. I wonder if a remaster that didn't use motion controls would be possible.
 

Thurible

Member
I thought it was an incredible game personally. Only big problems for me was the low res (very blurry but still beautiful) and starting out with 6 hearts instead of three (makes it a bit easy, especially starting out). I found the controls responsive and unique, the dungeons creative and the puzzles pretty good. The Sandship (time travel), Ancient Cistern (strong buddhist thematics and great usage of the whip and swimming), and final temple (you can shift the temple layout and have to think three dimensionally) were some of the best dungeons in the series imo.
 

iconmaster

Banned
It’s among the worst of the mainline Zeldas, you’ll get no argument from me there. Returning to the same narrow overworld areas over and over to satisfy the game’s progress gating is a sin no Zelda should ever commit. Controls are...not great. Some of the mechanics like dowsing and swimming for tadtones shouldn’t have made it past the prototype stage.

Only game I ever made myself finish. Still wish I hadn’t.

In its defense, it does have some pretty fantastic dungeons. Ancient Cistern was a highlight. The Thunderhead was also a great area.

Scores did benefit from a certain Zelda enthusiasm, I think. Its flaws should have been factored in more.
 
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kretos

Banned
Because it's a good game? not sure what are you talking about, but maybe i enjoyed it because i'm not a huge Zelda fan, i only played this and Twilight Princess
 
The game felt like a total chore, had some nifty ideas, but poorly executed. Bowling Bomb mechanic was bad, and swimming was atrocious. The game had you do too many tutorials in the beginning before the actual game began. The padding, to make it feel like you're playing more than 20 hrs was eh. Some positive highlights is shorter dungeons, the combat was clever implemented, music was actually fantastic (Lanayru Sand Sea)
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I recall buying it because my wife loves every Zelda game she's ever played. Then turning the console on and seeing the instructions for "setting up your Wii Motion Plus" controller. I didn't even know Wii had a different control. It brought back memories of buying later games on the N64 and then getting the "this game requires an expansion pak" notice.
 
i totally disliked skyward sword. Easily one of my least favorites. Dungeons were mediocre. The over-world was mediocre. The levels were super linear. People rag on TP for having a big world with nothing to do in it, but SS has a big empty world with no mystery. If you see a rock or planetoid while flying around that's where you go. Woooo... And the motion controls were the least of the game's problems imo.
 
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