The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

"A legendary tale, A legendary hero, A legendary game"

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Review by JleeLink:

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time was released to the world on November 21st 1998 in Japan after a long awaited arrival by millions of fans. The hype and spirit was high and so was the time, after delay and after delay Zelda Ocarina of Time was finally out and it changed the world forever.

The Story:
The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is a legend, a legend about a young boy named Link who was destined to save Hyrule. In the game we follow Link on his amazing quest to save the world of Hyrule from the dark forces of Ganondorf and his conquest to take over the Sacred Realm and control the Triforce.

Ganondorf wishes to enslave Hyrule by the power of the Triforce and enslave inhabitants and to be it's king and it's up to one boy to save and change the fate of Hyrule. The one chosen by the goddessess, this is Link.

You start off in a little village known as Kokiri forest and you are summoned by the Guardian of the Forest the Great Deku Tree in which you have just been awakened from a nightmare by your soon to be companion, a fairy named Navi.

The story is shown through the use of in game cut scenes and the interactivity between Link and the many citizens and people of Hyrule.

Gameplay:
The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time provided incredible gameplay in which it fully utilised the power of the Nintendo 64 and provided an experience unimaginable to anyone. The entire game was presented in a third person but we were also able to switch to First Person view to take a closer look at things and shoot projectiles. This system enabled use to control Link was extremely easy and fluid to use which was done by its revolutionary lock on system.

The lock on system allowed us to fully utilize the third person perspective and it proved to be the perfect system of fighting in a third person style which is still seen today. The combination of the buttons allowed us to use our sword, shield, weapons and interact with the world with ease.

The game's use of innovative puzzles truly brought over the 2D elements of Zelda in which we truly love. The style in which the puzzles were carried out were truly wonderful such as moving through and pressing switches, shooting arrows at statues, changing water levels and even travelling through time. The games puzzles though increase steadily over the course of the game which spans the entire world of Hyrule and throughout the puzzles you will have to use a number or a combination of the items and weapons you have acquired on your quest to solve.

The puzzles in the game are mainly located within the numerous temple/dungeons in the game which are the equivalents of levels in which were wonderfully laid out and constructed. The main format of a temple was the finding of a main item or weapon and then using the weapon/item to solve the rest of the temple/dungeon. It was then followed up by an amazing boss fight in which you mainly use the weapon/item to kill.

Ocarina of Time has a highly immense world, the world of Hyrule; Hyrule is divided into numerous areas and regions which is highly diverse. From the green grass of Hyrule Field to the gates of Hyrule castle and to the Desert of the Gerudos the Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time really showed us another world in which we were able to immerse ourselves in and stare in amazement. Nothing beats the amazing feeling as you first walked out into the massive Hyrule Field from your comfortable home in which you had never left. It intrigued mystery, curiosity and sparked our sense of exploration. The world of Hyrule has many races of people such as the high up mountain people of the Gorons to the underwater people of the Zoras all the way to the desert people of the Gerudos. There were also many races and cultures and it really made the world of Hyrule feel like a real world, a world in which we could get lost in.

The game is played out in which we are meant to explore and we were truly free, we were able to travel and explore the world as we wished and truly take in the wonders of the world of Hyrule.

The interactivity of Ocarina of Time was phenomenal as you continue on your quest you meet up with people all across its world and peaks. The cities and towns of Hyrule are filled with people just waiting for you to interact with and this leaves you with a sense of exploration and opens up a whole area of side quests and many hours of investigation.

One of the more intriguing features of Ocarina of Time was its sense of Time Travel which I will not go into for those who haven't played the game but the ability of time travel opens up a whole new feel to the games story and to the presentation which truly adds to Ocarina of Times greatness.

The game also has many unique side quests and mini games which gives you rewards for accomplishment and greatly lengthen the game more. Such mini games as the relaxing fishing to the shooting range and to horseback archery. But with also such side quests as collecting masks, golden spiders and upgrading weapons.

Ocarina of Time also uses a very innovative and brilliant system which helps in puzzles and moving about. An crucial item known as the Ocarina, this instrument is used continuously throughout your quest helps you as you play magical songs and melodies which allow you to change night and day, call your horse, move about and even travel through time.

Another point in which the game excels in is that the game gives us a sense of reward, a sense of reward in doing something right and a feeling of pride and happiness. A feeling in which you were once a small boy in the beginning of the game but by the end you are a legendary hero, a story about how you grew up.

Graphics:
The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time's graphics at the time was magnificent with it's high detail and provided us with a level of graphics which surpassed almost all games at the time. The graphics still look magnificent today even after 9 years and the level of detail and use of lighting was simply amazing. The game really pushed the N64 to its limit without the expansion pack and scenes such as the rising of the sun or the reflection of light of your shield to the shimmering waters of Lake Hylia were truly superb and presented the game at its finest. The immense detail in the characters such as Link or Ganondorf was simply amazing at the time and added extra dept into the game. The high detail and style really set this game apart from all others and is still evident today.

The use of cut scenes were astounding and were all made with in game graphics and heightened the story further and demonstrated the N64's power to tell a story which provided us with unforgettable scenes and action comparable to cinemas.

But at times the graphics were a little off putting such as the use of pre-rendered graphics in such places as the backdrop to the Market in Castle Town and also in certain textures of the game. But this was extremely minor and has no affect on the game overall.

Sound:
The sounds and music of the game suited the style of gameplay and world wonderfully such as the music of Hyrule Field and the changing of songs at night. The music really created a sense of feeling in Ocarina of Time such as the battles and to various areas of the game as the mood changes is really where the game excels in, in music. The music is diverse and fits many locations of the game such as the drumming in the mountain to the high sharp notes of the ice cavern. Koji Kondo has again made a brilliant soundtrack to go with a brilliant game.

The sound effects though are crisp and clear especially considering the constraints of the cartridge format. Sounds can easily be identified from sword swings to clanging of shields to the galloping of Epona over Hyrule Field. The sounds are nothing but brilliant.

Conclusion:
The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time was a major step forward for the Zelda series and gaming itself with immense 3D graphics and revolutionary gameplay in which the world had never seen, a revolutionary lock on system, an immense world of Hyrule for the player to explore, a phenomenal storyline and an amazing soundtrack. The masterful combination of all these perfected elements made The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time one of the best games ever. Even after 9 years since it's release the game still looks superb and the similarities to modern games is still apparent.

Ocarina of Time set the benchmark for all future games and laid the groundwork and formula for numerous games for the present and the future. It was Shigeru Miyamoto's masterpiece and will be remembered in gaming history forever in which it is now a true legend, one that will last an eternity, one that was truly perfect.

Story: 10/10
An amazing story which fits the Zelda series superbly that unfolds unlike no other which make a perfect compliant to the gameplay.

Gameplay: 10/10
This is gameplay at its finest and the entire game flows very smoothly and sets a benchmark for all games. The layout of the world and temples/dungeons is second to none and has brought in numerous elements which have influenced almost all games after it.

Graphics: 10/10
Great amounts of detail and a fantastic style of graphics with some brilliant art sets this game apart from any other.

Sound: 10/10
The music in the game suits it perfectly and every mood and tone is thought out with great sound effects also.

Length: 10/10
This game will take quite a while to finish and side quests, mini games and exploration definitely make this game quite large in length.

Overall Score 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/09/08

Game Release: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (US, 11/23/98)