I'd like to modify my closed thread but I can't seem to edit the title. Here's a new thread for GCN party people.
This is my fourth time through the game, but my first replay in 5 years. The game has aged terrifically, it looks, sounds, and controls wonderfully. I was a fan of Celda from the start simply for the range of expression it gave Link, and that observation holds. Graphic bells and whistles are nice, but for me GCN-level graphics are about all I need out of a game.
Since the last time I played WW, my perspective on the sailing softened, to the extent that I even became wistful about it in spite of people exclaiming, "OMG SAILING SUX." I've realized on this replay that a lot of that nostalgia had to do with the sailing music -- that tune really goes a long way. I'm glad I'm replaying WW, as it's a reminder that the sailing -- as a means of world exploration/trial and error -- is indeed monotonous. Conduct the wind, set sail, feed fish, explore, maybe grapple for treasure, rinse, repeat. It gets old.
It's fun, though, all the things you can not only see but DO so early into the game. I've only beaten the Dragon Roost dungeon and the Forest dungeon, and I've gone to see the big whale with the pearl (which is a bummer, that's a clear shortcut where a dungeon was most likely originally planned). That's not much IIRC, and even with that little bit of progression through the story, I've had the freedom to do a lot of exploring and expand my wallet/bombs twice over, grab another bottle, and get tons of heart pieces.
That's one of the strengths of this Zelda (IMO), from basically the start you can not only explore areas, you can get some upgrades here and there without constantly finding out you'll have to backtrack to unlock something once you get a new weapon. Sure, there's lots to come back to later on once I've got arrows, hookshot (maybe?), etc., but it's nice not to feel like everything requires that I double back.
This is my fourth time through the game, but my first replay in 5 years. The game has aged terrifically, it looks, sounds, and controls wonderfully. I was a fan of Celda from the start simply for the range of expression it gave Link, and that observation holds. Graphic bells and whistles are nice, but for me GCN-level graphics are about all I need out of a game.
Since the last time I played WW, my perspective on the sailing softened, to the extent that I even became wistful about it in spite of people exclaiming, "OMG SAILING SUX." I've realized on this replay that a lot of that nostalgia had to do with the sailing music -- that tune really goes a long way. I'm glad I'm replaying WW, as it's a reminder that the sailing -- as a means of world exploration/trial and error -- is indeed monotonous. Conduct the wind, set sail, feed fish, explore, maybe grapple for treasure, rinse, repeat. It gets old.
It's fun, though, all the things you can not only see but DO so early into the game. I've only beaten the Dragon Roost dungeon and the Forest dungeon, and I've gone to see the big whale with the pearl (which is a bummer, that's a clear shortcut where a dungeon was most likely originally planned). That's not much IIRC, and even with that little bit of progression through the story, I've had the freedom to do a lot of exploring and expand my wallet/bombs twice over, grab another bottle, and get tons of heart pieces.
That's one of the strengths of this Zelda (IMO), from basically the start you can not only explore areas, you can get some upgrades here and there without constantly finding out you'll have to backtrack to unlock something once you get a new weapon. Sure, there's lots to come back to later on once I've got arrows, hookshot (maybe?), etc., but it's nice not to feel like everything requires that I double back.