Twilight Princess Game Review
The darkest and most serious of the Nintendo 3D Zelda games, Twilight Princess pushes the limits of graphic presentation to its maximum limits on the Wii's hardware. It's darker and more unsettling than The Wind Waker. There are no bug-eyed pigs or effeminate Pirates.
Link is pulled into a parallel dimension called Twilight Realm, where he transforms into a Hylian and a wolf while being guided by Midna.
Gameplay
The thirteenth installment of The Legend of Zelda is Twilight Princess. It was released in 2006 for the Nintendo GameCube system and Wii. Reviewers praised the game with perfect scores in various publications including 1UP CVG EGM and GamesRadar. It is considered by many as one of the best games in the franchise, and it was the most-seller Zelda game on the PAL market.
Twilight princess has a stylized and naturalistic graphics style that is like that of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask with a much more advanced graphic engine. It's the first game in the series with an entirely directional control system instead of a fixed perspective like the previous games. This modification was made to accommodate the Wii console's point-based interface. The GameCube version comes with an area in the back of the game, with mirror-image maps, which are for those who prefer a fixed view.
Link transforms into a wolf when he enters the Twilight Realm. He also encounters Midna, an enigmatic creature. She informs Link that the kingdom of Hyrule is being taken by a group shadow creatures led by the evil sorcerer Zant. She also explains that she is the true ruler of Twili but was taken over and cursed into her current form by Zant.
A short cutscene shows the soldiers being killed by shadow creatures when Link and Midna reach Hyrule Castle. Then, Link and Midna escape from the castle by a tunnel and enter the Twilight Realm.
Link can move more freely around the world in the Twilight Realm by using his wolf form. Link can also make use of his senses to navigate the world. He can sense ghosts of soldiers and animals in the distance. Link can also pull grass from certain patches and whistle with it to summon an animal, like an Hawk or Epona. Or, Link can howl near these patches to summon the same animal.
As with earlier Zelda games, music plays a large role in Twilight Princess. Link can play instruments that are musical like the flute or the harp, to attract and summon various animals. He can also use his voice to command the wolf's form. He can also use his compass as a way to help him navigate through the world.
Characters
The Legend of Zelda is full of vibrant and unique characters that leave an impression that will last forever. https://www.holmestrail.org/products/demo-slot-starlight-princess-1000 and unique characters such as hands emerging from toilets to pirates sailing across vast oceans, are the heart of the game. Twilight Princess continues in the tradition of previous games, introducing numerous memorable characters.
Through the course of the story, Link meets new NPCs who are not just fascinating, but also credible. It's a huge step forward that so many of these NPCs don't exist solely as victims and are a part of the story. NPCs like Rusl, who explains how the forest has become more dangerous and kidnaps children, or Ordon villager who snoop around as wolves when children are being kidnapped, all have unique personalities that feel genuine.
Other notable characters include Iza who runs the Boat Rental Cabin as well as Iza's Rapid Ride in the Lanayru Province, Louise, Telma's cat who helps Wolf Link locate a secret passageway in her bar and sewer system that leads to the castle and Faron who's spirit helps guide Link and Midna to the Forest Temple in the Eldin Province. The two team members defeat the Fused Shadow possessed by Diababa and obtains the first Tear of Light.
Midna, the princess of the Twilight Realm, is also one of the most fascinating characters in the game. She can switch between wolf and human forms and is a part of the Triforce of Wisdom. She is friends with Link and informs him of her adventures in the twilight, and how she defeated Zant, the King of Twilight.
Zant who holds the other part of the Triforce of Wisdom, is a wicked sorcerer and ruler of the Twilight Realm. He was exiled to the Twilight Realm by the goddesses for taking over their land and depriving the people. Midna removes Zant's power, permitting him to transform into his human form if required.
The game also has an improved horse called Epona that can be mounted in Hylian and wolf forms. Link can whistle at specific grass patches in order to call the animal. (similar to Majora’s Mask). Twilight Princess is the first game in the series where the player can name their horse.
Theme
Music is a crucial element of any Zelda title. It can make a game feel epic as well as expansive and thrilling. Twilight Princess' soundtrack is criticized as being inconsistent and sporadic, which doesn't capture certain moments of emotion. Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and other games have captivating music that bloom at the perfect moment to create a feeling of grandness and eerie.
Twilight Princess was composed by Asuka Ohta and Toru Minegishi. Koji Kondo, the composer of the series for the first since Wind Waker was responsible for overseeing the composers. The soundtrack to Twilight Princess is a radical departure from the usual approach to the show, with a the minimalist approach to melody and arrangements. The majority of dungeon and field music begins with a single instrument, creating a mysterious and atmospheric ambiance for the player. For example, the haunting music in Midna's Lament utilizes an ordinary piano to create an overwhelming sense of sorrow for the player.
The themes of dungeons are the most prominent examples of this trend towards minimalism, with numerous themes featuring a dull and ominous atmosphere. This is evident in Twilight Realm, which has an eerie soundscape that is reminiscent of scenes on a David Lynch movie. The dark and unsettling quality of the track is amplified by the lack of recognisable melodies and traditional arrangement, with dreary drones and peculiar patterns intertwining to create a dark and bleak sound.
A more uplifting and joyous song is Link's hometown, "Faron Woods." The song makes use of various soft tones and stringed instruments to create an idyllic sense of security and peace for the player. The song also includes a subtle reference to the franchise's most famous scene, since it has a riff that is very similar to the iconic tune that is played at the beginning of Ocarina of Time.
Twilight Princess also has dynamic songs that change according to the player's whereabouts, what they are doing and what's taking place. Hyrule Castle Town has different versions of its theme for each area of the town. Central Square, for instance, has a more raucous version. These variations are a nice touch that helps to add an element of depth and immersion into the world of Hyrule.
Story
The story of Twilight Princess revolves around Link trying to stop Hyrule from being sucked into the corrupted parallel dimension known as the Twilight Realm. To accomplish this, he assumes the form of both a Hylian and a Wolf and is being assisted by a woman whose name is Midna.
Midna is the first ruler of the Twili However, she was usurped by Zant and cursed to her imp form. Link and Midna are informed by the Sages of the Old Testament that only defeating Ganondorf will be in a position to release them from their curse. The Sages reveal that the Mirror of Twilight is the source of the darkness that exists in the Twilight Realm. Midna and Link journey to the Spirit's Spring where they encounter predatory creatures that kidnap children. Utilizing Wolf Link's keen sense of smell, they trace the kids' scent to a bridge and then cross into the Twilight Realm.
They enter the Forest Temple and battle Diababa to obtain the first Fused Shadow. After this, Faron informs them that the next stop is Eldin Province to the west (Wii) or east (GCN).
Midna at the Lakebed Temple of Lanayru teleports Link to a fiery stone and then uses her powers on the ice beneath Lake Hylia. The spirit of Rutela, the recently deceased Zora Queen, Rutela, then appears and informs Link that he must visit the Lakebed Temple in order to access a treasure of the Zora.
Returning from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, the horse Epona is able to be riding in Twilight Princess. Link can select the name of the horse, unlike the predetermined names used in previous games.
Midna and Link can recover the remaining Mirror Shards once they arrive in the Twilight Realm. The Sages reveal to Midna that she is the true ruler of the Twili. She was a pawn over for the monarchy, and was turned into an ego-driven god. The Sages inform them that they can only defeat Ganondorf if they bring Ganondorf to the light and break the pact between the Twilight kingdom and Hyrule kingdom.