Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.
Busy Gamer Review-
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Reviewed On: Wii. Also available for GameCube.
In a Nutshell: Link is back, and he's badder than ever. Forget the kiddified cel-shading of The Wind Waker. This is an epic battle between the forces of light and dark, with giant boar-riding baddies who resemble Orcs and look like they could snap you in half like a twig. The game is full of interesting twists, often sending you on a quest only to quickly divert you to another more pressing matter. Dungeons are deep, dark and diabolical enough to warrant the extra expense for the official licensed guide, though frequent trips to Gamefaqs will offer mostly the same benefit without the maps and pretty pictures. There are vast amounts of gameplay - simply exploding an oddly placed boulder can open up a cave that takes half an hour or more to explore. The real game doesn't even start until after about 20 hours, when most of Hyrule will finally be open and you'll have access to the majority of your gizmos required to access obscure areas. Speaking of which, many of Link's classic toys (hookshot, boomerang, bombs) are back, though utilized in cool, new ways. And there's a new gadget called the spinner that unlocks a unique method of exploration and one of the most satisfying boss battles ever.
Learning Curve: Moderate. The game's controls are very easy to pick up, though they'll take some time to master. In fact, any fears you have about the Wii's motion-sensing remote and nunchuk will be quickly mollified by playing this game for a few hours. New items and advanced moves are unlocked very gradually over time, giving you plenty of practice before a new one comes along. Even so, a few of the later boss battles and puzzles may leave you scratching your head. The good news is that there are plenty of side quests and areas to explore, so you can take some time off from the main storyline until that moment of epiphany arrives.
The Save Game: You can save almost anywhere, with a few caveats. Saving stores your status, but not your exact location - so you'll appear at a predesignated spot in the town or province you're visiting. If you save while in a dungeon, you'll start back at the first room no matter how deeply you've explored it... unless you find a strange little bird called the Ooccoo. This will let you teleport out, saving your location in the dungeon. Just don't walk in the front door when returning, or he will meet you there and you'll lose your place!
Family Factor: Much of the time, you will want to keep the wee ones far from your Wii. Some of the cut scenes (which may be triggered without warning) are intense and show small children in peril. Beasties dot the landscape and attack almost constantly. You might be able to fish or roam a few small areas while your toddler watches, but most of the time you'll want to keep all but the older kids away.
Buy, Rent or Skip? If you can't resist donning the green suit of Link once more, definitely buy this game. There's so much to do, you'll need more than a rental period to play through the story and activities - including fishing, bug collecting, mini-games and a 50-room cavern filled with increasingly difficult opponents. But much like Oblivion, I have to caution that you will sacrifice your free time and sleep for days or even weeks as you try to find one more golden bug or just get to that creature who lets you save your spot in a dungeon before powering down. Also, the final level and ending are somewhat unsatisfying, and there's no provision to continue exploring after you beat the last boss - except to load your prior save. But the majority of the game is addictive and wholly enjoyable. If it weren't 40-60 hours long, it would be easy to recommend. But a game this good and deep and time-consuming can suck away your life, so it's wise to go in with your eyes open. If you can schedule a week's vacation to play through it, enjoy! Otherwise, meet your new best friends: the power nap and the triple-shot espresso.
On a Personal Note: Playing this game nearly every night and much later than I should have (or would have if I were currently employed), I developed a severe ache in my upper bicep and shoulder that waxed and waned depending on how many hours I logged. Ice packs and heat wraps helped, but I can't help but wonder if the Wii-mote will ultimately strengthen the affected muscles over time or if it's more prone to repetitive stress injury than my other game systems. Time will tell, but I hope it's the former since I really enjoyed this game on the Wii and sincerely hope there will be more experiences like it down the road.
