What's the feeling on Phantom Hourglass?

[GilloD]

I'm almost done with the game, but I was wondering what the EB feeling was on the game. I like the stylus controls and the overall feel, but there are some harrowing design decisions (IF A PUZZLE IS FUN ONCE, YOU'LL ENJOY DOING IT TWO, THREE, FOUR OR SEVEN TIMES!). It's a mixed bag, but pleasent in small doses.

What's the word?

[Shins]

Haven't gone beyond the first hour. Planet Puzzle League monopolizes my DS time.

[AdmiralViscen]

Agree with Gill

[tiesto]

Controls - they take some getting used to, but I never felt they were 100% accurate in the way a normal dpad+button setup would be.
Ocean Temple - worst idea ever in a Zelda franchise.
Smaller Dungeons - good for a portable game
Sailing - definitely much better than WW's
Puzzles - I liked the use of the 2 screens and it had a couple of head-scratchers, but nothing overly challenging. Using

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the rope as a way to bounce yourself up platforms was cool and creative.

[close]

Bosses - for the most part, easy, but cool and another one of the more creative aspects of the game. The use of the 2 screens on the Spider for instance.
Story/Characterization - Linebeck is the man, but the plot is your typical Zelda, go around collecting items stuff.

[AdmiralViscen]

I felt like the dungeons hit a climax too early. I remember being disappointed with the first 1 or 2, but remembered the Deku Tree and figured it'd pick up later. Then the third (I think) was way bigger, and I was excited to see what they'd do for the rest. But the rest wound up being smaller and easier than the third one somehow.

I still enjoyed it though.

[Eric P]

i was totally prepared to buy a DS for this game

but then i heard about the water temple and Yahtzee's sentiment that this design choice can "fuck right off" is an accurate view of my feelings toward the whole experience as well, so i'm still waiting for the killer ds app.

[Rman]

The killer ap for the DS, at least for me, was Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan 2.  Have you tried those, Eric P?

[demi]

Crap game, heading back and forth to the Phantom Temple was a pain in the fucking ass

Avoid

[SpudBud]

Crap game, heading back and forth to the Phantom Temple was a pain in the fucking ass

Avoid

I'm playing through it right now and that has to be one of the worst design decisions I've come across. The rest of the game is ace though.

[Eric P]

The killer ap for the DS, at least for me, was Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan 2.  Have you tried those, Eric P?

i'm not really a rhythm gamer.

i've tried so many times, but the only one i was any good with was samba de amigo

[Phoenix Dark]

I'm playing it right now. While the controls are indeed good...I can't help but wish this was another game. Like a hack n slash or Diablo type game with more challenging enemies and more combat controls. This game is fun at times, but really drags at other times.

[TakingBackSunday]

Sets some good groundwork for any future Zelda games on the platform.  They need to abandon the idea of dungeons being great, for, oh just a portable system, and create long, difficult dungeons.  Ones that aren't a pain in the ass like the stupid visit-fifty-times temple.

Controls were great though.

[Oblivion]

Get Minish Cap instead.

[recursivelyenumerable]

The Ocean Temple is great and is easily the best part of the game.  Whiners about having to go through multiple times are totally full of shit.  If you had to repeat every single time they might have a point, but the checkpoints are set up so you only go through three times which is completely reasonable given that your new items make it different each time.

As for the rest of the game, it's fun but a bit too watered-down and predictable overall.  7.5/10

[GilloD]

The Ocean Temple is great and is easily the best part of the game.  Whiners about having to go through multiple times are totally full of shit.  If you had to repeat every single time they might have a point, but the checkpoints are set up so you only go through three times which is completely reasonable given that your new items make it different each time.

As for the rest of the game, it's fun but a bit too watered-down and predictable overall.  7.5/10

This is such a distinguished mentally-challenged and oppositional opinon, that I have no choice but to regard it as bizzaro-correct.

[FancyFeast]

get pokemon, much better.

[recursivelyenumerable]

This is such a distinguished mentally-challenged and oppositional opinon, that I have no choice but to regard it as bizzaro-correct.

Yes, here in bizarro world we like actual challenge in our games and don't claim that puzzles are the same when they have been carefully designed to not be the same!

I'm just telling you how I felt playing through it, not being contrarian.  It's not my fault that so many people are so badly wrongheaded.

[Oblivion]

This is such a distinguished mentally-challenged and oppositional opinon, that I have no choice but to regard it as bizzaro-correct.

Yes, here in bizarro world we like actual challenge in our games and don't claim that puzzles are the same when they have been carefully designed to not be the same!

I'm just telling you how I felt playing through it, not being contrarian.  It's not my fault that so many people are so badly wrongheaded.

Sorry, dude but forcing the player to do the same routine over and over again in an attempt to lengthen the game is horrible game design. Hence, PH and all games like PH should be the subject of ridicule.

[recursivelyenumerable]

Sorry, dude but forcing the player to do the same routine over and over again in an attempt to lengthen the game is horrible game design.

Good thing PH doesn't do this then!

[Oblivion]

Sorry, dude but forcing the player to do the same routine over and over again in an attempt to lengthen the game is horrible game design.

Good thing PH doesn't do this then!

Eh? What does it do then?

[demi]

it craps on your face in real time

[turbos]

I'm really enjoying it. I love making my own custom ship. ... albeit its in its case now cause advance wars is taking up my time today

[AdmiralViscen]

I must have been hallucinating while collecting those three stupid gems and moving them around to new places, and collecting the giant force gems and throwing them down a few times.

There are some shortcuts, but no puzzles are wholly different. And there was ONE checkpoint. If there had been 3 it wouldn't have been a problem.

[GilloD]

I must have been hallucinating while collecting those three stupid gems and moving them around to new places, and collecting the giant force gems and throwing them down a few times.

There are some shortcuts, but no puzzles are wholly different. And there was ONE checkpoint. If there had been 3 it wouldn't have been a problem.

This is dead on. There is ONE checkpoint and it's a fucking pain to reach because you have to marathon to it so that you don't get fucked on future runs, it logs your time to get there.

As for all the collectibles, I loved being able to customize the ship, I just wish it did something. Other than COLLECT ALL 8 AND GET A USELESS BONUS.

[recursivelyenumerable]

There is ONE checkpoint

Which means that the most times you have to go through any segment of the temple is 3, and that's only the first segment.  Cry me a river.

[AdmiralViscen]

Three times is still not fun dude. The shortcuts should have let you avoid more, and been more interesting than "remember that bombchu hole from back when you didn't know what it was for?"