I would appreciate a little less sarcasm, you of all people should know it takes time to write reviews!
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between WorldsFor Nintendo 3DSStory: 5/7 (How central was the story to the game? Was the story unique and riveting? Did it add to overall enjoyment?)
Spoiler
If the basic story hadn't been done before, it would have been amazing. As it is, they did a fantastic job making it feel fresh, with colorful villains and well-written cutscenes.
Character Development: 6/7 (How well were the main characters exposed? Did you feel connected to them by the end of the game? Did they have noticeable quirks that made them unique?)
Spoiler
Gulley is quite frankly amazing. All of the sages have their own attitudes that you can quickly pick up on (looking at you Irene). I have to say though, Ravio is the most mysterious yet hilarious and epic deuteragonist I've ever seen in a Zelda game. However, I can't quite figure out why Queen Oren has bloating problems??
Reward Factor: 6/7 (Did getting through a certain part of the game feel rewarding? Was the game difficult enough to enjoy a challenge?)
Spoiler
I'll admit it; I'm kinda bad at video games and that makes me a sucker for the slightly lower difficulty ones. I feel like ALBW set a good bar, and with Hero Mode afterwards, does not disappoint more hardcore gamers.
Art: 7/7 (Does the art style do a good job of getting the overall vibes of the game across? Is the art visually appealing? Does the art match the particular mood of the game at its current time?)
Spoiler
The art direction chosen for ALBW is absolutely stunning and really portrays the idyllic world that is Hyrule compared to the absolute mess of a kingdom called Lorule. Even better, it's in 3D which has absolutely beautiful effects on the environment.
Music: 6/7 (Does the music evoke certain emotions that are being portrayed in game? Does the music match up well with the art? Does the music have a tone unique to this particular area?)
Spoiler
While most of the music is remixes from ALttP, it had an amazing soundtrack by itself and this is no exception. The remixes are fresh and do a good job of illustrating the slight differences between ALBW and ALttP.
Gameplay: 4/7 (Are the controls easy to learn but capable of multiple processes? Is the interaction with the environment logical and natural? Are the different areas of the game well constructed and thought out?)
Spoiler
If any part of the game is lacking, I feel it's this part. A few of the bosses were very unique and stellar, but very many of them were just the same thing over and over. The touch screen Quick Item Switch was very counterintuitive and I would much rather pause the game to swap items out. I think the Dark Palace was my absolute favorite dungeon ever made and is a good example of what your average dungeon should be like. I'd like to mention Tower of Hera as the greatest disappointment of the bunch. So much design space was wasted here, it felt overhyped.
Overall: 34/42
While The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a great Zelda game and a great 3DS game there are many other Zelda games that outclass it. I do feel Nintendo taking a step in the right direction with this one, however, adding a few great bosses to the mix and a couple of fantastic dungeons.
Stay tuned for another terrible pun in my review of Skyward Sword!
