Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass

SCORE: 67

Set directly following the events of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker for the Nintendo Gamecube, The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass is the latest installment in the long Zelda franchise and the first for the Nintendo DS. As with most Zelda titles, the game is enjoyable from start to finish but there are a few nagging problems that make this game not as memorable as previous installments.

One of the strong points of the game is the beautiful graphics for the limited hardware of the Nintendo DS. The art style is the same as the Gamecube’s Wind Waker and translates well on the DS system. All of the character models are done very well and enjoyable to look at. As with all Zelda games, the violence in the game is done in a cartoon style so there is nothing that should bother any players.

Sounds in the game are another strong point of this game. The music is as good as any Zelda game in the past and the sound effects are sharp and crisp. There is no voice acting in the game but the characters make little sounds throughout the game when you interact with them. They never become annoying though and generally add to the overall experience of the game.

As with most Zelda games, there are extra things to do and unlock throughout the game though it is much more limited than in past games. Other than the main items you will collect throughout the quest, there are only two things you can really spend time finding. Unlike most Zelda games, you don’t find extra heart containers in treasure chests around the world. You can only get extra ones by completing mini-games, some of which you have to do multiple times to get the heart container. Once you beat the game, there is nothing that would make you want to pick it up and continue playing.

Since this is on the Nintendo DS, Nintendo was able to do many new and innovative things to incorporate into the gameplay. One of the most enjoyable things is the ability to bring your map down to the bottom screen and write notes on it to guide you on your way. This is used extensively in the game but is always fun to do. They also created new ways to use the same items that you have been using since the early days of the franchise. While the game does have new and innovative features, by the end of the game you will feel like you just played the same Zelda game you have played in the past. The game sticks to the Zelda formula a little too much which makes it feel almost bland compared to past installments.

With all the positives of the Zelda games, one area that they tend to fall is in the family friendliness and this game is no different. The game revolves around the story of a character that is considered god like to the characters in the game and you visit his temple multiple times throughout the game. Also, the final boss has a form that possesses another character which may be disturbing to some players. Finally, there is a fortune teller that you must interact with at the beginning of the game and can visit her to find out what to do next if you ever get lost throughout your quest. It’s unfortunate that these things are in the game since they only drag it down overall.

While Phantom Hourglass is enjoyable to play, the same formulaic gameplay and mystical themes drag down the experience. Nintendo really needs to look at this franchise and incorporate some new elements and get rid of some poor ones soon or the classic status of the franchise will begin to become tarnished by many players.
-Chris

Graphics: 70%
Sound: 75%
Replay/Extras: 69%
Gameplay: 70%
Family Friendly Factor: 52%
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
{Fantasy Violence}

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