Which major 3D Zelda has the worst story/writing?
- Thread starter Slatsunus
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I would probably say Twilight Princess? Outside of Midna, there's really nothing memorable, unique, or interesting about the plot or characters, especially after they just toss Zant aside for generic evil man Ganondorf. It really feels like a rehash of OoT for most of the game, but not nearly as memorable.
TotK does get an honorable mention, if only for the absolute head-scratching decision of repeating the same cutscene verbatim after every single dungeon. Though I do find Zelda's story quite memorable and unique for the series, even if it is told in flashbacks/memories again. It was really more poorly executed than just straight up bad.
BotW has very little story, but I didn't think it was bad. I thought piecing together Link's memories with a focus on Zelda's character was cool, as was the environmental storytelling.
TotK does get an honorable mention, if only for the absolute head-scratching decision of repeating the same cutscene verbatim after every single dungeon. Though I do find Zelda's story quite memorable and unique for the series, even if it is told in flashbacks/memories again. It was really more poorly executed than just straight up bad.
BotW has very little story, but I didn't think it was bad. I thought piecing together Link's memories with a focus on Zelda's character was cool, as was the environmental storytelling.
After I made my last post, I was actually re-evaluating my opinion TP and thinking I could in the wrong, because just like how i hated the star wars prequels when I was younger, I ended up being wrong for that as well because the general consensus ended up being that something that tries to do something unique but squanders a lot of its potential was better than something that had no potential at all. I actually think there were aspects unique and memorable about Twilight Princess, just that... it became Ocarina of Time, and it probably doesn't help that there are actually Zelda games like Majora's Mask or Wind Waker that fully commit to what they want to be.
It is why I said I really needed to finish TotK's story to see what it did so badly because naming BotW as the worst story feels like cheating because it is such a heavily gameplay and exploration focused game.
I think the stories of BotW and TotK are both pretty good. TotK is in contention for series' best. But the script and direction of VA do the story no favors. They are the weakest aspect of both games.
Twilight Princess is the slightest story. But it's still fine. It feels less original than many of the others.
Twilight Princess is the slightest story. But it's still fine. It feels less original than many of the others.
I voted for Skyward Sword, which also gets my vote for "Most Overrated" story in the series, too. I like Zelda at the start of Skyward Sword, and Groose's arc is fine (not that I'm very impressed by an asshole turning into a decent guy), but the main story falls flat in many ways, otherwise, for me. The pacing is horrendous, and Fi ruins most scenes that she appears in (she appears in most scenes).
I like Ocarina of Time's story. It's nothing special, but it's quick and gets out of the way so I can play the game. It's inoffensive. Majora's Mask's story is great. I like Wind Waker's story quite a lot. Twilight Princess has an excellent character (Midna) but is flawed with lousy pacing and could have benefitted from removing a female character (either Zelda or Ilia) and a villain (either Zant or Ganon...preferably Ganon). Honestly, I really like Breath of the Wild's story, and I especially like the setting storytelling (too bad about the English voice acting). Tears of the Kingdom is a step backwards, in my opinion, with the repetition being rather annoying.
I like Ocarina of Time's story. It's nothing special, but it's quick and gets out of the way so I can play the game. It's inoffensive. Majora's Mask's story is great. I like Wind Waker's story quite a lot. Twilight Princess has an excellent character (Midna) but is flawed with lousy pacing and could have benefitted from removing a female character (either Zelda or Ilia) and a villain (either Zant or Ganon...preferably Ganon). Honestly, I really like Breath of the Wild's story, and I especially like the setting storytelling (too bad about the English voice acting). Tears of the Kingdom is a step backwards, in my opinion, with the repetition being rather annoying.
It's either Twilight Princess or Breath of the Wild, can't decide
Midna's literally the only interesting element in the former and almost nothing happens in the latter, though I do like that Link and Zelda's relationship, how it evolves, and how the two of them are written to a point
Edit: BotW also has Mipha in it though so yeah, it's Twilight Princess
Midna's literally the only interesting element in the former and almost nothing happens in the latter, though I do like that Link and Zelda's relationship, how it evolves, and how the two of them are written to a point
Edit: BotW also has Mipha in it though so yeah, it's Twilight Princess
Based on the poll results so far - I understand the complaints on Skyward Sword and TOTK - less so on BotW since it's so clearly forced by the games structure (also, even if the story is lackluster the writing is itself is top tier) but still I get it but…
It's Twilight Princess and it's not close. Midna is easily the best assistant character in the series, but absolutely nothing else about the story and writing in this game works at all. The story is a mangled mess that loses itself the further the game goes on
It's Twilight Princess and it's not close. Midna is easily the best assistant character in the series, but absolutely nothing else about the story and writing in this game works at all. The story is a mangled mess that loses itself the further the game goes on
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Uh……huh.
Can't say the writing for 3 1-note champions and Urbosa can really be called top tier.
At least Zelda was decently written
In most people's eyes Link is living legend that saved the world. For those that don't know him think he's a normal adventurer that's very well behaved and doesn't start trouble. If people are assholes to him of all people they deserve to die lol especially when the the murderous Yiga are around (though they're presented as comic relief most of the time). Same for Zelda though since she's their princess some repsect comes from admiration as a royal.
Plus the world has been rocked by an apocalypse for 100 years, I think most decided to work together to rebuild rather than continually fight.
I personally think it's nice to get large world where there's a more welcoming feel. Everyone is generally friendly with some quirky and amusing people. There's lots of other games where people are morally good, bad or in between. Not every game needs to be like Witcher 3 where it's more likely you'll meet assholes or Elden ring where the few people you meet are fucked in the head lol.
The issue with the recent open world Zeldas is on implementing a story that doesn't chain the player on follow an established path, as they developed the games to have exploration first, the "why I'm exploring?" later, making the "why" weak and not having any impact outside key moments, especially with BOTW as they were still experimenting on how the story bits can be delivered. TOTK was better, but only on how they polished the presentation, giving more bits and critical moments with a better landing. However, they are still weaker than even OoT or SS. However, TOTK takes many points for having the best endgame of the entire series; it's an absolute hell of an experience that encapsulates the whole series very well and creates an engagement and excitement I haven't felt for a long time.
However, I still think TP has the weakest story of all the series: I like Midna and how this "darkest" Hyrule is falling into the Twili and Zant dominance, but everything around the key characters, motivations and end goals feels so weak and faked, and without any lack of consequences. And I really mean EVERYTHING: From the kidnapping, being forced to help Midna, Hyrule's supposed fall, battling the Moblins and their captain, Zant, the Twili, and Midna's sacrifice, like everything happens because it needs to happen, and the exciting bits that happen are solved almost instantly or are not explored on great depth because it was just a bad trip, and we need to keep moving, so don't worry about it (Especially considering the game has one of the best 3D Zelda gameplays and dungeons of the entire series)
However, I still think TP has the weakest story of all the series: I like Midna and how this "darkest" Hyrule is falling into the Twili and Zant dominance, but everything around the key characters, motivations and end goals feels so weak and faked, and without any lack of consequences. And I really mean EVERYTHING: From the kidnapping, being forced to help Midna, Hyrule's supposed fall, battling the Moblins and their captain, Zant, the Twili, and Midna's sacrifice, like everything happens because it needs to happen, and the exciting bits that happen are solved almost instantly or are not explored on great depth because it was just a bad trip, and we need to keep moving, so don't worry about it (Especially considering the game has one of the best 3D Zelda gameplays and dungeons of the entire series)
I'm sorry but I see this take all the time and it's just not true. In what way is it a rehash of Ocarina of Time from a story perspective?
Agree with pretty much all of this but especially your take on Skyward Sword (though I think Ocarina's story was quite good for it's time and intended audience).
They are all pretty bad considering the outline of the story never changes from its highly generic fantasy tropes. If I had to pick one it is easily TOTK partly because it takes place in the exact world and there is zero attempt at all to reference BOTWs story. Understandable with how bad BOTW was from a story standpoint but maddening nonetheless.
On a personal note, I hate it because of the ridiculously thrown in story beat that all the weapons break easily because gloom rusted them! Come on man, do not have shitty story beat to overcome a design decision that a number of people dislike.
On a personal note, I hate it because of the ridiculously thrown in story beat that all the weapons break easily because gloom rusted them! Come on man, do not have shitty story beat to overcome a design decision that a number of people dislike.
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For all the people voting Twilight Princess.
Highly recommend checking out the manga adaption of it.
It does every character and story beat a thousand times better.
TP the game is middle of the road whatever for me outside Midna.
TP the Manga's only real competition for best Zelda story is Majora.
Highly recommend checking out the manga adaption of it.
It does every character and story beat a thousand times better.
TP the game is middle of the road whatever for me outside Midna.
TP the Manga's only real competition for best Zelda story is Majora.
The Link's Awakening manga is top tier stuff too. Much, much darker than the (already dark) story in the game.
I think Twilight Princess. A lot of great build up and characters early in the game basically vanish by the end and the finale is almost totally secluded from the previous events. Haven't played it in quite a few years, so forgive me if my memory is a bit foggy.
As much as it pains me to say i think it might be Tears of the Kingdom, there were a few times during my play through where it felt like the dialogue was just a little too goofy. Not in a charming way but in like a bad saturday morning cartoon way.
Really? I just replayed TP and I think everything was pretty straight forward the whole way through. It's pacing is a little slow and some stuff is clearly a contrivance to take you to places in a specific route but over all i dont think anything in TP really stood out as being overtly poorly written.
Really? I just replayed TP and I think everything was pretty straight forward the whole way through. It's pacing is a little slow and some stuff is clearly a contrivance to take you to places in a specific route but over all i dont think anything in TP really stood out as being overtly poorly written.
everything involving zelda's sacrifice, the weird shield that pops up around the castle that exactly one NPC makes comment of, the rebellion who explicitly aren't rebelling against anything and even the explanation for what's even happening inside the twilight zones due zelda's bargain doesn't make any sense or really have any cohesion
depending on your tolerance for it i guess it's fair to just dismiss it as plot contrivances to keep link moving forward on the set path but none of the other examples on this list have examples that egregious in my eyes. i'll concede that i haven't really been able to replay TP recently past zelda's sacrifice because that's just the point where i completely check out of the story so i might be forgetting some sort of connective tissue that made these things make some internal sense, but after all these years that's all that really sticks with me
Tears of the Kingdom followed closely by botw. Story isn't a major factor for me in most Zelda games so I don't really think about it too much, its generally made in service of the gameplay and is designed to elevate it at best. Which is the greatest sin of those two games, the way story is handled in them just reinforces the disconnect between the open world aspects of the game and your place within the world, something I never felt in any of the other Zelda games which automatically makes it a negative. It just felt so disconnected and actively detracted from the experience. In a weird way I almost wish there was no main story and you were just encouraged to 'live' in this grand world and enjoyed the smaller story's you found throughout the world because the grander stuff just had zero return for the investment.
The worst aspect for me is the memory storyline stuff where you find the glyphs in TotK. I seriously do not know whose idea it was to make an open world story where you put together a story out of order. You could literally get the climax and end of the story without any of the backing parts depending on how you got to those damn glyphs. It just made me feel like the story was worse than an after thought, like they had so little faith in the story telling they just flung it in there at the last second and didn't test it with other people to see how they would react. At minimum reward for those glyphs should have been completing the story in order and to get the finale you had to find all of them and not randomly watch it accidentally at the start.
The worst aspect for me is the memory storyline stuff where you find the glyphs in TotK. I seriously do not know whose idea it was to make an open world story where you put together a story out of order. You could literally get the climax and end of the story without any of the backing parts depending on how you got to those damn glyphs. It just made me feel like the story was worse than an after thought, like they had so little faith in the story telling they just flung it in there at the last second and didn't test it with other people to see how they would react. At minimum reward for those glyphs should have been completing the story in order and to get the finale you had to find all of them and not randomly watch it accidentally at the start.
