Awarded Game of the Year by IGN, Gamespot, and Gamespy, the most recent DS version of Zelda is an engaging, visually compelling role-playing game suitable for most age groups. Comprised of smaller puzzles, well-developed characters, a delightful over-arching narrative, The Phantom Hourglass presents a satisfying balance of a vibrant story and engrossing gameplay.
The story follows the character Link on a quest to save his friend Tetra, who has been kidnapped by the monstrous Bellum. Link meets and joins up with a number of vivid characters along with way, including the Ocean King, a fairy with a secret identity, and a treasure-hungry sea captain. The primary quest finds Link seeking out the spirits of Wisdom, Courage, and Power with the use of his Phantom Hourglass, and forging the coveted Phantom Sword. Optional side quests allow players to catch fish, tinker with their boat, and more – players can choose to settle into some of these smaller projects for more immediate payoffs and to develop their imaginative sense of the story world, or they can rush onward to find their missing friend.
The Phantom Hourglass uses traditional cel-shaded cartoon animation, which gives the game a polished and charming look. Use of the Nintendo DS stylus in this game is intuitive, and tutorials are consistently provided throughout for players having any difficulty with the mechanics of the game. Link’s movements, use of weapon, etc, are largely achieved by the player making circles, slashes, and other such motions with the stylus. The game makes excellent use of both DS screens, providing a map on the top screen on which players can make notes with the stylus, while gameplay occurs on the lower screen. As with other Zelda games, movement backwards to previously completed levels creates opportunities for new discoveries. Some fantasy violence garnered an E (for Everyone) rating; the tutorials, smaller puzzles, storyline, and innovative interface will appeal to the 10-12 age group and any fan of the Zelda series. The Phantom Hourglass promotes fine motor skills through use of the stylus, and allows players to be creative with their gameplay and approach to the scenario. The characters, world, storyline, and puzzles foster players’ investment in the game as a whole.
Image source: http://www.mobygames.com/
Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE6jTYVWjAc
Some of the information contained in this post was gathered from reviews and articles published on the following sites. Click on the links to read the full reviews:
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