Are MM and TP Two Different Kinds of Dark?

[YIGAhim]

MM and TP are 2 of the darkest entries in the series (OoT is a different insidious kind of dark that is layered beneath the rest of the game), with Majora's Mask's main plot point being about how everyone has 3 days to live and TP's main plot point is about how darkness is invading the world.

Dark is dark, but are they really the same kind of dark? (I really hope you are all getting what I am asking)

I can explain what I mean further if needed

 

[ray138]

MM has a dark story and an atmosphere of doom. TP just looks dark n' edgy.
Very different.
Almost all Zelda games are about evil invading the world. I don't think TP's story is any more dark than the average.

 

[Quin]

I would argue even OOT is a more darker game than TP

 

[Spirit]

I'd say they are two completely different kinds of dark.

MM is surreal and comes at you psychologically. The ever present threat of impending doom and the reused NPC models serve to mess with your emotions and give you a dream-like sense where nothing is right with the world. This feeling of unease beats beneath the surface of MM, which IMO is why people call this game one of tbe darkest of Zeldas.

Twilight Princess by comparison is just generic dramaticism. Dull colour palettes, violent scenes and a moody tone are just surface darkness, which is completely different from MM.

 

[thePlinko]

Twilight Princess is the shadow the hedgehog of the Zelda series. Overly edgy and dark in only the literal sense of the word, so much that it’s actually a bad thing.

Majoras mask, on the other hand, was dark in a good way, there were actual stakes, there was pain knowing that no matter what you did, it was all for nothing at the end of the cycle.



To sum it all up, Majoras Mask had fear and helplessness. Twilight Princess had a damn werewolf.

 

[DarkestLink]

They were the same...as in they really weren't dark. They just weren't overly light-hearted. It was balanced. And I like that.

 

[Farore's Chosen]

Wouldn't really call TP dark. There were dark moments in it, like Zant's death and the execution of the Zora queen but other then that, it was typical Zelda fare.

Majora's Mask to me is more of a sad tone then anything but yes it is dark and despairing and ominous.

 

[Dio]

I wouldn't say TP is a particularly dark game. There are some dark elements but OOT is darker overall and probably the second darkest entry.

As for MM. I think that is the darkest entry of all so it's a hands down win. It's gloomy sad and depressing and has a sense of impending doom throughout.

 

[DeactivatedUser1]

Yes, they are two different kinds of dark.
Majora’s mask and Twilight Princess are both dark games, look at the Zora Queen or Midna’s Lament parts of Twilight Princess compared to the Majora’s Mask story where everyone comes to grips with things. (like the side quest with the little girl and her dead father or the wedding side quest) Twilight Princess has overall better character characterization ,but Majora’s Mask has a better story. (although both of these games good have characterization and story for a Zelda game at least) you might want to take the atmosphere as some of it since both of those games had overall dark lighting. but the games are also not overly dark, take characters like Tingle or Malo for example. I think Skyward Sword had some sad moments, but unlike in MM or TP, you really don’t care.(or at least I didn’t) Breath of the Wild was trying to hard, like starting the game with everyone died, but you didn’t know the characters so it’s not that big of a deal and when you see the characters it’s not like you care that much to begin with, since they were done poorly. (once again, that could just be me)
The other games like Ocarina and Wind Waker don’t have that much story compared to the ones I just brought up, so I’ll go with atmosphere. The Shadow temples in those games are dark, as in gloomy ,but since we’re talking about tone and not looks, I’ll say OoT and WW are overall lighthearted instead of dark.
(sorry if this didn’t make sense, I’m just rambling)

 

[thePlinko]

I wouldn't say TP is a particularly dark game. There are some dark elements but OOT is darker overall and probably the second darkest entry.

As for MM. I think that is the darkest entry of all so it's a hands down win. It's gloomy sad and depressing and has a sense of impending doom throughout.

For the most part I agree, but I would argue that LA is just as dark as MM