General Zelda Biggest Limitation of the Zelda Franchise

[Spirit]

There are a lot of stigmatic terms thrown at Zelda; 'too kiddy', 'too easy', 'too similar'.

All of these are only true for the individual really, as are all opinions, but they could all be considered limitations... so I'm asking which for you is the Legend of Zelda's biggest limitation for you? Which element of the series in general, something every game shares that, to you, holds the series back?

 

[Ventus]

The games are just too damn similar at this point. Before, I liked games being similar - OoT was different enough from ALttP to call it its own game. But as time wore on, I realized that the "differences" i would highlight were similarities. Every Zelda plays out the same. The only difference in reality is a new facepaint. The story is predictable (it always will be), the gameplay is predictable (even SS didn't change what we did, merely how we did it), the puzzles are predictable, the music is predictable - and recently - underwhelming...gosh the similarties need to be put to death.

Things like MM while similar to OoT are still fresh starts. The series needs much more of that, but Nintendo is so keen on the Zelda formula that they will not consider an MM ona greater scale...

 

[SpiritGerudo]

I don't think of one element in particular is holding back the series, though if you'd give it a name I guess you could call it "similarity." If anything is holding back the series, I think it's the developers' reluctance to try new things. There is so much that is reused and recycled, sometimes it seems to me that later games are just compilations-- great compilations-- of jigsaw-pieced parts of other games. While I don't think that we should throw away the core of what makes a game a Zelda game, the series could do with some variety. The developers I think are too concerned with keeping the series Zelda to really reach out of their boundaries and introduce new material. Back with Link's Awakening, I believe the developers said that they felt that they could really do more with the game and really try out a lot of new ideas, overall really break the fourth wall in terms of gameplay just because LA was the first handheld game. This added a LOT to the series, but they haven't done anything similar to LA since. This is why I think the new Wii-U game could potentially have a ton of influence on the series and put an END to what is holding the series back, because this will be the first time using the new controls and they had BETTER do it well.

 

[DarkestLink]

There is no one element that each game shares. But overall, two limiting things come to mind

Non-linearity: Limiting to the developers.

Magic Meter: Limiting to the player.

 

[JuicieJ]

Visual scope. No, I'm not talking about art style, I'm talking about the visual scope of the games themselves. Areas are too plain in design. There's not enough flare to them, not enough to deserve "ooh's" and "ah's". There are a few exceptions, but they're ridiculously few. Zelda needs to start having gorgeous landscapes and impressive scenery to enhance its already great presentation in every other area. It would really go a long way in the impact the games make on us.

 

[Satsy]

The items are both a plus and a bust. Having items you can use frequently is great, especially when you find yourself using them in other dungeons or the overworld to find secrets. But there's also the batch of items that are effectively one-dungeon-only, or get so little use anywhere else in the game as to make you question the point.

I like finding new items, but I'd rather they weren't forced and pointless.