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Did the Style Remove Some of the Mood?

basement24

There's a Bazooka in TP!
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Location
Ontario, Canada
I'll admit it, sometimes I get creeped out by moments in Zelda. Yes, I'm 28 years old, but sometimes there's moments that will make me look over my shoulder as I'm playing.

Back when TWW was released, and I was playing it through for the first time, I found this to happen less. I don't think there's any less frightening creatures, or creepy locales than any other Zelda game though. What I'm wondering is, did the cel-shaded cartoon style remove a bit of the fear and dark mood of some of the locations?

For example, places like the Bottom of the Well in OoT, or the Arbiter's Grounds in TP are really quite creepy. Is it because they are more detailed and realistic?

Also, Redeads make an appearance in a few titles. In TWW though, Link's reaction to them shrieking is almost one that you'd find in a Warner Brothers cartoon. It's more slapstick. Because of this, does it relieve a bit of the tension of an otherwise frightening scene? Redeads in OoT are downright frightening to me, but the more vicious attack in TWW that they bring on seemed less frightening.

So, is this due to the style? Do you find that TWW is less frightening due to the graphics and general tone?
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Gender
Timecube
Yeah, I'd definitely say that it was less 'creepy' than parts of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, and of course Majora's Mask.

However, I wouldn't say this relies entirely on the graphical aspect. Whilst the cel-shading was undoubtedly contributory to the lighter mood, I'd say that the atmosphere of the game overall was a tad 'happier', for lack of a better word, than the aforementioned games.

As you said, the expressions and reactions and such were a lot more slapstick than the other titles, which definitely sets the tone for a more comical and lighter game. And the graphics seemed to aid this.
By the same token, I don't think it was the cel-shading altogether that removed some of the mood, but more the colour palette (much brighter than Twilight Princess et al) and the overall way things were presented.

The way 'mosters', redeads and what not were designed and portrayed seemed to be less realistic and seemed to lack that 'chilling' factor that they had in Ocarina of Time.
I'd say it's more or less a combination of the tone that was set by the design and presentation of the game in general, as well as the cel-shading.
 

arkvoodle

Diabolical
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Location
Somewhere
Yes, I agree that The Wind Waker was less creepy than other Zelda titles, The cartoonish design removed most of the creepiness.

In Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time, locations and enemies where much more detailed, E.g. The Re-dead, In OoT and TP, it was much more realistic and detailed, it looked repulsive and freakish, unlike in Wind Waker, where the Re-dead looked cartoonish, and posed no creepy factor.

The emotions and expressions, as previously stated, where more slapstick which makes the game comical and more appealing to younger audiences.

In conclusion, I belive that the Cel-shaded style of WW removed most aspects of creepyness from the Game.
 

Len

Zelda On Paper
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
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In my very own world
none of the monsters/enemies/enviorments did not give "SCARE" feelings "sigh" (away from the original feeling but... nice game!)
 
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Immortal_One

Math is power.
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May 28, 2009
Location
Indiana, USA
I think the style did take away from the sometimes ominous classic Zelda games, but I think that was the intent. The game was obviously aimed to a younger demographic, but it was something that everyone could enjoy. I liked the style of it, and I liked the fact that it wasn't as creepy at times as a few other Zelda games were. The parts that were any bit creepy turned out to be comical, actually. The ReDeads and Red/Blue/White/Green Bubbles were your classic bumbling villian, rather than in other Zelda titles where they made you jump out of your seat. The fact that the game steered away from creepy parts is what made it was supposed to be, a fun Zelda game for all ages.
 
Joined
May 25, 2008
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In my house
Of course it did. Probably for a few reasons. Was there anything really that bad that it would make you scared? The only thing I ever had a problem with was the ReDead's, and that's only because they jumped on you.....and did things. But, going from a complete graphics aspect, yes. I think it was made to be a fun game, aside from all the other ones, with big booms and clouds of smoke whenever you set off a bomb, or Link's priceless expressions, you couldn't possibly have been scared at all in that game, or any game with it.
 

Nepolink

Corrupted Idiot
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Aug 20, 2009
Location
The Netherlands
Agreed, WW is not creepy because of the cell-shading. OOT, MM and TP have realistic graphics, in this case realistic textures looks more creepy then something cartoonish. Also in the beginning i didn't like this styl, now it's my fav. xD

But the redeads in WW looks scary enough, the enviorments are not creepy.
 

El Bagu

Wannabe Mr. 1-8-1
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Jul 5, 2008
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In Woods. N of River!
I don´t think it did remove anything regarding mood. The most exciting things in Zeldas are normally the dungeons and I felt they were as exciting in Wind Waker as in any other Zelda. My opinion is not mainstream this time but it´s how I feel about things :)

(Mood is mostly about music/tunes if you ask me......)
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2008
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Brexit
I would have to say yes, I do think that the style of Wind Waker doesw take out the mood for me...Don't get me wrong, I know Wind Waker is a great game but I am a person who likes the darker games, Hence the reason I love Zant and TP overall along with MM, Even dark games from other series usually are my favourite inside of that specific series.

Although this does add some mood to Zelda so not much is lost really, It does allow the younger audience to interact (if that is the word I am looking for) with the game easily.
 
R

Rheks

Guest
I would say it wasn't creepy at all. I think the graphics take a big role in it as well.
Though to be honest even if the graphics were different in TWW, there isn't many creepy parts at all. The only thing that was slightly creepy were the Zombies and those hands, they'd only make me feel anxious because they're sort of difficult to kill.
I didn't care if it wasn't creepy, the game itself was great. It didn't remove any of the "mood" just because it didn't have any creepy parts. I liked it for different reasons, I don't say to people, oh I like TP because of that creepy area, Arbiter's Ground.
 

Waker of winds

Finally playing PH!
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Jun 9, 2009
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Mexico, si señor.
Yes, OoT and MM had a creepier feeling, something that I could not sense in WW, maybe because I'm amused that it's possible to sense such feelings in those virtual puppets. But there is something that I do feel in it WW. I tend to feel very lonely and solitary when I'm sailing.

When night falls, I always have this feeling that something bad will hapen. I feel afraid and when it rains the feeling is even worse. I never felt that way in OoT or in MM, so, no. I think that some things were taken, and others were added in WW.
 

Bob Majinki

Deku Director
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Location
USA
In my opinion, no. I credit Wind Waker with having the most emotional scenes of any Zelda game, personally. While it's true that it didn't arouse fear, the game did succeed with many other emotions, notably sadness and depression, especially with your grandmother. If you are looking for fear though, I still think the Dead Hands in Ocarina of Time are incredibly creepy, and don't get me started on Majora's Mask.
 

Zarom

The King
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Aug 18, 2009
Location
Quebec
In my opinion, no. I credit Wind Waker with having the most emotional scenes of any Zelda game, personally. While it's true that it didn't arouse fear, the game did succeed with many other emotions, notably sadness and depression, especially with your grandmother. If you are looking for fear though, I still think the Dead Hands in Ocarina of Time are incredibly creepy, and don't get me started on Majora's Mask.


I definitely agree with that. And in MM, the whole world of Ikana was creepy, that was the main theme after all. Like the graveyard, the well and the shadow temple in OOT. And there are lots of people who don't like those: :wallmaster:
 
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Joined
Oct 18, 2007
At first I wasn't fond of it at all, too cartoony for Zelda. But it did eventually grow on me and I realized that the style gave it more of a retro feel than any of the 3D Zelda games.
 

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