Phantom Hourglass Do You Like the Temple of the Ocean King?

[Demise_]

Some people love it. Others hate it.

Personally I hated it, but now after my 3rd playthrough I found it fun. I liked trying to get the best possible time every time you have to go through it. And when I did a 25-minute run on my other file that I 100%ed earlier, I didn't even kill phantoms much, while on my first playthrough I only found the temple acceptable after you could kill every single phantom.

What about you?

 

[Ventus]

Hate it; the thing is just constantly going through levels you've already done to the point where it isn't a challenge anymore. The new floors are certainly neat additions, but once you beat 'em once...I doubt you'll want to beat them again on your nth visit to the TotOK.

 

[Satsy]

If there wasn't a timer even replaying floors wouldn't be so horrible. But that you did have to keep repeating floors over-and-over, especially if you've not afforded yourself enough time in later floors (once you have the save point) just made the whole process tedious.

EDT:... I recognise that comes across as just hating on it for the one element; time. This wasn't, however, my only beef with it, and there are other elements that make it more annoying.

I mean don't get me wrong, a race is fine to run. Bettering one's time for a great reward isn't a bad thing. There are timed races in this and the next game that I had no issues with. It's fulfilling when you can charge through and find you've done better than last, and gotten more for repeating it.

The problem is in the difference. This race wasn't optional. And you were running it more than once for your 'reward'. You're also never told it's a race, so you're just thrown at it with the stick instead of the carrot ("Do this or you'll be poisoned and die!").

Much as I know this'll net me some negative points among many, I will admit that I did 'turn off' the timer. Led to more time to explore to find things you wouldn't on earlier runs, and meant getting through the parts of the dungeon much faster than when I was told I'd die if I wasn't fast! That very timer slowed me down immensely, and its removal sped me up. It did mean I could get through the puzzles you had to do over and over, to get me to the less annoying siren enemies and not-always-accurate drawing puzzles. But it wasn't as grating as the timer forced me to be. I get quite agitated at games as it is, and extra reasons just put me off.

Long story short, the timer just exacerbated other annoying issues within the temple and could have been left out, and still made for a decent gaming experience. Not like there weren't other irritating elements in that game that would have made up for that loss (ship battles).

 

[OcarinaofWind12]

I've always loved the Temple of the Ocean King. It's really fun to try to beat my record all the time. You feel pretty epic when you reach the save point (floor 6?) in less than 15 seconds.

 

[Demise_]

Lol. It seems everyone who's good at it loves trying to best their record, while everyone who's bad at it and runs out of time hates it. XD

 

[HylianHero]

Its a really good idea but no one likes a dungeon on a timer and enemies you can't defeat.

 

[Justac00lguy]

I do see why this dungeon gets so much hate but I went for the top option...

Simply because I think the dungeon stands on its own as one of the most unique dungeon designs we have seen. Now I guess am one of a few who actually liked this dungeon and I really though the challenge it presented is something more dungeons need in the future. The fact that we had to return each time was quite tedious but the time we got familiar with the dungeon and with each progression, the dungeon had harder segments and more complicated puzzles. I loved the fact that you had to manage time appropriately, even though some of it was trial and error I think this dungeon had a sense of strategy. You would have to figure out where in fact to go and the best way to navigate the puzzling rooms as you were timed.

I would definitely welcome a dungeon like this in the future and even though it could use improvements here and there, the fact that it is so unique makes it my favourite Dungeon out of both PH and ST.

 

[Spirit]

I bloody hate this damned temple, in no other Zelda game i have played has there been an element that is so frustrating, this temple would have been hard enough with normal controls but adding the stylus controls just made things so fiddly. There are a few things i hate in Zelda and in games in general; in Zelda its stealth missions and in general its timed missions, this temple mixes both, implements a fiddly control system, makes you revisit it far too often and resets itself whenever you leave, it is such a trial and so annoying and such a chore that i still havent finished PH because i dont have the patience for it. The puzzles are also far too drawn out for something that is designed with both time and stealth in mind. its just and trainwreck of bad ideas done very badly in my eyes.

 

[Demise_]

I bloody hate this damned temple, in no other Zelda game i have played has there been an element that is so frustrating, this temple would have been hard enough with normal controls but adding the stylus controls just made things so fiddly. There are a few things i hate in Zelda and in games in general; in Zelda its stealth missions and in general its timed missions, this temple mixes both, implements a fiddly control system, makes you revisit it far too often and resets itself whenever you leave, it is such a trial and so annoying and such a chore that i still havent finished PH because i dont have the patience for it. The puzzles are also far too drawn out for something that is designed with both time and stealth in mind. its just and trainwreck of bad ideas done very badly in my eyes.

Actually, I found the stylus controls make the game impossibly easy. I'm doing a 3-heart challenge, and I only died a very few times, and then only when I was really not careful or during a couple annoying parts (e.g. in the temple of courage where there are a bunch of floating platforms and a bunch of keese. If you get pushed of by a keese, it's half a heart for contact and half a heart for falling = 1 heart of damage. -_-)

As for the temple, if I had just finished my first playthrough I'd have completely agreed with you. BTW, it's a pity you haven't finished the game; if you already have the grappling hook, there's a great shortcut that makes floors 7-9 so much easier! Just grab the key on floor 4 (the one that has 3 force gems) from the phantom, but don't use it and instead catapult to the next floor using two torches near the top-left corner. Note that if you leave through the yellow warp you'll lose this extra key. Now on the floor after the warp, go to the top using the platforms, then instead of going to the left, get into the safe zone to the right. From there grapple over to the treasure chest across the gap, and get the round crystal (and 30 secs of time in a pot). Use the platform to cross the next gap, then run over to the top-right corner and open the door using your extra key. Voila, you've just skipped the whole floor! Ask me if you need more help.

 

[Krazy4Krash]

I'm neutral on it, but I find myself barely tolerating it at times. In particular, the early portions. It gets tedious needing to go through those rooms so much.

 

[Ghirahimiscool]

I liked the temple of the Ocean King. Even though it took me a long time to get through it.

 

[Fraxinus]

Hold a gun to my head, whatever--but I absolutely loved the Temple of the Ocean King. I liked the concept, though I don't really wish for it to be recycled again (sorry, Spirit Tracks, but you're just trying to steal Phantom Hourglass' thunder). I enjoyed the strategy behind it, and being able to discover its secrets, as well as finding more efficient methods of clearing it each time I would revisit. Some techniques I discover are insanely handy, even when replaying the game. It's just a very nice structure--not for a dungeon, of course: just for thinking.

After obtaining the grappling hook, that temple is the best ever happened thing. <3