Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - Chibi Zelda Strikes Back

Zelda: Phantom Hourglass sets out to reinvent once again, the Zelda series. Combining the chibi art style from Zelda:Wind Waker with new stylus controls, PH represents a new foray into gaming that is novel and questionably enjoyable. So far with welcome reception from fans- Zelda: PH seems like a success but does the novelty eventually wear off?

Chibi-Style is Back- Aims at Younger Crowd

Despite anime being a norm among Japanese adults- Zelda Phantom Hourglass is definitely catered toward the younger crowd. The story is mind-numbingly simple and the art style is a bit too cutesy and deformed for my tastes. Bug-eyed link looks confused most of the time in the game, but despite the childish angle, the Gamecube-level 3d graphics on the DS provide a pleasant experience. It’s too bad though the camera angles in the game are for the most part fixed.

To further press on the camera issue- it’s also zoomed in slightly more than it should be for Zelda games. As a result? You definitely don’t see as much and coming around a tight bend can cause you to run into an enemy. This was probably done more for hardware restrictions than actual intent, but rest assured, a few hours into the game and you’ll barely notice.

Phantom Hourglass Kind of Sounds like Sands of Time…

Yeah, video game plots continue to remain a dime a dozen. Echoing other Zelda games, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and of course, Zelda: Wind Waker, you sail around a world in a quest to get 4 map pieces so you can gather up three different fairy powers that will let you save Tetra (aka Zelda). And of course what Zelda game would be complete without a Phantom Sword (aka Master sword) that you forge from three metals that are conveniently located in three separate dungeons?

Finally there’s some Sands of Time like action-plot involving hourglasses, timed dungeons, and the ability to stop time with your sword. Cool stuff, but we’ve seen it before. In the end, the plot ends up pretty shallow, with Pirate navigator Linebeck being the most important and interesting addition to the cast (the depressed looking guy on the cover) providing some comic relief. However, even with the new character, nothing changes the fact that this game lacks depth to its characters and plot. That’s not to say it is flat out bad though- no body ever complains about FF recycling the whole “gather crystals to save the world” after all, but it’s definitely more of the same ol’ stuff.

The Stylus Controls – Hit or Miss?

The stylus controls at first were agony to me. At times my hand would obscure the screen and I couldn’t see where I was going and I began to find the whole stylus control a bit annoying.

But a couple minutes into it and I found that the feeling was just temporary. The stylus controls are so refined and natural you can’t really complain about them. A slash works exactly the way you’d expect, and the boomerang control is awesome. The only thing that sucks about it is the inability to “roll” when you want to and the inability to use secondary items on the fly---having to select items and use them by tapping the right corner really slows down the action in some places. Still, complaints are very minor, the stylus controls work.

The problem is that you will get tired of it. The lack of ability to use button controls as an option plainly sucks. It’s clear though Zelda: PH was designed to use nearly every DS function you can imagine. You’ll be blowing into the DS mike to clear up dust or yelling into it on occasion to get a character’s attention. You even close the DS screen to imprint stuff. Zelda: PH uses the DS in just about every innovative way one can think of and it is well appreciated.

Finally, given the tiny stylus and the continual hand hovering- the wrist does kind of get sore after a bit.

15 Hour Adventure - Fast and Easy*

For those looking for a challenge, I’d say Zelda: Minish Cap was the better game. However there’s just one exception to it- the * is for the Hourglass castle. That bloody place was just about one of the hardest dungeons I’ve ever played in a Zelda game. It’s based on a timer and plays a lot more like Metal Gear Solid; you evade guards and solve puzzles. The rest of the game though plays much like all the Zelda games ever have. The thing to keep in mind though is this game follows much more like Wind Waker than the other Zeldas.

For one, the world map is an ocean, and so you’ll be spending a lot of time sailing around, shooting enemies down using the cannon via stylus aiming, and tediously using the salvage arm to pick up loot from the bottom of the ocean. I’ve never been a fan of Wind Waker’s ocean based world and have always preferred the large continuous continent in older Zelda games. This format offers more exploration and action in my opinon. For me the lack of controls for the ship and the inability to accelerate or decelerate is a deal breaker. Boat navigation is done mainly by drawing a course on the map- and then you go into full aim mode for the cannon in case of enemies. This means that even if you are just sailing to get a treasure chest, you must pay attention the whole way. If you leave your DS on autopilot, odds are you’ll get attacked by ocean enemies and be dead when you come back.

Bosses are cool though and use the DS screen in a few cases. They are larger than life and while easy- at least offer innovative styles of play. All in all, a fast easy Zelda adventure but if you do take the time to collect all the treasure on the ocean map, this game could easily run in the 30 hour mark.

Finally there’s the cool ability to take notes on the world and dungeon maps. That way if you read any interesting tablets- you can write down the order of how you pull the switches and so forth. You’d think this would lend way to some really devious and complex dungeons- but not really- most of the dungeons are almost dissatisfying linear.

Old School Music / New School Sounds

Classic Zelda tunes here. The only bit that irked me was the cutesy sounds the characters made that come thanks to the Wind Waker theme. Again, I’m not a huge fan of these chibi-based sounds but given this game is to appeal to younger kids, it certainly makes sense.

Conclusion – Get It Even if It’s Not the Best

Zelda: PH is definitely not the best of the Zelda series but it is a new and interesting direction. The game is fun- but because it’s short, most gamers will breeze through it unless they are intent on collecting every ship part. Much of the game is based on the ocean dynamic and most of the game’s extras are focused on collecting gems and parts in order to customize your ship. There are literally dozens and dozens of secrets in the game, the main problem being that there is that there’s little incentive to get them.

If this is your first Zelda game, I think you’ll love it. In particular, I can imagine myself as a kid enjoying this game a lot. However, if you’ve played others in the series- this might be more on the ok but still entertaining end. And finally, if you’ve enjoyed Zelda Wind Waker a lot, then this probably is your game. It continues well with the story and tradition, though the ending is a bit too abrupt.