Zelda 1 was open world and unrestricted and was amazing. BotW and TotK barely even feel like Zelda games there's much more wrong with them than not being linear
People don't want ocarina of time again because it's a step backwards, they want it because the story is engaging, gripping, compelling. You get emotionally involved with the characters and what is going on and what is going to happen. Dungeons are a must, not these repetitive shrines and divine beasts, and temples that aren't worth anybody's time. Breath and Tears don't look or feel like Zelda games. Why do weapons break? The whole thing is asinine. We don't need cooking, upgrading armor, and fusing things. Keep it simple: starter sword, master sword, another sword, dungeon items that can be used in a vast world, a couple shields, and a real story. That's all we want and need.
This to me feels like an overly cynical approach to why BotW and TotK. I feel the world of these games is just as artistically rich and thematically deep as OoT, but the desires of the game are simply different. I believe that Twilight Princess is a game you get when trying to do that sort of game again, because they've already made a masterpiece in the formula. To make it again is to retread ground.
To me, OoT is someone telling me a story. You go through it, step by step, and you get something inherently controlled. It's a wonderful experience, but it is one that has limitations.
BotW wanted the player to have an adventure. To bring the feeling of seeing sprawling concept art, and Link sitting by a campfire, the obvious in-between parts that are never told to life. And something like that can be authored, but if you try to do it like OoT would, you would end up writing a book.
So instead, the world exists, and you enter and interact with it. Crafting exists because it grounds you in the world. You heal not by finding hearts in the grass as an abstract concept of foraging, you literally forage for food, you cook it at a campfire and you recover. People have issues and things are happening, you must simply encounter them. You aren't going to be arbitrarily told you can't go there because we've decided there isn't story there yet.
This also kind of assumes that OoT is just automatically the greatest of the series, when I think public discourse quite clearly shows its not an agreed upon thing. I believe that MM, TP, parts of SS, and the new games all reach similar highs. The problem with MM, TP and the like is they're all inherently derivative of OoT. So for the context of OoT, being the first 3D zelda, and foundational for a lot early 3D design, plus nostalgia for the 90s.
I agree with the premise, that OoT can't be made again, but that's because OoT is more of a moment then just a game. OoT has already been done. BotW and TotK present something new and wonderful. A true adventure, with the blood and sweat necessary for such a thing. And whatever comes next will be heavily influenced by TotK, because for me at least, it is a new touchstone.
Nothing can ever be recreated: you can never go home, because you have changed, and home has changed. But! You have put some good thought into why that is, and what you can create.
It's nice to know someone actually recognizes what went missing. The series has slowly faded to me. In fact, I haven't even finished TotK. I literally buy a Nintendo console specifically for Zelda and then never use it again. Trying to chase that magical effect you finally described here. Emotional immediacy.
The best we can hope for is a proper remaster as a AAA project. Gosh I miss the old N64 Zelda.
I'd rather play N64 Zelda ocarina of time on a mobile phone than play more unrestricted games on console.
Zelda 1 was open world and unrestricted and was amazing. BotW and TotK barely even feel like Zelda games there's much more wrong with them than not being linear
People don't want ocarina of time again because it's a step backwards, they want it because the story is engaging, gripping, compelling. You get emotionally involved with the characters and what is going on and what is going to happen. Dungeons are a must, not these repetitive shrines and divine beasts, and temples that aren't worth anybody's time. Breath and Tears don't look or feel like Zelda games. Why do weapons break? The whole thing is asinine. We don't need cooking, upgrading armor, and fusing things. Keep it simple: starter sword, master sword, another sword, dungeon items that can be used in a vast world, a couple shields, and a real story. That's all we want and need.
This to me feels like an overly cynical approach to why BotW and TotK. I feel the world of these games is just as artistically rich and thematically deep as OoT, but the desires of the game are simply different. I believe that Twilight Princess is a game you get when trying to do that sort of game again, because they've already made a masterpiece in the formula. To make it again is to retread ground.
To me, OoT is someone telling me a story. You go through it, step by step, and you get something inherently controlled. It's a wonderful experience, but it is one that has limitations.
BotW wanted the player to have an adventure. To bring the feeling of seeing sprawling concept art, and Link sitting by a campfire, the obvious in-between parts that are never told to life. And something like that can be authored, but if you try to do it like OoT would, you would end up writing a book.
So instead, the world exists, and you enter and interact with it. Crafting exists because it grounds you in the world. You heal not by finding hearts in the grass as an abstract concept of foraging, you literally forage for food, you cook it at a campfire and you recover. People have issues and things are happening, you must simply encounter them. You aren't going to be arbitrarily told you can't go there because we've decided there isn't story there yet.
This also kind of assumes that OoT is just automatically the greatest of the series, when I think public discourse quite clearly shows its not an agreed upon thing. I believe that MM, TP, parts of SS, and the new games all reach similar highs. The problem with MM, TP and the like is they're all inherently derivative of OoT. So for the context of OoT, being the first 3D zelda, and foundational for a lot early 3D design, plus nostalgia for the 90s.
I agree with the premise, that OoT can't be made again, but that's because OoT is more of a moment then just a game. OoT has already been done. BotW and TotK present something new and wonderful. A true adventure, with the blood and sweat necessary for such a thing. And whatever comes next will be heavily influenced by TotK, because for me at least, it is a new touchstone.
Nothing can ever be recreated: you can never go home, because you have changed, and home has changed. But! You have put some good thought into why that is, and what you can create.
It's nice to know someone actually recognizes what went missing. The series has slowly faded to me. In fact, I haven't even finished TotK. I literally buy a Nintendo console specifically for Zelda and then never use it again. Trying to chase that magical effect you finally described here. Emotional immediacy.
The best we can hope for is a proper remaster as a AAA project. Gosh I miss the old N64 Zelda.