Michael Fahey has now played Skyrim for more than 60 hours. Stephen Totilo has now played The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for more than 40. Surely, these two have something to say about how these two games compare.
They do. They have discussed these two titanic games wow gold pig, tried to find common ground, took unwarranted shots at each other and, well, they forgot to make any Skylanders jokes.
What do Skyrim and Skyward Sword players have to say to each other? This:
Mr. Stephen Totilo, Kotaku deputy editor, irrepressible booster of The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask: Ive played a ton of Skyward Sword. Youve played a ton of Skyrim. We should compare notes!
Mr. Michael Fahey, Kotaku workhorse, lover of role-playing games: Notes? Like how none of my Skyrim characters are wearing funny green hats?
Stephen: There you go taking a shot at Zelda right away. Or at Link,Eden Eternal Gold,. specifically. Ive been hip-deep in Zelda for the last couple of weeks (also in Asssassins Creed, somehow),Final Fantasy XIV Gil so its been weird for me to see people losing their minds over Skyrim and calling it one of the best games of all time. I liked what Ive played of it a lot, but I feel like Im in some other universe where I might be playing the best RPG of November.
Mike: Another universe. Thats an apt description. Its almost like youre playing the cartoon version of the epic live-action ntasy movie Ive been exploring for the past few weeks (with a side trip to Middle-Earth).
Stephen: I must say that Skyward Sword is really pretty. I love the art direction and dont mind that its not HD.
Mike: It certainly makes things easier. Its the difference between World of Warcraft and, say, EverQuest II. When you strive for realism youre more open for criticism. I think I prefer Skyrim because the places I go feel like actual spots I could visit. You can almost smell them.
Stephen: What do dragons smell like?
Mike: The back of a Petland, Id imagine.
Mike: I think I prefer [the graphics] in Skyrim because the places I go feel like actual spots I could visit. You can almost smell them. Stephen: I hear your game has bad combat. Mine doesnt. The motion controls work well. The swordplay is good. Imagine, if you will, Skyrim played with a Wii Remote. It could be better, yes?
Mike: That is a dream of mine, Stephen. I mentioned it in myDisappointments post last week. Skyrim played with a Wii remote or the PlayStation Move would be a sublime experience. Though…
After experimenting with some of the other forms of combat—shield and sword, straight magic—there are ways to enjoy combat. Its all in the way you choose to play. Is choice a big ctor in Skyward Sword?
Stephen: It is. I started picking up on that when I was playing the game at preview events. This Zelda is more of an RPG than others. Its no Skyrim (by which I mean you cant change your class or your cranium), but you have to manage a stamina meter, can upgrade most of your items, craft with bugs to make better potions (thats what bugs are good for Vindictus Gold, yes?) and, well, there are some stats in this Zelda game. Not a ton. But I appreciate that you and I could finish Skyward Sword and our Links would be slightly different. Thats not usually the case with Zelda games.
I guess you could stretch that and say Zelda is slightly Skyrim-esque in that sense. Is there anything Zelda-esque to Skyrim?
Any bottled iries? Or brilliant dungeons? Or treasure chests that tell you how much a red rupee is worth EVERY TIME YOU OPEN ONE??
Mike: Any game is better with bottled iries DC Universe Online Is Free-to-Play Today &, but sadly no. There are some brilliant dungeons, littlered with traps and the sort of brain-twisting puzzles that make you wish you hadnt instituted a no-Gameqs rule when reviewing a title. Id have to say the most Zelda-riffic thing about Skyrim is it delivers the same sense of adventure and wonder today as the original Legend of Zelda did way back in 1986.
Stephen: Oh, thats cool. Did you find yourself asking friends about their discovering and trading tips? I played Skyward Sword with my cell phone next to me and kept texting a friend about the things I was discovering in the game. He was texting me his discoveries. It was really nice, like a throwback to being a kid and sharing Zelda secrets.
Im 41 hours into Zelda and trying to keep it from ending. Ive done many of the sidequests, so I think Ill cloceverquest2 platk in under 50. Thats a healthy amount of Zelda. I hear people like you talking about 80 hours of Skyrim and that, frankly,lotro gold. sounds like too much. Its scaring me off from going super-deep into the game. I played through Fallout 3, the teams last game. But this new one? Intimidating!
And I wind up being skeptical that the game can be consistently excellent for that many hours. That Zelda is as good as it is, for as long as it is, is a testament to the skill of Nintendos designers who clearly hand-crafted the whole thing. Does Skyrim feel