There was a theory back when Skyward Sword first came out that the game is more of a tech demo than anything else. Now that I've finally played it with the Switch release, I can say that I believe this 100%.
Every. Single. Plot point. requires a fetch quest to proceed. There are only four major areas in the game that you have to frequently fly to (which is a slight annoyance) and retrieve something. The bulk of this game is fetch quests followed by dungeons. To make matters worse, the latter part of the game involves partially redoing some dungeons (albeit in a much different manner). Combined with how few areas this game truly has, it's safe to say that Nintendo got as much use out of the game's assets as it could.
These fetch quests also make the early part of the game a slog. It's slow paced and nothing too fun happens. Just usual "find new area, fetch quest, enter dungeon, fight boss, repeat." Things don't pick up until after the third dungeon where the game gets interesting, but again is slowed down heavily by more fetch quests. This game should have been around the length of Ocarina of Time on your first play through, not 30 hours. To illustrate the point better, there is a point in the game where you must talk to Faron (the Water Dragon) to get something to proceed further in the game. She wants you to prove yourself to her before she does anything. So how do you do that? A fetch quest! Then you get what you need and you go to the dungeon. Not bad, right? Well a few hours later, you need to get something else from her (music, or a part of a song). So she just gives it to you, right? Wrong. You have to prove yourself to her again. And how do you do that? ANOTHER F***ING FETCH QUEST.
Then come the motion controls. Yes, on the Switch version you can use a controller whether it be the Switch Pro Controller or the joy-cons attached to the Switch in handheld mode or built-in as part of the Switch Lite. However, it is best when played with the joy-cons in your hands instead of attached to the console. Why? The right thumbstick is annoying to use and there was a point where I switched from the joy-cons to the pro controller and couldn't figure out how to do something (I think it was use my shield). This got me killed, unfortunately. But what's worse is that this is nothing but a gimmick. It doesn't enhance the game in any fashion, it just makes simple tasks like killing a Deku Baba annoying.
I heavily prefer the motion controls of Twilight Princess. It was cool to use the motion controls there but they weren't tied to swinging your sword a certain way. This gimmick is annoying but the pro controller just isn't convenient to use in my opinion, so I dealt with the joy-cons the entire time.
The story itself is really good and we finally see the beginning of how Link and Zelda keep fighting Ganon over and over throughout the games. A reason is given and it's a fine one to me. This game also excels with its musical score which is absolutely beautiful. It is simply lovely and masterfully composed, and it's the first time a Zelda game has had the music orchestrated which makes it all the better. It is the one consistent aspect of this title that is always top notch.
At the end of the day, this game is a massive disappointment. It's more of Fetch Quest: The Game with a Zelda theme to it than anything else. A tech demo for motion controls. If the game hadn't used the fetch quests for every plot point, it would be significantly shorter. Maybe 10 to 12 hours on a first playthrough, maybe a little more or a little less. But this combined with the motion control gimmick and the flying which reminds me of the sailing in The Wind Waker (but 1/10th as annoying), there just isn't much to like about this title except the music.
I beat the game around 2 A.M. and I sold it on eBay as of 9:45 A.M. the same day. Unlike the other Zelda games, this is one I won't be coming back to.
Every. Single. Plot point. requires a fetch quest to proceed. There are only four major areas in the game that you have to frequently fly to (which is a slight annoyance) and retrieve something. The bulk of this game is fetch quests followed by dungeons. To make matters worse, the latter part of the game involves partially redoing some dungeons (albeit in a much different manner). Combined with how few areas this game truly has, it's safe to say that Nintendo got as much use out of the game's assets as it could.
These fetch quests also make the early part of the game a slog. It's slow paced and nothing too fun happens. Just usual "find new area, fetch quest, enter dungeon, fight boss, repeat." Things don't pick up until after the third dungeon where the game gets interesting, but again is slowed down heavily by more fetch quests. This game should have been around the length of Ocarina of Time on your first play through, not 30 hours. To illustrate the point better, there is a point in the game where you must talk to Faron (the Water Dragon) to get something to proceed further in the game. She wants you to prove yourself to her before she does anything. So how do you do that? A fetch quest! Then you get what you need and you go to the dungeon. Not bad, right? Well a few hours later, you need to get something else from her (music, or a part of a song). So she just gives it to you, right? Wrong. You have to prove yourself to her again. And how do you do that? ANOTHER F***ING FETCH QUEST.
Then come the motion controls. Yes, on the Switch version you can use a controller whether it be the Switch Pro Controller or the joy-cons attached to the Switch in handheld mode or built-in as part of the Switch Lite. However, it is best when played with the joy-cons in your hands instead of attached to the console. Why? The right thumbstick is annoying to use and there was a point where I switched from the joy-cons to the pro controller and couldn't figure out how to do something (I think it was use my shield). This got me killed, unfortunately. But what's worse is that this is nothing but a gimmick. It doesn't enhance the game in any fashion, it just makes simple tasks like killing a Deku Baba annoying.
I heavily prefer the motion controls of Twilight Princess. It was cool to use the motion controls there but they weren't tied to swinging your sword a certain way. This gimmick is annoying but the pro controller just isn't convenient to use in my opinion, so I dealt with the joy-cons the entire time.
The story itself is really good and we finally see the beginning of how Link and Zelda keep fighting Ganon over and over throughout the games. A reason is given and it's a fine one to me. This game also excels with its musical score which is absolutely beautiful. It is simply lovely and masterfully composed, and it's the first time a Zelda game has had the music orchestrated which makes it all the better. It is the one consistent aspect of this title that is always top notch.
At the end of the day, this game is a massive disappointment. It's more of Fetch Quest: The Game with a Zelda theme to it than anything else. A tech demo for motion controls. If the game hadn't used the fetch quests for every plot point, it would be significantly shorter. Maybe 10 to 12 hours on a first playthrough, maybe a little more or a little less. But this combined with the motion control gimmick and the flying which reminds me of the sailing in The Wind Waker (but 1/10th as annoying), there just isn't much to like about this title except the music.
I beat the game around 2 A.M. and I sold it on eBay as of 9:45 A.M. the same day. Unlike the other Zelda games, this is one I won't be coming back to.