It feels like Nintendo was trying to appeal to those who wanted a more "mature" Zelda but was afraid to stray too far from the formula.

There's great ideas here, but the game all too often wavers, resulting in an awkward mix. The art style is gritty, but the character design is frequently way too cartoonish to match. The story is set up as a dark and fresh take, but ultimately gets cold feet and falls back on familiar beats. Wolf Link was an interesting idea, but feels gimicky.

Still, there are some spots where this game shines through. The sword combat is perhaps the most fleshed-out of any Zelda game, there are some beautiful callbacks to Ocarina, and levels like Snowpeak offer a creative take on a traditional Zelda dungeon. Of course, the best part is certainly your companion - Midna, with her spunky personality and development through her bond with Link, is what made this game for me.

As Zelda goes, Twilight Princess is one of the more memorable installments, if far from the highest points like Wind Waker or Ocarina.