I don't know how in the world we missed this in the massive torrent of news, but it's definitely something we need to talk about: Kotaku is saying that Skyward Sword is much more of an RPG than the other recent series entries. But while that discussion is interesting and something I'm going to address after the jump, what I really want to draw attention to is one of the reasons why they say this is.
Apparently there's a certain class of item you can find during the game that really makes this point hit home. Now, if you know me at all by now, you'll know that I like to make my readers work for their info, so if you want to know what's up, read the quote for details.
Most of it's just discussion of how things we already know about are RPG-like, like the shattering shields, item upgrades, and so on, but one particular point caught my eye:
I also found another Fi menu option called "Rumors". I asked the Nintendo people if they could comment on it, which is an inside joke (loyal Kotaku readers will get it). What Rumors would Fi tell me about, I wondered? I clicked the option for her to speak. She started talking about a rumor that "medals" will give you beneficial effects as long as you're carrying them. Oh my. Effects? I can equip special items that bolster certain qualities of my hero or his gear? That's pure RPG right there. I couldn't find any medals, mind you. I didn't even have the one she described, which was a so-called potion medal that extends the duration of potion effects.Two things to note here:I'll be honest - this news makes my barely-an-hour old article on how growth in Skyward Sword is expanding beyond just Heart Containers seem like a joke. Not only will we upgrade our equipment, but we'll also upgrade our character?
- Fi's "rumors" seem to be a much more helpful version of Navi/Tatl/King of Red Lions/Ezlo/Midna's hints, in that they clue you in on game features you may not have noticed otherwise. It sounds like these hints won't just be limited to what you have to do next - they'll also point you towards things like the item upgrades, repairing your shield, as well as...
- The "medals," which seem like the "rings" of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages ("good ol' Fujibayashi," one of us said in the staff chat when discussing this news). Equip one, and it'll have various effects - the one listed here boosts the effects of potions, I imagine others will bolster your defense or offense, increase your firing speed, let you run faster. The possibilities are endless, really.
- NEW! - Fi will also analyze the items you're currently carrying based on the area you're in. Their suitability for the current region and the balance of the contents of your pouch are both reported to you as percentages. Combine this with recent info about an item bank in the Bazaar and it looks like you'll have to swap out equipment based on your destination once you get a certain number of items.
Everything we've been learning lately really is starting to sound as though Zelda is taking more steps back towards the action RPG realm it pioneered back in the 80s. We're seeing a renewed focus on building up your character through optional equipment rather than just linear progress - something I think we can thank Mr. Fujibayashi and his love of the original The Legend of Zelda for - and we're seeing not only comebacks of these elements but major expansions of them. Is this the "back to basics" approach Aonuma spoke about at E3 2010? It certainly seems so.
Source: http://www.zeldainformer.com/2011/10/kotaku-skyward-sword-is-an-rpg.html
wow nice what you guys think ? can we call Zelda a Action RPG yet ? :3