OK, this is a bit of a change for me, because I do not "own" a Wii or Skyward Sword.

Then why am I reviewing it? Because I have played it to its finish in the story over a long stretch of time (at a friends) to the point where I think I can actually give a good review on the game.

I should note, before I get too into the review that I think motion controls in gaming is idiotic. And I think forced motion (even though it's not "THAT" big a deal) is even worse, and very upsetting.

Here we go.

Graphics - 9

There is no getting around this. The game is beautiful and the character models are well made. For a Wii game it looks amazing. The only reason it loses any points is for being a Wii game. I can't help but think the game would look absolutely jaw dropping on the PS3 or XBOX 360. Unfortunately, Zelda will never be on either. I digress though, the game is stunning visually, which is really speaking to the strength of the game. Its' look.

Sound - 9

It sounds just as good as it looks. The soundtrack of this Zelda game harkens back to older times with how alive the music felt. It makes me feel like the sound is a living breathing thing, unlike in a lot of past Zelda games where the music has been substandard at a series standpoint (even if better than a large portion of other games). All the music fits the areas they belong to, and all the little things from footsteps to panting to sword hits sound cool and add to the game's already very good reputation. I was very pleased.

Addictiveness - 8

I can't fault this game in terms of its' fun aspect. It was fun at times, even though it was significantly less fun than a lot of Zelda games (MOTION CONTROL ARGH). There wasn't much to stop your enjoyment of the game either except a few choice puzzles in the late game that seemed to slow the experience to a crawl. If you know what you are doing, it will feel more streamlined, but some of the puzzles are somewhat advanced for a Zelda game, and I can definitely see some people having trouble and needing more time than usual to figure a couple of them out (Usually the answer is actually pretty simple too). I can't help but think that this game is more fun with the ability to have a "button press" control scheme with no motion control needed. But then I think that swinging the sword at enemies is also very rewarding. It's a bit of both really. It'd be less clear if the motion controls were always accurate. A lot of swipes ended up being slices, and vice versa.

Story - 7

Yeah, I'm a cynic of the story, but at this point, I don't really expect anything "new". Just the same old story with a lot of words changed around. They try to make it stand out, but really, I can't get over how the game tries so desperately to force you down the same tried and true Zelda plotline. The beginning of the game was interesting, with the emphasis on the sky, and your bird, and on being a knight-in-training at the academy with a few of your friends, and some bullies. It was different. Then they break the mold, and basically have you going to save Zelda (You knew you were going to have to) and the world (because that's what every Link basically has to at least try to do). Along the way you meet all kinds of characters, though really, none of them stand out as much as Groose, who is the only reason I wanted to stick out the story at all. Groose is a riot, especially late game. He's a keeper. The rest of the cast is largely forgetable, and Zelda isn't even really worth the chase for me this time. And the main villain (or something like that...) is annoying, and not in the good way. Not bad, but I expect something new from the Legend of Zelda as a whole. Someday hopefully.

Depth - 7

Aside from one choice sidequest, there's not much to see here. A large portion of the side quests are basically fetch quests with unrewarding ends, that make you feel like you wasted your time doing them. I won't say I did all of them (because after doing how much I did, I'm not interested in the slightest in finishing the rest) but I will say that I did the ones that mattered. The one I'm talking about is the Gratitude Crystals sub-quest, that you start early, and won't finish till late game, if at all. Basically you have to get Gratitude Crystals (for doing some mini side quests) for this monster, who wants to be a human. I won't spoil the ending of it, but it's very doable, and is easily the only one with a sense of accomplishment in the game.

Difficulty - 3

Most of the difficulty comes from the forced motion. I'm not somebody who likes moving my arms around when I play games. I found myself pushing buttons a lot early game, forgetting that it wouldn't work now. Once I got into the hang of it, the game got much much easier. The bosses were pretty easy to beat, and the only real challenge to the game was one or two rooms in a late dungeon. One room, a challenge does not make. It's easier than a lot of the Zelda games I've played, and it's led me to say this is a great place to start as a new Zelda player if they want to get into the series.

Overall - 8.1

I'm probably lower on this than most everybody. That's fine. I have a different view than that of a Nintendo fan boy, or a Wii hater (though I'm not really a fan of the system). A large part of this game is very fun, and worth exploring. In that same vein, near the end I just wanted the game over. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing, but I've never felt that playing a 3D Zelda game. The graphics and sound make a lot of the game tolerable. And that's really the saving grace of this game. Is it game of the year? No, not at all. Is it the best Zelda ever made? Scratch that too, I thought Ocarina of Time and Link to the Past were better in my book. But this is a very welcome addition in what has become a very large Zelda series. If you have a Wii, and like video games, you will probably like this. So get it, and see for yourself if you agree.

Good
1. Groose is awesome
2. Best sound in a Zelda game in a while.
3. Fun character design.

Bad
1. Motion Controls!
2. Stamina Gauge!
3. Lack of fun side quests

Good game. Still haven't completed it though.

Great review! I gotta say that the motion controls were pretty forced, but it works better than pretty much any other Wii game out there. And the stamina bar was the dumbest thing ever. Keep up on the reviews, Leggy!