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Discussion Would you want the next Zelda game be more realistic, like twilight princess.

Steve

Steve

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I'm curios since the Zelda team can at one moment create absolute horrific stuff or make something more light hearted.
I would personally want the next Zelda game mix the two.

Since i think they're are truly capable at making some scary stuff, since you have the guardian concept ideas. Plus the Switch 2 would be more capable of creating more unique and detailed monsters. At it'll depend how the developers are feeling.

And having the next Zelda idea of huge scary behemoth roaming in the open world, sound so cool.
some-concept-art-for-guardians-i-hate-it-v0-n9bhudkq1ps81.jpg
 
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No, I do not want the next Zelda game to be more realistic. I feel like the next game's art style will be a more detailed version of BOTW's, but unique enough to make it look different.

That said, with the live action Zelda coming, I feel like there's a possibilty they may tie the movie with a more realistic looking game.

But honestly, knowing Nintendo, they won't care
 
I'm almost sure Nintendo will revamp the art style, but the look of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is so damn awesome and perfect for the franchise that I don't think they should move too far from it.

In other words, no, give me something that's not realistic.
 
IMHO I don't want that. I feel like we have an oversaturation of 'realistic artstyle' like in the 2000s.
Scary and horror themes I will prefer it in my Metroid
 
Earthbounder said:
I'm almost sure Nintendo will revamp the art style, but the look of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is so damn awesome and perfect for the franchise that I don't think they should move too far from it.

In other words, no, give me something that's not realistic.
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Makes sense, but i'm curios of how they'll revamp the artstyle, since Botw/totk is quite perfect
 
I get why it’s used, but I’ve never liked “realistic” as a descriptor for Twilight Princess. It’s a lot more stylized than people give it credit.

An open world game with art direction inspired by Twilight Princess would be great.
 
Steve said:
Makes sense, but i'm curios of how they'll revamp the artstyle, since Botw/totk is quite perfect
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Yeah, I'm awfully curious too.

I won't be disappointed at all if they just go the "Breath of the Wild but better" way when it comes to graphics. But I think we'll see some sort of change.
 
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I've said it before but on Switch they've barely scratched the surface of the BotW/TotK artstyle and I wouldn't mind yet another entry that looks closer to the promotional art as long as it's in a different setting. That said, I also want a more radical departure, maybe something with high saturation and contrast like the Majora's Mask art:

Majoras-Mask-artwork-featured-image-886x447.jpg


To answer the OP more directly, TP is only "realistic" in comparison to other Zelda entries but it's also my least favourite artstyle in the series and didn't look great in-game either.
 
If "realistic" is something like this


Then maybe; possibly they could go in that direction for something like an OoT remake if that's a thing they're interested in doing, I'm not sure it'd really be dable for an open-air game

But if realistic means going back to the "your game can have any color you want so long as it's brown and over-designed" approach or throws back to Twilight Princess (imo the worst a non-CDi Zelda has ever looked), then heck no
 
I don't need it to be realistic but I'm getting tired of the cartoony look, every zelda game sans TP post N64 has been cartoony, I'd like a more balanced approach like the N64 titles or I guess a darker one too.
 
Dardan Sandiego said:
I've said it before but on Switch they've barely scratched the surface of the BotW/TotK artstyle and I wouldn't mind yet another entry that looks closer to the promotional art as long as it's in a different setting. That said, I also want a more radical departure, maybe something with high saturation and contrast like the Majora's Mask art:

Majoras-Mask-artwork-featured-image-886x447.jpg


To answer the OP more directly, TP is only "realistic" in comparison to other Zelda entries but it's also my least favourite artstyle in the series and didn't look great in-game either.
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Thanks for you response.

I think a mixture of twilight princess and botw art style could be neat
the_legend_of_zelda_breath_of_the_wild_artwork1.jpg
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I want another realistic artstyle personally but don't think we will get one. Also I will say the BOTW/TOTK artstyle would have looked so much better on modern hardware. The art was great but the engine severely lacked in my opinion and just looks very dated today. Better textures, better effects, models, lighting, etc could have really made the BOTW/TOTK engine shine.

There are moments and scenes that look pretty but I think the majority of those games visually just had hardware limits.

I feel like the Switch 2 will likely be powerful enough to overcome a lot of the visual issues I had with BOTW/TOTK. That being said, I'm ready for a new take on Zelda or revisit an older take we haven't seen in a long time such as a more realistic approach. That Wii U tech demo looked great, for example.

A modern take on Wind Waker would be super awesome.
 
I would love for Nintendo to take the style of Link’s Awakening and iterate upon it.
From the gameplay to art style, it perfectly emulates that smaller/handheld TLOZ games we used to get.

Moreover, the diorama like world and rendering would look amazing with RT effects, and I can imagine that Nintendo can play around with it for some gameplay elements.

NSwitch_TheLegendofZeldaLinksAwakening_08.png

NSwitch_TheLegendofZeldaLinksAwakening_28.jpg
 
I wouldn't want realistic, but a very stylized creepy/gloomy (think Burton-esque) approach would be perfect for Zelda.
 
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Twilight Princess isn't even that realistic. Just muddier.

The designs are honestly wilder (and uglier) in Twilight Princess than the BoTW Duology.
 
better looking twilight princess is just the wii u demo. and yea, I'd want that



as for a more realistic Zelda, yea, I'd that that too. what's hilarious is that it'd be the inverse of Wind Waker but with the same reaction
 
Zelda shakes up visual styles frequently and with purpose. You can tell from the developers' concept art and interviews that their decisions are based on what is feasible for the hardware and the mood they want to convey. e.g. Wind Waker's cel shading and solid blocks of color worked very well for a sunny bright game where you're sailing on an 'endless sea' surrounded by blue. For this reason I expect an evolution of Twilight Princess's art eventually, though I think going to punch up the color like they did with the Wii U tech demo and Twilight Princess HD.

I will also say that TP's visuals are better served on the original hardware and preferably with a good upscaler / CRT. The vivid interior detail and the dreamlike atmosphere of the Twilight Realm are much better represented, and the low-res assets are more cohesive at an appropriate lower resolution.

I also enjoy the fairytale anime aesthetic of Ocarina / Majora 3D. A rendition of this style in HD with enhanced shading, lighting, and all the works could look very good.

ocarinaoftime.jpg
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Honestly... No. I like that the series regularly experiments with the art style. Some of my favorite entries went for very different approaches sans "realism" (though in the broader sense I'm using that word more so to describe the grittiness of realistic visuals vs not), and I've always felt those styles, like Wind Waker, ALTTP and Majora's Mask, lent themselves better to the Zelda worlds. There's a whimsical feel, albeit different in each of those, that something like Twilight Princess lacked for me. Something taking an even more realistic visual approach would probably turn me off. Wouldn't feel with Zelda.

Plus a super realistic Zelda would have to be somewhat gritty, given the nature of the games. Exploring dungeons and fighting monsters and stuff might remind me too much of something like Dark Souls with puzzle elements. Not to say that wouldn't be enjoyable but if I had a choice I'd prefer they keep experimenting and trying new things. The examples I brought up have an identity that I don't think realistic graphics plays any part in why they work well. Zelda games don't really ground themselves in reality where that style fits.
 
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Something akin to the art style of horror or darker tones would also work well, I’m reminded of the conceprt art for the Sheikah game by Retro Studios.

sammy_hall_petrifiedmanaroots.jpg


sammy_hall_cambrianpetrified.jpg
 
Unpopular opinion but yeah, I would. Most Zelda fans seem to hate Twilight Princess’ art style, but that was really because it was held back by the hardware it was on.

But that Wii U tech demo with Twilight Princess Link is still the best the Zelda series has ever looked imo, and that was 2 hardware generations ago. I’d love to see them give it another shot.
 
Play From Soft games.

As for Zelda, I like the current artstyle. Would I mind if they went realistic? No, as long as it looks good (Twilight Princess doesn’t)
 
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Yeah, I'd love that honestly but I don't see it happening. It isn't on brand for modern Nintendo.
 
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I wouldn't mind I guess but Its not my first choice.

Might be more appealing if they include a fair amount of horror elements. Love me some horror in a not horror game.
 
I think the N64 style is the best Zelda characters have ever looked. Link and Zelda have had better designs, but for enemies and NPCs it's perfect. But I prefer Wind Waker for the environments (its characters look much worse imo, not a fan of the bobble heads at all).

Like, this nails it I think:
OoT_Stalfos_Artwork.png
OoT_Poe_Artwork.png
 
Honestly I prefer the more cartoon like artstyle that they go for in games compared to realistic. The fantasy type setting that they always seem to go for just really fits the more unrealistic models they have done more recently, and even more so for wind waker, though I can fully understand that might be too much for people. If they do ever go to a more realistic approach, I wouldn't really mind, but I don't think it would leave such a lasting impression on me like the other games have visually.
 
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I just want a weird game tbh, I don't care as long as it's weird and has weird lore, weird characters etc.

I also want a Sheikah game...
 
more realistic…

twilight princess was a bait and switch, that game is truly stylized with bizarre and funky designs. realistic isn’t quite what I’d call it
 
Nah, BOTW/TOTK is pretty much perfect for Zelda. Cartoony characters but pseudo-realism for the environments.
 
I’d be completely on board with another ‘mature’ looking Zelda, but I don’t see them going that route anymore. With the exception of remakes of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess that would allow them to go even more mature with the advancements in hardware. Like the Wii U tech demo, for example. They could very likely achieve that improved look for remakes of those two games.

But I imagine they’re going to have similar gameplay and such akin to BotW and TotK for their next big, new Zelda game and a mature Zelda just wouldn’t work with the sometimes goofy nature of the games, just how it wouldn’t work with something like Skyward Sword and The Wind Waker. So I full expect either the same artstyle as the previous two games or something incredibly close to it.
 
I trust them to do whatever they feel like.

I really like Twilight Princess' designs though.
Different species look more pronouncedly non-human and people come in all shapes and forms, from beautiful to bizarre. I love media that allows itself to depict that full range - including the weird and the ugly. Found it very unique and memorable. And it's perfect for a dark fantasy.

The execution was a bit lacking because the details and nuance couldn't be properly translated to the Gamecube/Wii. A style like that needed a stronger HD console to truly shine.

BOTW is their gold standard though.
 
I don't really think that Twilight Princess is really realistic... I think Resident Evil 4 is a GameCube game that aimed to be realistic, or Metroid Prime, buy Twilight Princess visuals on modern day would be something like Telltale Games?

And I definitely think that stylized visuals of Tears and BotW is way better than those of Twilight Princess. I'd say proportions and character models, as well as the scenery is way more realistic in BotW/TotK than in Twilight Princess.

I actually think a cartoony but not cel shaded game that looks like Majora's Mask 3D or Ocarina of Time 3D in terms of characters, but way higher poly and with better textures and with Tears-like scenery would be a great shift.

I think they'll aim for something different than BotW/TotK, but they won't try Wii U demo nor, god forbid, photorealism for the next entry. I think every entry just shows that it was never the developers' vision of what Zelda should look like.
 
I've since came to the conclusion that a large chunk of the nintendo core audience dislike realism and adjacent styles and that largely comes from Nintendo systems not keeping up with the jones and getting such games

so this is going to be a question that's quite heavily slanted to one side
 
here's a good way of handling realism, a tilt-shift 2D Zelda game. all the aesthetic flourishes of realism but the toyetic-ness of Zelda

 
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I think for the next game, what I want primarily is a game that doesn't adhere to such small feeling character models. I get it helps the open world aspect, but characters genuinely feel pretty small even ignoring fov. I'd also like them to do something a bit different with the style of BOTW / TOTK if that's going to return
 
I'd say a more modern version of the N64 games, but not necessarily Twilight Princess. While I appreciated TP's atmosphere, I feel many of the enemy designs skewed too realistic, for instance the Stalfos, where the N64 stalfos is 100 times better. I'm not sure the BotW/TotK style has the ability to exude the atmosphere of some parts of the N64 games.

tp-stalfos.jpg
the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d-the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess-hd-princess-zelda-link-nintendo.jpg
 
Rareware said:
With the exception of remakes of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess that would allow them to go even more mature with the advancements in hardware.
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Uncle Squingis said:
I'd say a more modern version of the N64 games, but not necessarily Twilight Princess. While I appreciated TP's atmosphere, I feel many of the enemy designs skewed too realistic, for instance the Stalfos, where the N64 stalfos is 100 times better. I'm not sure the BotW/TotK style has the ability to exude the atmosphere of some parts of the N64 games.
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Here's the thing though, the "mature" feeling of Ocarina was a hardware limitation. The brighter colors and resulting goofier tone of the 3DS port was the original intention. Any future ports or remakes of Ocarina are probably going to go further in that direction.
 
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