Review: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is superb, streamlined and safe
A review of the new Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the Switch 2 describes it as a polished but safe update to the classic game. The author notes that while the technical improvements are welcome, the experience feels slightly detached from the original's emotional impact.
Why it matters
Remakes of iconic video games represent a significant portion of the gaming industry's revenue and cultural preservation efforts.
With its tale of an idyllic world despoiled by the lust for power, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time feels as relevant today as it did in 1998. Nintendo's new remake, out Thursday on the Switch 2, enshrines its place in the gaming canon for generations to come. But despite its stupendous production values and painstaking details, the game left me feeling oddly bereft.
Perhaps I should have expected as much. Ocarina of Time weaponizes nostalgia even within its narrative, as the protagonist Link ventures to save his post-apocalyptic world as an adult after first working through it as a kid. You'll uncover old characters enduring new catastrophes. You'll try to rescue everyone you meet. You'll strive to bring things back to how they were before — no, better than they were before.
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