From what I have read in magazines, gathered from Miyamoto's statements,
and assumed from past games in the series, The Legend of Zelda:
The Ocarina of Time is going to fall short of ANY RPG, including
Beyond the Beyond.
Why? Simple. The STORY LINE.
Ultra Game Players November 1997 reported that it was the same old
save the princess and get the Triforce story. This may have been
OK back in 1991, but it is not OK in 1998. ANY RPG today has an
infinately better story than The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past,
and most probably better than The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.
Think about it: Final Fantasy VII is a story about the sanctity of
life, and how it is everlasting, as well as countless other themes.
Final Fantasy Tactics dwelves into human nature, criticism of the
medieval Catholic Church, and countless other themes. Wild ARMs is a
story about discovering that lost light of virtue within humanity, and
it shows us that the real enemy was not the Metal Demons, but the loss
of virtues within humans. Suikoden is an epic story of Chinese legend.
Vandal Hearts takes a look at the ethics of war, and betrayal. Alundra
goes deep into a people's faith, and how they deal with the realization
that THEIR god is actually evil. Breath of Fire III.... well, it may not
have the best plot or deepest themes in my opinion, but it still
outshines a save the princess story. Kartia: The Word of Fate is a game
that has 2 beautiful stories, but whose real strength lies in its
character interactions and development. Parasite Eve should be "required
gaming" for biology class, and it also has an exciting story. And
someone on the Working Designs message board stated that "Xenogears
makes The Iliad look like Dr. Suese."
And then there is The Legend of Zelda series, with its save the princess
and get the triforce story.
Why are we holding this game to lower standards than other RPGs? Many
people would say, "Oh, but it isn't an RPG!" Yes it is. It is an
ACTION/RPG. Now, I ask you, why do we not hold it to the standards that
we hold other action/RPGs to, such as Alundra?
I would take Alundra over The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
anyday. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time is a game that will
sell in droves, and has sold in droves, but it pales in comparison to
other RPGs, even an RPG like Beyond the Beyond.
