Current Events > Im loving TOTK but critics really pulled their punches

(+) Yeah! (+)

This always happens with nintendo and especially with zelda games.

Be honest: the game looks very last gen and the framerate is hot garbage more often than is acceptable.

Imagine another developer releasing a game where 20FPS is pretty much the average. The fact this is barely a mention in so many reviews of the game and not enough to dock even a point from the perfect scores its getting is sus.

I've noticed it a few times, but it's far from being a serious issue for me.

There are some real problems with the game that I completely agree got overlooked entirely.

For instance, every time you finish one of the main four story segments (being vague for those that wanna go in blind), you get treated to almost the EXACT same cutscene, only two characters are swapped but all the same lines and scenes are repeated. It's really atrocious storytelling.

This isn't a Nier situation where you're seeing the same story from a different perspective, it's pretty much verbatim. Obnoxious to sit through so many times. Something like God of War would have been demolished for pulling that stunt.

I thought they were a bit harsh. It didn't even get the same score as BOTW. I was hoping itd get a 98. Maybe if it had come out in 2016/2017 it'd score higher. It is a shame that BOTW had to exist back then and not this game.

Framerate should be pointed out, but importantly I don't think it's any worse than BOTW. So that's good. Everyone knows the Switch is a piece of shit as far as hardware goes. That's not to say that should be an excuse, just that it was to be expected.

My only gripe with the game so far is some questionable story decisions. But I haven't seen the story fully unfold yet, so maybe some of those issues will be addressed.

Switch is still mobile hardware that's around 360 level. The 360 and PS3 also had many critically acclaimed games with low framerates.

At least it aint as glitchy as Bethesda games.

He's starting to wake up...

everyone says it looks last gen or whatever, but i've been really impressed by the visuals. i have a 4k upscaler and all, but i don't think it makes that much of a difference. i suppose the lighting and textures all play a part. the frame rate hiccups only under certain conditions, and for a game this huge with three layers of world maps accessible all at once, and for the hardware they have to develop for, i'd say this may honestly be the most impressively optimized game i've ever seen on a nintendo console. i'm quick to shit on nintendo, but comparing this game to a shitshow like pokemon is night and day

Don't get me wrong, I think the game is really pretty. But that's entirely down to art direction and style. In reality if you go up to a tree or a rock or really any texture it just loooks old.

Yeah, the framerate constantly shits out on me.

Unrelated but anyone thinking Nintendo will embrace bc with the Switch successor the same way Microsoft and Sony have this gen is putting way too much faith in Nintendo. They could make so much money by putting our lazy ports of these games with corrected framerate. Most of the Wii U ports selling well proves that to them.

Whoa the handheld hardware from 6 years ago looks last gen?

Reviews should be based on the hardware capabilities. Should all late gen games lose points for not magically overclocking the hardware? Should handheld games always get a lower score?

pinky0926 posted...

This always happens with nintendo

This. When reviewers dare not treat Nintendo like a god, their website gets doxxed by idiots.
That's what happened to Jim Sterling.

I've never seen a "bad" Zelda or Mario game (from their main series at least) but Nintendo definitely gets treated with kid gloves. They do a hell of a lot right, don't get me wrong, they're just not the perfect angels reviewers and fanboys seem to think they are.

The game is great and I'm having tons of fun. But the dialogue writing sucks so bad lol.

And so much of the voice acting is phoned in. I especially dislike Zelda's voice, she talks like she's always freezing to death while reading a children's mystery story out loud.

Bringit posted...

For instance, every time you finish one of the main four story segments (being vague for those that wanna go in blind), you get treated to almost the EXACT same cutscene, only two characters are swapped but all the same lines and scenes are repeated. It's really atrocious storytelling.

Yeah this was pretty lame. You just end up tuning those cutscenes out. I get why they did it, with the open-endedness of the game, but it just makes it look bad.

NGL after playing Elden Ring so much the graphics in TotK were jarring at first. Then gameplay happened and I no longer even noticed.

Unsuprised_Pika posted...

Whoa the handheld hardware from 6 years ago looks last gen?

Reviews should be based on the hardware capabilities. Should all late gen games lose points for not magically overclocking the hardware? Should handheld games always get a lower score?

Do you not remember PS3 ports getting slammed in reviews back in the day for running like garbage? How's this different? If it runs badly, it runs badly.

Digital Foundry did a framerate analysis and 20fps is definitely not the average after the 1.1 patch. It maintains 30fps for a majority of the game, with ultrahand in busy areas sometimes causing a dip

Unsuprised_Pika posted...

Whoa the handheld hardware from 6 years ago looks last gen?

Reviews should be based on the hardware capabilities. Should all late gen games lose points for not magically overclocking the hardware? Should handheld games always get a lower score?

It's a game developed specifically for that system and it still runs poorly.

Gwynevere posted...

Digital Foundry did a framerate analysis and 20fps is definitely not the average after the 1.1 patch. It maintains 30fps for a majority of the game, with ultrahand in busy areas sometimes causing a dip

30 FPS is still terrible...its 2023. Nintendo can afford it and they should be giving it to you... especially in a $70 game. Most Wii games and like half of Gamecube games could run at 60FPS. why are they downgrading from fucking 2001. and then Nintendo fanboys welcome the downgrade. saying stuff like "its amazing this game can run on the Switch!"..... thats weird behavior

AbstraktProfSC2 posted...

30 FPS is still terrible...its 2023. Nintendo can afford it and they should be giving it to you... especially in a $70 game. Most Wii games and like half of Gamecube games could run at 60FPS. why are they downgrading from fucking 2001. and then Nintendo fanboys welcome the downgrade. saying stuff like "its amazing this game can run on the Switch!"..... thats weird behavior

I mean with all the effects and stuff loaded in at once the switch itself is going to struggle. It's not like in say, pokemon where it's clearly optimization issues

I've probably only explored 10% of the world so far, but I feel like the frame rates are *better* than BotW so far. Kakariko village and the lost woods ran like a slide show.

When reviewers reviewed Skyward Sword they were bound like Hannibal Lecter

WrestlinFan posted...

Yeah, the framerate constantly shits out on me.

Unrelated but anyone thinking Nintendo will embrace bc with the Switch successor the same way Microsoft and Sony have this gen is putting way too much faith in Nintendo. They could make so much money by putting our lazy ports of these games with corrected framerate. Most of the Wii U ports selling well proves that to them.

Wii U ports sold well because no one bought the Wii U while the switch sold very well.

Havent really noticed any issues in totk, but then again I dont have problems with stuff like 30 fps. Also havent been to the lost woods in this game yet to see if it struggles as bad as BotW does around the deku tree.

sure the graphics may not seem stellar and the framerate can be pretty iffy at times but i'm still having a blast with it!

The graphics are actually pretty nice and the framerate is mostly solid. It's getting proper reviews

Tbf it's almost a miracle this game performs the way it does. Seamless open world on incredibly outdated hardware. There's way less ambitious 1st party games that come out on PS5 and Xbox that are riddled with bugs and performance issues.

Smashingpmkns posted...

Tbf it's almost a miracle this game performs the way it does. Seamless open world on incredibly outdated hardware. There's way less ambitious 1st party games that come out on PS5 and Xbox that are riddled with bugs and performance issues.

I read the game has been basically complete for a year and Nintendo took that time to completely polish the jank and physics.

Lmao my issues with the game dont even revolve around the graphics or frame rate. My issue is that this game is just botw with more stuff to explore. Even the story beats feel the same.

MaxEffingBemis posted...

Lmao my issues with the game dont even revolve around the graphics or frame rate. My issue is that this game is just botw with more stuff to explore. Even the story beats feel the same.

I can understand this criticism. However, for people who have fond memories playing BotW 4-6 years ago, most people just wanted more of the same with extra things to do/explore. Also, everything just seems more polished. The core gameplay didn't change much but certain things people griped about, (like not being able to climb in the rain or not having a cookbook) were addressed by the developers.

I've played less than 10 hours, but so far I'm enjoying the side quests more than I did on BotW. I just had to use the Accend ability to get into a locked house by going underground through a well in Hateno village, which was pretty fun.

Graphics are pretty low on my priorities list in a Zelda game, especially when BotW / TotK wisely opted for stylized Wind Waker-esque cel shading that generally ages better than contemporary cutting-age graphics.

Framerate is slightly more important. But then again I'm used to playing a heavily-modded version of Skyrim where Riften is a damn slideshow. So some light chop here and there barely registers for me.

kelemvor posted...

I can understand this criticism. However, for people who have fond memories playing BotW 4-6 years ago, most people just wanted more of the same with extra things to do/explore. Also, everything just seems more polished. The core gameplay didn't change much but certain things people griped about, (like not being able to climb in the rain or not having a cookbook) were addressed by the developers.

I've played less than 10 hours, but so far I'm enjoying the side quests more than I did on BotW. I just had to use the Accend ability to get into a locked house by going underground through a well in Hateno village, which was pretty fun.

Its just especially jarring to me because I played through botw for two weeks and then immediately going totk the when I beat it. I really enjoy totk but its just more of the same. Great game but it deserves that criticism

I love the game but the chasm system is so goddamn boring.

pinky0926 posted...

Imagine another developer releasing a game where 20FPS is pretty much the average. The fact this is barely a mention in so many reviews of the game and not enough to dock even a point from the perfect scores its getting is sus.

Have you considered that you just care more about this aspect of gaming than most people.

If any developer made a game as good as TotK I would expect it to be regarded as the minor problem that it is.

CRON posted...

I love the game but the chasm system is so goddamn boring.

It reminds me of the Nether in Minecraft. Thank God the Poes respawn and aren't collectable like Koroks.

PerseusRad posted...

Yeah this was pretty lame. You just end up tuning those cutscenes out. I get why they did it, with the open-endedness of the game, but it just makes it look bad.

The funny thing is that BotW actually did it right by giving you different cutscenes for each of the Champions. TotK really could've done something by giving you different details of the Imprisoning War so that you can piece everything together for the complete picture by the end.

uwnim posted...

Wii U ports sold well because no one bought the Wii U while the switch sold very well.

Havent really noticed any issues in totk, but then again I dont have problems with stuff like 30 fps. Also havent been to the lost woods in this game yet to see if it struggles as bad as BotW does around the deku tree.

I also don't mind 30fps but the game struggles to hit that target quite a lot. I'd have no qualms if it was a rock solid 30fps but it is not.

It's fucking hilarious to see people making excuses for the graphics/framerates in TOTK not being up to snuff, meanwhile also treating Pokemon Scarlet/Violet like they're literally unplayable over the same issues

TMOG posted...

It's fucking hilarious to see people making excuses for the graphics/framerates in TOTK not being up to snuff, meanwhile also treating Pokemon Scarlet/Violet like they're literally unplayable over the same issues

Well, it's because TotK's performance issues aren't as bad.

Plus the Pokemon games have fucking ugly-looking environments.

TMOG posted...

It's fucking hilarious to see people making excuses for the graphics/framerates in TOTK not being up to snuff, meanwhile also treating Pokemon Scarlet/Violet like they're literally unplayable over the same issues

TotK is an action game so you'd think it would be more important here.

TMOG posted...

It's fucking hilarious to see people making excuses for the graphics/framerates in TOTK not being up to snuff, meanwhile also treating Pokemon Scarlet/Violet like they're literally unplayable over the same issues

TotK issues aren't anywhere near as bad.

TMOG posted...

It's fucking hilarious to see people making excuses for the graphics/framerates in TOTK not being up to snuff, meanwhile also treating Pokemon Scarlet/Violet like they're literally unplayable over the same issues

Comparing the two is absolutely laughable

id prefer if all games looked last gen and focused on gameplay tbh. high frame rate and resolution would be nice, but millions of people are putting thousands of hours into Rimworld and Minecraft graphics are sprinkles on top at most.

Blue_Inigo posted...

Comparing the two is absolutely laughable

TotK has bugs, but it doesn't remotely compare to the ones in Scarlet/Violet, and anyone who says they do hasn't played the game (or Pokemon either for that matter).

the low fps hurts so much considering the graphics already look dated

The game looks like absolute shit. Low resolution, aliasing galore, blocky shadows, awful frame rate. It's still fun, but it constantly reminds you that its two generations behind.

Dorfmann_ posted...

The game looks like absolute shit. Low resolution, aliasing galore, blocky shadows, awful frame rate. It's still fun, but it constantly reminds you that its two generations behind.

Complete bullshit to say it looks like shit

Bringit posted...

There are some real problems with the game that I completely agree got overlooked entirely.

For instance, every time you finish one of the main four story segments (being vague for those that wanna go in blind), you get treated to almost the EXACT same cutscene, only two characters are swapped but all the same lines and scenes are repeated. It's really atrocious storytelling.

This isn't a Nier situation where you're seeing the same story from a different perspective, it's pretty much verbatim. Obnoxious to sit through so many times. Something like God of War would have been demolished for pulling that stunt.

But how would you change it? The game has to assume that it's your first time beating a Temple each time and therefore, has to assume that it's your first time seeing the cutscene.
But I agree with you that they should have switched it up each time, I just don't know what that would look like

I'm finding it to be kinda boring