We’re one week nearer to the fifth November launch of Ocarina of Time on Swap 2, so meaning it is time for my second replay catch-up.
For individuals who missed my adventures Contained in the Nice Deku Tree final week, I am replaying the unique OoT, one dungeon every week, within the run-up to launch. This time, it is Loss of life Mountain’s flip.
As soon as once more, I am going into dungeon specifics right here, so in case you’ve by no means performed OoT earlier than and you’re saving your self for the remake, simply know that there are spoilers forward!
OoT Dungeon Crawl #2 – Dodongo’s Cavern
Dodongo’s Cavern has all the time felt like a step down from the brilliance of the Deku Tree, to me.
Possibly it is the brown rock aesthetic, possibly it is the pesky Bomb Flower aiming, possibly it is the abundance of Hearth Keese (it is undoubtedly the abundance of Hearth Keese), however the journey into the mountain all the time looks like a little bit of a sophomore hunch.
My opinion hadn’t utterly modified this time round, however I am more and more sure that even my less-preferred Zelda dungeons are nonetheless a rattling good time.
From its opening room, the dungeon instantly presents simply two instructions — left or proper — and introduces two main dungeon options whereas it is at it: the lava and Beamos. This can be a dungeon stuffed with slippery little enemies, and these laser-firing sentinels are not any exception. They scared the pants off me once I was youthful, however now I can slip round them with ease. No laser burns for Hyperlink this playthrough.
What struck me this time round is how cyclical the format is. Zelda dungeons usually present you an space, then lead you thru a sequence of puzzles to entry stated space from a distinct angle, and Dodongo’s Cavern does that continuously.
The opening room is the sport’s introduction to a dungeon ‘hub’, with facet routes doubling again on themselves to open up new paths into the primary space. I like that raised swap in an alcove on the proper as you first stroll in. It is low sufficient that it is principally asking you to try to climb as much as attain it, although simply excessive sufficient to be inconceivable.
It isn’t till you make it previous the following statue-dragging swap puzzle, your first Lizalfos face-off, and the torch room that you just’re ultimately fed again round to the different facet of the ledge. Even in spite of everything of those playthroughs, it nonetheless makes me go, “Oh, I am right here!” once I loop again.
It manages to include some verticality into its looping construction. I am not the largest fan of the bomb puzzles on this one (extra on that later), however making a set of stairs by bombing the one rock column with a simultaneous explosion from left to proper is all the time a magnificence. It is on this second ground that you just encounter the Lizalfos for a second time (their tag-team swapping nonetheless guidelines), and you’ll peer by the smoke on the ground to see the room that you just first fought them in.
Comply with it round and also you’re again within the hub room, however increased this time! There’s even a brand new transferring platform! Come on, that is nonetheless a deal with.
However I am being a bit of too constructive right here, as a result of the second ground additionally comprises my least-favourite room in the entire dungeon. It is the maze-like room with a bunch of Blade Traps. It isn’t the paranoia of being stabbed on each nook that catches me out, however the finish puzzle the place I am required to pluck a Bomb Flower from the highest of a pillar and chuck it onto a close-by ledge to explode the cracked wall.
I’ve performed this dungeon nicely over a dozen occasions, and this throw takes me far too many makes an attempt each. single. time. I do know that I do not have to land the bomb on the ledge and an in-air explosion is simply as efficient, however there’s one thing concerning the timing and aiming that I can by no means wrap my head round. I will maintain my fingers up once I by chance throw a bomb as a substitute of dropping it (or vice versa), however this explicit train drives me up the wall.
Clearing the highest ground and opening the hub room’s central cranium (which, sure, remains to be tremendous cool), I dropped down into the dungeon’s stomach to face the Infernal Dinosaur himself, King Dodongo.
I’ve all the time liked Zelda’s ‘chuck a bomb into the large man’s mouth’ boss fights, and that is the go-to instance of the format, however regardless of how nice it feels to launch an explosive into Dodongo’s gob, I could not assist however discover this time round that the entire thing feels a bit… samey.
The roll / inhale / shocked assault sample is nice for a primary part, however a bit of extra to The King’s huge battle can be welcome. What if he modified path mid-roll? Elevated velocity? Got here with an added little leap? The inhale was generally a fakeout, so you have to keep in your toes to know when to prep a bomb?
It is a satisfying early encounter, however possibly the repetition might do with some tinkering. If solely they had been remaking this factor, eh?
Remake Reflections
With just a few tweaks, I believe I might be absolutely on board with this one. The aesthetic will certainly get a lift due to all of that 4K goodness (I am already drooling on the considered the lava lighting), and right-stick digital camera controls ought to assist put loads of my bomb-aiming qualms to relaxation. Beef up King Dodongo a bit of, and we might be onto a winner.
That is two out of the three Little one Hyperlink dungeons ticked off the listing. The third is often my least favorite of the bunch (hardly a sizzling take, I do know), so I am excited to see how a lot it bugs me this time round. Till we meet once more, my fellow dungeon crawlers.