The Courageous Heart Of The Wind Waker
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 เม.ย. 2024
- This is a retrospective on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - my favorite game of all time.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
4:17 The Call to Adventure
18:48 The Wind Will Guide Us
59:03 Interlude - Tales from the Great Sea
1:04:45 Out of Magic
1:27:49 Seeds of the Future
1:47:38 Courage
Special thanks to zeldadungeon.net and tcrf.net for being fantastic resources in my research.
Check out qwertythezippet’s channel here for a nostalgic treat: / qwertythezippet
Sources:
kotaku.com/5768870/the-great-...
www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/2...
www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...
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Check out this post to see which videos are coming next! / big-video-51059902
Be sure to check out Last Life, a community and forum for thoughtful video game discussion! www.last-life.net - เกม
I sincerely apologize for dropping a giant block on Medli. Thank you all so much for watching and commenting
duuuuuuude, Leukemia? Shit man. Leukemia just killed Norm Macdonald yesterday. He hid it from his family (and everyone else) for 9 years, sort of like what you did by not telling us sooner, makes ya think... We're lucky to have you, my guy.
edit: I'm not crying, you're crying. T-T
Glad to see You back Brother!!
This video appeared in my recommendations, while I was in the middle of my fourth playthrough, while in the endless night, thats a coincidence!
understanding the music of persona plz
Time stamp? Lol I missed this
Damn, with their deadline looming, nintendo must have been so relieved when ganondorf decided to destroy one of the dungeons. By pure coincidence, of course.
Ganondorf as on the development team if I recall correctly !
@@saxoman1 that would explain why he gets the best lines of dialog in WW
One day, may we be given the expanded edition ;)
"I knew we had little time, but I had no idea how little"
They 100% were taking the piss out of the crunch with this line, no doubt.
🤣
I never noticed how outset island's theme changes once aryl is kidnapped, that's crazy
Me neither, and I have played it several times the release day, since it was my only Gamecube game for years.
I thought that was just part of the original theme
I noticed as a kid but only because this was my first real video game and I was super curious and observant
Yeah, my mind officially got blown today. And it's amazing how the music told a story. It music changing to reflect how different Outset Island became from Aryll's disappearance.
Neither did I, it only took me 16 years.
33:54 "Waking your grandmother up will allow her to make you Elixir Soup. The best item in the game."
It struck me, listening to that, that it being the best item in the game is also a subtle message: Link's Grandma still loves him and gives him all her heart, and Link still loves his Grandma enough to truly value what she gives for him. Simple soup gives him strength nothing else in his world can.
😭😭😭
That, and Link has had double attack damage for all of his childhood!
It's true in real life too.
Nothing can replace my mom's cooking. No matter how old I get. Not the best restaurant in the world. My mom's cooking is my favorite. Always.
Combine this with the infinite soup glitch and you are above them all!
Also the fact that he always smiles before drinking it unlike the grimace he has with potions
This game hit me so hard because I'm a little sister. I watched my brother play this more than once. His first playthrough, the face he made when Aryll was kidnapped... I will never forget it. In that moment, Link wasn't the hero of winds. He was a big brother, being played by a big brother.
What a memory. No wonder WW stuck with you
I was 10 years old like Link when I played this game for the first time and I shared a bedroom with my younger sister, I remember going through the exact same thing! This game will always have such a special place in my heart for that reason.
Wind Waker's Link is also, probably, the most expressive Link out there, so much damn personality without even saying a single word.
Two words:
“Come on!”
he also meows at some point
Exactly! Truth!
It's pretty much just down to how big his eyes are. They exaggerate his expressions a lot.
It's the type of Link we need really.
"The same goes for one of my favorite characters in the game, Medli."
*flashback to Liam dropping a massive stone block on her head while discussing the earth temple layout*
IMAGINE doing most of the island exploration in this game during the Endless Night, instead of doing it when Bird Wife is chilling on your boat.
1:13:20
Me: Oh! A Wind Waker analysis video! *click*
Me, Later: *sobbing uncontrollably about the messages of hope and courage at the end and how it ties back into Wind Waker* I'm fine, I'm fine
Haha same here! Scrolling through the comments all teary-eyed.
Dude, same. Like, I did *not* come here to get stabbed in the feels today.
😭😭😭
When I was in college, something terrible happened. This just shattered my already frail mental state, and I became a hermit overnight. During that time, alone in my room rarely leaving my bed, I dove deep into nostalgia. I played Paper Mario TTYD, one of my favorite games as a kid. I played Super Mario Sunshine, a bright contrast to my feelings.
But then I played Wind Waker. As I beat Ganon, and watched my favorite protagonist I have ever played as leave his somber mentor/friend behind. I broke into tears. I can't remember the last time I had let myself cry. I don't know how long I sat there crying. But it was this game that gave me the courage, or moreso made me remember the courage I used to have. I called my parents for help, finally accepting that I wasn't "fine."
I've been growing since then, and trying to work on my healing, but lately I have been stuck in a rut. I am doing better mentally, but my next steps are unclear. I was growing disheartened, felt weak/powerless, and unable to fix myself despite coming this far. This video was great, the whole thing, but the *Courage* section has made me feel far more enabled, brave, and overall positive about myself than months of therapy. I am going to use this courage you and Link have shown me. I am ready. Thank you.
You'll be alright man. It's just a stumble. Your goal is far beyond this, isn't it? All love man. I hope you are doing better.
I find myself looking in BOTW and why ive found myself with a Switch and BOTW...the coincidence and synchronization....intrigues me.
Vvt 5
This comment resonated with me in a pretty deep way. I'm a stranger online, but one that can empathize with the story you told. Be proud of that newfound courage, and know you can overcome any quest. Hope you continue getting better!
I straight agree with this, BOTW so gives many life lessons. Facing FEAR, fighting LYNELS williningly...hahah love it. Guardians too, both are so intimidating like alot of life....ugh, helped me a lot!
I know how much effort this took, and the final product is nothing short of amazing. Glad you were finally able to put it all together!
Ayyy, it’s KingK. Two of the greats in video essays
Any chance we get a king k liam triforce collab????? 👀 👀 pretty please
Love u king
I’m glad to know that video essay creators support and appreciate each other
YO it’s my boi King K
In all my years of playing Wind Waker, I did *not* know Outset Island's music changed after Aryll got kidnapped. That is genius music design. I also didn't know about using the KorL during the cannon minigame.
Once I heard someone said that this Link is of the ones with most courage. So much that instead of the goddeses choosing him, he made them choose him. And his grandma is the most wholesome, tragic and caring character of the whole franchise.
He basically grabbed them by the collar and said “I’m going to be the hero. Now you can try and stop me, then die. OR you can give me what I want and you can lord over this world praising your intellect for helping me
*GOT*
*IT*
From a kindred spirit who grew up on the Great Sea and holds this as their most cherished video game of all time, thank you. Most retrospective content on this game goes on and on about the "boring dungeons", "nonexistent difficulty", "barren sea", and "needless padding", but you have truly hit the nail on the head as to why this game is so so special to so many people. Hearing your childhood stories reminded me of my own, and honestly moved me to tears. Keep up the amazing work, you are truly a fantastic creator.
I played it at 17 or 18 but still loved it caused it was fun
I agree 110%, people whine about the Triforce Quest and stuff and its like really, like it's so much better to push blocks around in OOT... Oot is the first video game I ever played and it still holds a special place to me, but Wind Waker is hands-down my favorite Zelda game, possibly game period. Exploring the breadth of the ocean and having to earn your way to the finale is super rewarding in my eyes. Ganon is actually made to be a real and relatable villain in this game and it actually makes him a thousand times more intimidating to see how calm and collected he is throughout the game. As Liam describes in the video, though, that all goes away when Ganon's dream is forever pulled away from him and he has nothing left to live for. That final battle, despite being a cakewalk, has so much emotional weight to it; through destroying Ganon and the King of RL's sacrifice, you are truly burying the past forever, but you are doing it for your very survival.
The molgera music is actually my ringtone, to get me psyched up for the horrible boss battle of talking to people
Absolutely 10/10 idea and banger ringtone
I love this so much. Great idea honestly
Ideas like these make me SPLOOOOOSH
The sploosh would be great for text messages actually 😂
Respect I suck at talking to people too ifits not online
No game feels quite like Wind Waker does, and I'm happy it is that way.
"If you're strong enough to stay here and fight, then you're a hero to me"
even if its a bit cheesy, i cant explain how much that sentence meant to me. it was surreal.
never before have i heard someone put into words the exact thing that brings me down so often
"its going _too well_ . something horrible will happen to me soon. i just know, because that's the way things are"
it does feel like that, and part of me firmly believes it still. when life is going well, you cant bring yourself to enjoy it. people will roll their eyes at you if you tell them "this will go badly, i simply know it. i can feel it coming." they half heartedly comfort you and say "that's not true!"
you know they're probably right, and you shouldnt assume the worst outcome
you get your hopes up, even just a little bit
but then it _does_ go badly
the feeling of despair that follows that, accompanied by a dull feeling of "i knew it"
for some people, it _does_ take significant strength to stick through it
some people dont make it past these challenges
so it means the world when someone says " _you_ did it. _you_ are still here. you are still _here_ . and thats all that matters. good job."
The art style was and still is ahead of its time. It’s still so good even today.
Yeeeeees
Nope. The Artstlye lookedl ike trash back then.
And it does even worse to day.
And no before you come at at. I don't hate cel shading optic. Some (like Punch out for Wii) look truly amazing.
Wind wakter doesnt.
@@Acacius1992 The Wii was at least twice as powerful as the GameCube, so obviously the sheer fidelity is going to be higher on the Wii. Wind Waker has a certain cell shaded style to it that helps it stand out and look good on such a weak machine. The almost painterly textures make the game look better than many games that landed on the GameCube, just because it has a particular art style.
TL;DR, Wind Waker looks great for a GameCube game and you're wrong about it looking like trash 🤷♂️
@@Acacius1992That’s just like, your opinion man
Still holds up
When the World needed him most...
He returned.
Welcome back. Hope you're doing alright.
yes and he fucked up the timeline
I’m doing great, thanks.
Obviously I’ve never even gotten close to meeting Liam, but hearing him say that he’s proud of me and that as long as I have courage then I’m a hero felt like a warm hug
Jeez, tearing up at the end of this. Practically all I've thought of the past 5 years is taking my life outta the game and it's grown much more intense the past few months. Thanks for sharing your story. It does take so much courage to keep going in this world. This is my favorite game as well and my ultimate comfort game. When I was a kid I spent hours just hanging out at the oasis island and windfall because it felt like a little vacation and another society to escape into where I could help others with their problems instead of thinking about my own.
Hope you’re doing well out there
@@Buzzedcoyote poor health has given me a new appreciation for life
Agreed
Dude, that had me crying in the end. I realize now why I gravitated towards majoras mask so much as a kid, and just video games in general. Because of everything going on in my real life, and it all just makes so much sense. You are so strong Liam, and so am I damnit hahaha. I’m proud of us. Thank you for another well done video :)
YOU FINALLY DID IT! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!
LoZ:WW was the first game I ever played. I even learned my first English words from it (excluding "hello") and they were: "big brother", "house", "sword" and "shield". My god do I love this game...
Aawwww that's cute ahaha
That's awesome :D
Zelda also taught me to understand the English language. And understand myself as a human
Same lol
You've come a long way since that unfinished camcorder Let's Play of Wind Waker from over a decade ago, as NintendoXboxMan. Well done, Liam. Very well done.
lol, he had a channel called nintendoxboxman? now i need to see that old lets play
Omg I remember that let's play!!! Is it still on TH-cam?
@@theLuigiHat It's loooong gone. I wish I archived it!
@@LiamTriforce brings back memories! I watched chuggaconroy too. WW was my first love and still is my favorite game to this day. Happiest time of my life. Glad you were a part of it!
This game was my VERY first Zelda game. And what a journey it was. It was amazing and incredible in every sense of the word.
I remember getting a GameCube and TLOZ Collector’s Edition for Christmas. It had a 20 min demo of Wind Waker and I loved it so much I begged my dad for months to buy it for me 🥺 good times
Committed, love it 💚
I had the collector’s edition too!! I never hear anyone talk about it so it’s cool that you played it!
Nice
@@mackenziesigmon898 i had it to it was so awesome
That was my introduction to the series and playing the other 3D games, I was super hyped for Wind Waker. I only got to rent it back then but I just finished it for the first time last night at 28 years old. It was like re-entering my childhood and growing up all over again.
“Trauma can cause you to grow up”
Man, some memories just flowed through me 😪
Life is a bitch
And sometimes trauma can prevent you from growing up.
Don't remind me.
I swear, as soon as I heard the intro music, I felt like crying. I grew up with WW on the Gamecube, and it still holds a special place in my heart.
Welcome back, Liam. Hope you're feeling better!
I've just finished watching this video, and all I can say is... damn.
Dude, you're an amazing writer; but more importantly, you've endured a lot in your life, and you're still here with us. All I can say is I'm glad to know you're with us: inspiring us to be better and by remembering what makes life worth living.
Thank you, Liam. For everything. And once again, welcome back.
I've never watched a retrospective that made me cry. Thank you, Liam. Your closing words hit me in a place that I didn't think existed anymore.
I love how you put a little bit of yourself into each of your videos. A personal anecdote & story alongside real analysis, & thorough research is rarely found but you do it every time. I have been binge watching all your videos recently since I found you, thanks. I hope to one day make content that may not be similar in form, but similar in heart & resolve. Thanks Liam.
Hell yeah! Super glad to see you back.
hell yeah!!!
Heaven no!!
So my parents were never married. Growing up, I would spend every other weekend with my father. The moment in the video at 14:50 when the Grandma steps out to the balcony and Link waves goodbye, literally reminds me of when I used to wave my mother goodbye every time I’d leave with my dad. Saying bye to her was always such a sad moment but it was something I knew that needed to be done. Just like Link. I think that moment in the game will forever stand out to me as being one of the most impactful. Thank you for the great deep dive into Windwaker!
Wow. Just... wow. This has been in my recommended for months now and IM SO ANGRY I HAVEN"T CHECKED YOU OUT BEFORE. Man this is QUALITY CONTENT RIGHT HERE. Like seriously this was legitimately amazing. It makes me so happy to know that there are people so deeply invested in this game and this series and who find deep meaning in it. Thank you so much for making this. I now have a new appreciation for this game (which is saying something) and they way you seamlessly combined analysis of gameplay, thematics and personal experience is just incredible. Thank you for sharing your story. Here's hoping that your current future is looking brighter than ever before. May the wind bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks my friend.
I love this game, I remember coming home from daycare and watching my older siblings trying to beat this game. Wind Waker means so much to me not only is it an amazing game, but it reminds me of my siblings and the times I watched them and the times they watched my first steps into video games as a whole. I think the first game I touched was this one and every time I replay it I cry during the title screen and the credits. Zelda is my favorite game franchise and this one is not only my favorite Zelda, but my favorite game of all time. Nothing will top it
only ogs remember when this comment was,”MY FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO”. good times.
but also fuck yes it’s amazing and it is my favorite game as well
@@somethingdumb3928 I kept changing this comment throughout the entire video
@@starky4352 finishing the video made you remember more vividly and become more sentimental!
Imagine how much more amazing the game would have been if they didn’t have to rush towards the end.
If the sea exploration had been done better I feel like people would have been much less forgiving of BOTW’s severe lack of anything interesting to do.
@@jamesbrincefield9879 I think what is so cool about BoTW is the amount of random dumb stuff you can do.
There's something special in invading a Bokoblin camp and start spamming with a 5x Lynel Bow a ridiculous amount of Bomb Arrows untill all them are dead.
@@jamesbrincefield9879 To me Breath of the Wild is the best execution of an open world out there. I've never played a more carefully crafted and satisfyingly filled open world game. That game is stuffed to the brim with things to do and something to discover around every corner.
@@brianmckinley4141 Yeah no one who calls BotW empty has an argument. It’s more like they aren’t very good at exploring that Hyrule. They’re used to all of their stuff being in a dungeon or a cave.
@@brianmckinley4141 it’s stuffed to the brim with rupees you can’t spend on anything, materials you already have hundreds of, weapons you don’t need for battles that are too easy, Korok seeds that are functionally useless after collecting a few dozen and only make an easy game even easier, or shrines that distract you for two minutes or less.
And there’s not much that feels “crafted” about the game. It feels more like they just copy-pasted those same boring things mentioned above in random places across the map. There were some cool places like the Lanayru Promenade or the Forgotten Temple, but there’s nothing to do there but find a shrine and leave.
It’s a good sandbox. The exploration is fun, but it’s all in service of nothing. I think the physics and chemistry systems are worth praising and I hope more games implement emergent gameplay like that going forward, but other than that the game gets stale after the facade falls apart. I felt exactly like you did too. I thought it was one of the greatest games ever made for about 40 or so hours until it hit me that I was just fighting the same three enemies over and over for weapons, materials, and other rewards that served zero purpose to me. I didn’t want to admit it to myself since everyone spoke so highly of it but after hearing a lot of other people felt the same way I stopped lying to myself.
Actually cried multiple times. You really put things perspective and many scenes I didn't think too much about in this game suddenly hit me like a truck.
In all seriousness, this is one of the greatest reviews I've ever seen
I’m so glad you mentioned the windwaker randomizer. It has breathed new life into the game and fully realized the open world of the great sea
Wind Waker is the Zelda game that resonates with you the most, and the most magical thing is, you don't need any nostalgia for that to happen.
I enjoyed it the most I ever had when I went back to play it through as an adult several years ago.
Appreciated it a lot more than I did as a kid, and I loved it as a kid.
I just played fully by myself for the first this summer. I loved it especially because as a kid I mainly watched my siblings play
Your right about that. I HAVEN'T EVEN PLAYED THE GAME AT ALL AND I LOVE IT (in case your wondering, I was born after the game came out and do not have a Wii-U to play it on, I REALLY want it to come to the switch so I can play it finally).
You can really feel the love you have for this game poured into every facet of this video. This is your masterpiece.
Wind Waker is definitely one of my favorite adventure games ever. Such a masterpiece.
This is by far one of the best LoZ retrospectives videos I have ever seen. A clear heartfelt passion project that reignited my passion for Wind Waker. I cannot thank you enough for this experience
I’ve been playing the GameCube version with my 8 year old son this weekend and I can’t explain how much it warms my heart to see my young blonde haired hero in training play as this truly inspired version of Link, Toon Link.
Toon like from Wind Waker is probably my favorite Link.
TH-cam just recommended this video and your channel to me, and I've got to say, this is amazing. It's very clear about how much passion you have for Wind Waker.
The Ganondorf in this game is my absolute favorite version of him in the Zelda series. When he's introduced in OoT, he is a smart, scheming man who does everything he can to gain power. In TP, he's on a quest to get revenge for his loss and failed execution for a plan he didn't get to even start. In Wind Waker, he's the product of failure/losing to Link after succeeding in taking control of Hyrule. He's smart and has a clearer understanding of his fate and that the only way he might be able to be free of the cycle is to take Hyrule or die. As you've said, he'll use anyone in the upper world to get what he wants and force the hero to show up.
Damn, I did not expect to cry at the end of your video. My childhood ended at about age 5 because of a series of circumstances involving my parents and their drug addiction. It's been a long time since then as I'm 30 now, unemployed, and lost. However I'm still here and I've survived so much already. I just need to courage to keep moving forward. This video reminded me of that and it was very much needed. Thank you.
I literally just finished Wind Waker a few days ago. I played it as a kid but never finished it due to my files getting corrupted, which devastated me as a kid. Playing and finishing it as an adult I discovered new things that the younger me didn't care to explore or get to know the people. I loved this game as a kid but I really appreciate this game even more so as an adult. Playing this game hit my feels as I replayed it and realized the message is about growing as a person, not being afraid to try and even the ability to let things go and move on so we don't stay frozen in the past. The story and charters are amazing, even with it's flaws it has to be one of my favorite Legend of Zelda games.
I dont have much nostalgia for this or any of the older Zelda games, but I went though a similar thing with Breath of the Wild. It was an immensely important game to me the first time I played it in 2017, since I just came out of a horrible place in life and was suffering mentally. Being able to escape into a vast world that gave me the reins to do what I wanted was so magical, and I still get the tingly feeling when I find something I never have before after more than 300 hours playing it. Same goes for some of the sounds and sights in that game, the simple jingle of getting an item from a chest or the combat music make me feel safe and comfortable. I don't need something like that so much now but, that game did so much for me in a time I needed it, and it still brings me joy to play it over and over again!
Hope youre better now buddy
@@beegyoshi8401 I'm all good now thanks, still play the game for comfort though haha
@@cobalttj6356 i didnt find botw to be as stellar as everyone said tho i did enjoy it. But i understand art appeals differently to everyone especially if it provides them happiness during hard times.
The jingle when you open a chest is my notification sound
I seriously cannot explain how much I needed to see this. Especially the courage section at the end. This video is such a beautiful result of extensive effort. I never disliked Wind Waker, I also never treasured it the way I will now. Now, with a thorough understanding of a game I thought I knew so well. This was absolutely amazing to watch. Thank you, seriously. I think you just changed my extremely negative perception of life.
I can't help but tearing up a bit towards the end. The clinging to the past, and the courage to move on and live life to the fullest, man
I’m gonna put this simple: a big, sincere and wholehearted THANK YOU, mate.
I can totally connect with the personal significance of this game and you put words to my videogame soul. Long live this gem.
Windwaker is just one of those games that can bring you back home ya know what I mean? Even if you never played it can really be nostalgic.
Its a nostalgia fest of a game thats for sure!
You don’t how much it makes me happy to see that Wind Waker is also someone’s favorite game of all time. I thought it was only Me.
I'm glad you recovered. Even though half the games you cover I don't have, you've given me something to listen to while playing my own games.
I legit love how the creators of this game use the music to reference and characters, locations and other games in the series! 💎
Through my own walk of life I've found you never know what battles people are fighting each day. I chose to be the inspiration of guidance and positivity to those I meet. To me, we only get one life, which is why I'm always so interested in the goings-on of others beyond my own. The Zelda series has taught me to be okay with being myself because I could unknowingly be a hero to another. Sometimes just talking to someone is all the validation and push they need to be better. I've taken every challenge met by pushing my limits to the fullest giving me the confidence I so needed when I was younger.
So I hope to all of you reading this eventually understands just how powerful patience and perseverance can be in the long run. Enjoy your life and with those in it. And have fun doing so.
that's cool and all, and I'm totally with you there on going out of my way to be a ray of sunshine in the lives of people around me.. but your comment was more about yourself than the video and that seems kinda in bad taste IMO .. maybe that's just me though
Thank you, Nate.
wind waker was definitely the very core of my love of freedom. that sense of boundless possibilities that came from sailing out if whatever direction i felt like. even as an adult that love of freedom has only grown stronger. to not be tied down by other peoples bitterness about things that happened long before i was born. it never really dawned on me that the core of ganons evil was that he would harm the innocent people of the great sea in his quest for vengeance against their ancestors. crazy how lessons from childhood stick with us and somehow inform our values throughout our entire lives in ways that we could have never expected
Thank you Liam for sharing such a personal story and why this game means so much to you. I’m glad you’re proud of us, and I hope you know that we’re proud of you too.x
This game was a masterpiece. Reliving it in my head-the sense of discovery, the music.. the first time I stepped foot in Hyrule Castle. It’s emotional thinking about it!
This has got to be the best video game retrospective I've ever seen. Absolutely spectacular job.
It's always a blessing on this website to see someone who's super passionate talk about something they love
The end of the intro made me shed a tear, this is got to be the best game I've ever played.
Brings a tear to my eye seeing someone appreciate this work of art as much as I do. Thank you so much for the effort put into this video, it will be one I'll revisit several times a year.
Dude thank you for making this! As much as Ocarina shaped my childhood, I feel like Windwaker cemented it (I was 10 when it was released) and it truly felt like the Zelda game where as a kid, going through it made me feel like being Link himself. It's a deeply emotional journey with an immense amount of tenderness and heart, and I'm forever thankful that it implanted those values in me at such an early age :')
I was not expecting this level of writing and philosophy when I clicked on this.. stayed for the whole thing and I'm glad I did. Your seamless editing was a work of magic. Keep it up man, loved it!
I've watched this video probably 8-10 times. It's always at a different point, though the ending is usually the place, But I cry at least once every time. I'm older than you, probably by about 9 years, & I played & beat WW within it's first week.
When you said "I grew up here (on the Great Sea)", it really hit me. I was only just becoming a teenager when I played through this. The endless sea I was now able to sail through gave my mind rest from the anxieties that came with growing up, but also allowed me to reflect on them. My Grandmother had just passed, so I was so happy to find a new, digital one who cared so deeply. This game checked so many boxes with my coping mechanisms that to this day, hearing any rendition of Dragon Roost Island will make me quietly gasp.
development
One of my earliest childhood memories was playing Wind Waker with my kindergarten best friend after school. The game was like magic compared to Ocarina which taught me to read. When I moved a year later and didn't have the same friends I clung to that memory a lot through elementary school. Very sentimental.
Wind Waker was a very lovely game with an admirable sense of ambition... but too bad the rushing process had to resort to many awesome things being removed
This was a really beautiful video. You do a wonderful job at writing heartfelt narratives.
Your message about hope and courage in the end brought me to tears. I am currently at a stage where everything seems to throw itself at me in such a speed I can't do anything but getting knocked over times and times again. Stress has become a part of me, like a shadow. But your words made me see I am doing well by still, y'know, doing stuff and keeping going. I realised I am brave for moving onwards despite everything. This video taught me that being courageous is scary. But being scared also means that you are damn courageous to keep walking that path.
Thank you, Liam.
This was one of the most beautiful videos I've watched in a while. It brought me to tears. Phenomenal work. ❤️
Yes! I'm so happy you posted this. I love the wind waker. Your deep analysis is fantastic. I had no idea the outset island music changes.
Just watched through this while I've been working and the end had me in tears. This game means so much to me, and you really put it into words in a way I've never been able to express. Your effort and knowledge that goes into these videos is second to none, and it's honestly some of the most incredible deep dives into video games that I've ever seen. I wish you all the success in the world.
when i watch the scene where you leave outset and wave goodbye. I always have to fight tears. Thinking of the adventure I had been on makes that scene so much more impactful, and with the triumphant adventurous music coming in despite the sadness. You know you'll be back. This is a journey and you're excited to see the world and link's face shows he's sad and knows he'll be away for quite a while. Just ugh it makes me want to punch a wall lmao
What a video, thank you Liam you’ve made my day a whole lot better
Wow I cried. This message really hit hard. as someone who grew up with Wind Waker i made mistakes in my life but I still
am happy i'm alive. Never give up. Amazing video!!!!
The ending to this video always manages to tug a tear outta me, that's some good editing lol
This was the most beautiful video essay I have ever seen about anything, I really saw your passion and I can’t wait to see more! After playing this game on the GameCube 20 years ago, I came back to it recently to stream it now, but wow man! What a great video filled with emotion and passion! ❤❤❤
I am consistently blown away by how amazing your Zelda retrospectives are. I don't know how to express it in words, but you said you've created this dream job for yourself. Just know that your videos are having a tremendous impact, as well as making me want to replay the games.
Welcome back man been looking forward to this masterpiece!
This just makes my heart flutter. i just love this game series soooo much, hearing others love for the games is amazing and just makes me wanna gush over it all
Your dialogue at the end has earned you a permanent sub. I'm going through a time in my life where those words were much needed. It feels like our childhoods were very similar in different ways. Thanks dawg
2 hours, daamn, thats a lot of work.
Welcome Back my Hero of the Retrospectives and thank you for delivering this Video to us. WInd Waker was my introduction to Zelda and easily one of my favorite entries in the series. Also GOOD GOD that Leukemia story is heartbreaking and heartwarming here's hoping nothing like that every comes up again.
An absolutely fantastic video with an ending that actually resonated pretty strongly with me. Thanks for making this! Listening to this video during work has definitely made the day a bit brighter :)
I’m not even remotely a gamer but this was something I played as a kid. Your story and your message behind it was poignant, and profoundly touching. So happy that you have been able to carve out a life that makes you happy, it’s a seemingly simple task that all of us struggle to accomplish.
Absolutely fantastic video!!! Love the in depth analysis of such a great game and how it parallels to life in general and your own personal experiences. Love the quote, "Finding the courage to answer the call to adventure." Thanks for all your hard work.
Been excited to hear your take on my favorite Zelda game since you announced you were doing it. I love your scripts, it's always nice to hear your insights. Thanks for doing what you do Liam!
Welp, watched this from the beginning to the end. And thank you for that. Windwaker is a favorite game of mine but I didn't see the full message until you pointed out. Also with what you said , it also gives me courage. It's inspiring. Keep doing what you are doing.
I just discovered your videos. Been replaying windwaker so I decided to watch this. At a time in my life where I have felt very lost I think your words reached me. I’m crying this morning cause I feel a genuine sense of strength to reach out for the first time in a long time. Thank you sincerely for letting us take part in this.
God bless you, Liam Triforce. You've taught me things that I did not know. I have learning difficulties, and I truly could not see this game for what it was, but now I do see. I loved it with everything I was. THANK YOU.
Been waiting for this forever! I'm glad you're back!
Wind Waker will always hold a special place in my heart. From the music, the setting, the enemies, the sound effects, to the iconic moments that made me laugh, cry, and smile... your video made me emotional as I remembered the magic of the first time I played my first Zelda game.
Thank you for this, its the perfect love letter to a game that feels like home.
Liam got me crying out here! Wow that was so touching and beautifully produced. Second time watching it. Amazing work!
I’m always thrilled to see you upload. I could listen to you talk about nostalgia alone for hours- let alone great childhood games.
i was JUST watching your oot vid and this drops? finally, time for my favorite zelda. thank you so much, liam!
Wow. What an amazing retrospective. You brought all of it together so beautifully and even movingly at the end. Thank you for your hard work making this!
You talk with such passion about this game, I can really feel the love you have for it! Thanks for another great video. You have yet to disappoint me! 💕
I’ve been really looking forward to this video. Wind Waker was my first Zelda game and was the game that not only got me into gaming but also into many of the things I enjoy today. I can’t imagine I be the same person that I am without Toon Link taking me onto such grand Adventure when I was younger.
Thank you for the upload, I've been having a rough time the last 2 to 4 years, but I might finally be getting out of this place, and this is really sweet to watch before I go to my job I sorta dread, I think a lot of this goes over my head, partly because I can't relate to it, but something about this video resonates w me, and I can't wait for another masterpiece by you :)
I just discovered your channel, and man I love your game reviews. This one though, it hit real close to home. My first memory is playing OoT. This was the first Zelda game I sought out for myself. The melodies and stories are so deeply engrained in me that I often overlook the themes of these games. You have refreshed my view on them and have sparked a desire to revisit them.
I've now graduated college and I'm in the process of moving into the "adult world". I would be lying if I said it hasn't been difficult. I find myself reminiscing on my childhood only for it to feel so foreign. People I once knew are different, the places I frequented no longer look the same, and institutions that once directed my life no longer matter to me. This video in its entirety, but especially the ending, is what I needed. Liam, you may never see this comment, but thank you.
The storytelling component of this video is phenomenal. A lot of long video essays focus on doing an analytical, part-by-part analysis (sometimes to the point of reviewing and critiquing every single quest/dungeon/etc), but I love how this video focuses more on the craft of the video game and the effects on you/the audience, rather than being a cut-and-dry summary and analysis. It really elevates the video from just an analysis into... a story. I know I said that at the start, but I've watched a lot of video essays that don't have this same passion and creativity to their presentation.