The Question No One Asks Shigeru Miyamoto

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ม.ค. 2025

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  • @GoodBloodGames
    @GoodBloodGames  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +740

    We're finally back with another Hyrule Journals. For those confused about the episode 3 business, episode 2, which is on Majora's Mask, is still on its way. I just needed to get this out first. I hope you enjoy the video!

    • @mrpops2ko
      @mrpops2ko 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      yay i love your videos, they have such a high quality

    • @kyherman1902
      @kyherman1902 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Really exicted for the Majora's Mask essay. I really enjoyed the Ocarina of Time essay-my only small grip with it being the Hero's Shade inclusion at the end feeling a tiny bit unnessecary and out of context-and im ready to see how you interpert Majora's story with its subtext. While Ocarina is more cut and dry with its story and themes, having a bit more direct story telling, Majora's Mask can be seen in multiple lights, with many people having their own thoughts on what the game means, as its story telling is seemingly more vague, making it more interpretational than other Zelda stories. Your videos are always such high quality, and I'm sure your next ones will be just as good as your last, keep it up.

    • @garrettsmith9556
      @garrettsmith9556 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      I thought episode 2 was on your other channel

    • @Swigalig
      @Swigalig 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Beautiful Video

    • @Nkanyiso_K
      @Nkanyiso_K 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      It feels like coming home again

  • @RealPixels
    @RealPixels 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1129

    I think Javed's goal on TH-cam (in addition to his incredible work at Second Wind) is just to show up every two or three years to make the rest of us look bad 👀

    • @c7po457
      @c7po457 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +38

      Seriously. This guy's videos are worth a 2 year wait.

    • @Zelink108
      @Zelink108 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Or maybe he is another eceleb making excuses for bad game design philosophies, corporate big wigs and excuses Miyamoto’s increasingly boomer mindset on video games and being anti-story.

    • @Aryan-MNV-2000
      @Aryan-MNV-2000 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Your own videos are also top notch on TH-cam RealPixels. Thank you for the immense effort you put in them.

    • @JuhoSprite
      @JuhoSprite 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +23

      Buddy he is not an eceleb. And eceleb would be someone like pewdiepie, or kai cenat. His appeal is his content, and not some persona he made for himself.

    • @c7po457
      @c7po457 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +18

      @@Zelink108 No. To everything you just said.

  • @vianabdullah2837
    @vianabdullah2837 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +570

    I think that A Link Between Worlds is underrated in this regard. It has the right amount of interesting "theme park attractions" to compliment creative expression. Players are not bottlenecked into the same path since every dungeon in Lorule can be tackled in any order and they can choose which items will be used to tackle the challenges.

    • @Omnibus4Everyone
      @Omnibus4Everyone 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +30

      This.
      Outisde of the dungeons being a bit too short (and easy), I loved the game

    • @ipadbossbaby4558
      @ipadbossbaby4558 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      Always been one of my favorite Zelda games

    • @sem_aki
      @sem_aki 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

      ALBW will always be underrated, i only fully appreciated it after playing A Link to the Past

    • @NIMPAK1
      @NIMPAK1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

      Really!? ALBW is insanely overrated if anything, you're just preaching to the masses. Being able to just buy items ruined the difficulty curve. It's not even like you have "creative expression" either. You can't exactly use the tornado rod to solve a puzzle in the bomb dungeon or vice-versa. Each dungeon is more or less you following a script. Being able to go to them in any order is completely arbitrary if they play exactly the same in each playthrough.

    • @agustiniturrideluca6051
      @agustiniturrideluca6051 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I love this game

  • @bbkintanar
    @bbkintanar 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +596

    "Tears of the Kingdom gives players further freedom"
    Players: Creates 999 different ways to torture Koroks

    • @CrimsonCharan
      @CrimsonCharan 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +30

      I mean, he ain't wrong.

    • @davetoms1
      @davetoms1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +24

      The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Koroks.

    • @nyguesswho
      @nyguesswho 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      🎶 You’re havin’ inventory problems?
      I feel bad for you, son.
      I got 999 Koroks
      And I won’t spare one. 🎶

  • @wizawhat
    @wizawhat 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +96

    At the top of my gaming history wishlist is "Javed interviews Miyamoto" so we can get answers to the real questions. I love the way you think man. Excellent work as always.

    • @ericmay560
      @ericmay560 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I’d pay money like a pay per view fight for that. Truly would be a treat for all gamers.

  • @abfdy
    @abfdy 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +28

    I really admire the quality of this video.
    The "Thanks for watching" at the end felt like the "Thanks for playing" after finishing a great game.

  • @RwanLink
    @RwanLink 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +32

    Thank you for this incredible video. It opened my eyes. Every time I look at the overworld map in a Zelda game, it will remind me of Hakoniwa.

  • @NicholasWhiteIronic
    @NicholasWhiteIronic 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +140

    I've been racking my brain over how to incorporate the wonder of a Zelda Game into the landscape of my homestead, starting with the triangle theory, going on to map out zones as "regions," Incorporating puzzles and small places of spiritual power, and even coming up with little puzzles that would make even your spare time engaging with the land outside of functional chores, and I kept feeling there was some philosophical element that I was missing entirely. I see it now. Thank you. Excellent video, and what a serious dedication to finding all of the mentions of the Mini Garden in various interviews across two languages. Bravo.

    • @prestonselby2259
      @prestonselby2259 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I am trying for a similar sort of thing. My place has a few things like shrines or statues scattered around, and “rooms” cut out in the woods.

    • @prestonselby2259
      @prestonselby2259 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      I wonder how many Little Hyrules there are.

    • @darklink986
      @darklink986 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Whats the triangle theory?

    • @OlleLindestad
      @OlleLindestad 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      ​@@darklink986A world design philosophy used by the designers of Breath of the Wild to encourage exploration and make each playthrough unique. Game Maker's Toolkit has a video explaining it.

    • @darklink986
      @darklink986 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@OlleLindestad amazing! Thanks for the explanation

  • @BittenToe
    @BittenToe 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +31

    Going through the effort to get a paper copy of most of the major sources is super awesome

  • @jerkofalltrades
    @jerkofalltrades 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +44

    So my understanding is, they create hakoniwa and the player gets to experience it. The problem became they would create the hakoniwa and say, "This is how you experience it.". You want to get out of this room? Defeat all of these enemies. You want to get past this barrier? Use this macguffin here. You want to get to the end boss? Collect all of these macguffins, but do it in this order.
    It's not so much that the player is creating the hakoniwa. It's about giving the player a scenario to play in, and the player's creativity comes out through how they do that.

  • @SpadGame
    @SpadGame 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +115

    After three decades of The Legend of Zelda, I would have thought that everything related to the games and their design philosophies would have been said in abundance already. But here Javed is with a 35-minute BANGER of a video talking about a major philosophy of the Zelda team from the very beginning that few have talked about in detail!
    What an incredible video!

    • @LoomDoom
      @LoomDoom 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Truly. He did in a deep dive into something that has only really been talked about in passing. I feel like I understand the core ideals of the series much more now which is crazy to say because I’ve been a fan of Zelda all my life!

    • @guerrierim15
      @guerrierim15 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Excellent point, and not just 3 decades but 38 years!

  • @ericmay560
    @ericmay560 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +360

    I finally understand BOTW now. I like many people were frustrated with the design philosophy of the game, as well as the elements that make it feel not like a Zelda title. As a 90’s kid I cling and hold dear the personal stories told in OOT, MM, and TP. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing Breath of the Wild, but it’s never felt like “Zelda” to me. We want the old formula back, but I now realize with this that it’s never coming back, because those games were never the target formula for Zelda. BOTW mimicking and improving upon the original in 1986 is what makes it in Nintendo’s eyes, the perfect Zelda. I can now accept and have a much bigger appreciation for this title and the philosophy Miyamoto strives for. I think videos like this that really give context to the minds behind games are so important, and you’ve done an excellent job once again. You’ve truly changed my mind on this era of games, even if I still hold dear the past titles. Looking forward to more of your work soon!

    • @noldorwarrior7791
      @noldorwarrior7791 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      Your personal favorites are also mine, plus A Link to the Past. ALttP was my first Zelda. Then came OoT, then MM. I really thought i was a zelda fan. Until Wind Waker came out i started to question if i was really a fan of anything Zelda. Dont get me wrong, WW is NOT a bad game. But design, music and atmosphere affects way too much my decision if i like it a lot or not. Cant be Nostalgia because i was still a kid when WW came out. Every thing felt more kiddy and cartoonish, not just obviously the graphics. But even the feel of it. Less mysterious.
      Twilight Princess then came out and i think that was the last one i would say i genuinely liked it enough to play it several times. Nothing ever convinced me after. Make no mistake, he never fails to deliver, as many fans still enjoy and loves the rest of his zelda games. Just not anymore to my personal tastes. I keep looking forward for his next project. I do hope Miyamoto doesnt shy away from sudden horrors like he did in OoT and MM just to keep it "family friendly".

    • @ericmay560
      @ericmay560 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@noldorwarrior7791 I never got around to playing wind waker at release (didn’t know about it). But my older brother got me TP and it’s my second favorite in the series, and I’ve replayed it countless times (OOT being #1). I played wind waker on the Wii U (got the Zelda edition) and while I’m not a fan of toon link, I really did enjoy it, though the style of TP I do prefer. I hope we go back to that style soon!

    • @ericmay560
      @ericmay560 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Imagine BOTW open world with twilight Princess style graphics and darker tones. Can you imagine?

    • @kevintown311
      @kevintown311 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +15

      ​@@ericmay560breath of the wild is darker imo than Twilight princess. Like, everyone is dead. How much more dark do they really need to go?

    • @kevintown311
      @kevintown311 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +14

      This is how I felt about botw from the start. Like you were truly dropped into a place and the rest is up to you. It's how I imagined adventures and going on quests when I was a kid. Stuff like Conan, Robin Hood, Peter Pan and the like were the heavy influences on my imagination in my formative years. Breath of the wild was the epitome of that boy on a big wide quest feeling in a video game for me. I'm very grateful

  • @MajorLink
    @MajorLink 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +28

    Beautiful once again! The writing is just so so good... Thank you for all your hard work!

  • @Thetechgeek2100
    @Thetechgeek2100 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +27

    Thank you for this. In a time where I have difficulty sticking to even 3-4 minute videos, I watched this from beginning to end in one sitting. Your tamber, writing, and fantastic use of scene transitions with doses of real video clips sprinkled in made this as entertaining as it was insightful to watch. I feel calm after watching this.
    Thank you again.

    • @GoodBloodGames
      @GoodBloodGames  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      The comment means the world to me thank you!

    • @FelixO.B
      @FelixO.B 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Here, here. This is an excellent video that encapsulates so many aspects that make the entire Zelda experience feel much more whole and complete. Thank You

    • @deathscythe767
      @deathscythe767 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      while i on the other hand have no issue watching long ass videos and ended up skipping around for "the question" before watching the video because i know nothing of this channel. i couldn't find it within 25 seconds so i gave no shits because i appreciate when something gives you the answer and explains it thereafter instead of teasing you to watch the end of the video. i'm here i wanted the simple answer to a simple question and wanted to stay if it was a good video. i don't care if it's good now, i'm asking chatgpt.

  • @ethicsxc
    @ethicsxc 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +164

    I literally purged my TH-cam subscriptions last night, saw you hadn't uploaded in years, but kept you around. By the time I was done here you are

    • @robsonclark9678
      @robsonclark9678 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

      This is like the guy who does my literal fav movie analysis "Every Frame A Painting". He left to I think work on actial movies (good for him!!! Sad to see him go though) then dropped a new vid after years away 1-2 months ago!

    • @jomalcaide6292
      @jomalcaide6292 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      And here i am waiting for a vid on gow ragnarok

    • @ap4702
      @ap4702 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@jomalcaide6292 Nothing to analyse with GOW Rag. Shallow game, safe sequel.

    • @robsonclark9678
      @robsonclark9678 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@ap4702 A dunk! hah

  • @Michafrar
    @Michafrar 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +75

    Every couple of months you find that one video that's so good it sticks with you.
    This one of those. ♥

  • @SirWade
    @SirWade 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

    Your videos are some of my favorites on the whole of TH-cam; this was fascinating and so much fun to learn about!

    • @GoodBloodGames
      @GoodBloodGames  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      The feeling is mutual! I’ve been subbed to you for years.

  • @Rubberman202
    @Rubberman202 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +32

    Huh... This is actually the first time I ever heard of this "miniature garden" thing... Maybe that's just because a lot of the more modern Zelda-related interviews that I pay attention to are with Eiji Aonuma, who I felt was a lot more hands-on with the direction of the Zelda series than Miyamoto has been. Still, that's an interesting way to describe the Zelda series, creating a "miniature garden"... What he means by that is certainly going to take some unpacking. Great video for doing just that!

  • @Charmolution
    @Charmolution 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +110

    The question he's never asked: "Are all copies of Mario 64 really personalized?"

    • @eag6074
      @eag6074 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Imagine in a few years with AI this will become a real thing

    • @ogelsmogel
      @ogelsmogel 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      What do you mean?

    • @clouds-rb9xt
      @clouds-rb9xt 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@ogelsmogelIt's a meme from a few years ago where people would jokingly suggest Super Mario 64 was somehow haunted and that each copy is different. Some people have actually done some fun stuff with that concept.

    • @ogelsmogel
      @ogelsmogel 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@clouds-rb9xt Oh, I see. Thanks.

    • @DakotaBaldwin-v7g
      @DakotaBaldwin-v7g 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@eag6074 look up B3313. It already is a thing. It's actually pretty cool

  • @Feesh322
    @Feesh322 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +184

    After watching this video, I think I finally understand Nintendo's frustrating ambivalence with the series' lore and timelines, especially with the last few entries. They feel like they finally 'made it' and have realized what their game design goals were all along and as such, have become careless about the parts that didn't matter to them.

    • @bowi1332
      @bowi1332 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +18

      It's especially interesting for them because games like BOTW can easily become "forever games" that make customers favour their platform for months. I prefer pre-BOTW Zelda games, but I usually only play them once... (Well... ... Same for most games I buy...)
      The thing is... Zelda games used to be the killer app, the game that would make me stand in like for the GameCube and the Wii. No more. I even sold my Switch soon after finishing BOTW (which felt like a chore).
      Obviously, I'm an old dude now and I don't stand in lines to buy consoles or GPUs. 😅

    • @user-wb8iu1hl6i
      @user-wb8iu1hl6i 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +32

      @@Feesh322 The timeline was never important to them, and depending of the director, the individual narratives of each game might not even have a high priority. Bar a few very excellent exceptions narrative has not ever been the focus of the Zelda series, gameplay has.

    • @mikehab7453
      @mikehab7453 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +50

      I wish people would chill about lore and timelines and all that. Especially when it comes to Zelda games. They clearly do not find that important. People should just treat each game as a separate entity in a different alternate universe or something

    • @user-yv6xw7ns3o
      @user-yv6xw7ns3o 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +19

      @@mikehab7453 Exactly! Like related but separate and individual "box gardens". No need to overcomplicate between them all with strict overarching rules, lore, and structures.

    • @demi-fiendoftime3825
      @demi-fiendoftime3825 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

      ​@mikehab7453 blame 3 games OoT, Wind Waker and Twilight princess. OoT was stated by multiple developers to be a prequel to the first 3 games and Wind Waker Was clearly developed as a sequel to it but contradicted those early games because hyrule was destroyed and then Twilight Princess came out due to the backlash Wind waker got which further muddied the waters as it was also a sequel to OoT and that paradox and what the implications possibly were captured the imagination of a generation of kids

  • @TheBreadPirate
    @TheBreadPirate 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +15

    Oh my word, this summed up everything I've been feeling recently. I can't believe you were able to articulate so much into a single video.
    Zelda worlds are like playgrounds (this is something I always knew), but they are also like a garden you can imagine stuff in.

  • @aboi5
    @aboi5 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +14

    There was an interview with Aonuma last year where he mentioned that he doesn't understand why fans want to go back to the more limited formula of the old games. I thought he was disconnected from the things that people enjoyed about the Zelda franchise. But watching this video has made me realize that the Zelda team had essentially always been looking to make BotW and they were just stopped by outside limitations. Realizing this is deeply depressing to me because it makes me feel like all the things that I enjoyed about the series so far were at best incidental to them. Like all the cool linear moments and interesting puzzles were merely a placeholder they were forced to put in when they couldn't make the hakoniwa they originally intended to make.
    This makes me lose almost all hope that they will make the games I like again. Why would they? They finally cracked the code to make the hakoniwa they wanted and it proved to be successful with how much the games have sold.

    • @Verticom10
      @Verticom10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      :'(

  • @DreamEngine707
    @DreamEngine707 18 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

    I want to just leave this comment here; there is a lot of stupid complaints about video essays on TH-cam. This video alone shows the value of the medium and that there are people with more to say than “I do not like this popular thing” just to get a rise out of people who like that thing or say a “Hot Take” that is really a diluted opinion that was not their own.

  • @roxas_xii3832
    @roxas_xii3832 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +56

    He comes out of nowhere and just drops masterpieces 😂, love the music and ambience of the video. Keep up the good work 👍

  • @Duorsa
    @Duorsa 28 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

    This video stands alongside your Ocarina of Time one as one of the finest video essays on video games on the platform. Deep, dense, thought-provoking, passionate, stylish, attentive to detail, and inspiring. Thank you for this invaluable contribution to the Zelda community and congratulations on completing this project, Javed!

  • @shabadava62
    @shabadava62 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +57

    5 Years ago your video about OoT guide me into game development from other creative areas. Now, when I am already working in the industry and making my own games, I thank you for giving me one of the best game design videos I've ever seen.

    • @nowonmetube
      @nowonmetube 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thanks for the suggestion. Imma about to make my own game at well. And Zelda is one of my all time favorite series.

  • @Henry7Madsen
    @Henry7Madsen 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +60

    Man I’m sorry but unrelated to this video but you a master class in subtext video is truly the greatest video on all of TH-cam, I’ve recommend it to all my friends and siblings who all grew up with ocarina of time. The first time I watched it by the time the cedits rolled I was in tears. It’s the point I’ve Reyes’s to see and a fasting I struggled with and it’s why ocarina of time spoken to me so much and your video helped me understand why

    • @unfortunatefall
      @unfortunatefall 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      check the Official Music Tracks channel which, although with greater focus on music, also has great insights into both Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask

    • @Mb_Drei
      @Mb_Drei 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

      HE'S THE OCARINA SUBTEXT GUY? Man I need to donate my life savings to this man, the quality of this content is immaculate.

    • @Henry7Madsen
      @Henry7Madsen 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@Mb_Drei fr

  • @CarelessFoolFallsFlat
    @CarelessFoolFallsFlat 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    When you were explaining what a box garden/hakoniwa was, I literally thought "Oh my god, _that's_ why BOTW and TOTK are like that." It was a unique kind of satisfaction, and I'm very glad I watched this video.

  • @collindorsett1268
    @collindorsett1268 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +16

    One of the best videos I’ve ever seen; thank you for finally helping me to understand the importance of Zelda 1

  • @inevitablemeeting9197
    @inevitablemeeting9197 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +26

    NOBODY asked how he is doing and that broke my heart

    • @tomo8940
      @tomo8940 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Well he's no Saint either so...

    • @SkyzzzGaming
      @SkyzzzGaming 17 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      @@tomo8940no one is

  • @alexandramaynard2207
    @alexandramaynard2207 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Although Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are some of my favorite Zelda games, I occasionally have that common train of thought: “I hope the next game is more linear” or “I miss traditional Zelda dungeons” but here, you made me see that all of these older games can be appreciated for what they were, even if that style never returns. At the end of your essay I truly feel happy knowing how high an achievement Breath of the Wild must have been for the development team. Completely changed my thoughts about the new sandbox formulas. They are, in essence, the goal of the traditional formula.
    Thank you for a great video!

  • @mattshnoop
    @mattshnoop 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    This has got to be one of the best-if not _the_ best-video essay that I've ever seen. I imagine I will be returning to watch it again many times in the future.
    Japanese zen gardens were something that I had never really thought about too deeply; this video gave me an understanding of them and the philosophies behind them that I simply did not have before. Followed by the section on Sandplay Theory, it got me to think about and appreciate how these philosophies might apply to me, the video games I play, and how I choose to play them. All of this, by only two-thirds of the way through the video.
    By the end, I had reevaluated how I thought about the Zelda franchise as a whole, a series I've known and loved for nearly my entire life. Like the zen gardens, I feel a renewed understanding of, and appreciation for, the work the designers and developers put into these games.
    This video was thoughtfully researched, _extraordinarily_ written, meaningfully paced, beautifully scored... the whole nine yards. The fact that it is available to watch for free like this is indicative of nothing less than a deep, deep love for the Zelda series and a true passion for sharing it with others. Thank you for doing so, because I love it too. 🙂

  • @AngusRocker22
    @AngusRocker22 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Dude, your content never fails to impress. It's comfy, thought-provoking, nostalgic, and respectful. Good Blood is always an instant watch (and rewatch) for me!

  • @Rubidrion
    @Rubidrion 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +45

    I’ve been a Zelda fan for almost 30 years and while I’m deeply conflicted by the design change from past Zelda’s, I can understand it so much more thanks to this beautiful analysis.
    Always enjoy your video essays on games Javed and how they get me to think about games in ways I never thought of before.
    I’ve been a fan since your OOT video, keep up the great work!

    • @bowi1332
      @bowi1332 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Oh... I'm not conflicted. I'm 100% disappointed by BOTW and I even sold my Switch quite rapidly post-launch. 😅

    • @Wobble2007
      @Wobble2007 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      @@bowi1332 BOTW may not be a good Zelda game, it is a good game in it own right, but , it loses what makes a Zelda game great, it's too broken and sparse, without the all important thread that you follow from start to finish, it lacks the feeling that you feel like you have been part of a huge living world, it also loses the musical aspect that I love about LOZ games, I really hope we see a proper Zelda game again one day, perhaps a full remake of OOT & MM will make that possible.

    • @bowi1332
      @bowi1332 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ​@@Wobble2007True. Good game. I will probably play it again someday... On Switch 2 or on a PC in 30 years once Nintendo decides to join the fun...

    • @TheRealPSKilla502
      @TheRealPSKilla502 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@Wobble2007 Any suggestions for games that scratch that satisfy that craving for traditional LoZ gameplay? I appreciate the vision the series devs have, but I really miss that epic heroic fantasy tone, coupled with the metroidvania-style dungeons and world design.

    • @micahbarrus8406
      @micahbarrus8406 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      ​@@TheRealPSKilla502Metroidvanias scratch the same itch for me on terms on exploring and puzzle design for the world. Hollow Knight is an excellent one, as is Metroid dread.

  • @GarrettBuffington
    @GarrettBuffington 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +69

    Wow, it feels like a crime to watch this labor of love for free. Extremely entertaining and informative. It's incredible that Miyamoto had the vision for this miniature garden philosophy sense the first Zelda game, he's truly a pioneer in the gaming industry.
    Thanks for creating this, I hope one day I can reach this level of quality in my own work.

  • @noperopepope
    @noperopepope 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Your video does an incredible job explaining the philosophy of Hakoniwa, and exemplifies why BOTW is so special. This philosophy is why I have always pushed back against people calling linear Zelda games as the "traditional games". The Zelda franchise was always about freedom and exploration. The early 3D Zelda games mostly became linear due to the limitations of the hardware. Nonetheless, even in games like OOT and MM, Hyrule/Termina still felt like living breathing miniature worlds. You have done a far better job at delivering this message than I ever could.

  • @user-wb8iu1hl6i
    @user-wb8iu1hl6i 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +125

    There will always be a Zelda cycle and there will never be a “perfect” Zelda game because the two poles of Theme Park and Garden can never be fully realized in the same game. This is why the Zelda series will always have a future because it will never be finished. This also means everyone will always have their favorite flavor of Zelda.

    • @HunnysPlaylists
      @HunnysPlaylists 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      I can't tell you how much I dislike how zelda fans take themselves so much more seriously than the games do.

    • @Posby95
      @Posby95 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@HunnysPlaylists It happens with any work of art. There's always gonna be at least one audience member who takes the work more seriously than the author. Always.

    • @HunnysPlaylists
      @HunnysPlaylists 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@Posby95 it's not just one audience member, it's the entire community.

    • @Posby95
      @Posby95 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@HunnysPlaylists nah, there are people who don't care as much as the author

    • @HunnysPlaylists
      @HunnysPlaylists 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@Posby95 do you not see the videos the fanbase makes?

  • @NorwegianZeldaFan
    @NorwegianZeldaFan 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Man, your videos are like Messi - just a different level than everyone else! Keep them coming! Absolutely love them!
    Much love from Norway ☕

  • @ArdentRage
    @ArdentRage 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +25

    Great analysis and excited to see the thoughts of Majoras Mask. I think there is a seperate conflict between a world that feels alive with characters and choice that conflicts some with the sandbox style gameplay. Majoras Mask world feels the most alive to me due to the characters having their lives, daily routines, and how the player has a connection and makes an impact on them. In my eyes seeing a freedom in expression through gameplay and choice along with a world with deep rich characters is the ideal. I took notes on the video today and thanks for the education on hakoniwa! Thanks for these videos, good to see this upload!!

    • @TheOneFlyron
      @TheOneFlyron 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Good point. But I think Majoras Mask can only allow itself to such a high degree of character expression in this lived-in world because you're bound to experience it again and again and again. You can't sensibly do that without the time loop which was very divisive back then, stressing many people out who just wanted to go exploring on their own terms.

    • @TheRealPSKilla502
      @TheRealPSKilla502 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@TheOneFlyron While a lot of fans really like exploration in LoZ, that is not the point of MM, and that's OK. MM is defined by its scripted gameplay, which repeats with the 3 day cycle. It has some of the best sidequests and dungeons in the game, and they more than make up for any lack of player freedom.

    • @ArdentRage
      @ArdentRage 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@TheOneFlyron I partially agree! It adds to the depth of the characters and how you interact, similar to BG3 and the depth of characters in the story of the game. I don't think it's necessary to have looping gameplay to make characters memorable or have significant depth. It does help though and I personally love the mechanic.

  • @sem_aki
    @sem_aki 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    This feels like a professional documentary, well worth the wait thank you for inspiring us

  • @Masckerdoom
    @Masckerdoom 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    As a writer, I find the Hakoniwa philosophy viscerally challenging and misleading, yet fascinating.
    Where the Zelda team struggled with further incorporating the open play element with the theme park attraction and artistic expression elements, when I play a game such as Breath of the Wild, I find myself facing the exact opposite challenge, my mind filling this world in with possibilities and visions of artistic expression that insist upon their ways, that overpower the player with emotion, rather than necessarily inviting them to interpret it.
    The Hakoniwa method is not to invite the viewer into a barren empty space, neither is it a linear and insistent overcrowded garden. It is an inviting story.
    I don't believe the perfect Zelda game yet exists. The Legend of Zelda is a masterpiece, not just for its time. Its exploration, tone, and insistence upon an archetypal yet fully expressed story couple beautifully into something that remains iconic to this day. People don't talk about any other classic game the same way they do Zelda 1. It is the closest thing to perfection of the craft.
    Skyward Sword, inversely, tells a powerful, emotional, and insistent story, and invites players to take part in this fairytale. It is the closest thing to a modern narrative Zelda masterpiece.
    Breath of the Wild begins with a sandbox philosophy, and creates stories and elements to populate it and serve the gameplay.
    The perfect Zelda game sets out with the tone and wonder of Zelda 1, and that the developers of the original game did that very first time. It insists upon a nuanced story of right and wrong, creates the world and gameplay outward from that idea and narrative, and invites players both into the boots of the hero, and the adventurer. It guides them along a series of box gardens that they can approach and re explore with the ideas filling their heads. Finally, it overpowers players with an insistent expression of storytelling and emotion that embeds itself into their minds long after they've forgotten how to play. It's a narrative masterpiece. Tears of the Kingdom *almost* does this.
    In fact, the perfect Zelda game looks something like Hollow Knight, and a little bit like Xenoblade Chronicles.

    • @Dionaea_floridensis
      @Dionaea_floridensis 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I was also about to mention the Xeno series!

    • @Masckerdoom
      @Masckerdoom 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ​@@Dionaea_floridensisYes, that game immediately sprang to mind when I pondered revisiting and repurposing previous areas of a game.

  • @Isoquant
    @Isoquant 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Beautifully written and produced. This should be considered essential viewing for the true Zelda fan.

  • @bumblefoo5169
    @bumblefoo5169 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    When I was very young I used to play the N64 and Gamecube that my dad owned and he was a very meticulous player. He had most of his games fully beaten (Tetris sphere eludes him) and finished with all the optional objectives and collectibles and whenever I'd play one of these games, such as Ocarina of Time, I found myself going to play the fully finished saves as frequently as I would with starting a new one, new ones that I should mention rarely went far in the context of zelda. Everything was already finished of course but I was VERY young and didn't have a strong goal when playing games anyway, so I'd just wander hyrule and mess around with all the items my dad had already collected. I don't have a poignant observation for this comment, this video just reminds me of that time.

  • @shaheer_04
    @shaheer_04 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    The production quality for these videos is off the charts. It never fails to impress. Excellent video as always.

  • @carlosbonillaish
    @carlosbonillaish 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    This was beautiful. Thank you for making and sharing your research and insights on the Zelda design philosophy.

  • @Greenix
    @Greenix 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    He appears once again with some of the best content on the platform

  • @davetoms1
    @davetoms1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Love this.
    Additionally, the map of BotW is not merely a box garden. Hundreds of what I call "micro-environments" comprise each region of the overall map and I see now that each is itself a box garden. Areas that take up very little space but nonetheless exist as a standalone experience to plan in and explore within the larger context of the region. Perhaps BotW's map is a collection of hundreds, if not thousands of box gardens. A spectacular game.

  • @Cmchristich88
    @Cmchristich88 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Beautifuly created. Javed’s story telling ability is absolutely incredible. These pieces of art are always worth the wait.

  • @REIDiculous64
    @REIDiculous64 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    This is the Zelda documentary I didn’t know I needed. BOTW and TOTK totally are my favourite games of all time exactly for this purpose. I’ve never spent more time playing in a single game world and probably will never be beaten, I love escaping from my day to that miniature garden.

  • @zyfetc
    @zyfetc 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    the fact that this exists as free video on youtube is crazy
    the sheer density of choices that feel carefully crafted and intentional in the runtime of this video is ridiculous, don't think i've ever felt such a moral obligation to watch at 1x speed

  • @axovoxel
    @axovoxel 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    "The Question No One Asks Shigeru Miyamoto"
    "who is scripulous fingore?"

  • @dylanmassa
    @dylanmassa 12 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Woah holy content Batman, that grabbed my attention start to finish, talk about a masterclass in video essays

  • @NIMPAK1
    @NIMPAK1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    I feel like in some ways the Pikmin games are the perfect evolution of Zelda 1. You're literally tending a miniature garden through the form of raising pikmin and each area has you explore a miniature garden. Each miniature garden is full of surprises, like one day it could be raining and different monsters could appear. The limitations like having a time limit just serve to make the game more thrilling and more theme park like. Even then games like Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4 are more lenient on time and offer more Zelda-like experiences, with the caves basically serving as Zelda 1 style dungeons.
    Heck, even the concept of dandori is an aspect of haninowa. Careful planning and arrangement.

  • @PanMan47
    @PanMan47 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Very happy to see a video from you after so long!

  • @GameTesterBootCamp
    @GameTesterBootCamp 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

    I was literally recording a voice over for a video about how Nintendo is a Toy maker rather than a game company, but it looks like you beat me to it! And it's a better video that I could have ever hoped to produce on my own! Well done! You just saved me dozens of hours of work! 🙂
    Edit: Thanks for the words of encouragement, y'all. I think I'll go ahead and finish it. Why not, right? 😊

    • @lpstweetytv5242
      @lpstweetytv5242 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      You should make it anyway! The more people talk about it, the more people will know :)

    • @cosmicjellyf1sh
      @cosmicjellyf1sh 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@lpstweetytv5242^Agree!

    • @FrostFire425
      @FrostFire425 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Agreeing with lps tweet here - while this video focuses on specifically Zelda, you could look at other series/franchises that Nintendo makes

  • @Sivielfer
    @Sivielfer 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    The Miyamoto interview where he himself asks players to enjoy the theme park attractions really does hit hard. Easily the best moment of the video.

  • @dajaca2586
    @dajaca2586 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    I'd say Wind Waker's main area of expression, aside from deciding what direction to go in when exploring the islands, was mainly in the combat. Every enemy has unique reactions to each weapon, and experimenting with them is a lot of fun, especially in the later game. Like killing moblins with only the boomerang, by knocking them off the edge.

    • @djason338
      @djason338 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      For me, that was Zelda at its "toy"-est. Was really disappointed the video just focused on the sailing and nothing else

  • @drewinreallife2010
    @drewinreallife2010 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Javed’s work on this platform is so inspiring to me. Such incredible research, writing, and storytelling. I am so grateful this exists.

  • @Grimprospect
    @Grimprospect 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

    Just discovered this channel and immediately watched all the videos! Great channel, and wish more content on TH-cam was like this!

  • @joshmyer9
    @joshmyer9 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    At 18:21, an S-tier translation overlay. Demonstrating excellent attention to detail, even though it's probably going to be unappreciated by 95% of viewers. Thanks for that, it brought me a nice little warm fuzzy.

  • @EmrlsCommunity
    @EmrlsCommunity 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Loved this. I had 3 paragraphs drafted for why, but deleted it to settle for this. Watched 3 times already. Once by myself, once with my wife, once again sharing with friends. Incredible work

  • @inamabilis7423
    @inamabilis7423 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    2:43 the japanese here actually says “That is exactly what we were going for(lol) All of the designers wanted to make a landscape that felt somehow familiar. So there really isn’t a model we based it on.”
    I don’t know where you got the miniature garden quote but it’s not here.

    • @GoodBloodGames
      @GoodBloodGames  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      Thanks for pointing this out. Unfortunately I highlighted the wrong paragraph while filming. The miniature garden paragraph is a bit further down the page. The link to the interview is in the description if you wanted to browse. Thanks

    • @inamabilis7423
      @inamabilis7423 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@GoodBloodGamesoh okay thank you for clarifying

  • @thefilmfrontier6822
    @thefilmfrontier6822 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Javed, I hope you see this. I just wanted to say your direction gives inspiration while being informative. This episode has an air of creative passion and energy conveyed through its music choice, script and direction, and I can’t say enough how impactful that is for me. I hope you’re doing well. Thank you from a tired designer.

  • @lucasbrumjumpman
    @lucasbrumjumpman 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    You're the greatest.
    Awesome video.

  • @maxmuster5645
    @maxmuster5645 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Amazing and very touching video. Thank you for putting in the time and effort to research, write and produce this video for everyone to see. Much Love

  • @OzgardenTsuge
    @OzgardenTsuge 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I deeply do appreciate the love and effort you had to put in the making of this amazing video. I felt spirited away for half an hour. Cheers from Switzerland.

  • @giulytsme
    @giulytsme 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

    As an aspiring game developer, this documentary was very inspiring! I'm so glad to have discovered this channel!
    Especially since as a japanese culture enthusiast, I have a miniature Zen Garden in my place.
    This video made me realise that in a way I had always been a game designer, ever since I was a kid I used to place a big blanket in the living room and placed decorations on top pretending they were islands.
    The sense of freedom that comes from designing a playground stuffed with secrets to explore is one of the biggest joys a creative person can feel.
    But what I believe Miyamoto teaches us is that we can gift those sensations to the player as well, making him "play" creatively with our creation and not just forcing him through some obstacles.
    (Also, what a perfect time to release this video since Zelda EOW interviews are releasing)

  • @aaandSCENE
    @aaandSCENE 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    After watching this and thinking the whole time "I know this guy's voice..." it hits me that you're the OoT Masterclass in Subtext video creator. You're brilliant, mate. Gonna go rewatch that video now and sob. ❤

  • @idavid8391
    @idavid8391 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    12:52 "There is neither growth, nor decay, in this spatially expressed moment."
    Oh. That's a quote that might live with me for... ever...

  • @matthewbloise2155
    @matthewbloise2155 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Another stellar video. Well done, sir!

  • @mysteryguyiscool5054
    @mysteryguyiscool5054 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +89

    So what you're trying to tell me is that Minecraft is the perfect videogame according to Myamoto's principles?

    • @firebirdstark
      @firebirdstark 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Crap, you’re right lol

    • @RePorpoised
      @RePorpoised 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +24

      Perhaps it is the closest thing to a box garden accessible to all(which is also the appeal of legos IRL) but I can’t help but feel like it doesn’t have a sense of adventure or excitement.
      It’s probably quite close though.

    • @custos3249
      @custos3249 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Almost like there are many reasons not to jump at calling financially successful people "genius."

    • @DiegeticDogma
      @DiegeticDogma 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      I would argue that that's not quite the case. A box garden tells a story or shows a scene within a confined space, while Minecraft is a procedurally generated nearly limitless play area

    • @kautown
      @kautown 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      ⁠@@DiegeticDogmathe point is that the game provides the player with the most infinitely modifiable world possible and asks the player to create their story within it. So yeah Minecraft is more closely related to the box garden concept than any Zelda game has ever been.

  • @saradeemon
    @saradeemon 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    This was absolutely wonderful 🖤

  • @MusicaX79
    @MusicaX79 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    30:30 I agree the item change was fun however the cost was an extreme lack of puzzle design. The biggest issue are:
    1. the shrines are too short; it would have been better to cut the number of shrines to a 4th of what they are if it means we get more content in the shrines individually. As it stands every shrine has a cool or interesting idea but ends before it can do anything with it.
    2. the shrines are not set; it would have been better if the shrines were in a linear order. If you open shrine 4 in a list of seven first, you get the first shrine in the list. if you open shrine 7 after that you would get the second shrine. Because there was no set list this didn't allow the developers to build upon shrines. So, a concept in one shrine can't be used again in another resulting in only beginner concepts for puzzle design on repeat for all shrines.

    • @excelup5358
      @excelup5358 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      you're misunderstanding what the shrines are about
      they're not designed with a single puzzle in mind, a single solution that fits all - obviously there's an intended solution but the player has the creative liberty to solve the puzzle any which way that they want
      having puzzles in a linear order, with a predefined mechanic present throuhgout completely contradicts this philosophy
      personally, it feels much more rewarding to me having an "ah-ha!" moment when i've thought of a solution myself that i know is not intended, but still works - its a great way of proving the philosophy's principle

    • @MusicaX79
      @MusicaX79 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@excelup5358 Set up a linear order of puzzles regardless of which shrines you go to so that you can introduce new concepts and build upon old ones. Allowing for more complicated and interesting puzzles as the player progresses. OR Do the same shrine on repeat because you can't build on the concepts you have created before....
      21/120 Combat shrines, same fight every time.
      29/120 Empty, walk in open a chest take orb yawn.
      5/120 Motion control shrines where you just swing your controller for 2 seconds and you’re done. Most of these don’t even work correctly and are broken.
      The last 65 are “puzzle” shrines 30 of these are hot garbage they are ether repeating shrines that you have already done or poking a concept for the first time, not touching on it poking it. Just you opened a single door, and you are done. These 30 shrines turn into “I’m only here for the orb because this puzzle is a bore.” The other 35 while have some interesting aspect and ideas again also stop short they always resulted “cool I figured it out what’s next” and then the massive disappointment hits of the shrine being over. Because again the gam doesn’t have the ability to build on shrine concepts since they can be done out of order.
      The shrines are trash. One of the worst puzzle implementations to date and it was all done for stupid excuses.

    • @MusicaX79
      @MusicaX79 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Okay TLDR cause TH-cam can shove it, there are 120 shrines, only 60 of them are puzzles and 30 of those are actually good puzzles the rest is on repeat or puzzles that don't go farther then a single door. This is because again, the Shrines are not set up linearly as a result you can't build on concepts or introduce new concepts and build upon the new concepts it's just shallow garbage.

    • @excelup5358
      @excelup5358 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@MusicaX79 the point of the game isn't to make up puzzle concepts for you to follow, its to give you tools, and let the player decide how they want to use the tools to tackle a challenge presented to them - this allows every player's experience to be different from the other's

  • @mattfrfx
    @mattfrfx 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Yessss Javed finally! I remember watching the “prototype” version of that first minute on patreon. Phenomenal work. You’ll always be an inspiration to me.

  • @bbkintanar
    @bbkintanar 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Shigeru is such a treasure to the gaming community. His contributions have shaped generations. He is such a gem and there will never be anyone like him. Please keep on living as long as you possibly can Miyamoto ♥

    • @Wobble2007
      @Wobble2007 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I really hope he's working on his swansong for the SWiiTCH, I hope it's a full on Gamecube Resident Evil or Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes style full Remake of OOT & MM, and a launch title for the SWiiTCH, along with a Mario Kart x Pilot Wings collab game.

    • @snailymitch
      @snailymitch 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@Wobble2007 I highly doubt Miyamoto will be doing much with games anymore, all the way back in the 90s he's emphasized he's more of a toy designer and would like to explore other forms of creating fun outside of video games. The results of this have been seen quite recently with his heavy involvement with the Mario Movie, Super Nintendo World and the Nintendo Museum. I think Miyamoto is well aware the series he created are in good hands and is using the opportunity to explore other mediums.

    • @Wobble2007
      @Wobble2007 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@snailymitch We shall see.

    • @zero-pl3tt
      @zero-pl3tt หลายเดือนก่อน

      @Wobble2007 I doubt it, he hasn’t been that involved in the development side of things since the 90s, the last game he directed was mario 64! Of course he still seems to do work as the final supervisor, but i don’t see him working as the main producer of a game again honestly.

  • @PivotGuy401
    @PivotGuy401 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I've long wondered the specific reason why the remake of 'Link's Awakening' was made to look like a toy diorama. After this video, it makes perfect sense.

  • @WadWizard
    @WadWizard 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    I think their lack of attention to lore has sortof harmed this goal, it may seem unrelated but its more about sortof keeping up appearances in a way, an issue people have with totk ive seen is that it became clear that they never really cared about the lore and that makes everything feel much faker and cheaper, like its all just fanservice, how am i supposed to immerse myself in this space when it doesnt feel like it has any sense of internal reality. Point being even if it was never the point, when every reference just feels like thats all it is it makes everything feel shallow and its harder to take seriously, it weakens the effect, and it discourages people from imagining more about the world they are put in because knowing that the developers didnt care about the lore pretty immediately makes even any headcanon completely implausible or irrelevant cause nothing ever meant anything.
    Other than that the direction is nice.

    • @Zelink108
      @Zelink108 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Couldn’t have said it better myself. I just wish Nintendo could level up their storytelling a little, or at least match some of their previous highs with something approaching any sort of real consistency. Nintendo is getting a little too comfortable with using time travel shenanigans to escape actually telling a compelling multi-chapter story and it's becoming boring rather than intriguing or surprising. And I don't even think they do it for fanservice of the theorizers. Nintendo is getting a little too comfortable with using time travel shenanigans to escape actually telling a compelling multi-chapter story and it's becoming boring rather than intriguing or surprising. And I don't even think they do it for fanservice of the theorizers.

    • @GAHAHAHH
      @GAHAHAHH 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      By making everyone's head-cannon "correct" they have made a castle with no wall and no floors and no ceiling just a big empty space of nothing but "open doors". By removing the ability to be "wrong" the truth has become indistinguishable from a lie. They claim reading a story is doing work yet they expect writing one to be no work at all. They have given us nothing while claiming to have given us everything.
      But even that "make your own story" approach fails as the story explicitly states and "shows" exactly what happens in the most unceremonious and unsatisfactory way on multiple occasions. Statements like "it's a mystery" or 'it's supposed to be vague" come across to me as an excuse for plot holes or trying to deny abject failure and deflecting the responsibilities that come with being a "writer" or "artist" onto the beholder.

    • @ubeka3013
      @ubeka3013 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Very well articulated and similar to my thoughts as the video drew to its conclusion. While the hakoniwa concept is neat and I agree that there is something very enjoyable about absolute freedom of exploration, BotW and TotK fail at really capitalizing on it. Especially since TotK, these games feel like an open admission that there is nothing beyond surface level thought in the games' world and story design. Interesting locations aren't actually points of interest, teased at depth or interaction with the story have not been fulfilled, the player himself has almost been removed from any and all plot significance beyond finishing the game by beating the final boss. Somehow, the dictate of total exploration freedom demands a really flat difficulty curve and most rewards feel meaningless and menial to get. It's a somber mood since I feel it is possible to achieve both Miyamoto's original vision and a lot of players' expectations. Outer Wilds presents a brilliant way of managing non-linear, meaningful, and gripping storytelling in a game all about exploration and puzzle-solving. Elden Ring presents a fleshed-out world that you are free to explore and interpret as much or as little as you care while still clearly being modeled with intent and therefore being believable. It also has good difficulty scaling paired with incredible amounts of player expression through specs and weapon choices.
      And since this channel introduced me to the excellent subtext of Ocarina of Time, I would hope that even people at Nintendo would crave to create intricate, artful stories again within these miniature gardens.

    • @The_Moe_Szyslak_Exp_feat_Homer
      @The_Moe_Szyslak_Exp_feat_Homer 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      This video just convinced me that Ocarina of Time was a complete fluke, and they will never get close to anything like it again.

    • @GAHAHAHH
      @GAHAHAHH 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@The_Moe_Szyslak_Exp_feat_Homer I feel that way about "The Last of Us", they really took a bat to my interpretation of the story with the show and the second game and made it into one of the most depressing pessimistic stories ever.
      For "The Legend of Zelda" I wouldn't go as far to say "their only success was an accident", I believe there were a bunch of hard working people with good ideas that they have now deliberately tossed aside or limited, I think it's summed up best with a quote "We had designed a bunch of things to do but Aonuma was only interested in climbing trees."

  • @LoomDoom
    @LoomDoom 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Amazing video, really high quality. You really backed up your point that “hakoniwa” has been what Miyamoto has been trying to achieve with Zelda since the beginning and has now nailed it with BotW/TotK. I do really respect that ideology, but I do hope they are able to keep the theme park attractions (aka the story) still an important part of the experience. It’s all about a balance.

  • @WojackToter
    @WojackToter 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    the videos so good I get to watch it a second time

  • @bryanquick3349
    @bryanquick3349 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    great video essay! I've found myself playing BotW and TotK again and I really appreciate that the game lets you take on the challenges in your own way, and the rewards for exploration and pursuing goals in the game isn't the acquisition of player power or story progression, but the actual experience of the play itself.

  • @EHonda-yn1ks
    @EHonda-yn1ks 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    The frustrating part of Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom is that in the decades of Zelda games where they supposedly "failed" at the hakoniwa philosophy the franchise developed an identity that while lacking the absolute freedom, endeared itself through how rich and densely detailed the "gardens" were. I think the BotW formula may nail empowering the player in creating their own hakoniwa, but it misses out on what an equally fulfilling experience it can be to observe, appreciate and immerse yourself in a garden by someone else's hand. They were finally able to make Zelda what they always intended it to be but at the cost of what it had become. As someone clearly attached to the old formula and not as fond of the open world trend in gaming, it's hard to not wish BotW was something else entirely outside the Zelda series.

    • @djason338
      @djason338 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      I think the real artists were the people who wrote and programmed Ocarina etc. and not this one man who gives interviews about his broad philosophy on games he doesn't even work on

    • @GAHAHAHH
      @GAHAHAHH 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@djason338 I feel like the team has a lot of stuff they want to do but don't simply because "Eiji Aonuma is only interested in climbing trees". It speaks volumes that they managed to make something so simple be so interesting but it also reveals much of the games failure that it's effectively the only interesting thing it has to offer.

  • @deetsitmeisterjd
    @deetsitmeisterjd 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I have to say while that is a question that no one has asked. The real question no ever asks Miyamoto is:
    "How are you?"
    All of these people, they don't care about the person Miyamoto, just what he does, what he creates, this same question goes for a lot of the well known videogame creators. Why does no one ask if the person is okay? The likes of Miyamoto and Kojima etc are getting old, they are likely tired and all anyone cares about is "what's the next game going to be like?"
    It's sad.

  • @iquemedia
    @iquemedia 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +36

    this is why we keep notifications ON

    • @theaddictofgaming9174
      @theaddictofgaming9174 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      ​​@@J31bro, wtf, they're not a bot, just click the profile, you'll see

    • @ruily276
      @ruily276 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@J31 Your comment seemed more of a bot comment than anything else.

    • @theaddictofgaming9174
      @theaddictofgaming9174 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@J31 they're just expressing their excitement and driving engagement to the algorithm for a creator they like. I doubt it's for attention seeking, it's not a very attention-seeking comment. This is the kind of thing you should just be able to scroll past and expect to see in all types of comment sections.

    • @iquemedia
      @iquemedia 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@J31 this mf doesn't leave comments on the videos his favorite creators make to help support them in the algorithm

  • @ungeschaut
    @ungeschaut 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I have to thank you at least for your Ocarina of Time video. It is like watching a blockbuster movie but with Emotional Level at max!

  • @Wyattinous
    @Wyattinous 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    A new Good Blood video is Christmas present levels of hype and excitement🎉❤😆

  • @Mb_Drei
    @Mb_Drei 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    As a game design enthusiast, this video was one of the most enlightening works of art that I've had the privilege of discovering on the internet.
    The lessons it contains, the cultural heritage it summarises, and the reflections it brings up on the Zelda series as a whole made me want to reapproach the videogame medium in its entirety.
    It's late at night here and I have no idea how I'll able to sleep after the bombshell that this documentary dropped on my goopy goblin gamer brain. If you ever decide to talk about Metroid, I don't think I'd survive.

  • @eliblessed
    @eliblessed 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    So, what I am hearing is that the most zelda-like experiance (as imagined by the zelda creator's design philophy) is shadow of the colossus? Nice

  • @mo_venegas
    @mo_venegas 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Between all the debate on whether Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are real Zelda games, this video is a fantastic reminder that its not about what the player thinks the game is, it's about what the artist is trying to convey.

    • @zacschr1808
      @zacschr1808 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      i mean there where always alot of artists :p an the head of the project kinda reminds me of bongo bongo
      lmao

  • @AriesT1
    @AriesT1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    22:40 this contradiction is the issue we see in TotK. The vast playground somehow contradicts the well-made story moments that would fit better in a more linear game. Even worse, since you can find dragon tears in any order, you can spoil the story and sour the experience for yourself if you get tear #15 before tear #2. Also making the "but where is Zelda?!" companion sequences feel badly written if you do the dragon tear quest early.

    • @lagrush9039
      @lagrush9039 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      You can get the tears in any order except for the last one that reveals what happens.
      That tear is locked away till you find the rest.

    • @micahbarrus8406
      @micahbarrus8406 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Totk tries to be nonlinear while running linear things. Literally all of the main quests are linear to some extent. Did you get to the water temple early? Congratulations! Go back down and get sidon and do the quest properly. Oh, you know Zelda is the dragon? We're just gonna pretend you don't in order to try to drum up some tension in kakariko. It tries to be free and causes massive dissonance because there are major events that just don't work.

    • @AriesT1
      @AriesT1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@lagrush9039 You can see where the plot is going from a mile away even without the last tear if you pay attention to what Sonia says in an earlier cutscene. My argument is still valid. If you complete the dragon tear quest early, it renders half the cutscenes and dialogue in the game obsolete. The game still pretends you don't know where Zelda is for the next 20 hours.

    • @AriesT1
      @AriesT1 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@micahbarrus8406 It's also fascinating that no coder / writer thought about some if-else cases for dialogues when you already know about Zelda and still have multiple story quests to do. Especially Yunobo. And why do I need to watch the same cutscene about the war for 4 times after every dungeon?

    • @micahbarrus8406
      @micahbarrus8406 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@AriesT1 yup. I did the thunder Temple first, then got all the tears, and I was so frustrated that every single plot point is "wait, there's Zelda!" When I, the player, knew the truth and link did nothing.

  • @papayapeaks1693
    @papayapeaks1693 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    This video made me appreciate this series even more. I’ve always loved Zelda’s linear and dungeon heavy type of gameplay, and although I loved BoTW, I still struggled to enjoy ToTK due to how much I missed the older formula. Knowing now that this is what Miyamoto wanted all along made me accept this great change in the series.
    Also, isn’t it amazing how long he dreamed to make a hakoniwa game decades ago and the team managed to near perfect it with today’s technology, all within his lifetime. One heck of an achievement.

  • @junkyardcrow1748
    @junkyardcrow1748 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Dear Seega,

  • @TheOfficalAndI
    @TheOfficalAndI 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    For a game with more linear elements (attractions), I'd argue that Majoras Mask strikes a very good balance between being open for exploration and having story moments.
    The dense design of the world and sidequests are the main drawing points for exploration.
    In MM, I've been revisiting places to see what things there are to do or to see what kind of secrets I could find, many more times compared to OOT.
    Thinking about it, that actually might be the reason I enjoyed MM so much.
    No other linear zelda game feels as open to me.
    And the last two open zelda games feel like they lack attractions, in my opinion.

  • @EndyHawk
    @EndyHawk 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    I'm one of those that really misses the more structured elements of n64/gc era zelda. But I'm also a big Metroid fan. While historically their modes of interaction had been quite similar, after watching this I feel as though the recent metroid push has been an effort to distinguish new Zelda as Nintendo's "freeform adventure" series, where metroid can be the "structured adventure" series and hopefully grab disillusioned zelda fans who are missing that key-lock-puzzle feeling. If they can match the metroid output up to zelda's historic 4-5 year cycles (or quicker, since metorids are shorter, speedier games), I think I can be ok with that.

    • @bowi1332
      @bowi1332 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Interesting... I am one of the disappointed N64/GCN era fans.

    • @EndyHawk
      @EndyHawk 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@bowi1332 I’ve heard it said that classic Zelda’s are just metroidvanias blown up to a larger scale; Metroid is a single “dungeon” game. I think there could even be space for a take on Metroid that segments the backtracking/item lock elements into discrete dungeons, because the design shares such a close lineage

  • @Kno_2-d8h
    @Kno_2-d8h 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    It really makes you realize that they were never trying to do something new or break old conventions, they were just trying to just one successful attempt at something they were doing wrong this whole time.

  • @MrEnvisioner
    @MrEnvisioner 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Man, the *production quality* of this video essay is completely jaw-dropping. Bravo! As for the topic, this was immensely informative, enlightening, and rewarding to watch as an aspiring game developer. I'd heard the "miniature garden" phrase before, but your in-depth analysis brought all new meaning to it for me. Thank you for putting together such a well-written & produced journey for us.

  • @kevinr.9733
    @kevinr.9733 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    There are actually 66 different possible dungeon orders for ALttP, though not by design. You can get past the first room of Misery Mire without the Hookshot by rebounding off the block with the Pegasus Boots.
    (And if you're just looking at possible orders for rescuing the maidens, there's nothing preventing you from leaving any dungeon after obtaining its item and heading somewhere else, giving 5040 different dungeon clear orders.)

  • @ShuajoX
    @ShuajoX 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    I wanna know what Miyamoto said in response to the interviewer pointing out the contradiction in his philosophy.

    • @SuperFranzs
      @SuperFranzs 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      He didn't say anything, he just kidnapped the interviewer's children later that day.

    • @DannyMexen9
      @DannyMexen9 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      The next game after that interview

    • @DefinitiveDubs
      @DefinitiveDubs 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      He says *"Exactly. But isn’t it fun to play at DisneyLand too? You can always run around without a route and swing sticks around if you want, it’s not a place where someone forces you somewhere. In my own imagination, that’s my own kind of fun made possible through the power of games on the 64DD. As a producer of this way to play, that’s a lofty goal. To put it simply, providing ways to play in both the “DisneyLands” and the “not-so-DisneyLands” is important to me."*
      At the time, Zelda 64 was planned for the 64DD, so that's what he's talking about.

    • @ShuajoX
      @ShuajoX 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@DefinitiveDubs Ah, thank you!

  • @gamesconversationchannel
    @gamesconversationchannel 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Wow. This was such a joy to watch from start to finish. Thank you for creating this video and for that incredible dive into Miyamoto's design philosophy! I especially loved the live props of opening the various magazines and printed essays. The papercraft interstitials looked appropriately playful, and the overall sound design was so pleasing. Again, excellent work here!

  • @mutzielen
    @mutzielen 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    When someone else starts making games utilizing the concepts they decided weren't demure or mindful enough for their sacred box gardens and the discarded fans of those concepts go where the dungeons and puzzles are I don't wanna hear any crocodile tears from Nintendo.

  • @royataylor7797
    @royataylor7797 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    never clicked so fast! i got strangely emotional watching this one, perhaps it was because of the question and the struggle miyamoto had; having that goal in mind of creating a truly free 'miniature garden', yet being unable to fully realise it until breath of the wild was designed decades after the series' inception. zelda is one of my favourite series ever and one that inspired me to become a game designer when i was younger - you can see with each zelda game you play, especially in order, the lessons they learned about their own design philosophies from the previous game shine through into the next. its a truly beautiful thing to witness and there are not as many development teams i hold in such high regard as i do with the zelda team. thank you for another enchanting video! hyrule journals is the best content this site has to offer, and i'll always come back.