Aonuma talks Zelda complexity, tutorials, story elements
IGN continued to post snippets from their Eiji Aonuma interview today. Earlier this week, the site posted a response from the Zelda producer about partnerships, while the latest article focuses on complexity, training, and story.
First up, here’s what Aonuma had to say about adding more complexity to the series:
“I’m not really opposed to adding more complexity to Zelda. However, I don’t think Zelda needs complicated elements that have to be mastered before a player can enjoy the core of the game’s appeal. I think Zelda should be a game that is simple but that also has enough depth and variety to enable players to continue to make new discoveries.”
Next, Aonuma discussed the tutorial process in Skyward Sword:
“The tutorial process in [Skyward Sword] wasn’t designed with the specific goal of educating new players. The process was designed to let the player become familiar with the world of Skyloft and to communicate with its residents. After the tutorial process, Zelda disappears and Link has to descend by himself to the unexplored surface world. The intent of the tutorial is to give players a strong connection to Skyloft, which is Link’s home, and to Zelda.”
Finally, Aonuma took a moment to comment about the story elements in Zelda:
“We’re always trying to incorporate story elements into Zelda games in a balanced manner. If you’re saying that the story stood out more than anything else, then I feel like we need to work harder to achieve the right balance in the next Zelda game.”
Hmm… I’m not sure if I like the sound of that last comment. I thought that the story was handled beautifully in Skyward Sword, personally…
