Video Game Review: The Highs and Lows of Skyward Sword

                Beyond the music and movies of today’s culture, there also rests a vibrant video game community that lives through not only play but also video game review. This particular review, “The Highs and Lows of Zelda: Skyward Sword”, by GeekDad editor “Z” for Wired Magazine, displays a level of rhetoric and depth characteristic and comparable to those in the NY Times editorials. A new game for the Wii gaming system has added another adventure to the already 25-year-old Legend of Zelda video game series. “Z” turns this seemingly trivial topic into one of great discussion and analysis, one that even those who do not play video games can enjoy.

                In the series of Zelda, the games’ stories have similar plots: a boy sets out on an adventurous quest to save a girl stolen by dark forces. The only things that he has are a sword, shield, magical helper, and “an unbreakable spirit”. “Z” analyzes the new game, Skyward Sword, through both its technical and content materials. “Z” comments on the changing controls of the game, of how Wii’s Motion-Plus controls finally “live up to Wii’s long-neglected promise”. Noting that now the game takes into consideration which direction the Wii mote is swung, “Z” also explains that perhaps its success is because of the low-graphics level of the game itself. Skyward Sword takes on a cartoon-style graphics that for “Z” sometimes is overdone but sometimes compliments the game play. “Z” then delves into the content matter of the game, of exactly how engaging the story and plot is for the players. Aside from the traditional plot of all Zelda games, he notes that it has new adventures and the additions of outside influences to the game add to its uniqueness. However, “Z” also states that its dungeons (boss areas) are sometimes too repetitive, having to backtrack oneself over and over to accomplish some small task.

                “Z” uses a classification and division arrangement to appeal to not only readers of Wired Magazine, but also to appeal to the massive fan base that Legend of Zelda has. Rhetorically, “Z” always introduces a point that adds to the game play, but then notes an aside that has detracted from the game’s enjoyment. His purpose itself, as a video game review, adds to the rhetorical style expected for this. Because it is a rather informal review, “Z” uses the second-person and writes in a spatial context, always making sarcastic remarks and keeping the tone engaging all the while.