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[Cosmozone]

Very, very nice. However, we've had three cel-shaded Zelda titles almost after another, so I'd preferred it if they shook things up a little. Very intrigued how the open world plays out. That enemy was damn fast.

 

[Mory Dunz]

Exactly, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever to play as Zelda or another girl. In a way I'd even prefer that I think, it'll feel fresh at the very least. But don't go changing established characters too much, and judging by how Link looks in this piece, they've slightly overdone it IMO.

Unless this turns out to be his sister or something, hence the similarity to Link, and there's a (optional) 2 player co-op. Or something along those lines, I'm just thinking out loud.

I'm not sure they've overdone it. It may be just be the artstyle. To me he looks similar to how he always has, just with a ponytail.

 

[watershed]

Fuckin hell this looks amazing. It makes me think this is what Skyward Sword should have been like.

 

[Satch]

You're quite quick to jump on a post and attack.

I'm just saying that Link so far has been a boy and I want him to stay that way.

Things can be mixed up in any way, I just don't want to see Link being mixed up.

Make new characters, just don't change the existing ones.

so do you care because its a tale as old as time, like you insinuated before, or because you dont want link to be a girl
Link is a "new character" nearly every game
theres nothing wrong with Link being reincarnated as a girl because reincarnation works like that sometimes

 

[Micerider]

To those saying Link couldn't be a girl coz no b00bs etc. :

It could be a pre-teen girl easily, It's Link's age in most Zelda games after all.

Not saying it is the case, just that the lack of female traits could very well be linked to the young age.

 

[Lesath]

I don't know, Link has always very much looked like a boy but here it's pushing more into feminine territory than usual.

It's the eyelashes combined with the surprisingly delicate features. Past "adult" Link incarnations (OoT, TP, SS) have always been somewhat stocky and muscular (relatively lacking in height, somewhat broad torso, with short legs thick enough to dropkick Gorons). Still, male or female, if the game looks promising enough, I might just get a Wii U.

 

[Easy_D]

I think this all adds up to this being Zelda, and not Link. I think the cloak she wears, which has the hylian coat of arms on it, is supposed to be the clue. And no sword in sight, Link always gets a sword, before even getting a quest. Aonuma mentions they were using The Legend of Zelda as inspiration, and the title card said the Legend of Zelda. Have we ever gotten a reveal without a subtitle that wasn't a tech demo?

What if you don't actually need the sword? The next step to open the game up would be to allow you to skip the sword entirely and just go with the bow.

 

[MrChowderClams]

I want to cut ALL the grass.

lawnmower link will be so much fun with all this HD grass. my body is ready.

 

[Tetranet]

So a female can't save a princess? It's saving Zelda, not having babies with her. Join us in the 21st century.

and so the hero can't be a woman?

A heroine or a hero can save a princess or a prince.

A hero that is female is a heroine, just as a heroine that is male is a hero.


Everyone is too quick to make assumptions about this topic and jump on it. I've been trying to defend Link's new look and his male identity since several pages ago.

 

[crinale]

I'm wondering why some ppl don't like how Link looks.
Doesn't he look very typical Japanese cartoon character?

 

[EVIL]

so this Link is a girl?

no.

Spoiler

I am sick of people wanting link to be a girl, go fap at something else.

 

[Crumpet Trumpet]

Yet in this reveal he wasn't wearing green, didn't have a sword, and we aren't sure if he's a guy.

strike ha down

 

[Sn4ke_911]

1000000% sure LINK IS NOT A GIRL!

You and your stupid crazy theories. You already got burned with Joakim Mogren being CG.

Just stop it.

 

[Incitemaybe]

I think this all adds up to this being Zelda, and not Link. I think the cloak she wears, which has the hylian coat of arms on it, is supposed to be the clue. And no sword in sight, Link always gets a sword, before even getting a quest. Aonuma mentions they were using The Legend of Zelda as inspiration, and the title card said the Legend of Zelda. Have we ever gotten a reveal without a subtitle that wasn't a tech demo?

If you marry this to Brave, it seems even more relevant.

The character there doesn't look any more effeminate than Link ever has before, I seriously don't know where you people are coming from...looks like Link to me.


Also.....I'd LOVE for it to be Zelda as the main protagonist.

LOVE.

 

[Lernaean]

People are upset about the graphics?! It looks amazing!

But I'm hesitant. I don't think the final product will look that good. Seems too good to be true.

If anything Nintendo games look better in the final product than they did on reveal, especially all WiiU games so far, so i wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Solid Samus]

no.

Spoiler

I am sick of people wanting link to be a girl, go fap at something else.

this is one of the dumbest posts I've ever read on Neogaf and you should be ashamed of yourself for having written it.

Go shitpost somewhere else.

Fucking astonishing

 

[Dascu]

They actually lived up to the hype with this reveal. Heh.

 

[nikos]

Looks beautiful.

 

[jpax]

and so the hero can't be a woman?

Nobody is saying this but Link is a boy. If you want a female hero take Zelda. (And yes I would love to play as Zelda)
And there is a difference between a beautiful man/boy and a girly looking one.

 

[legendofjelda]

This is a-ma-zing. Absolutely floored by the reveal. This open world approach is an amazing direction for the series and the visual style is stunning as fuck. Seriously, no words. I'm going crazy.

 

[Thaumaturgic Tomato]

Boom! Berserk! Without Berserk we wouldn't have From Software. Still waiting on a proper Berserk anime adaption.

 

[Palette Swap]

That was too short a sample but it's definitely the best looking Zelda I've ever seen technically and aesthetically.

I hope this doesn't suffer from the same things I didn't like in the previous 2 console entries.

 

[Busaiku]

So glad Link is younger in this.

 

[Kinsei]

no.

Spoiler

I am sick of people wanting link to be a girl, go fap at something else.

You're sick of people wanting a strong female character? With Samus out of the way we really don't have any left.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Manly Link debates are kind of funny considering Hylians are pretty clearly elf-like. It's not just the ears. Usually pale complexion, elfin eyes, sharp features.

Some of the oldest Zelda concept art made Link look like an obviously male boy by giving him chubby cheeks and a stumpy frame. But for much of the series his race has been elvish, so portrayals that go further in that direction don't even seem out of character.

 

[Walter White Walker]

Wow - that looks incredible. I love the art style.

 

[Supermanisdead]

i mean, its pretty clearly a woman in that trailer.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Look at the goddamn hands, people. That's not how they make cartoon hands for girls.

 

[Kandinsky]

I'm just glad they didnt go with the bland looking tech demo style, thank you Nintendo <3

 

[dampflokfreund]

Awesome...

what if... Link IS a girl?

 

[Shin-Ra]

Looks amazing, just afraid it looks so good they'll have to drop Wind Waker's 1080p image quality.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

because our sex and gender is a huge part of who we are as people.

And Link isn't a person, he's been a fictional character, one who has never been a part of a story that had anything to do with his sex. It's possible for a fictional story to be reliant on a character's sex, but no Zelda game has been.

on top of that, this is new story. Every Link is different. Who are you to say how different they can be?

The lack of a real trailer is frustrating, but I hope they can make the open world world work and have the animations look as fluid and smooth as that glimpse did. Zelda games have always been a bit stiff.

Wind Waker was pretty fluid in animation and combat compared to games before and since. not to mention you could steal enemy weapons, which was wonderful

I agree. I wouldn't even care if we played as as girl, just don't make it Link then.

I like my characters to be characters. I like how each Link is similar, each Impa, each Ganon, etc.

So yeah, I would be annoyed if the next Ganon was blond and pale and short and fat.
I'd be annoyed if the next Zelda was a boy and a lazy slob or something and so on.

They're "reincarnations" with some differences but they're essentially the same character. (i.e. Link starting out the game as lazy, sleeping in, slacking but springing into action and determination when called upon.)

Again, these characters aren't real, for one. On top of that, their sex has never been integral to their stories or their personas.

Making this incarnation of Link a girl wouldn't be "innacurate" because Link isn't real and it could be justified in any number of ways. It's a made up story.

The only substantial argument someone can make against making Link a girl is that it would be inconsistent with past games... but Link has been different throughout these games already. Is Toon Link too kiddy an different from what Link' supposed to be? Is Hyrule Warrior's Link too combat-focused?

 

[IrishNinja]

Game of the Show has arrived...pack it up everyone, we had some great entries though!

Spoiler

Grim Fandango a very strong # 2

 

[Mory Dunz]

It's the eyelashes combined with the surprisingly delicate features. Past "adult" Link incarnations (OoT, TP, SS) have always been somewhat stocky and muscular (relatively lacking in height, somewhat broad torso, with short legs thick enough to dropkick Gorons). Still, male or female, if the game looks promising enough, I might just get a Wii U.

Stocky?
Link?

Wut?
He's always been relatively short (the male npcs are almost always taller than him) and skinny.

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

Wait Links a girl?

Now that I look closer there seems to be breasts on the character. Maybe its Zelda, or some other character.

I don't mind unless it turns out to be that was Link and he looks extremely feminine.

 

[Ito]

Considering the Gerudo motives that Link is wearing, and that only women are born in this tribe... that might be a hint that this time Link is a girl.

I couldn't care less about that fact, I'm not liking it more or less. I'm fine with link sitting down to pee, as long as the character and the game are as good as Nintendo promised.

 

[balgajo]

The problem with those artstyles is that from the day of reveal I know that I will not see a Zelda like I want for the next five years(I mean Oot/MM/TP). But I really liked it, don't remember a game being this beautiful(except for Link's design, which I really hated).

I disliked the laser beam stuff because it appears to be the core of game. So I expect a world with more technology, and that's another thing that I don't want for Zelda. But as people already pointed it's pure speculation.

 

[SweetDonuts]

Yet in this reveal he wasn't wearing green, didn't have a sword, and we aren't sure if he's a guy.

It's clearly the beginning of the game, before the sword and tunic.

 

[Dragon1893]

Wow, it's gorgeous.

 

[sublimit]

I can see myself easily spending a ridiculous amount of time on this game!

 

[atr0cious]

What if you don't actually need the sword? The next step to open the game up would be to allow you to skip the sword entirely and just go with the bow.

Well then it's not Link at all. Nintendo is a slave to their mascots rules, for better or worse. Why would they completely change a character, when they already have strong characters that fit that same role. There are certain traits these characters have, regardless of the ability to put our names in, so them changing it to suit the newest games narrative would be especially contrived and not Nintendo.

 

[Respawn]

Yes!Yessssss! I now know I will own a Wii-U. Thank you Nintendo. Damn impressive.

 

[Easy_D]

Am I the only one who wouldn't be upset if you don't get the green tunic? The current design is awesome, keep the cloak, it's badass.

I can see myself easily spending a ridiculous amount of time on this game!

Can't wait for the inevitable "How long does it take to move across the map by running?" video.

 

[Artex]

 

[mantidor]

Link will not be a girl people.

It would be pretty cool if you could choose Link to be a boy or a girl though.

And for that matter, if you could choose lefty or righty Link.

Spoiler

male lefty Link for life.

 

[Crumpet Trumpet]

i like the open world idea but it better not be like that no-difficulty curve-having a link between worlds mess

 

[botty]

The Master Sword clearly won't be enough for the next main antagonist. Link will need a uterus.

 

[atr0cious]

The character there doesn't look any more effeminate than Link ever has before, I seriously don't know where you people are coming from...looks like Link to me.


Also.....I'd LOVE for it to be Zelda as the main protagonist.

LOVE.

The eyes alone are different. Link always has a masculine brow regarless of his incarnation, it is not even present in this new model.

 

[big_erk]

I think this all adds up to this being Zelda, and not Link. I think the cloak she wears, which has the hylian coat of arms on it, is supposed to be the clue. And no sword in sight, Link always gets a sword, before even getting a quest. Aonuma mentions they were using The Legend of Zelda as inspiration, and the title card said the Legend of Zelda. Have we ever gotten a reveal without a subtitle that wasn't a tech demo?

If you marry this to Brave, it seems even more relevant.

I was wondering this as the event was happening. Could we be playing as Zelda in this game?

 

[Eiolon]

It looks nice, but not a fan of how they are making Link look so feminine. Zelda is perfectly capable of being a playable character if they want to reach out to females. She doesn't have to be the damsel in distress in every game. Give players a choice to be one or the other.