Feelings about Zelda Ocarina of Time

I started playing this game about a week or two ago. I played Majora's Mask twice and absolutely love the game and I hadn't played OoT in a looong time. I realized something. The game feels very lonely to me, for lack of a better word. I don't know why, but it does. And I know I felt this way when I was 6ish and played it for the first time because I remember always going back to Kokiri forest after playing for a little while because it's the only place in the game that didn't make me feel that way. And I would just hang out there.

I don't know what it is or why. I feel like if either game should have had this feeling it would have been Majora's Mask. Link is brought to a whole other world that's about to be destroyed in a few days and the story is rightfully depressing (I cried at one particular skull kid scene) but the game didn't feel so lonely. Maybe it was the time line and that the character's actually did stuff for the three days. I dunno.

Am I weird? Did anyone else get that impression? How did the game make you feel (if anything)?

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Originally Posted by shion

I remember always going back to Kokiri forest after playing for a little while because it's the only place in the game that didn't make me feel that way. And I would just hang out there.

I don't know what it is or why. I feel like if either game should have had this feeling it would have been Majora's Mask. Link is brought to a whole other world that's about to be destroyed in a few days and the story is rightfully depressing (I cried at one particular skull kid scene) but the game didn't feel so lonely. Maybe it was the time line and that the character's actually did stuff for the three days. I dunno.

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I feel what was presented to you was a homely feeling. In ocarina of time, you were raised on Kokari Forest and every seems to know you and have some way to interact with you. You may not belong there but you always had a home. When you are sent on this grand adventure out into the world of hyrule, you start off with the feeling of adventure, and that there is not a pressing need to progress the plot at all times. The prime concern of the young link story is to gather the spiritual stones to unlock power to stop an impending evil. The evil is not there yet, but is looming.

With Majoras Mask the setting is entirely different. There is immintent destruction looming from the get go, and there is no feeling of home. The land of Termina (is it termina? It's one of the few zelda games I have not played) is entirely different from Hyrule so everything is big and shiny and new. No place to call home so no reason to feel homesick.

Majora's mask sets up Kokari village as your home, and you leave home to save the world. Perhaps you are getting homesick for the carefree nature the forest presents and how there is no real pressure on Link as he sets out on Journey?

Or is this all musings of a mad man?

I never got that feeling. I loved Majora's Mask more than Ocarina of Time but in both games I wanted to explore. Majora's Mask definitely had more in the way of personality and relatable characters in Clock Town but then again you meet some very notable folk in Ocarina of Time too, particularly in Kakariko Village. Plus there's Lon Lon Ranch too.

Kokiri Forest is definitely relaxing though and very homey which sort of sets the stage for the beginning of Link's journey. It's a traditional adventure story beginning.

You are right though, the difference is in Majora's Mask you are immediately thrust into the plight of the characters whereas Ocarina of Time has a bit of lull from time to time. But even as child Link you meet so many interesting personalities along the way in Kakariko, then the Gorons in Death Mountain, the Zora's etc - sure they don't have a lot of dialogue but they each have their own problem, or lack thereof, that impacts the environment. Regardless of game I always felt like I had somewhere to go back too, or someone to do something for. Ocarina of Time makes the side quests far less prominent and immediately obvious than Majora's Mask though.

Ocarina of Time felt very explore-y to me. You were doing the main questline but you could kind of meander around while you did it and it was... I don't want to say relaxing, but it didn't feel particularly rushed. It was nice.

Great game and I need to replay it because through the years it has slipped from "OMG ONE OF THE BEST GAMES I'VE EVER PLAYED!" to "Well, it's pretty good, maybe it would be in my Top Thirty" and I want to see if it can reverse this trend xD

The N64 Zelda games are depressing. You watch your friends all die in Ocarina of Time and then after saving Termina from complete obliteration, die a slow and horrible death in the Lost Woods looking for your best friend.

A time traveler's life is typically a lonely one.