Here is Gamespot’s video review of Skyward Sword. Want to also read some highlights from their written review? Then read on!

In it they post about some iffy controls and lack of change. Here are some highlights from the written walkthrough:

The control issues don’t end with the combat, either. When Nintendo released the first 3D adventure in the series in 1998, Ocarina of Time set a number of standards (such as Z targeting) that are still used in a variety of games today. But that was 13 years ago, and many ideas that worked back then feel downright clunky now. For instance, your camera control is very limited. You can tap Z to center your view or lock on to an enemy, but this is a poor solution because you can’t freely scan the environment without switching to a first-person perspective. There are times when you square off against giant foes but your view is almost completely blocked, placing you in a frustrating situation that could have been avoided. Automatically jumping when you run toward a ledge is also included in Skyward Sword, and combined with the troubled camera, you may find yourself accidentally jumping off of a cliff or taking inadvisable angles.

Repetition exists not only in what you do but also in where you go. There are three main areas in Skyward Sword (a desert, a volcano, a grassy plane), and you visit each of these on three separate occasions. Your objectives do change, but you often have to walk through the same environments you’ve already visited. Considering that revisiting the same area was one of the most maligned aspects of Phantom Hourglass, it’s odd that Nintendo would once again reuse places to pad the length of this adventure. And in no place is this more troubling than in the final few hours of the game, where your last trip to the volcano world thrusts you into an unusual mission that plays unlike the rest of the game. The levels are meandering and illogical, and the artificial intelligence is laughably bad. Not only does this section feel out of place–it just isn’t fun on its own terms.

When you’re not questing through dungeons, you can take part in plenty of side missions. Your main mode of travel in Skyward Sword is on the back of a bird. You’re free to travel anywhere in the sky your heart desires, and the stirring music does a great job of making you feel like a soaring adventurer. Quests are usually handed out by the needy citizens of Skyloft, and these encompass a great deal of different activities. Some of them, such as carrying pumpkins for a tavern owner, are quite lame, but most of them are fun in their own right. One quest lets you decide the proper use for a love letter, while another sees Link in the role of unassuming steroid pusher. Both scenarios trigger side stories that are not only funny but will entice you to finish them just to see how they turn out. Still, the overworld is not without its faults. First, flying through the air is a slow process, and once you test the limits of your bird’s diving ability early on, there’s little to demand your attention on the long flights. Second, although there are many islands in the sky, few of them contain anything worthwhile. It’s a far cry from the rich world of The Wind Waker where you were never sure what you would encounter next.

Meh. I am thinking Gamespot just wanted some attention.  They give almost no credit to the fantastic storyline, and yes, we do want the Zelda formula, that’s why we buy the games, it’s Zelda! Either way, just an opinion, what are your thoughts?

Read the full review here