Videogame If You Loved A Link to the Past, You Will Love This
While I wasn't there when LTTP was first released so many years ago, I did play it two years before I played ALBW since I was on a quest to play every Zelda game I could get ahold of. Thus, I can't say that I have any real nostalgia for LTTP and that LTTP is a mostly recent experience. But despite this, I can easily see that no matter how far back in time you played LTTP, you will most likely enjoy ALBW if you enjoyed LTTP.
ALBW returns the Zelda games to its LTTP roots, mostly abandoning the formula that the games have been following since Ocarina Of Time came out. Despite being in 3D, the game still plays as though it were in 2D, not requiring me to look up at the ceiling to find a place to shoot my Hookshot or anything of the sort. 8 direction attacks, the tempering of the Master Sword, the non-linear dungeon order, and a number of other characteristics of LTTP return in this game. You really feel like you're taking a trip down memory lane once you start playing.
However, it is not by all means a copy of LTTP. Lorule isn't quite the Dark World in that there's more puzzle-solving to access the dungeons in Lorule, meaning that you often have to go back and forth between Hyrule and Lorule to get to the dungeons. Every single item is also available for rent at Ravio's shop, being quite an interesting addition to the game since now instead of collecting the item you need in the dungeon, you can have it on right from the start.
The game isn't without its problems, however. While you can rent all of the items from Ravio's shop from the get-go, you will lose them if you die, which means you have to go all the way back home if you died in some dungeon and rent them out again. It's rather painful and kind of tedious. Then also, the game has a tendency to remind you constantly to take a break, which can get annoying real fast. It tends to break the immersion in the game.
But despite these flaws, they're relatively minor compared to everything else and I really was happy to play this game. The only thing I have to say is that if you prefer the newer style of Zelda to the LTTP style, you may not like this game since it's rather different and less complex. But if you did like LTTP, then by all means play this game. You won't regret it.
Videogame Stands on its own
Yes, this game does feel like something of a remix/remake of A Link to the Past. Thing is, the game doesn't suffer because of it. It isn't just a rehash; it puts a unique spin on the content and streamlines the mechanics a fair bit (diagonal attacks? Yes, please). Even if you've played A Link to the Past, this game is still well worth playing. But enough of comparisons; the real question is "Is the game good on its own merits?" And the answer is yes.
The world isn't enormous, but it's very dense, and this is a good thing. There are no wide empty spaces with nothing happening (coughHyruleFieldcough), the small world makes traveling from place to place easy, and wherever you explore there's something to do. The warping system is introduced early in the game, which makes traveling around even more convenient. There's also an impressive amount of freedom in the order you want to do things thanks to the item rental/purchase system. However, despite the freedom, the game never feels like a Quicksand Box. There's no real hand-holding (i.e. no forced tutorials); the game makes hints available (via the fortuneteller and hit ghosts), but never gets in the way. You only see the hints if you look for them. The gameplay itself is lots of fun; the items are mostly useful and there's a great variety of puzzles and uses for them. The introduction of the "merging into walls" mechanic adds a whole new dynamic to exploration that gives this game a unique feel.
ALBW isn't perfect, of course, but most of the issues are minor. The game has a tendency to go overboard on the Anti-Poop Socking (reminding you to take a break whenever you save), and if you're just renting items, it's a pain to re-rent them when you die. Fortunately, the game is easy enough that this likely won't be an issue more than a few times. Unfortunately, the game is easy enough that once you get some upgrades, the combat has little challenge. It's still fun, but until you get to hero mode, it's not exactly challenging. The characters and story are interesting, but unfortunately each character gets maybe 2 or 3 scenes, and the overarching plotline has maybe half a dozen scenes total.
The short version? While it's not perfect, ALBW is a strong entry in the series that can stand completely on its own merits, and I definitely recommend it.
Videogame Sequel, remake, or both?
At first, this game appears to be A Link to the Past all over again but remixed and with some new abilities. In other words, like playing a rom hack. Same music, though now fantastically performed by an orchestra. Same overworld layout, that anyone familiar with the original game should know by heart now. Same general flow, complete with taking a secret passage into the sanctuary, finding out something horrible happened, and then visiting the first 3 dungeons in order. Other than Link's unique new ability to turn himself into a cartoon painting and walk along walls, and the creative puzzles that utilize this ability, it's enjoyable but doesn't feel new.
Once you get to Lorule, that's when all the really new stuff shows up.
At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than A Link to the Past's Dark World all over again, with the same music, very similar aesthetics, very similar general layout, and the same general concept. However, further exploration reveals that there have been major changes.
But navigating Lorule is much more difficult and tricky, almost like navigating the outdoors equivalent of a dungeon. Lorule itself is split up into sections separated by large divides, and reaching different sections requires navigating Hyrule and Lorule, looking for magic portals that take you between the two. It requires a lot of effort and thinking on the part of the player.
While many of the areas are familiar, the dungeons have brand new layouts and are essentially entirely different places, other than frequently sporting the same general concept as the original game. Some dungeon concepts, such as the windmill or the darkness dungeon, where turning off the lights makes certain things visible and turning them on makes certain things invisible, are totally original.
Another welcome change is the non-linearity. You can now rent almost any item in the game from a general store, and once in Lorule, you can tackle the game in any order. It's a very welcome shakeup of the Zelda formula, and one I hope sticks with the series, since it brings back the freedom of exploration that has largely been missing after the first few games.
Ultimately, the game feels like a remix, albeit a high quality one. A trip down memory lane for old-school players, while also providing a new experience much of the time.
Videogame A Link to the New Fans
A Link to the Past, despite the praise it gets, is severely outdated in my opinion. Even more than Ocarina of Time, it feels like a case of "you had to be there", since the characters, plot, setting, dialogue, etc. are quite primitive compared to modern Zelda games, making it a bit hard for me to get immersed in. That said, the game and its world have their charm, and ALttP did many things right that became standards for the whole Zelda series.
And what better way to recapture that "you had to be there" feeling than updating ALttP for the current generation? A Link Between Worlds takes everything that its predecessor did right and updates everything else to the high standards of modern Zelda games, making for a possibly perfect handheld experience that revives ALttP's dying excitement and vibrancy for a new audience.
Exploration is the best aspect of the game, by far. Whereas exploration in most Zelda games can get kinda tedious due to the lack of options and the sheer size of the overworld, ALBW makes it exciting right from the get-go by introducing item rentals and a warp system very early on. The puzzle rooms and dungeons are perfectly designed, with a sense of coherency and thought to every secret and every puzzle. The music is also one of the best soundtracks I've listened to, by taking ALttP's beloved soundtrack and remixing the tracks with a near-orchestral quality while adding some new ones (including some from later games). And while the game is light on plot to put more emphasis on the gameplay, the writers did the best with what little plot they were given, by introducing complex and tragic themes and characters in line with the 3D Zelda games.
Overall, ALBW feels like a lot of love was put into it; rather than going for the sheer scale and ambition of most major Zelda games, it instead serves as a love letter to one of the most beloved and influential games in the series. It's a real treat for any Zelda fan, whether or not they grew up with ALttP. Highly recommended.