00:00Ocarina of Time's remake has an optics issue, a slop-tics issue if you will, with many calling
00:05out the new art style as AI slop-coded. However, after playing two hours of the game at a preview
00:10event, I'm here to tell you you're dead wrong if you think the art style is anything but lovingly
00:15handcrafted. Following September's Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct event, we saw our first
00:21glimpse of gameplay, including the new art style and voice acting. But even I had some reservations
00:26about the heavy stylisation. However, if you look back to games like the cartoonish Wind Waker
00:31or the Toy Box Star Link's Awakening remake, it shouldn't really be a surprise to see the
00:36Japanese gaming giant play with wacky art direction once again. Now, if you're just watching the
00:41trailer on a screen, I don't think that does the remake justice. You've got too much space to analyse
00:46every little detail, and it can register as maximalist and densely packed. However, in person,
00:51it's an absolute delight. The verdant, rolling hills of Hyrule Field feel vast, Hyrule Town is
00:57brimming with life, and Kokiri Forest feels more vibrant and whimsical than ever. Moving on to the
01:02character side of things, although I'm still personally a little sceptical of some of the
01:06changes to models like Sheik and Zelda, I've got no complaints when it comes to our hero of time.
01:11He's far more expressive. As he leaves home and bids farewell to Saria, his apprehensive
01:15widdle face makes his tender age all the more apparent. The point here is that every second I've
01:20played of the game so far feels deeply, well, human. Can I say for sure there's no AI used?
01:26No, I can't. But with many Nintendo legends, including designer and Zelda co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto
01:31and Nintendo president Shunkaro Furukawa speaking out against the use of generative AI,
01:36it's a pretty safe bet to say that Ocarina of Time is slop-free. That, and 30-year Nintendo
01:41veteran Takaya Imamura hinting at Miyamoto-san's love of puppet dramas or ninbyongeki as the potential
01:47inspiration behind the art style, tells me this is every bit as intentional and respectful of the
01:53original game's roots as I'd hoped. Now, I didn't see anything beyond the locations I've mentioned
01:57in this video, but what I have seen so far has me counting down the days until the game's full
02:02release on November 5th. And if you want to read my full thoughts on the remake, head over to techradar
02:06.com.
