What impressed you?
The intro cinematic and opening area set up the story effectively with nightmares hinting at trouble (0:15:54 - "the opening image of a beat sheet was me looking or having the nightmares"), transitioning to a carefree area contrasted by the Deku Tree's warning (0:16:05 - "you're in this Carefree area but you know that something's wrong because your nightmares and then you talk to the deu tree and the deu tree is like hey something's really wrong"), building mood before control. The tutorial area's design as a "microcosm" impressed as "pretty darn close" to Breath of the Wild's (0:06:23).
What would you change?
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How could it be better?
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What impressed you?
"Incredible tutorial" ranked with Portal and Mario Bros., teaching lock-on, running/jumping intuitively via stepping stones ("you boldly go in the direction you want to jump you will leap automatically" at 0:07:33), Z-targeting for camera/bridge (0:08:32 - "you're going to have to learn how to Z Target"), and rupees/shield/sword goals clearly directed ("everything's telling me go to see the great deu tree" at 0:09:20). Dungeon flow with verticality, low punishment falls, and just-in-time hints worked (0:20:15 - "vertical dungeon... not a lot of punishment for falling down").
What would you change?
Make some puzzles more explicit, as "you wouldn't be able to get away with doing this kind of opening tutorial today it's not explicit enough" (0:11:21); e.g., torch/iron bars room unclear ("why in the world would I as a 10-year-old figure this out" at 0:24:22), jumping down holes not intuitive (0:25:21).
How could it be better?
Add handholding like modern games ("things aren't super explicit... like they are in more modern games where they basically just tell you" at 0:38:19); better hints for inferences like burning spiderwebs or seed logic (0:28:48 - "what if I didn't go and get the compass").
What impressed you?
Nostalgic excitement from childhood play (0:06:00 - "I've played this game so many times... I was like 10"), dungeon puzzles engaging ("best like culmination of puzzles... pretty cool combination" at 0:37:41), boss as "great intro boss... captures the essence of 3D Zelda... ominous little mysterious" (0:39:01). Music catchy (0:20:11 - "this song is incredible"), story impactful (0:48:23 - "very impactful... saying goodbye to your friends").
What would you change?
Combat "really not that amazing... functionally fine" but clunky from 2D transition (0:34:23); less fetch quest backtracking ("constantly run back and forth" at 1:40:38).
How could it be better?
More action in dungeons vs. stationary puzzles ("much more slow paced and puzzle oriented than... action oriented" at 0:21:25); add addictiveness like "one more turn feeling" beyond graceful exits (0:06:38).
What impressed you?
Fog effects signal exits in Lost Woods ("fog effect means you're going to leave... don't go that direction" at 1:46:34); music volume/louder for correct path (0:45:08 - "music does get louder when I get to the right one"); vertical dungeon layout with falls to hub (0:20:21).
What would you change?
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How could it be better?
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What impressed you?
Enemies like scrub hop but don't chase aggressively (0:52:30); boss ceiling walk teaches looking up (0:39:36 - "just like valve needs to teach you to look up"); puzzles require spatial leaps (0:37:26).
What would you change?
Make enemies more aware/personality beyond stationary (0:21:59 - "everything's really stationary and easy"); first real moving enemies at night sequence (0:52:12).
How could it be better?
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What impressed you?
Time flew in tutorial (0:41:18 - "breath of the wild... about an hour... Ocarina... 40-45 minutes"); world feels expansive via backtracking (0:51:06 - "makes the world feel more expansive"); relationships like Saria's evoke growing up sacrifices (1:52:35 - "relationship between you and sah is the most interesting... growing up sucks... sacrifices").
What would you change?
Less linear funneling despite openness ("still funneled pretty solidly" at 0:51:30; "feels... guided" at 1:29:43); fetch quests feel repetitive (1:40:03 - "fetch questy").
How could it be better?
Less handholding for non-gamers (1:30:16 - mom wanted less open/confusing); more freedom without heavy-handed progression (0:54:26 - "fairly heavy-handed").
What impressed you?
Follows decently up bridges/houses (0:08:14 - "camera follows you pretty decently"); Z-target fixes to behind (0:08:32); flythroughs showcase ("look what we can do with the camera" at 1:11:26).
What would you change?
Difficult on N64 controller (0:15:13 - "N64 controller does not map... very well"); obtrusive tooltips (0:18:44 - "just in time... but... obtrusive").
How would you have avoided them?
Improve via later iterations (1:09:14 - "camera could be improved... they've iterated"); better mapping on modern like Switch (0:06:49).
What impressed you?
Auto-jump intuitive (0:07:10); context buttons color-coordinated (0:12:52 - "being color coordinated made a lot of sense"); lock-on from historical inspiration (0:35:52).
What would you change?
C-buttons on C-stick poor feedback (0:15:13 - "not very great... flip around"); context grab tricky (0:32:26 - "difficult... close enough... let go and... push forward"); pressing vs. holding lock-on (0:18:21); sword swing remap preferred (0:17:39).
How is the in-game interface?
Menu equip requirement annoying (0:12:33); tooltip timing better on interaction (0:18:51 - "walking up... obtrusive... better if... touch the door").
What cool ideas were in this game, like hooks, or things you don't see in other games? What's fresh and why?
Graceful 2D-to-3D transition capturing spirit (0:03:33 - "transition... very graceful"); vertical dungeon with low-failure backtrack (0:20:15); music volume/fog for navigation (1:47:00); ocarina songs as keys (1:20:49 - Zelda's Lullaby); Lost Woods pattern (1:47:15).
What would you change?
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Could you customize the game in any way that you cared about?
Button mappings tried (0:06:42 - "change my... button mappings"); ROM hack headcanon (0:13:36).
What impressed you?
"Pretty great" 2-hour stream (1:53:05); nostalgic highs like songs/dungeons (0:20:11, 1:13:00 - "pay attention to the dungeons more").
What would you change?
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How could it be better?
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Left feeling: Want more ("tomorrow is The Witcher 3" implies continuing challenge, but nostalgia strong - 1:06:12 - "dungeons... well made"). High-point (50 words): "Incredible tutorial dungeon, graceful 2D-to-3D shift, puzzle mastery with low punishment, impactful story beats like Deku Tree death shaking kid Link into hero's journey."
David Perry suggests using gameranker.com for [[202501031828 The David Perry Challenge]], and filtering for platforms you own. I found this list to be...