duuuuuuude, Leukemia? Shit man. Leukemia just killed Norm Macdonald yesterday. He hid it from his family (and everyone else) for 9 years, sort of like what you did by not telling us sooner, makes ya think... We're lucky to have you, my guy. edit: I'm not crying, you're crying. T-T
This game hit me so hard because I'm a little sister. I watched my brother play this more than once. His first playthrough, the face he made when Aryll was kidnapped... I will never forget it. In that moment, Link wasn't the hero of winds. He was a big brother, being played by a big brother.
I was 10 years old like Link when I played this game for the first time and I shared a bedroom with my younger sister, I remember going through the exact same thing! This game will always have such a special place in my heart for that reason.
Yeah, my mind officially got blown today. And it's amazing how the music told a story. It music changing to reflect how different Outset Island became from Aryll's disappearance.
33:54 "Waking your grandmother up will allow her to make you Elixir Soup. The best item in the game." It struck me, listening to that, that it being the best item in the game is also a subtle message: Link's Grandma still loves him and gives him all her heart, and Link still loves his Grandma enough to truly value what she gives for him. Simple soup gives him strength nothing else in his world can.
It's true in real life too. Nothing can replace my mom's cooking. No matter how old I get. Not the best restaurant in the world. My mom's cooking is my favorite. Always.
"The same goes for one of my favorite characters in the game, Medli." *flashback to Liam dropping a massive stone block on her head while discussing the earth temple layout*
Damn, with their deadline looming, nintendo must have been so relieved when ganondorf decided to destroy one of the dungeons. By pure coincidence, of course.
Me: Oh! A Wind Waker analysis video! *click* Me, Later: *sobbing uncontrollably about the messages of hope and courage at the end and how it ties back into Wind Waker* I'm fine, I'm fine
Was listening to this video as a sleep aid. I briefly woke up right toward the end coincidentally, and hearing that message.. I cried. I cried away a lot of shame, a lot of regret; I cried for all the insane pressure I put on myself to be perfect. I will sleep more peacefully tonight, content with the knowledge that I too am a hero in my own fight.
In all my years of playing Wind Waker, I did *not* know Outset Island's music changed after Aryll got kidnapped. That is genius music design. I also didn't know about using the KorL during the cannon minigame.
When I was in college, something terrible happened. This just shattered my already frail mental state, and I became a hermit overnight. During that time, alone in my room rarely leaving my bed, I dove deep into nostalgia. I played Paper Mario TTYD, one of my favorite games as a kid. I played Super Mario Sunshine, a bright contrast to my feelings. But then I played Wind Waker. As I beat Ganon, and watched my favorite protagonist I have ever played as leave his somber mentor/friend behind. I broke into tears. I can't remember the last time I had let myself cry. I don't know how long I sat there crying. But it was this game that gave me the courage, or moreso made me remember the courage I used to have. I called my parents for help, finally accepting that I wasn't "fine." I've been growing since then, and trying to work on my healing, but lately I have been stuck in a rut. I am doing better mentally, but my next steps are unclear. I was growing disheartened, felt weak/powerless, and unable to fix myself despite coming this far. This video was great, the whole thing, but the *Courage* section has made me feel far more enabled, brave, and overall positive about myself than months of therapy. I am going to use this courage you and Link have shown me. I am ready. Thank you.
This comment resonated with me in a pretty deep way. I'm a stranger online, but one that can empathize with the story you told. Be proud of that newfound courage, and know you can overcome any quest. Hope you continue getting better!
I straight agree with this, BOTW so gives many life lessons. Facing FEAR, fighting LYNELS williningly...hahah love it. Guardians too, both are so intimidating like alot of life....ugh, helped me a lot!
Obviously I’ve never even gotten close to meeting Liam, but hearing him say that he’s proud of me and that as long as I have courage then I’m a hero felt like a warm hug
Once I heard someone said that this Link is of the ones with most courage. So much that instead of the goddeses choosing him, he made them choose him. And his grandma is the most wholesome, tragic and caring character of the whole franchise.
He basically grabbed them by the collar and said “I’m going to be the hero. Now you can try and stop me, then die. OR you can give me what I want and you can lord over this world praising your intellect for helping me *GOT* *IT*
From a kindred spirit who grew up on the Great Sea and holds this as their most cherished video game of all time, thank you. Most retrospective content on this game goes on and on about the "boring dungeons", "nonexistent difficulty", "barren sea", and "needless padding", but you have truly hit the nail on the head as to why this game is so so special to so many people. Hearing your childhood stories reminded me of my own, and honestly moved me to tears. Keep up the amazing work, you are truly a fantastic creator.
I agree 110%, people whine about the Triforce Quest and stuff and its like really, like it's so much better to push blocks around in OOT... Oot is the first video game I ever played and it still holds a special place to me, but Wind Waker is hands-down my favorite Zelda game, possibly game period. Exploring the breadth of the ocean and having to earn your way to the finale is super rewarding in my eyes. Ganon is actually made to be a real and relatable villain in this game and it actually makes him a thousand times more intimidating to see how calm and collected he is throughout the game. As Liam describes in the video, though, that all goes away when Ganon's dream is forever pulled away from him and he has nothing left to live for. That final battle, despite being a cakewalk, has so much emotional weight to it; through destroying Ganon and the King of RL's sacrifice, you are truly burying the past forever, but you are doing it for your very survival.
"If you're strong enough to stay here and fight, then you're a hero to me" even if its a bit cheesy, i cant explain how much that sentence meant to me. it was surreal. never before have i heard someone put into words the exact thing that brings me down so often "its going _too well_ . something horrible will happen to me soon. i just know, because that's the way things are" it does feel like that, and part of me firmly believes it still. when life is going well, you cant bring yourself to enjoy it. people will roll their eyes at you if you tell them "this will go badly, i simply know it. i can feel it coming." they half heartedly comfort you and say "that's not true!" you know they're probably right, and you shouldnt assume the worst outcome you get your hopes up, even just a little bit but then it _does_ go badly the feeling of despair that follows that, accompanied by a dull feeling of "i knew it" for some people, it _does_ take significant strength to stick through it some people dont make it past these challenges so it means the world when someone says " _you_ did it. _you_ are still here. you are still _here_ . and thats all that matters. good job."
YOU FINALLY DID IT! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! LoZ:WW was the first game I ever played. I even learned my first English words from it (excluding "hello") and they were: "big brother", "house", "sword" and "shield". My god do I love this game...
Nope. The Artstlye lookedl ike trash back then. And it does even worse to day. And no before you come at at. I don't hate cel shading optic. Some (like Punch out for Wii) look truly amazing. Wind wakter doesnt.
@@Acacius1992 The Wii was at least twice as powerful as the GameCube, so obviously the sheer fidelity is going to be higher on the Wii. Wind Waker has a certain cell shaded style to it that helps it stand out and look good on such a weak machine. The almost painterly textures make the game look better than many games that landed on the GameCube, just because it has a particular art style. TL;DR, Wind Waker looks great for a GameCube game and you're wrong about it looking like trash 🤷♂️
Jeez, tearing up at the end of this. Practically all I've thought of the past 5 years is taking my life outta the game and it's grown much more intense the past few months. Thanks for sharing your story. It does take so much courage to keep going in this world. This is my favorite game as well and my ultimate comfort game. When I was a kid I spent hours just hanging out at the oasis island and windfall because it felt like a little vacation and another society to escape into where I could help others with their problems instead of thinking about my own.
Dude, that had me crying in the end. I realize now why I gravitated towards majoras mask so much as a kid, and just video games in general. Because of everything going on in my real life, and it all just makes so much sense. You are so strong Liam, and so am I damnit hahaha. I’m proud of us. Thank you for another well done video :)
I swear, as soon as I heard the intro music, I felt like crying. I grew up with WW on the Gamecube, and it still holds a special place in my heart. Welcome back, Liam. Hope you're feeling better!
I've just finished watching this video, and all I can say is... damn. Dude, you're an amazing writer; but more importantly, you've endured a lot in your life, and you're still here with us. All I can say is I'm glad to know you're with us: inspiring us to be better and by remembering what makes life worth living. Thank you, Liam. For everything. And once again, welcome back.
I watched, all the way to the end. Your message really moved me. I just started playing the Wii U version, of this game, because the GameCube version was too frustrating. I LOVE this game. But your message, at the end, made me cry. I'm a 35 year old recovering addict and a single mother. My son's father chose drugs over family. So he's gone. When a child is added to the mix, you're no longer allowed to live selfishly. My son is my reason to live, and to stay clean. He's 7 years old, and if not for him, I would be dead. I've been honest, about my past, my self destructive drug addiction, my criminal record, which filled two pages, my shame for my actions. I never want him to know the spiritual death, that I'm still struggling to overcome. The loss of your soul is the most painful thing you can ever experience. The echoes of "I am Once Was" are your only company. You bite the hands that feed, then stick your own hands, into the mouth of the speaking demon, as penance. I still have all my fingers, but somewhere, I lost my mind. To this day, I just can't outrun the sickness, that infected what I'd left for dead. In debt, deluded, I wade into an ever stagnate ocean. I'm eating this meat, a mouthful of God's flesh. I see that I am still only shitting sin. It's my house and I can't get in. Your words reached me today. To say to us, that we're your heroes, for all we've overcome, touched a part of me, I thought I'd lost forever. Thank you. You're my hero.❤
You've come a long way since that unfinished camcorder Let's Play of Wind Waker from over a decade ago, as NintendoXboxMan. Well done, Liam. Very well done.
@@LiamTriforce brings back memories! I watched chuggaconroy too. WW was my first love and still is my favorite game to this day. Happiest time of my life. Glad you were a part of it!
I love this game, I remember coming home from daycare and watching my older siblings trying to beat this game. Wind Waker means so much to me not only is it an amazing game, but it reminds me of my siblings and the times I watched them and the times they watched my first steps into video games as a whole. I think the first game I touched was this one and every time I replay it I cry during the title screen and the credits. Zelda is my favorite game franchise and this one is not only my favorite Zelda, but my favorite game of all time. Nothing will top it
only ogs remember when this comment was,”MY FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO”. good times. but also fuck yes it’s amazing and it is my favorite game as well
I love how you put a little bit of yourself into each of your videos. A personal anecdote & story alongside real analysis, & thorough research is rarely found but you do it every time. I have been binge watching all your videos recently since I found you, thanks. I hope to one day make content that may not be similar in form, but similar in heart & resolve. Thanks Liam.
In 2020 I did a Zelda marathon replaying the games I had and purchasing a few that I hadn't played to keep myself sane during the first year of the pandemic. In order I played Ocarina of Time, A Link Between Worlds, Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Wind Waker. It was beautiful going through and playing them with fresh, adult eyes since many of them I hadn't touched since I was a teenager. I saved Wind Waker for last, and I'm glad I did. Everything you said here, and more affected me as I played through seeing the struggle and growth of someone trying to save their sister while making and helping friends along the way. The themes of accepting the old world is gone and we need to work together to build a new one hit just as hard now as ever. I sobbed during the credits. The music, the characters, the story... It's my favorite game of all time, too. Thank you for making this!
So my parents were never married. Growing up, I would spend every other weekend with my father. The moment in the video at 14:50 when the Grandma steps out to the balcony and Link waves goodbye, literally reminds me of when I used to wave my mother goodbye every time I’d leave with my dad. Saying bye to her was always such a sad moment but it was something I knew that needed to be done. Just like Link. I think that moment in the game will forever stand out to me as being one of the most impactful. Thank you for the great deep dive into Windwaker!
This is by far one of the best LoZ retrospectives videos I have ever seen. A clear heartfelt passion project that reignited my passion for Wind Waker. I cannot thank you enough for this experience
Actually cried multiple times. You really put things perspective and many scenes I didn't think too much about in this game suddenly hit me like a truck.
I literally just finished Wind Waker a few days ago. I played it as a kid but never finished it due to my files getting corrupted, which devastated me as a kid. Playing and finishing it as an adult I discovered new things that the younger me didn't care to explore or get to know the people. I loved this game as a kid but I really appreciate this game even more so as an adult. Playing this game hit my feels as I replayed it and realized the message is about growing as a person, not being afraid to try and even the ability to let things go and move on so we don't stay frozen in the past. The story and charters are amazing, even with it's flaws it has to be one of my favorite Legend of Zelda games.
Wow. Just... wow. This has been in my recommended for months now and IM SO ANGRY I HAVEN"T CHECKED YOU OUT BEFORE. Man this is QUALITY CONTENT RIGHT HERE. Like seriously this was legitimately amazing. It makes me so happy to know that there are people so deeply invested in this game and this series and who find deep meaning in it. Thank you so much for making this. I now have a new appreciation for this game (which is saying something) and they way you seamlessly combined analysis of gameplay, thematics and personal experience is just incredible. Thank you for sharing your story. Here's hoping that your current future is looking brighter than ever before. May the wind bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks my friend.
I’m gonna put this simple: a big, sincere and wholehearted THANK YOU, mate. I can totally connect with the personal significance of this game and you put words to my videogame soul. Long live this gem.
I’ve been playing the GameCube version with my 8 year old son this weekend and I can’t explain how much it warms my heart to see my young blonde haired hero in training play as this truly inspired version of Link, Toon Link.
I remember getting a GameCube and TLOZ Collector’s Edition for Christmas. It had a 20 min demo of Wind Waker and I loved it so much I begged my dad for months to buy it for me 🥺 good times
That was my introduction to the series and playing the other 3D games, I was super hyped for Wind Waker. I only got to rent it back then but I just finished it for the first time last night at 28 years old. It was like re-entering my childhood and growing up all over again.
Through my own walk of life I've found you never know what battles people are fighting each day. I chose to be the inspiration of guidance and positivity to those I meet. To me, we only get one life, which is why I'm always so interested in the goings-on of others beyond my own. The Zelda series has taught me to be okay with being myself because I could unknowingly be a hero to another. Sometimes just talking to someone is all the validation and push they need to be better. I've taken every challenge met by pushing my limits to the fullest giving me the confidence I so needed when I was younger. So I hope to all of you reading this eventually understands just how powerful patience and perseverance can be in the long run. Enjoy your life and with those in it. And have fun doing so.
that's cool and all, and I'm totally with you there on going out of my way to be a ray of sunshine in the lives of people around me.. but your comment was more about yourself than the video and that seems kinda in bad taste IMO .. maybe that's just me though
Damn, I did not expect to cry at the end of your video. My childhood ended at about age 5 because of a series of circumstances involving my parents and their drug addiction. It's been a long time since then as I'm 30 now, unemployed, and lost. However I'm still here and I've survived so much already. I just need to courage to keep moving forward. This video reminded me of that and it was very much needed. Thank you.
Brings a tear to my eye seeing someone appreciate this work of art as much as I do. Thank you so much for the effort put into this video, it will be one I'll revisit several times a year.
The storytelling component of this video is phenomenal. A lot of long video essays focus on doing an analytical, part-by-part analysis (sometimes to the point of reviewing and critiquing every single quest/dungeon/etc), but I love how this video focuses more on the craft of the video game and the effects on you/the audience, rather than being a cut-and-dry summary and analysis. It really elevates the video from just an analysis into... a story. I know I said that at the start, but I've watched a lot of video essays that don't have this same passion and creativity to their presentation.
If the sea exploration had been done better I feel like people would have been much less forgiving of BOTW’s severe lack of anything interesting to do.
@@jamesbrincefield9879 I think what is so cool about BoTW is the amount of random dumb stuff you can do. There's something special in invading a Bokoblin camp and start spamming with a 5x Lynel Bow a ridiculous amount of Bomb Arrows untill all them are dead.
@@jamesbrincefield9879 To me Breath of the Wild is the best execution of an open world out there. I've never played a more carefully crafted and satisfyingly filled open world game. That game is stuffed to the brim with things to do and something to discover around every corner.
@@brianmckinley4141 Yeah no one who calls BotW empty has an argument. It’s more like they aren’t very good at exploring that Hyrule. They’re used to all of their stuff being in a dungeon or a cave.
@@brianmckinley4141 it’s stuffed to the brim with rupees you can’t spend on anything, materials you already have hundreds of, weapons you don’t need for battles that are too easy, Korok seeds that are functionally useless after collecting a few dozen and only make an easy game even easier, or shrines that distract you for two minutes or less. And there’s not much that feels “crafted” about the game. It feels more like they just copy-pasted those same boring things mentioned above in random places across the map. There were some cool places like the Lanayru Promenade or the Forgotten Temple, but there’s nothing to do there but find a shrine and leave. It’s a good sandbox. The exploration is fun, but it’s all in service of nothing. I think the physics and chemistry systems are worth praising and I hope more games implement emergent gameplay like that going forward, but other than that the game gets stale after the facade falls apart. I felt exactly like you did too. I thought it was one of the greatest games ever made for about 40 or so hours until it hit me that I was just fighting the same three enemies over and over for weapons, materials, and other rewards that served zero purpose to me. I didn’t want to admit it to myself since everyone spoke so highly of it but after hearing a lot of other people felt the same way I stopped lying to myself.
UA-cam just recommended this video and your channel to me, and I've got to say, this is amazing. It's very clear about how much passion you have for Wind Waker. The Ganondorf in this game is my absolute favorite version of him in the Zelda series. When he's introduced in OoT, he is a smart, scheming man who does everything he can to gain power. In TP, he's on a quest to get revenge for his loss and failed execution for a plan he didn't get to even start. In Wind Waker, he's the product of failure/losing to Link after succeeding in taking control of Hyrule. He's smart and has a clearer understanding of his fate and that the only way he might be able to be free of the cycle is to take Hyrule or die. As you've said, he'll use anyone in the upper world to get what he wants and force the hero to show up.
This game was a masterpiece. Reliving it in my head-the sense of discovery, the music.. the first time I stepped foot in Hyrule Castle. It’s emotional thinking about it!
I enjoyed it the most I ever had when I went back to play it through as an adult several years ago. Appreciated it a lot more than I did as a kid, and I loved it as a kid.
Your right about that. I HAVEN'T EVEN PLAYED THE GAME AT ALL AND I LOVE IT (in case your wondering, I was born after the game came out and do not have a Wii-U to play it on, I REALLY want it to come to the switch so I can play it finally).
As we go through life we face almost impossible battles that makes us feel like it's over and the road we walked on has reached a dead end, but one thing this game taught me is that life isn't a straight path you run on, it is like the sea with many different paths and stops along the way, the people you meet will change you and you them as well, and despite how far those islands of people you've met may be, we're all connected in the end with our hearts. They give us the power to move forward The wisdom we gain from learning from our mistakes And the courage we earn from making it through those obstacles Truly an amazing video sir, it had me in tears!
this was not just my first zelda game but one of if not the first games i had ever played, i can think back to so many moments that i had with my dad when i would be playing this, not only that but seeing as i play this game as a randomizer on a regular basis, along with going and doing a 100% every now and again, i can see most if not all of the parts that make this one of my favorite games of all time along with being able to see some of the downsides that other fans of the franchise might dislike this game or even hate it for. with how much effort was put into the game by the studio along with their resolve to not back down and instead double down with how the game was when fans saw the game just goes towards making me appreciate the game even more. when it comes to this game i feel connected to all sides of it from the casual to the hardcore, from speedruns to randomizers i feel connected to this game more then i do any other game that i had played after, no matter what game made me feel sad for someone dying or excited for some character to be triumphant in a fight, even other media telling stories that make you feel as if it could actually be a place that exists somewhere out there, this game is the one thing i would always think back to. its not a master piece, nothing in life or death is, not to everyone. but to me, this is as close to a master piece that i myself have found. i dont know why i felt so inclined to type out my feelings like this but at the very least i wanted to put my feeling out there like many others have for many other things.
I dont have much nostalgia for this or any of the older Zelda games, but I went though a similar thing with Breath of the Wild. It was an immensely important game to me the first time I played it in 2017, since I just came out of a horrible place in life and was suffering mentally. Being able to escape into a vast world that gave me the reins to do what I wanted was so magical, and I still get the tingly feeling when I find something I never have before after more than 300 hours playing it. Same goes for some of the sounds and sights in that game, the simple jingle of getting an item from a chest or the combat music make me feel safe and comfortable. I don't need something like that so much now but, that game did so much for me in a time I needed it, and it still brings me joy to play it over and over again!
@@cobalttj6356 i didnt find botw to be as stellar as everyone said tho i did enjoy it. But i understand art appeals differently to everyone especially if it provides them happiness during hard times.
Dude thank you for making this! As much as Ocarina shaped my childhood, I feel like Windwaker cemented it (I was 10 when it was released) and it truly felt like the Zelda game where as a kid, going through it made me feel like being Link himself. It's a deeply emotional journey with an immense amount of tenderness and heart, and I'm forever thankful that it implanted those values in me at such an early age :')
I discovered your channel today through recommendations, starting with your video on A Link Between Worlds. And I kept watching more and more of these retrospectives as UA-cam kept recommending them to me. I finally was given the way to this video on my favorite Zelda game, and it makes me so happy to see another person who loves this game so much, and even far more than I do! This whole video was an absolute blast to watch and the end of it nearly made me cry. Thank you for this series and especially this video. I'm sure you've earned so many new viewers through this video alone, but you've just earned another
I was not expecting this level of writing and philosophy when I clicked on this.. stayed for the whole thing and I'm glad I did. Your seamless editing was a work of magic. Keep it up man, loved it!
Your message about hope and courage in the end brought me to tears. I am currently at a stage where everything seems to throw itself at me in such a speed I can't do anything but getting knocked over times and times again. Stress has become a part of me, like a shadow. But your words made me see I am doing well by still, y'know, doing stuff and keeping going. I realised I am brave for moving onwards despite everything. This video taught me that being courageous is scary. But being scared also means that you are damn courageous to keep walking that path. Thank you, Liam.
Wow I cried. This message really hit hard. as someone who grew up with Wind Waker i made mistakes in my life but I still am happy i'm alive. Never give up. Amazing video!!!!
I've watched this video probably 8-10 times. It's always at a different point, though the ending is usually the place, But I cry at least once every time. I'm older than you, probably by about 9 years, & I played & beat WW within it's first week. When you said "I grew up here (on the Great Sea)", it really hit me. I was only just becoming a teenager when I played through this. The endless sea I was now able to sail through gave my mind rest from the anxieties that came with growing up, but also allowed me to reflect on them. My Grandmother had just passed, so I was so happy to find a new, digital one who cared so deeply. This game checked so many boxes with my coping mechanisms that to this day, hearing any rendition of Dragon Roost Island will make me quietly gasp. development
Thank you Liam for sharing such a personal story and why this game means so much to you. I’m glad you’re proud of us, and I hope you know that we’re proud of you too.x
Your dialogue at the end has earned you a permanent sub. I'm going through a time in my life where those words were much needed. It feels like our childhoods were very similar in different ways. Thanks dawg
I’m not even remotely a gamer but this was something I played as a kid. Your story and your message behind it was poignant, and profoundly touching. So happy that you have been able to carve out a life that makes you happy, it’s a seemingly simple task that all of us struggle to accomplish.
Wind Waker was a very lovely game with an admirable sense of ambition... but too bad the rushing process had to resort to many awesome things being removed
Wind Waker will always hold a special place in my heart. From the music, the setting, the enemies, the sound effects, to the iconic moments that made me laugh, cry, and smile... your video made me emotional as I remembered the magic of the first time I played my first Zelda game. Thank you for this, its the perfect love letter to a game that feels like home.
One of my earliest childhood memories was playing Wind Waker with my kindergarten best friend after school. The game was like magic compared to Ocarina which taught me to read. When I moved a year later and didn't have the same friends I clung to that memory a lot through elementary school. Very sentimental.
I just discovered your videos. Been replaying windwaker so I decided to watch this. At a time in my life where I have felt very lost I think your words reached me. I’m crying this morning cause I feel a genuine sense of strength to reach out for the first time in a long time. Thank you sincerely for letting us take part in this.
this is easily the singlehandedly the best video on youtube in its entirety. especially with all you said in the end, my childhood was filled with turmoil and trouble and i recently just finished this game again myself and it hit harder than it ever has. you just put words to my feelings. amazing video.
God bless you, Liam Triforce. You've taught me things that I did not know. I have learning difficulties, and I truly could not see this game for what it was, but now I do see. I loved it with everything I was. THANK YOU.
This just makes my heart flutter. i just love this game series soooo much, hearing others love for the games is amazing and just makes me wanna gush over it all
Welcome Back my Hero of the Retrospectives and thank you for delivering this Video to us. WInd Waker was my introduction to Zelda and easily one of my favorite entries in the series. Also GOOD GOD that Leukemia story is heartbreaking and heartwarming here's hoping nothing like that every comes up again.
as beedle would say, “ thankkkkk youu” for making this video. as someone else who grew up and basically learned to read because of this game, it really spoke to me on another level. i’m at work right now trying not to tear up from all the sheer memories and feelings that were brought back of being a young child with no other worry on the world except exploring the great sea for hours on end. thank you again liam triforce
this video caught me on a particularly bad day of a particularly awful time in my life and let me say a youtube video has never made me cry so much. wind waker was my childhood, but i never truly felt the underlying themes until now. the message of courage, especially at the end, was something i really needed to hear. thank you.
It’s been one week since I started watching your videos. One week, and I’m still in shock, real shock, of how much you succeeded to explain how much I love this series. You will probably never picture yourself how impactful was this series for me, but I will try my hardest possible to thank you for what you’ve done. I sincerely love every second of your videos. So thank you from the bottom of my heart, for making me believe in kindness, strength, courage, wisdom, and power in my own life through Zelda games.
This was the most beautiful video essay I have ever seen about anything, I really saw your passion and I can’t wait to see more! After playing this game on the GameCube 20 years ago, I came back to it recently to stream it now, but wow man! What a great video filled with emotion and passion! ❤❤❤
Absolutely fantastic video!!! Love the in depth analysis of such a great game and how it parallels to life in general and your own personal experiences. Love the quote, "Finding the courage to answer the call to adventure." Thanks for all your hard work.
may the Gods ever bless you, Liam. your videos have always touched my heart, as i share your deep love for the beauty of these games. our struggles are different, but together we fight in overcoming them and in growing and appreciating the beautiful lives we've built. i believe you're a light to all those you've touched and have impacted in nothing but unfathomable positive ways. you're certainly a true hero in my eyes, and i know i'm not the only one who thinks so. reading these comments have me choked up alongside listening to your video. i always feel so happy revisiting these games and the idea that if my younger self could see me now, she'd most certainly be proud we made it, and will continue doing so, in power, wisdom, and last but definitely not least, courage. believe in your strengths..
Just watched through this while I've been working and the end had me in tears. This game means so much to me, and you really put it into words in a way I've never been able to express. Your effort and knowledge that goes into these videos is second to none, and it's honestly some of the most incredible deep dives into video games that I've ever seen. I wish you all the success in the world.
wind waker was definitely the very core of my love of freedom. that sense of boundless possibilities that came from sailing out if whatever direction i felt like. even as an adult that love of freedom has only grown stronger. to not be tied down by other peoples bitterness about things that happened long before i was born. it never really dawned on me that the core of ganons evil was that he would harm the innocent people of the great sea in his quest for vengeance against their ancestors. crazy how lessons from childhood stick with us and somehow inform our values throughout our entire lives in ways that we could have never expected
dude, your words at the end absolutely touched me, i didn't think i would cry over some silly little zelda game yet here i am. thank you for sharing your thoughts on this game and your experiences with it. truly incredible.
this video came up in my recommended at an insanely opportune time. Ive had lots of strife and a childhood cut short as well. After finally having some distance from the life experience that abuse taught me as a child, I have become chronically ill with symptoms noone can explain and I have been losing hope for a long time. I felt nurtured by this video in whole, and was floored to hear your story at the end and how insanely I identify with what you've shared about your life. thank you for being proud of all of us who have the courage to keep going even when we think we've given up. I'm proud of you too. I'm left feeling a humbling pride after your retrospective. Thank you from the depths of my being.
Been excited to hear your take on my favorite Zelda game since you announced you were doing it. I love your scripts, it's always nice to hear your insights. Thanks for doing what you do Liam!
Thank you for this. This was beautiful, and I resonated with everything you said in this video. I too spent a lot of my childhood playing this game on the GameCube, and even into adulthood I still replay it often. I teared up when the deeper message finally hit me as I watched your video. The theme of growing up, and leaving childhood behind, is something I've felt so much of. I, much like Link, had to grow up fast. And sp often I find myself trying to reclaim the childhood I miss so dearly, when life wasn't as complicated. Bur like you so eloquently expressed in the video, it takes courage to be able to let go and grow up. Rewatching Link grasping for the King's hand and then floating away as Hyrule drowned in the bottom of the ocean, I felt a pain of realism resonate within me that I had never felt when watching that scene before me. In a way, letting Hyrule drown and the King go is Link's last act of courage in the game- giving up familiarity to embrace the unknown, which is what this game is all about. Something that has so often terrified me growing up. Embracing the unknown, and allowing myself and my surroundings to change. So thank you for this. And thank you for helping me to even more resonate with a game and a story and a character that I hold deep in my heart.
Welp, watched this from the beginning to the end. And thank you for that. Windwaker is a favorite game of mine but I didn't see the full message until you pointed out. Also with what you said , it also gives me courage. It's inspiring. Keep doing what you are doing.
I sincerely apologize for dropping a giant block on Medli. Thank you all so much for watching and commenting
duuuuuuude, Leukemia? Shit man. Leukemia just killed Norm Macdonald yesterday. He hid it from his family (and everyone else) for 9 years, sort of like what you did by not telling us sooner, makes ya think... We're lucky to have you, my guy.
edit: I'm not crying, you're crying. T-T
Glad to see You back Brother!!
This video appeared in my recommendations, while I was in the middle of my fourth playthrough, while in the endless night, thats a coincidence!
understanding the music of persona plz
Time stamp? Lol I missed this
I know how much effort this took, and the final product is nothing short of amazing. Glad you were finally able to put it all together!
Ayyy, it’s KingK. Two of the greats in video essays
Any chance we get a king k liam triforce collab????? 👀 👀 pretty please
Love u king
I’m glad to know that video essay creators support and appreciate each other
YO it’s my boi King K
This game hit me so hard because I'm a little sister. I watched my brother play this more than once. His first playthrough, the face he made when Aryll was kidnapped... I will never forget it. In that moment, Link wasn't the hero of winds. He was a big brother, being played by a big brother.
What a memory. No wonder WW stuck with you
I was 10 years old like Link when I played this game for the first time and I shared a bedroom with my younger sister, I remember going through the exact same thing! This game will always have such a special place in my heart for that reason.
Bro my brother wanted to sell me to goodwill when I was born 💀
@@tweettweetie I mean he definitely wanted to do that too
@@tweettweetiedon't blame him
I never noticed how outset island's theme changes once aryl is kidnapped, that's crazy
Me neither, and I have played it several times the release day, since it was my only Gamecube game for years.
I thought that was just part of the original theme
I noticed as a kid but only because this was my first real video game and I was super curious and observant
Yeah, my mind officially got blown today. And it's amazing how the music told a story. It music changing to reflect how different Outset Island became from Aryll's disappearance.
Neither did I, it only took me 16 years.
33:54 "Waking your grandmother up will allow her to make you Elixir Soup. The best item in the game."
It struck me, listening to that, that it being the best item in the game is also a subtle message: Link's Grandma still loves him and gives him all her heart, and Link still loves his Grandma enough to truly value what she gives for him. Simple soup gives him strength nothing else in his world can.
😭😭😭
That, and Link has had double attack damage for all of his childhood!
It's true in real life too.
Nothing can replace my mom's cooking. No matter how old I get. Not the best restaurant in the world. My mom's cooking is my favorite. Always.
Combine this with the infinite soup glitch and you are above them all!
Also the fact that he always smiles before drinking it unlike the grimace he has with potions
"The same goes for one of my favorite characters in the game, Medli."
*flashback to Liam dropping a massive stone block on her head while discussing the earth temple layout*
IMAGINE doing most of the island exploration in this game during the Endless Night, instead of doing it when Bird Wife is chilling on your boat.
1:13:20
Wind Waker's Link is also, probably, the most expressive Link out there, so much damn personality without even saying a single word.
Two words:
“Come on!”
he also meows at some point
Exactly! Truth!
It's pretty much just down to how big his eyes are. They exaggerate his expressions a lot.
It's the type of Link we need really.
Damn, with their deadline looming, nintendo must have been so relieved when ganondorf decided to destroy one of the dungeons. By pure coincidence, of course.
Ganondorf as on the development team if I recall correctly !
@@saxoman1 that would explain why he gets the best lines of dialog in WW
One day, may we be given the expanded edition ;)
"I knew we had little time, but I had no idea how little"
They 100% were taking the piss out of the crunch with this line, no doubt.
🤣
Me: Oh! A Wind Waker analysis video! *click*
Me, Later: *sobbing uncontrollably about the messages of hope and courage at the end and how it ties back into Wind Waker* I'm fine, I'm fine
Haha same here! Scrolling through the comments all teary-eyed.
Dude, same. Like, I did *not* come here to get stabbed in the feels today.
😭😭😭
Yeah, I wasn't at all expecting to come out of it like that.
Was listening to this video as a sleep aid. I briefly woke up right toward the end coincidentally, and hearing that message.. I cried. I cried away a lot of shame, a lot of regret; I cried for all the insane pressure I put on myself to be perfect. I will sleep more peacefully tonight, content with the knowledge that I too am a hero in my own fight.
In all my years of playing Wind Waker, I did *not* know Outset Island's music changed after Aryll got kidnapped. That is genius music design. I also didn't know about using the KorL during the cannon minigame.
When I was in college, something terrible happened. This just shattered my already frail mental state, and I became a hermit overnight. During that time, alone in my room rarely leaving my bed, I dove deep into nostalgia. I played Paper Mario TTYD, one of my favorite games as a kid. I played Super Mario Sunshine, a bright contrast to my feelings.
But then I played Wind Waker. As I beat Ganon, and watched my favorite protagonist I have ever played as leave his somber mentor/friend behind. I broke into tears. I can't remember the last time I had let myself cry. I don't know how long I sat there crying. But it was this game that gave me the courage, or moreso made me remember the courage I used to have. I called my parents for help, finally accepting that I wasn't "fine."
I've been growing since then, and trying to work on my healing, but lately I have been stuck in a rut. I am doing better mentally, but my next steps are unclear. I was growing disheartened, felt weak/powerless, and unable to fix myself despite coming this far. This video was great, the whole thing, but the *Courage* section has made me feel far more enabled, brave, and overall positive about myself than months of therapy. I am going to use this courage you and Link have shown me. I am ready. Thank you.
You'll be alright man. It's just a stumble. Your goal is far beyond this, isn't it? All love man. I hope you are doing better.
I find myself looking in BOTW and why ive found myself with a Switch and BOTW...the coincidence and synchronization....intrigues me.
Vvt 5
This comment resonated with me in a pretty deep way. I'm a stranger online, but one that can empathize with the story you told. Be proud of that newfound courage, and know you can overcome any quest. Hope you continue getting better!
I straight agree with this, BOTW so gives many life lessons. Facing FEAR, fighting LYNELS williningly...hahah love it. Guardians too, both are so intimidating like alot of life....ugh, helped me a lot!
Obviously I’ve never even gotten close to meeting Liam, but hearing him say that he’s proud of me and that as long as I have courage then I’m a hero felt like a warm hug
Once I heard someone said that this Link is of the ones with most courage. So much that instead of the goddeses choosing him, he made them choose him. And his grandma is the most wholesome, tragic and caring character of the whole franchise.
He basically grabbed them by the collar and said “I’m going to be the hero. Now you can try and stop me, then die. OR you can give me what I want and you can lord over this world praising your intellect for helping me
*GOT*
*IT*
The molgera music is actually my ringtone, to get me psyched up for the horrible boss battle of talking to people
Absolutely 10/10 idea and banger ringtone
I love this so much. Great idea honestly
Ideas like these make me SPLOOOOOSH
The sploosh would be great for text messages actually 😂
Respect I suck at talking to people too ifits not online
From a kindred spirit who grew up on the Great Sea and holds this as their most cherished video game of all time, thank you. Most retrospective content on this game goes on and on about the "boring dungeons", "nonexistent difficulty", "barren sea", and "needless padding", but you have truly hit the nail on the head as to why this game is so so special to so many people. Hearing your childhood stories reminded me of my own, and honestly moved me to tears. Keep up the amazing work, you are truly a fantastic creator.
I played it at 17 or 18 but still loved it caused it was fun
I agree 110%, people whine about the Triforce Quest and stuff and its like really, like it's so much better to push blocks around in OOT... Oot is the first video game I ever played and it still holds a special place to me, but Wind Waker is hands-down my favorite Zelda game, possibly game period. Exploring the breadth of the ocean and having to earn your way to the finale is super rewarding in my eyes. Ganon is actually made to be a real and relatable villain in this game and it actually makes him a thousand times more intimidating to see how calm and collected he is throughout the game. As Liam describes in the video, though, that all goes away when Ganon's dream is forever pulled away from him and he has nothing left to live for. That final battle, despite being a cakewalk, has so much emotional weight to it; through destroying Ganon and the King of RL's sacrifice, you are truly burying the past forever, but you are doing it for your very survival.
Hell yeah! Super glad to see you back.
hell yeah!!!
Heaven no!!
"If you're strong enough to stay here and fight, then you're a hero to me"
even if its a bit cheesy, i cant explain how much that sentence meant to me. it was surreal.
never before have i heard someone put into words the exact thing that brings me down so often
"its going _too well_ . something horrible will happen to me soon. i just know, because that's the way things are"
it does feel like that, and part of me firmly believes it still. when life is going well, you cant bring yourself to enjoy it. people will roll their eyes at you if you tell them "this will go badly, i simply know it. i can feel it coming." they half heartedly comfort you and say "that's not true!"
you know they're probably right, and you shouldnt assume the worst outcome
you get your hopes up, even just a little bit
but then it _does_ go badly
the feeling of despair that follows that, accompanied by a dull feeling of "i knew it"
for some people, it _does_ take significant strength to stick through it
some people dont make it past these challenges
so it means the world when someone says " _you_ did it. _you_ are still here. you are still _here_ . and thats all that matters. good job."
YOU FINALLY DID IT! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!
LoZ:WW was the first game I ever played. I even learned my first English words from it (excluding "hello") and they were: "big brother", "house", "sword" and "shield". My god do I love this game...
Aawwww that's cute ahaha
That's awesome :D
Zelda also taught me to understand the English language. And understand myself as a human
Same lol
@@ramennoodles1327I'm a native English speaker but WW and OoT taught me how to read
The art style was and still is ahead of its time. It’s still so good even today.
Yeeeeees
Nope. The Artstlye lookedl ike trash back then.
And it does even worse to day.
And no before you come at at. I don't hate cel shading optic. Some (like Punch out for Wii) look truly amazing.
Wind wakter doesnt.
@@Acacius1992 The Wii was at least twice as powerful as the GameCube, so obviously the sheer fidelity is going to be higher on the Wii. Wind Waker has a certain cell shaded style to it that helps it stand out and look good on such a weak machine. The almost painterly textures make the game look better than many games that landed on the GameCube, just because it has a particular art style.
TL;DR, Wind Waker looks great for a GameCube game and you're wrong about it looking like trash 🤷♂️
@@Acacius1992That’s just like, your opinion man
Still holds up
No game feels quite like Wind Waker does, and I'm happy it is that way.
Jeez, tearing up at the end of this. Practically all I've thought of the past 5 years is taking my life outta the game and it's grown much more intense the past few months. Thanks for sharing your story. It does take so much courage to keep going in this world. This is my favorite game as well and my ultimate comfort game. When I was a kid I spent hours just hanging out at the oasis island and windfall because it felt like a little vacation and another society to escape into where I could help others with their problems instead of thinking about my own.
Hope you’re doing well out there
@@Buzzedcoyote poor health has given me a new appreciation for life
Agreed
When the World needed him most...
He returned.
Welcome back. Hope you're doing alright.
yes and he fucked up the timeline
I’m doing great, thanks.
Dude, that had me crying in the end. I realize now why I gravitated towards majoras mask so much as a kid, and just video games in general. Because of everything going on in my real life, and it all just makes so much sense. You are so strong Liam, and so am I damnit hahaha. I’m proud of us. Thank you for another well done video :)
I swear, as soon as I heard the intro music, I felt like crying. I grew up with WW on the Gamecube, and it still holds a special place in my heart.
Welcome back, Liam. Hope you're feeling better!
I've just finished watching this video, and all I can say is... damn.
Dude, you're an amazing writer; but more importantly, you've endured a lot in your life, and you're still here with us. All I can say is I'm glad to know you're with us: inspiring us to be better and by remembering what makes life worth living.
Thank you, Liam. For everything. And once again, welcome back.
I watched, all the way to the end. Your message really moved me. I just started playing the Wii U version, of this game, because the GameCube version was too frustrating. I LOVE this game. But your message, at the end, made me cry. I'm a 35 year old recovering addict and a single mother. My son's father chose drugs over family. So he's gone. When a child is added to the mix, you're no longer allowed to live selfishly. My son is my reason to live, and to stay clean. He's 7 years old, and if not for him, I would be dead. I've been honest, about my past, my self destructive drug addiction, my criminal record, which filled two pages, my shame for my actions. I never want him to know the spiritual death, that I'm still struggling to overcome.
The loss of your soul is the most painful thing you can ever experience. The echoes of "I am Once Was" are your only company. You bite the hands that feed, then stick your own hands, into the mouth of the speaking demon, as penance. I still have all my fingers, but somewhere, I lost my mind.
To this day, I just can't outrun the sickness, that infected what I'd left for dead. In debt, deluded, I wade into an ever stagnate ocean. I'm eating this meat, a mouthful of God's flesh. I see that I am still only shitting sin. It's my house and I can't get in.
Your words reached me today. To say to us, that we're your heroes, for all we've overcome, touched a part of me, I thought I'd lost forever. Thank you. You're my hero.❤
I've never watched a retrospective that made me cry. Thank you, Liam. Your closing words hit me in a place that I didn't think existed anymore.
You've come a long way since that unfinished camcorder Let's Play of Wind Waker from over a decade ago, as NintendoXboxMan. Well done, Liam. Very well done.
lol, he had a channel called nintendoxboxman? now i need to see that old lets play
Omg I remember that let's play!!! Is it still on UA-cam?
@@theLuigiHat It's loooong gone. I wish I archived it!
@@LiamTriforce brings back memories! I watched chuggaconroy too. WW was my first love and still is my favorite game to this day. Happiest time of my life. Glad you were a part of it!
This game was my VERY first Zelda game. And what a journey it was. It was amazing and incredible in every sense of the word.
I love this game, I remember coming home from daycare and watching my older siblings trying to beat this game. Wind Waker means so much to me not only is it an amazing game, but it reminds me of my siblings and the times I watched them and the times they watched my first steps into video games as a whole. I think the first game I touched was this one and every time I replay it I cry during the title screen and the credits. Zelda is my favorite game franchise and this one is not only my favorite Zelda, but my favorite game of all time. Nothing will top it
only ogs remember when this comment was,”MY FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO”. good times.
but also fuck yes it’s amazing and it is my favorite game as well
@@somethingdumb3928 I kept changing this comment throughout the entire video
@@starky4352 finishing the video made you remember more vividly and become more sentimental!
I love how you put a little bit of yourself into each of your videos. A personal anecdote & story alongside real analysis, & thorough research is rarely found but you do it every time. I have been binge watching all your videos recently since I found you, thanks. I hope to one day make content that may not be similar in form, but similar in heart & resolve. Thanks Liam.
“Trauma can cause you to grow up”
Man, some memories just flowed through me 😪
Life is a bitch
And sometimes trauma can prevent you from growing up.
Don't remind me.
In 2020 I did a Zelda marathon replaying the games I had and purchasing a few that I hadn't played to keep myself sane during the first year of the pandemic. In order I played Ocarina of Time, A Link Between Worlds, Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Wind Waker. It was beautiful going through and playing them with fresh, adult eyes since many of them I hadn't touched since I was a teenager. I saved Wind Waker for last, and I'm glad I did. Everything you said here, and more affected me as I played through seeing the struggle and growth of someone trying to save their sister while making and helping friends along the way. The themes of accepting the old world is gone and we need to work together to build a new one hit just as hard now as ever. I sobbed during the credits. The music, the characters, the story... It's my favorite game of all time, too. Thank you for making this!
I’m so glad you mentioned the windwaker randomizer. It has breathed new life into the game and fully realized the open world of the great sea
So my parents were never married. Growing up, I would spend every other weekend with my father. The moment in the video at 14:50 when the Grandma steps out to the balcony and Link waves goodbye, literally reminds me of when I used to wave my mother goodbye every time I’d leave with my dad. Saying bye to her was always such a sad moment but it was something I knew that needed to be done. Just like Link. I think that moment in the game will forever stand out to me as being one of the most impactful. Thank you for the great deep dive into Windwaker!
This is by far one of the best LoZ retrospectives videos I have ever seen. A clear heartfelt passion project that reignited my passion for Wind Waker. I cannot thank you enough for this experience
Actually cried multiple times. You really put things perspective and many scenes I didn't think too much about in this game suddenly hit me like a truck.
I literally just finished Wind Waker a few days ago. I played it as a kid but never finished it due to my files getting corrupted, which devastated me as a kid. Playing and finishing it as an adult I discovered new things that the younger me didn't care to explore or get to know the people. I loved this game as a kid but I really appreciate this game even more so as an adult. Playing this game hit my feels as I replayed it and realized the message is about growing as a person, not being afraid to try and even the ability to let things go and move on so we don't stay frozen in the past. The story and charters are amazing, even with it's flaws it has to be one of my favorite Legend of Zelda games.
Wow. Just... wow. This has been in my recommended for months now and IM SO ANGRY I HAVEN"T CHECKED YOU OUT BEFORE. Man this is QUALITY CONTENT RIGHT HERE. Like seriously this was legitimately amazing. It makes me so happy to know that there are people so deeply invested in this game and this series and who find deep meaning in it. Thank you so much for making this. I now have a new appreciation for this game (which is saying something) and they way you seamlessly combined analysis of gameplay, thematics and personal experience is just incredible. Thank you for sharing your story. Here's hoping that your current future is looking brighter than ever before. May the wind bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks my friend.
I’m gonna put this simple: a big, sincere and wholehearted THANK YOU, mate.
I can totally connect with the personal significance of this game and you put words to my videogame soul. Long live this gem.
In all seriousness, this is one of the greatest reviews I've ever seen
I’ve been playing the GameCube version with my 8 year old son this weekend and I can’t explain how much it warms my heart to see my young blonde haired hero in training play as this truly inspired version of Link, Toon Link.
Toon like from Wind Waker is probably my favorite Link.
I remember getting a GameCube and TLOZ Collector’s Edition for Christmas. It had a 20 min demo of Wind Waker and I loved it so much I begged my dad for months to buy it for me 🥺 good times
Committed, love it 💚
I had the collector’s edition too!! I never hear anyone talk about it so it’s cool that you played it!
Nice
@@mackenziesigmon898 i had it to it was so awesome
That was my introduction to the series and playing the other 3D games, I was super hyped for Wind Waker. I only got to rent it back then but I just finished it for the first time last night at 28 years old. It was like re-entering my childhood and growing up all over again.
Through my own walk of life I've found you never know what battles people are fighting each day. I chose to be the inspiration of guidance and positivity to those I meet. To me, we only get one life, which is why I'm always so interested in the goings-on of others beyond my own. The Zelda series has taught me to be okay with being myself because I could unknowingly be a hero to another. Sometimes just talking to someone is all the validation and push they need to be better. I've taken every challenge met by pushing my limits to the fullest giving me the confidence I so needed when I was younger.
So I hope to all of you reading this eventually understands just how powerful patience and perseverance can be in the long run. Enjoy your life and with those in it. And have fun doing so.
that's cool and all, and I'm totally with you there on going out of my way to be a ray of sunshine in the lives of people around me.. but your comment was more about yourself than the video and that seems kinda in bad taste IMO .. maybe that's just me though
Thank you, Nate.
Damn, I did not expect to cry at the end of your video. My childhood ended at about age 5 because of a series of circumstances involving my parents and their drug addiction. It's been a long time since then as I'm 30 now, unemployed, and lost. However I'm still here and I've survived so much already. I just need to courage to keep moving forward. This video reminded me of that and it was very much needed. Thank you.
Brings a tear to my eye seeing someone appreciate this work of art as much as I do. Thank you so much for the effort put into this video, it will be one I'll revisit several times a year.
The storytelling component of this video is phenomenal. A lot of long video essays focus on doing an analytical, part-by-part analysis (sometimes to the point of reviewing and critiquing every single quest/dungeon/etc), but I love how this video focuses more on the craft of the video game and the effects on you/the audience, rather than being a cut-and-dry summary and analysis. It really elevates the video from just an analysis into... a story. I know I said that at the start, but I've watched a lot of video essays that don't have this same passion and creativity to their presentation.
Imagine how much more amazing the game would have been if they didn’t have to rush towards the end.
If the sea exploration had been done better I feel like people would have been much less forgiving of BOTW’s severe lack of anything interesting to do.
@@jamesbrincefield9879 I think what is so cool about BoTW is the amount of random dumb stuff you can do.
There's something special in invading a Bokoblin camp and start spamming with a 5x Lynel Bow a ridiculous amount of Bomb Arrows untill all them are dead.
@@jamesbrincefield9879 To me Breath of the Wild is the best execution of an open world out there. I've never played a more carefully crafted and satisfyingly filled open world game. That game is stuffed to the brim with things to do and something to discover around every corner.
@@brianmckinley4141 Yeah no one who calls BotW empty has an argument. It’s more like they aren’t very good at exploring that Hyrule. They’re used to all of their stuff being in a dungeon or a cave.
@@brianmckinley4141 it’s stuffed to the brim with rupees you can’t spend on anything, materials you already have hundreds of, weapons you don’t need for battles that are too easy, Korok seeds that are functionally useless after collecting a few dozen and only make an easy game even easier, or shrines that distract you for two minutes or less.
And there’s not much that feels “crafted” about the game. It feels more like they just copy-pasted those same boring things mentioned above in random places across the map. There were some cool places like the Lanayru Promenade or the Forgotten Temple, but there’s nothing to do there but find a shrine and leave.
It’s a good sandbox. The exploration is fun, but it’s all in service of nothing. I think the physics and chemistry systems are worth praising and I hope more games implement emergent gameplay like that going forward, but other than that the game gets stale after the facade falls apart. I felt exactly like you did too. I thought it was one of the greatest games ever made for about 40 or so hours until it hit me that I was just fighting the same three enemies over and over for weapons, materials, and other rewards that served zero purpose to me. I didn’t want to admit it to myself since everyone spoke so highly of it but after hearing a lot of other people felt the same way I stopped lying to myself.
UA-cam just recommended this video and your channel to me, and I've got to say, this is amazing. It's very clear about how much passion you have for Wind Waker.
The Ganondorf in this game is my absolute favorite version of him in the Zelda series. When he's introduced in OoT, he is a smart, scheming man who does everything he can to gain power. In TP, he's on a quest to get revenge for his loss and failed execution for a plan he didn't get to even start. In Wind Waker, he's the product of failure/losing to Link after succeeding in taking control of Hyrule. He's smart and has a clearer understanding of his fate and that the only way he might be able to be free of the cycle is to take Hyrule or die. As you've said, he'll use anyone in the upper world to get what he wants and force the hero to show up.
This game was a masterpiece. Reliving it in my head-the sense of discovery, the music.. the first time I stepped foot in Hyrule Castle. It’s emotional thinking about it!
I can't help but tearing up a bit towards the end. The clinging to the past, and the courage to move on and live life to the fullest, man
Wind Waker is the Zelda game that resonates with you the most, and the most magical thing is, you don't need any nostalgia for that to happen.
I enjoyed it the most I ever had when I went back to play it through as an adult several years ago.
Appreciated it a lot more than I did as a kid, and I loved it as a kid.
I just played fully by myself for the first this summer. I loved it especially because as a kid I mainly watched my siblings play
Your right about that. I HAVEN'T EVEN PLAYED THE GAME AT ALL AND I LOVE IT (in case your wondering, I was born after the game came out and do not have a Wii-U to play it on, I REALLY want it to come to the switch so I can play it finally).
As we go through life we face almost impossible battles that makes us feel like it's over and the road we walked on has reached a dead end, but one thing this game taught me is that life isn't a straight path you run on, it is like the sea with many different paths and stops along the way, the people you meet will change you and you them as well, and despite how far those islands of people you've met may be, we're all connected in the end with our hearts.
They give us the power to move forward
The wisdom we gain from learning from our mistakes
And the courage we earn from making it through those obstacles
Truly an amazing video sir, it had me in tears!
This has got to be the best video game retrospective I've ever seen. Absolutely spectacular job.
this was not just my first zelda game but one of if not the first games i had ever played, i can think back to so many moments that i had with my dad when i would be playing this, not only that but seeing as i play this game as a randomizer on a regular basis, along with going and doing a 100% every now and again, i can see most if not all of the parts that make this one of my favorite games of all time along with being able to see some of the downsides that other fans of the franchise might dislike this game or even hate it for. with how much effort was put into the game by the studio along with their resolve to not back down and instead double down with how the game was when fans saw the game just goes towards making me appreciate the game even more. when it comes to this game i feel connected to all sides of it from the casual to the hardcore, from speedruns to randomizers i feel connected to this game more then i do any other game that i had played after, no matter what game made me feel sad for someone dying or excited for some character to be triumphant in a fight, even other media telling stories that make you feel as if it could actually be a place that exists somewhere out there, this game is the one thing i would always think back to. its not a master piece, nothing in life or death is, not to everyone. but to me, this is as close to a master piece that i myself have found. i dont know why i felt so inclined to type out my feelings like this but at the very least i wanted to put my feeling out there like many others have for many other things.
I legit love how the creators of this game use the music to reference and characters, locations and other games in the series! 💎
The end of the intro made me shed a tear, this is got to be the best game I've ever played.
I dont have much nostalgia for this or any of the older Zelda games, but I went though a similar thing with Breath of the Wild. It was an immensely important game to me the first time I played it in 2017, since I just came out of a horrible place in life and was suffering mentally. Being able to escape into a vast world that gave me the reins to do what I wanted was so magical, and I still get the tingly feeling when I find something I never have before after more than 300 hours playing it. Same goes for some of the sounds and sights in that game, the simple jingle of getting an item from a chest or the combat music make me feel safe and comfortable. I don't need something like that so much now but, that game did so much for me in a time I needed it, and it still brings me joy to play it over and over again!
Hope youre better now buddy
@@beegyoshi8401 I'm all good now thanks, still play the game for comfort though haha
@@cobalttj6356 i didnt find botw to be as stellar as everyone said tho i did enjoy it. But i understand art appeals differently to everyone especially if it provides them happiness during hard times.
The jingle when you open a chest is my notification sound
You can really feel the love you have for this game poured into every facet of this video. This is your masterpiece.
Dude thank you for making this! As much as Ocarina shaped my childhood, I feel like Windwaker cemented it (I was 10 when it was released) and it truly felt like the Zelda game where as a kid, going through it made me feel like being Link himself. It's a deeply emotional journey with an immense amount of tenderness and heart, and I'm forever thankful that it implanted those values in me at such an early age :')
I discovered your channel today through recommendations, starting with your video on A Link Between Worlds. And I kept watching more and more of these retrospectives as UA-cam kept recommending them to me. I finally was given the way to this video on my favorite Zelda game, and it makes me so happy to see another person who loves this game so much, and even far more than I do! This whole video was an absolute blast to watch and the end of it nearly made me cry. Thank you for this series and especially this video. I'm sure you've earned so many new viewers through this video alone, but you've just earned another
Windwaker is just one of those games that can bring you back home ya know what I mean? Even if you never played it can really be nostalgic.
Its a nostalgia fest of a game thats for sure!
I was not expecting this level of writing and philosophy when I clicked on this.. stayed for the whole thing and I'm glad I did. Your seamless editing was a work of magic. Keep it up man, loved it!
This was one of the most beautiful videos I've watched in a while. It brought me to tears. Phenomenal work. ❤️
Your message about hope and courage in the end brought me to tears. I am currently at a stage where everything seems to throw itself at me in such a speed I can't do anything but getting knocked over times and times again. Stress has become a part of me, like a shadow. But your words made me see I am doing well by still, y'know, doing stuff and keeping going. I realised I am brave for moving onwards despite everything. This video taught me that being courageous is scary. But being scared also means that you are damn courageous to keep walking that path.
Thank you, Liam.
Wow I cried. This message really hit hard. as someone who grew up with Wind Waker i made mistakes in my life but I still
am happy i'm alive. Never give up. Amazing video!!!!
I've watched this video probably 8-10 times. It's always at a different point, though the ending is usually the place, But I cry at least once every time. I'm older than you, probably by about 9 years, & I played & beat WW within it's first week.
When you said "I grew up here (on the Great Sea)", it really hit me. I was only just becoming a teenager when I played through this. The endless sea I was now able to sail through gave my mind rest from the anxieties that came with growing up, but also allowed me to reflect on them. My Grandmother had just passed, so I was so happy to find a new, digital one who cared so deeply. This game checked so many boxes with my coping mechanisms that to this day, hearing any rendition of Dragon Roost Island will make me quietly gasp.
development
Yes! I'm so happy you posted this. I love the wind waker. Your deep analysis is fantastic. I had no idea the outset island music changes.
Thank you Liam for sharing such a personal story and why this game means so much to you. I’m glad you’re proud of us, and I hope you know that we’re proud of you too.x
Your dialogue at the end has earned you a permanent sub. I'm going through a time in my life where those words were much needed. It feels like our childhoods were very similar in different ways. Thanks dawg
I'm glad you recovered. Even though half the games you cover I don't have, you've given me something to listen to while playing my own games.
Wind Waker is definitely one of my favorite adventure games ever. Such a masterpiece.
I’m not even remotely a gamer but this was something I played as a kid. Your story and your message behind it was poignant, and profoundly touching. So happy that you have been able to carve out a life that makes you happy, it’s a seemingly simple task that all of us struggle to accomplish.
Wind Waker was a very lovely game with an admirable sense of ambition... but too bad the rushing process had to resort to many awesome things being removed
Wind Waker will always hold a special place in my heart. From the music, the setting, the enemies, the sound effects, to the iconic moments that made me laugh, cry, and smile... your video made me emotional as I remembered the magic of the first time I played my first Zelda game.
Thank you for this, its the perfect love letter to a game that feels like home.
One of my earliest childhood memories was playing Wind Waker with my kindergarten best friend after school. The game was like magic compared to Ocarina which taught me to read. When I moved a year later and didn't have the same friends I clung to that memory a lot through elementary school. Very sentimental.
I just discovered your videos. Been replaying windwaker so I decided to watch this. At a time in my life where I have felt very lost I think your words reached me. I’m crying this morning cause I feel a genuine sense of strength to reach out for the first time in a long time. Thank you sincerely for letting us take part in this.
What a video, thank you Liam you’ve made my day a whole lot better
this is easily the singlehandedly the best video on youtube in its entirety. especially with all you said in the end, my childhood was filled with turmoil and trouble and i recently just finished this game again myself and it hit harder than it ever has. you just put words to my feelings. amazing video.
God bless you, Liam Triforce. You've taught me things that I did not know. I have learning difficulties, and I truly could not see this game for what it was, but now I do see. I loved it with everything I was. THANK YOU.
This was a really beautiful video. You do a wonderful job at writing heartfelt narratives.
It's always a blessing on this website to see someone who's super passionate talk about something they love
This just makes my heart flutter. i just love this game series soooo much, hearing others love for the games is amazing and just makes me wanna gush over it all
Welcome Back my Hero of the Retrospectives and thank you for delivering this Video to us. WInd Waker was my introduction to Zelda and easily one of my favorite entries in the series. Also GOOD GOD that Leukemia story is heartbreaking and heartwarming here's hoping nothing like that every comes up again.
as beedle would say, “ thankkkkk youu” for making this video. as someone else who grew up and basically learned to read because of this game, it really spoke to me on another level. i’m at work right now trying not to tear up from all the sheer memories and feelings that were brought back of being a young child with no other worry on the world except exploring the great sea for hours on end. thank you again liam triforce
this video caught me on a particularly bad day of a particularly awful time in my life and let me say a youtube video has never made me cry so much. wind waker was my childhood, but i never truly felt the underlying themes until now. the message of courage, especially at the end, was something i really needed to hear. thank you.
It’s been one week since I started watching your videos. One week, and I’m still in shock, real shock, of how much you succeeded to explain how much I love this series. You will probably never picture yourself how impactful was this series for me, but I will try my hardest possible to thank you for what you’ve done.
I sincerely love every second of your videos. So thank you from the bottom of my heart, for making me believe in kindness, strength, courage, wisdom, and power in my own life through Zelda games.
This was the most beautiful video essay I have ever seen about anything, I really saw your passion and I can’t wait to see more! After playing this game on the GameCube 20 years ago, I came back to it recently to stream it now, but wow man! What a great video filled with emotion and passion! ❤❤❤
It's 7:00 AM, I haven't slept, and there's freaking "Bewildered in Other Eyes" accompanied by the item get jingle. This video is now an experience.
Absolutely fantastic video!!! Love the in depth analysis of such a great game and how it parallels to life in general and your own personal experiences. Love the quote, "Finding the courage to answer the call to adventure." Thanks for all your hard work.
may the Gods ever bless you, Liam. your videos have always touched my heart, as i share your deep love for the beauty of these games. our struggles are different, but together we fight in overcoming them and in growing and appreciating the beautiful lives we've built. i believe you're a light to all those you've touched and have impacted in nothing but unfathomable positive ways. you're certainly a true hero in my eyes, and i know i'm not the only one who thinks so. reading these comments have me choked up alongside listening to your video. i always feel so happy revisiting these games and the idea that if my younger self could see me now, she'd most certainly be proud we made it, and will continue doing so, in power, wisdom, and last but definitely not least, courage. believe in your strengths..
The ending to this video always manages to tug a tear outta me, that's some good editing lol
Just watched through this while I've been working and the end had me in tears. This game means so much to me, and you really put it into words in a way I've never been able to express. Your effort and knowledge that goes into these videos is second to none, and it's honestly some of the most incredible deep dives into video games that I've ever seen. I wish you all the success in the world.
wind waker was definitely the very core of my love of freedom. that sense of boundless possibilities that came from sailing out if whatever direction i felt like. even as an adult that love of freedom has only grown stronger. to not be tied down by other peoples bitterness about things that happened long before i was born. it never really dawned on me that the core of ganons evil was that he would harm the innocent people of the great sea in his quest for vengeance against their ancestors. crazy how lessons from childhood stick with us and somehow inform our values throughout our entire lives in ways that we could have never expected
dude, your words at the end absolutely touched me, i didn't think i would cry over some silly little zelda game yet here i am. thank you for sharing your thoughts on this game and your experiences with it. truly incredible.
"Courage", that last section resonated with me so deeply. ❤
We all go through our own fights.
this video came up in my recommended at an insanely opportune time. Ive had lots of strife and a childhood cut short as well. After finally having some distance from the life experience that abuse taught me as a child, I have become chronically ill with symptoms noone can explain and I have been losing hope for a long time. I felt nurtured by this video in whole, and was floored to hear your story at the end and how insanely I identify with what you've shared about your life. thank you for being proud of all of us who have the courage to keep going even when we think we've given up. I'm proud of you too. I'm left feeling a humbling pride after your retrospective. Thank you from the depths of my being.
Been excited to hear your take on my favorite Zelda game since you announced you were doing it. I love your scripts, it's always nice to hear your insights. Thanks for doing what you do Liam!
Thank you for this. This was beautiful, and I resonated with everything you said in this video. I too spent a lot of my childhood playing this game on the GameCube, and even into adulthood I still replay it often. I teared up when the deeper message finally hit me as I watched your video. The theme of growing up, and leaving childhood behind, is something I've felt so much of. I, much like Link, had to grow up fast. And sp often I find myself trying to reclaim the childhood I miss so dearly, when life wasn't as complicated. Bur like you so eloquently expressed in the video, it takes courage to be able to let go and grow up. Rewatching Link grasping for the King's hand and then floating away as Hyrule drowned in the bottom of the ocean, I felt a pain of realism resonate within me that I had never felt when watching that scene before me. In a way, letting Hyrule drown and the King go is Link's last act of courage in the game- giving up familiarity to embrace the unknown, which is what this game is all about. Something that has so often terrified me growing up. Embracing the unknown, and allowing myself and my surroundings to change.
So thank you for this. And thank you for helping me to even more resonate with a game and a story and a character that I hold deep in my heart.
You don’t how much it makes me happy to see that Wind Waker is also someone’s favorite game of all time. I thought it was only Me.
Welp, watched this from the beginning to the end. And thank you for that. Windwaker is a favorite game of mine but I didn't see the full message until you pointed out. Also with what you said , it also gives me courage. It's inspiring. Keep doing what you are doing.