The Lanayru Mining Facility tries to throw us for a loop, but at this point we’re pretty sure there’s nothing we can’t handle. Thunder Keese? Beamos? Psh. What is that? An Armos? As if.
The real meat of this session starts at the very end, with Link once again coming face to face with Zelda and Impa. Though who else but Ghirahim could ruin this moment? Things get exciting as we get to see Impa in action for the first time as she throws up a protective energy shield to guard against Ghirahim’s attacks. Unfortunately, Zelda and Impa are forced to retreat, but with the Goddess Harp now in our possession, and a mandate from Impa to go speak with the Old Woman at the Sealed Temple, the momentum is really starting to build.
Listen in as we explore the Mining Facility, face a few re-imagined classic enemies, and finally make up for our tardiness at the Earth Temple.
Shownotes
These are our literal shownotes and may not reflect the content of the final episode in full.
Last Time
Last time on Tandem Legends we explored the Lanayru Desert. A hostile and barren landscape, we were forced to navigate across and around lakes of sinksand, defend ourselves from electrically charged enemies, and make clever use of the Time-Shift stones. We also encountered a race of ancient robots, who toiled away mining the time-shift stones throughout the area.
Upon arriving at Zelda’s dowsing location, The Temple of Time, we found the way blocked. A helpful ancient robot nearby informed Link that the Lanayru Mining Facility and the Temple of Time are connected underground so we quickly worked to activate the generators needed to reveal the facility and the next step toward Zelda.
Today
During the section we’re discussing today, we enter the Lanayru Mining Facility. We navigate through the broken mining equipment, pools of sink-sand, and crumbling stone pillars. On our way we encounter a large variety of enemies, including an ancient scorpion called Moldarach who we quickly defeat with the help of our new handy tool, the Gust Bellows.
Outside the facility we see Zelda and her guardian, Impa, at the Gate of Time. During a brief confrontation with Ghirahim, Link obtains the Goddess Harp and helps Zelda and Impa escape. Before leaving, Impa urges Link to travel back to the Sealed Grounds to speak with the old woman. Ghirahim is angered by the disappearance of Zelda once again and quickly departs, leaving Link alone at the Temple of Time.
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General Discussion
Chat about overall Lanayru Mining Facility impression, positive/negative, challenges, triumphs
Visual Appearance of Temple
Clear purpose behind design of structure
Enemy design
Technology based, Atlantis feel
General Temple
Feels like traditional Zelda dungeon
Puzzles felt more overt, and more of them
Several rooms have blocked off areas accessed later
Unnecessarily complex layout for building’s purpose
Bottomless pits in a workplace require OSHA approved safety barriers
Tedious at times
Jumping pillars in gust bellows room
Sand blowing through spike maze
Start and stop, robbing momentum
Relative clumsiness of switching items, moving Link, and directing Bellows made player feel clumsy, slow, and uncoordinated.
Heavy emphasis on timing, not able to set own pace through temple (vs. Earth Temple where you could breeze through it)
Enjoyed the timeshift component to the puzzles, following the mining carts around, the conveyer rooms
S: I also enjoyed the time shift mechanics. It added a new layer to the larger puzzle of navigating the facility.
The timeshift stones themselves are rather strange if you think about it. We’ve established that the ancient robots were mining timeshift stones in order to harvest their energy. But, honestly, how was it possible to mine these stones if they’re activated through physical impact?
Also, I’m curious how the timeshift stones work really. If they were always able to shift time… what time did they reflect during the mining operations?
This makes me think that the timeshift stones’ ability wasn’t always active. Perhaps the Lanayru mined the stones when they were just normal stones that produced raw energy then Hylia changed them to be timey-wimey. That doesn’t sound super plausible now that i’m saying it but maybe??
It also brings up another thought: the robots outside all appear to still be working and the bones of the Technoblins are all in specific places.. This makes me wonder if the timeshift stones were all activated at the same time and shifted everything into a time bubble only accessible now by activating timeshift stones in the present. WHO KNOWS. Lol.
Technology: The timeshift stones also activate technology in this area so we have an opportunity to see the product of this ancient civilization
For example, conveyer belts, the screens that appear above the switching yard tracks after the boss battle or the shimmering neon lights in a wave on the wall in one of the conveyer rooms.
Speaking of technology: I thought the juxtaposition of this state-of-the-art mining technology with the old-tech of the pinwheels on the platforms was interesting. For one thing, it’s strange that you clearly need a gust bellows to navigate throughout the area. Perhaps it was intended as a failsafe in case the facility lost power? Like they had a manual way to get from place to place.
Some unique and interesting new enemies to face
Enemies:
New
Beamos
Like the design, a bit disappointed in how easy they are
Sentrobe
Interesting, but slow combat cycle, kind of puts a halt to the momentum
Armos
Liked these guys, but i felt clumsy trying to use the gust bellows on their pinwheel
Aracha
Face huggers
Froak
Like a flying puffer fish, kind of a nuisance
Thunder Keese
Cool name.. Never saw them use their electricity though
Old
Staldra
Electro Spume
Yellow chuchu
Moldarach Battle:
I have this impression that desert boss battles in Zelda are some of the most memorable for some reason, but this kind of fell flat for me. It seemed very straight forward and ultimately kind of easy–especially compared to some of the challenges we faced in the Mining Facility itself
Really enjoyed the final hallway/track. Felt like a send off/salute by the ancient robots who knew they weren’t going to be around to help Link directly but wanted him to know they believe in him.
Temple of Time
We learn Impa’s name, Zelda offers us the harp stating we will need it where we’re going. How much does she know? Impa is shown to be pretty powerful/cool. Ghirahim is kinda losing his teeth.. Lots of promises of death and pain but little to show for it so far.
Music:
Lanayru Mining Facility (Present)
Joe:
Rapid xylophone throughout feels intense and energetic, but hollow and delicate. Like a machine being pushed past its limits, could fall apart at any moment.
Main melody on the Shehnai contributes to a feeling of cavernous empty spaces.
Dissonant bells/chimes throughout make it feel as if things are not as they should be, that something is wrong.
In fact, throughout the song there is what sounds like a church bell sounding over and over, as the song comes to a close most of the other instruments fade out, leaving only the bell, making it sound more like an alarm bell or disaster warning left on long after everything has already fallen.
Shannon:
I love that idea – it feels so ominous to think that there could have been a warning bell sounding at some point in the past. I definitely agree with your other points too – this theme feels eerie, exotic, lonely and dangerous. The lower xylophone tones remind you that this place is still alive and moving, even though its fairly rundown and covered in sand. And that bell. Ooph. Something definitely went wrong here.
Lanayru Mining Facility (Past)
Joe:
Feels more active, faster than its counterpart. Lots of deeper more resonant instruments. Feels like a very busy space built on timing and movement.
The choral background, almost like Tuvan throat singing, is a bit oppressive.
Love the melody break as the instruments all swell and it becomes adventurous and exciting for a moment before dropping back into its industrious danger theme.
Shannon:
There are some deep percussive tones using hand drums and even steel drums that I love. The choral voices which you mentioned makes the space feel ominous, empty, and like there are ghosts wandering the area. Which makes sense considering we’re viewing the past!
Also, that high whistle towards the end of the musical phrase is so chilling – it makes me feel lost and empty.
Moldarach Theme
Joe:
When I first heard this I thought it was kind of plain: generic hero music. But as I sat listening to it over and over again I started to feel like it was telling a story:
Shannon:
Yeah! First, it starts with the low piano riff at the beginning, which brings to mind an image of imminent danger but also seems to characterize the massive legs of this beast.
Joe:
And then the theme progresses, becoming larger and larger, more energetic and complex. There seems to be a tug of war playing out between the heroic trumpets and clarinet and the menacing low brass and piano. Almost like Link and Moldarach are facing off, testing the waters a bit, they then engage progressively more directly, making a few triumphant and powerful attacks and taking a few hits of their own, and then backing down to regroup as you hear the violins slide back down. Really like it.
Ritual Disrupted
Shannon:
This is the moment Ghirahim blasts through and disrupts Zelda and Impa as they are activating the Gate of Time.
Joe:
It’s only 45 seconds but it immediately brings in elements of Ghirahim’s dark circusy theme and blends it with the hero’s anthem for Link. Here you can feel the urgent note of danger as Link is cut off from helping protect Zelda and Impa is facing off with Ghirahim.
Shannon:
Once again we’re hearing the music perfectly characterize the story elements as we’re playing the game.
Zelda’s Escape
Joe:
So, next we have “Zelda’s Escape”. This theme plays when Link breaks through Ghirahim’s barrier in that last scene and leaps in to save Impa.
Shannon
Yeah! You can hear a call to action musical phrase playing here in that quiet flute melody, which is the same tune we hear earlier in the game after Link receives the hero’s tunic in Skyloft. It’s a nod to Link growing into the hero that we’re familiar with throughout Legend of Zelda canon.
Joe
In fact, in this scene Impa seems impressed with Link and acknowledges his increased ability and courage. Which certainly implies that the promise that Link had at the beginning of the game is coming to fruition here, just in the nick of time.
Something else I noticed in these last two themes is that they seem to borrow from the trailer music for Twilight Princess. Both have pretty recognizable elements of that piece if you listen to the back to back, or, obsessively, as in my case.
Closing
Joe:
By the time the mining facility surfaced in the last episode I was kind of done with this area.
Just a small thing: this is a workspace right? It feels like a missed opportunity that the boss battle didn’t have something to do with like.. The boss’ office. Like a giant robot.
Shannon:
Overall, there were some really cool aspects with the timeshift stones and the mining carts and some of the enemies were interesting. But it was a slog. Start and stop. Deadly enemies everywhere with no reprieve. And no strong story to pull me along.
I’m learning that in order to have fun in a game, momentum is important. And you gotta give me some story.. Gimme a little.. Snack. You gotta keep me going. I don’t need the meat and potatoes all the time, but I need to feel engaged.
There were so many questions about why the technology is in this area that weren’t answered it lost me a bit. I do know that honestly.. This is also just a game. They simply needed an obstacle.
The theme music for this podcast, Overworld, was created by Kevin Macleod of incomepetech.com, licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
