Part graphic novella, part game criticism
For some folks,Skyward Swordwas the pinnacle of theZeldafranchise, while for others, it was the culmination of everything wrong with the series’ direction over the past decade and a half. Even though I personally enjoyed the game, I too felt like I was being guided through a carefully curated gallery of set pieces rather than being allowed to explore the world on my own terms.
WriterTevis Thompsonfelt so strongly aboutZelda‘s missteps that he wrote a very in-depth essay, “Saving Zelda,” earlier this year. The essay struck a chord with artistDavid Hellman, best known for his work onBraid, and the two began discussing a project that could both tell the kind of open-ended tale that they crave and serve as subtle criticism of modern videogame narrative structure. That project isSecond Quest.
Second Questis a 50-page color comic that draws heavy inspiration fromSkyward Swordand the rest of theZeldamythos yet presents an original world with original characters. It’s about a curious girl living on a peaceful floating island who discovers that the legends she’s heard may not be true. While the art is vibrant, the aim of the book is not to deliver all the answers, only possibilities up to your own interpretation.
Tevis and David are holding a Kickstarter that will end on November 16, but already they are less than $9000 away from their $50K goal. For your donations, you’re able to receive a digital copy of the finished work, a hard copy courtesy ofFangamer, or original art pieces. Whether or not you agree with theirZeldacriticisms or with their ability to tell a “game” story in a completely different medium, you ought to admit that the project shows incredible promise.
