// KOTAKU — GAMING
Why Is Link The Only Character Who Looks Like A Freak In The Ocarina Of Time Remake?
Legend of ZeldaNintendo DirectThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
When Nintendo first revealed the Ocarina of Time remake, I was disgusted. Link’s hyper-realistic look chucked his ass from the happy greenery of Kakariko Forest and planted him firmly in the Uncanny Valley. But since it was only a brief glimpse, I thought I was being overly judgmental, and maybe a more in-depth look would change my mind. Well, I got that better look today during Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct presentation, and my mind has not been changed. Link looks like a freak.
He’s possessed of a slick, plasticky look that’s exacerbated whenever he gets wet. I thought it was giving Unreal Engine 5, but it’s actually worse: If I didn’t already know this Link was made by Nintendo’s anti–AI hands, I would have thought he was somebody’s genAI slop project.
But the odd thing is, it’s only Link that disturbs me so badly. The monsters look great, exactly how I’d imagine the enemies in an “updated” Ocarina of Time to look. Link’s non-human friends like Princess Ruto—fabulous. The Great Fairy? Even more fabulous.
— Link 💪🎀💪 (@labmem765.bsky.social) 2026-09-08T15:41:32.130Z
Throughout the extended look, everyone around him features far less detail in their designs, which makes them look 100-percent better. It’s like Link’s been isekai’d into a slightly different world where everyone’s a bit more cartoonish-looking than he is. Even his adult form is far less offensive.
Character renders of Link from the Japanese site for the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time!
— Tokyo Game Life (@tokyogamelife.bsky.social) 2026-09-08T14:44:12.700Z
More character renders from the Japanese site for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time! Really cool Sheik design!
— Tokyo Game Life (@tokyogamelife.bsky.social) 2026-09-08T14:48:05.015Z