The team behind TerminalMontage has returned in spooky-season form with the latest entry in their “Something About” series, this time diving into the deeply unsettling corridors of the Shadow Temple from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This one is, by far, one of their darker (and funniest) parodies yet.
Where past episodes played on the more familiar thematic temples of the game (forest, fire, water), this installment leans fully into horror comedy territory, and treats the Shadow Temple’s creep factor like a playground for absurdity. The hero, the legendary Link, is portrayed as increasingly rattled, sweating through menu pauses and item mix-ups that would be frustrating in a normal speed-run but here become hysterical. One scene in particular has him repeatedly opening and closing his menu just to toggle the Hover Boots because he simply cannot get them to stick. The result: hilariously repeated pratfalls.
Throw in a moment where he simply forgets to equip Din’s Fire during a section that demands it (yes, the one with the moving wooden spikes and walls), and you’ve got a parody that not only lampoons the original gameplay but pushes the trauma of the dungeon up to eleven. The final boss moment? A double appearance by the infamous Dead Hand, each time triggering more panic, more dropped items, and deep existential dread (all within five minutes of screen time). The result is triumphantly absurd.
What stands out about this entry is how the creators balance reverent references with gut-punch comedy. For longtime fans of Ocarina of Time the nostalgia hits are clear: you’ll recognise the layout of the dungeon, the hollowed echoes of the skulls and walls, the visual motif of the rotating skull door, but you’ll also delight in seeing those familiar beats twisted. One moment you’re checking your map like you’ve played the dungeon five hundred times; the next you’re smacking the menu button because the Hover Boots are doing cartwheels off a ledge.
Visual gags abound: from the pause menu being treated like a horror-scene intermission, to jarring sound cues when Link realises he’s left a key behind, to the credits stinger which promises more trauma for our protagonist in future episodes. That post-credits bit is a hallmark of the series: previously it’s teased what’s next in the saga, and here it doesn’t disappoint (yes, we’re likely heading toward the Spirit Temple and the game’s endgame).
For those who have followed the series from the earlier temples (Forest, Fire, Water) you’ll recognise the pattern: each installment ramps up not just the stakes but the comedic direction. The Shadow Temple piece feels almost like the breakout horror-comedy chapter in the saga. If you’ve only caught one or two, this might hook you to revisit the others and see how Link’s trauma has been escalating.
If you’re planning to watch: make sure you have captions on and give yourself a little buffer for rewinding. There are Easter eggs hiding in menu screens, background assets, and the odd cameo that reward re-watching. Also, for maximum effect, maybe watch with the lights off because the Shadow Temple is creepy, and the parody doubles that energy.
Have you seen this episode yet? What do you think of how the team treats horror vs. humour in this one compared to their earlier work?
