"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" (available on Nintendo Wii, rated E10+) finally hits stores on Sunday, November 20. Almost five years to the day of the release of its predecessor, "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess," the latest -- and some are saying greatest -- adventure in the series takes Link above the clouds as a knight-in-training on the island of Skyloft.

City got its hands on a review copy of "Sword" this past Monday, but one week is not enough time to get through the game, let alone play it comprehensively enough to write a full review. In lieu of that, we've put together some key points to look forward to come Sunday.

1. The visuals: The art style, which I was vehemently against at E3, might actually be one of the strongest points of the game. The whole world looks as if it was crafted by the stroke of an artist's brush, and the cross between cell shading a la "Wind Waker" on the GameCube and the more mature Link we've seen thus far on the Wii works beautifully. The landscapes, and the dungeons, are testaments to the artistry of the game designers. And I'll only say it once, but it's a shame the game isn't in HD.

2. The scope: I've made it through the first four dungeons in just less than 20 hours, and it's an interesting feeling not knowing what is coming next. Through sheer force of will I've managed to keep myself from spoilers, and given that I replayed both "Ocarina of Time" and "Twilight Princess" this year, it's great to have that sense of thrill and discovery around each corner.

To give some comparison, I found that this game opens much stronger than "Twilight Princess." And it's obviously a longer quest: at this point, about 20 hours in, I would have already have completed most of the other games in the "Zelda" series. With "Skyword Sword" it feels like the plot is just getting warmed up.

It's rare that I can find a game that I can sit down and play for stretches of four or five hours at a time, and I've been living and breathing marathons like that since I got the game on Monday. This game is immersive and captivating.

3. The characters: I never really thought I'd find myself writing about the strength of the character development in a "Zelda" game -- and I'm not just talking about the protagonist, Link. Zelda is fierce and independent this time around, and plays a much different role than usual. In "Skyword Sword" the Link/Zelda relationship is the most complex, and interesting, that we have ever seen, and the supporting cast of characters actually makes you feel like you are in another fully realized world. Even Fi, the spirit in your sword, is equal parts deadpan funny and a strong character in her own right.

4. The controls: The game mechanic that will probably spark the most discussion is the controls. The use of Wii Motion Plus for controlling almost everything in the game, from your sword swipes to flying to swimming, creates a much more tactile experience. It's so much more responsive than just tapping a button. The controls were spot-on in the demo I tried at E3, and if they can work in that environment, with all its wireless interference, I was confident that they would perform in my apartment. And rest assured, controlling Link has never been easier or more fluid. It is still kind of unbelievable when Link follows me when I turn the sword just a little bit in one direction.

That said, the controls do require something of a learning curve. Simple enemies are now a lot harder to defeat. You can't just waggle the controller randomly and plow through the bad guys. Almost every enemy has a way to block or avoid your attack depending how you swing, making you have to think first and swing later.

5. The music: A "Zelda" score performed by an actual orchestra? About time, and the game's already-stunning soundtrack deserves the extra money Nintendo had to shell out to get it performed professionally. The melodic themes are memorable and have been stuck in my head most of the week, and the orchestrated recording CD that comes with the game only helps keep the melodies living on outside of Hyrule.

Look for City's full review of the game on this website within the next week. Want to play it yourself? City Newspaper is giving away a copy of "Skyward Sword." To win, "like" City Newspaper's Facebook page and comment on the link to this article with your favorite "Zelda" title, and the reason why. The winner will be announced early next week.

In the meantime, given that the embargo is up, I'll field questions about the game if anybody has them. Leave them below!