#ONE OF THEM WAS A TWILIGHT PRINCESS WALKTHROUGH I’VE HAD OPEN FOR YEARS

[anachronistic-falsehood]

I ACCIDENTALLY CLOSED LITERALLY ALL OF MY TABS ON MY PHONE

[tannertelford2]

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild released back in 2017, meaning that for nearly 3 years, I have heard it touted as the best Zelda game ever created. In fact, I’ve seen many players and critics alike call it the best videogame ever. Needless to say, I had some pretty high expectations when I finally picked it up for the Nintendo Switch back in early November. However, I had my fair share (and perhaps more than my fair share) of qualms with this seemingly seminal installment. The contrast between my experience and that of so many others inspired this review, in which I hope to clarify what I felt worked well and what fell short. With the sequel announced as in development last year, this review also functions as a list shortfalls I hope to see corrected.

 My first and main point of contest is that Breath of the Wild is so unlike any previous title that it hardly feels like a Zelda game at all. Heavy RPG elements, such as finite weapons, upgradable armor, and the need to find and prepare food to recover health (can’t I just break a jar for hearts?), were jolting but not irreconcilable. Even the ability to scale 99.9% of surfaces in the game wasn’t too foreign after the first hour of gameplay. The first major difference players encounter (though they may not realize it until later) is a complete lack of dungeons. Dungeons – the trademark, the pride and joy of Zelda – are completely gone. In their place, you find Shrines – short puzzles that usually consist of 1-4 rooms and which reward players with Spirit Orbs (tokens that can be exchanged for an increase in either the health or stamina meter). The shrines quickly become repetitive and burdensome; finding shrines, many of which are cleverly hidden (some of which are impossibly hidden) proves more fun than actually completing them, especially since they don’t progress in difficulty.

The Divine Beasts function as the game’s own unique version of standard temples, and while they are undeniably unique (the ability to control their movements to solve puzzles is quite ingenious), they lack the appeal of a true dungeon. There isn’t a single Beast players aren’t able to conquer (boss included) in under 35 minutes. When I enter a temple, I want it to take me at least an hour and cause a little stress induced hair-loss (just kidding on the last part). This new sequel needs more traditional dungeons and better bosses than the Scourge of Gannon foes that felt more like mini-bosses than anything. Even Hyrule Castle, which is one of the most in-depth, realistic versions of the castle we have seen – disappoints. It is not a true dungeon, and by the time I reached this point in the game, I simply followed the obvious path to Ganon rather than exploring the gorgeous structure; my spirit of adventure had been killed off long before then, by hours of aimless wandering in search of Shrines.

  I am by no means a completionist. In fact, I’m not sure if I’ve ever completed a game 100% other than Mario Party DS (if you’ve played that game, you get it). However, the lack of fulfillment left by the shrine system led me to seek out every shrine. All 120 of them. While I was able to find around 105 of them by myself, I had to resort to a walkthrough to find the others (I would have gotten an 88% on my own, so I’m fine with owning that B/B+). This was due in part to some expertly hidden shrines, but it was also due in part to the sheer size of the map. I knew the map would be big because that was one of its main praises. However, I didn’t comprehend just how massive the map could be. And if you ask me, it’s too big; there are too many “dead zones” where there is nothing to find/do other than maybe solve some repetitive Korok Seed puzzles. The stable system, in which you are able to catch, tame, and then register wild horses, may have remedied this issue for me, but only if it actually worked; if you are anywhere but a sea-level plain, your horse cannot hear your whistle. This required me to rely more on the Shrine travel system and bear through what I can only estimate as hundreds of slow loading screens. Navigating this giant map proves troublesome, but finding Shrines complicates matters even further; the Sheika Sensor, which essentially allows you to play “Hot and Cold” with hidden Shrines, doesn’t help much either. In my opinion, the upcoming sequel needs focus less on an expansive map and more on an enriched map.

 My next and related qualm is the lack of items that would typically come as rewards out of dungeons. The hook shot, boomerang, bomb bag, etc. are just as iconic as the dungeons themselves. This game “conveniently” compresses all potential items into the Sheika Slate and grants them to the player almost immediately. This removes any sense of progression or growth; it makes all puzzles and all areas of the map immediately accessible (again, something that others have praised but I found troublesome). One positive attribute of the Sheika Slate is that it does allow for more complicated puzzles. In a typical Zelda game, you find a new item, and all the puzzles in that dungeon are centered around that single item; afterward, the items are rarely necessary. Breath of the Wild does a much better job forcing players to use the Sheika Slate’s various functions to navigate the map and solve puzzles. Nevertheless, I missed the exhilarating rush of opening an item chest, the dramatic music in the background, and the ability to solve unique puzzles with new items.

 One of the points where Breath of the Wild succeeds is in its characters and character development. For the first time in Zelda history, we actually see Princess Zelda as a real, multifaceted character with an actual personality. She serves a greater purpose in the story than a captured damsel who simply supplies Link with the Bow of Light at the last minute (although she does this too). We see her struggles and successes, and this acts to solidify her as a more believable character. Even the Champions, through cutscenes and memory flashbacks, assume a deeper personality than the main characters of other games, and their unique relationships with Link are played upon nicely. As far as I can remember, Breath of the Wild is the first game to have fully voiced cutscenes rather than simple dialogue boxes. This works well, but only in some instances; Princess Zelda’s whiny, faux British accent is still like nails on a chalkboard. In any event, I was happy to see Link remain without a voice, as I feel this would deviate too far from tradition.

 Breath of the Wild’s ending, too, did not disappoint (at least at first). Ganon assumes his most menacing and intimidating form yet, and the cutscenes and score surrounding this initial fight are absolutely gorgeous. In the second phase of this final fight, Ganon takes on a different form, and the entire battle feels like a rehash of the boss fight from Twilight Princess – good but uninventive.

 In the end, Breath of the Wild kept me entertained for several months – but only because I let it entertain me for that long. The real heart of the story is made entirely optional, with the player given the opportunity to confront Ganon at any point. While the non-linear storyline and the ability to tackle the game’s events in any order isn’t exactly my cup of tea, neither is it the main downfall of this title. Perhaps too much innovation at once takes this game in new (and often wrong) directions. Newcomers to the series are unlikely to be moved by these design choices, but loyal fans will likely take issue with them.

[adamrevi3ws]

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nintendo isn’t really my cup of tea. Maybe it’s the cute aesthetics, maybe it’s that their games prioritize fun over nearly any other aspect that I might value, but for me, something never really clicked. It’s a lot like Studio Ghibli, where it’s extremely well-made gorgeous wholesome family friendly art that I respect but could never get “in” to.

That being said, there is always an exception. And for Nintendo, that is the legend of Zelda franchise. I’m not sure what I’ve always seen in Zelda, maybe it’s the gorgeous art direction in every game, the solid fantasy RPG (using this term lightly) gameplay, and a passionate story and music to drive you through every dungeon. I’ve felt this way since getting Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Gameboy Advance. The best thanksgiving I’ve ever had was one where I played Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the entire day. And with that in mind, the only reason I’ve ever wanted to buy a Nintendo home console would be to play Legend of Zelda. A $300 Legend of Zelda machine, if you will.

Well, now that I have a Nintendo Switch in my household (shoutout my roommate who understands that sharing is caring), I finally had the opportunity to play the latest entry in the series, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And is it worth buying a $300 console for? Hell yes.

The first and most obvious thing I’m gonna say I that it’s got arguably the best art direction in video games in years. The cel-shaded aesthetic and its use of color like this in a modern video game is almost revolutionary. The only other game I’ve seen that gets on that level is Firewatch, which I recently played before BotW, but Zelda really lets it embrace that potential. The music delivers as always, and with this entry to the series it just really feels like they threw a piano at one man and told him to go crazy; go stupid. This more um “minimalist” soundtrack fits perfectly with the gorgeous massive open world. I wish I could hear a nice sprinkle of piano notes out of nowhere whenever I came up on a nice view while hiking.

Speaking of which, BotW’s world is absolutely MASSIVE. It’s got so many distinct areas and every possible landscape and biome that each one could practically be its own game. There have been multiple times where I had to force myself to remember that certain areas existed. My personal favorite area is Akkala, crowned with autumn leaves and a couple of not-so-deep ravines. Despite there being such a wonderful open world though, I think one of the game’s biggest weaknesses is that there isn’t always that much to do. Unless if there’s a town in said region (which there’s only, like, five of in the whole game), the only thing to do there is complete puzzle shrines and kill enemies for crafting parts. While there can occasionally be a fun sidequest, this drought of content in some areas (looking at you Hyrule Ridge and all of the Faron region) means Breath of the Wild very much risks having a “wide as an ocean, deep as a puddle” problem.

So when there is “content” (I hate that word), what is it like? With a plot as minimal and underscored as its soundtrack, the game basically tells you to find it yourself. It’s split between four “divine beasts” (fantasy giant robots that double as boss fights and cool dungeons) and god knows how many puzzle shrines (think test chambers from the portal series but with a fantasy bent used to effectively level up). Honestly I love both of them, especially the divine beasts, which I sure as hell wish there were more of. As someone who genuinely sucks at puzzle games, it felt great whenever I could put two and two together without the help of an online walkthrough guide. When it comes to combat, I think it’s very comparable to Nier: Automata, where it has a perfect level of difficulty. It’s challenging but still manages to be a LOT of fun, heavily acknowledging and valuing your character’s progression throughout the game. Finally, many have noted that Breath of the Wild is ridiculously open ended when it comes to gameplay, awarding the Link with an absurd variety of abilities/gear and infinite opportunities to use them. While I barely took advantage of these opportunities, this potential is definitely a high point of the game. I was just a bit too busy taking advantage of its fantastic cooking mechanic to notice.

The last, and honestly least important aspect of this game is the story. While it very much breaks a lot of new ground for the Zelda series, entrenching it with a LOT more sci fi elements in a fantasy setting (I was initially very reluctant to the concept of Link having an iPad), it manages to pull it off quite well. The plot was a lot like the dungeons and boss fights in the game, where I enjoyed what I got, especially with the segments revolving around the divine beasts, but still wish I could get even more. One thing Breath of the Wild fully delivers on is the endgame payoff, giving you an utterly massive mega-dungeon of Hyrule Castle to explore, and some fantastic fights and cutscenes of epic proportions to close it off. I think my only serious issue with the story, other than its minimal nature was that some of the voice acting could be a bit insufferable. The performances weren’t particularly bad, I just think someone at Nintendo needs to be desperately told that not every young female character, especially the TITLE CHARACTER need to sound like a Victorian orphan dying of tuberculosis. With that in mind, I think my favorite characters were Revali and Teba of the Rito race, and the enthusiastic merchant Beedle.

In the end, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild feels like eating a medium sized box of chicken wings from the Korean chain restaurant Bonchon. My biggest issue with it is that it doesn’t feel like you’re eating much, but with all the sum of its parts considered, you feel so full (or at least fulfilled) a bit later that you know you’re gonna have a weird time in the morning. I give it an 8.9/10.