Thoughts so far on Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I can't claim to have completed or even played all of the Zelda games.

But I have played enough in the past to have a good grip on the formula the series typically uses.

Take on a series of increasingly tough dungeons while discovering hidden heart pieces and collecting a gradually expanding arsenal of familiar items - sword, shield, boomerang, bow, hookshot, bombs etc etc - leading up to (usually) a final conflict with Ganon.

There are exceptions but for the most part (to the best of my memory anyway) while most of the games over the years offer exploration, the core part of the adventure such as the dungeons are meant to be tackled in a set order.


So when Breath of the Wild came along with its much talked about 'do it your way' open world design, I was very intrigued.

I left it until April this year to actually get my hands on BOTW, and man - it is something else.

I'm about 15-20 hours in (so I know I still have much to see and do) but so far it feels very different to any Zelda game I've played before. There's SO much to talk about, so I'll try not to waffle on all day.

The thing I immensely appreciated in the opening hour or so - apart from its stunning art style - was that once the training wheels come off, you're absolutely free to go wherever you want.

Unlike the games which came before it, BOTW doesn't require you to go around collecting items such as the hookshot or bombs to open paths in order to progress.

Just horsin' around 😏
You're given many of the tools and abilities early on - including the capability to wield melee weapons, shields and bows - as well as climbing most surfaces, until your stamina depletes.

Link also quickly picks up some very handy powers such as magnesis (manipulate metal objects), stasis (freeze time and exert force on an object which takes effect when time resumes), conjuring bombs (which can be detonated remotely) and cryonis (create frozen blocks in water to climb and walk on).

That might sound a bit strange, but the above capabilities are more or less everything you need to explore the world of BOTW - and I love that you get them early on.

It completely opens up the whole landscape from the word go and you're pretty much free to go wherever you want.

Above is an example of one crafty way to use the magnesis power 😁

I was pleased to see how much armour impacts on your gameplay as well. It's not just a case of increasing your defensive stat total.

Different types of armour are needed to venture into particularly hot or cold climates, while some help you sneak more effectively or swim faster, for example. That sort of depth really keeps you on your toes as you come up against the different challenges the game throws at you.

And no longer do you find quarter heart pieces - Link receives spirit orbs for beating a wide variety of puzzles and challenges in shrines, which are dotted all over the world waiting to be discovered.

Four spirit orbs can be traded for either a heart or another portion on your stamina gauge, so it's really up to you to prioritize which you need more.

Gameplay wise, there are tons of side quests to get immersed in - not to mention the pure joy of just wandering and discovering this gorgeous and changeable land.

The game world is huge and looks absolutely gorgeous
You're also free to return to the main quest at your leisure, so if you want to take time out to find yourself some more powerful weaponry, bond with your horse or a accumulate few more hearts, no problem!

Musically, BOTW is great - but to be honest I've been more blown away by the art. For me it's somewhere between Windwaker and perhaps Twilight Princess.

The way the landscape changes at different times and in all different weathers is just beautifully mesmerizing - and animations for Link, his enemies and the world around them, are very nicely done indeed.

As I say, I have so much more to discover yet but already there is so much to praise. I'll no doubt be writing more after I eventually complete the game (I'm taking it as a very leisurely pace at the moment).

But for now, I'd say this is definitely the best Zelda title I have played for a long time.

Have you played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Let me know your thoughts below!

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