The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)
| Dimensions: | 17 x 10.5 x 1.1 cm; 40 Grams |
| Model: | 217915 |
| Dimensions: | 17 x 10.5 x 1.1 cm; 40 Grams |
| Origin: | Japan |
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)
| Dimensions: | 17 x 10.5 x 1.1 cm; 40 Grams |
| Model: | 217915 |
| Dimensions: | 17 x 10.5 x 1.1 cm; 40 Grams |
| Origin: | Japan |
Gift for my son, but even as someone who isn’t particularly into Zelda games I can see how good this game is. Huge open world to explore and tons of stuff to do
This is my real first dive into Zelda and I must admit I’m hooked.
The scenery is outstanding, gameplay and puzzles are just brilliant. I find the controls to be awkward at times but you do get the hang of it after the many hours of playing. The game reminds me of a child’s version of a cross between red dead redemption and assassins creed. (Previously played on PlayStation before switching to the switch)
I would recommend this open play game if you like the previously stated games
From the very first glimpse of the vast, open landscape, you are immediately transported into a world teeming with life and wonder. The sheer scale of Hyrule is awe-inspiring, and the seamless exploration it offers is unparalleled. Every mountain peak, lush forest, and hidden cavern beckons you to uncover its secrets, inviting you to lose yourself in the sheer beauty of the environment.
But it is not just the mesmerizing visuals that make Breath of the Wild a standout experience. The gameplay mechanics are a testament to the game’s ingenuity and commitment to reinventing the beloved Zelda franchise. The freedom to approach challenges and puzzles in any way you see fit is liberating, empowering players with an unprecedented level of agency and creativity. The possibilities are endless as you climb towering cliffs, glide through the sky, and harness the elements to your advantage.
Moreover, the narrative of Breath of the Wild is a triumph in itself. It weaves a tale of heroism, sacrifice, and the enduring power of hope. Every character you encounter, every ancient ruin you explore, and every lore-rich snippet you uncover adds depth and richness to the overarching story. The emotional investment in the fate of Hyrule and its inhabitants is truly profound, leaving a lasting impression long after the game is completed.
Accompanying this grand adventure is a mesmerizing musical score that perfectly captures the essence of each moment. From the tranquil melodies that accompany serene exploration to the soaring orchestrations that intensify heart-pounding battles, the soundtrack is a masterful composition that elevates the entire experience, effortlessly immersing players in the world of Hyrule.
It is worth noting that while Breath of the Wild is an undeniable triumph, it is not without minor blemishes. Some players may find certain aspects of the game’s difficulty curve to be a tad unforgiving, and occasional technical hiccups may momentarily disrupt the otherwise seamless immersion. However, these minor imperfections pale in comparison to the grandeur and magnificence that Breath of the Wild has to offer.
In summary, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a crowning achievement in the world of video games. It effortlessly immerses players in a vast and wondrous world, offering unparalleled freedom, breathtaking visuals, and an unforgettable narrative. With its innovative gameplay, captivating soundtrack, and meticulous attention to detail, this game stands as a true masterpiece that will leave you awestruck and yearning for more. Breath of the Wild is an experience that transcends mere entertainment, solidifying its place as a legend among legends in the realm of gaming.
I’m now 15 hours into the game, so far an excellent experience. It plays well both in docked and handheld modes, and is most importantly an excellent game with impressive visuals, exciting gameplay and a large open world. If you have a switch, and have not already played it, I very much recommend this.
At some points I struggle to find the way forward, I personally feel like the open world aspect distracts from the missions ever so slightly. It’s a personal preference, I like to focus on completing objectives, but it’s an enjoyable game to play.
Just finished playing this and loved every minute. From the spectacular graphics to the ingenious mechanics everything about this game is excellent. It will be a while before anything comes out that can compete with this for me.
I’ve played various kinds of games since the Spectrum 48k without being a hardcore gamer. My favourites each had some quality about them that was unlike anything else around. Breath of the Wild is like that but I gotta say, it keeps giving and it’s the best game I’ve played. The best? Come on, really?
Yes, you discover the world as you progress, and there’s so much world to explore it’s amazing, from the big things (whole new areas or culture so well refined) to the little things (those hidden or background things crammed into the spaces between). It immerses you into that world and keeps you interested. And rewards you for exploring.
But more than the world, there’s the gameplay itself. You discover your way of playing as you play, and the game lets you do this. This makes it accessible to all kinds of players. And though you can go in whatever direction you like you can approach new things in various ways. Wanna be cautious? Cool. Wanna run right in? Go for it. Wanna avoid it? Sure. But wanna come back later? Sure thing. The opening area treats you kindly and lets you discover your abilities and get used to the controls on a smooth but challenging gradient. It’s very rewarding.
I was personally very happy the game didn’t get into RPG-style weapon-crafting. It would have been too much – I think the designers balanced the game just right without it. Having said that, I’m now ready for that in the sequel 🙂
Personally I love the art-style and the colour palette is to me perfect for this, making the environments feel very much like the natural world. And ah the sounds, from water to rain to grass to birds, clubs, swords, rolling boulders, it all sounds just right and you really get to appreciate this sometimes when there’s just you and a wood and no music. Which said, is great: the music helps to define a place and adapts to the action or lack thereof as well. Genius.
Anyway, I could go on. I’ve sunk many hours into this game. It rehabilitated a sense of play and enjoyment in me I hadn’t realised had gone to sleep, and awoke old dreams. I still play it, even after 425+ hours, there’s still things for me to do, even after the expansions. And I’m so looking forward to the sequel 😀
This game has to be, by far, the best game I have ever played. I bought the Switch because I wanted to play this game though was somewhat sceptical if the cost would be worth it. I haven’t had as much fun in a video game as I have with this one before. I’m aware that a lot of people who are classic LoZ fans aren’t happy with this game given they claim it’s “not a LoZ game” though for the most part I have to disagree.
The base of the puzzle dungeon aspect is still there. Just because the puzzles are split out across over 100 instances doesn’t mean that the feature is gone and for me it’s the puzzle dungeons that make the LoZ franchise. The puzzles being split into so many smaller little “trails” as they are called is, to me, a really great idea. They all teach you a way to use your equipment which is useful for later trails or for the main story quest. In addition to this, you’ve got a massively expansive world with a great variation of terrain (each example of which brings its own hazards in enemies and how the environment affects you such as snowy mountains being dangerously cold) as well as a great combat system where you can either get by just attacking when you can or you can really learn how it works which is rewarding once you get it down. There’s also the food system where you can hunt or forage for ingredients and then cook them to create various dishes which provide health as well as many different buffs depending on what you cook (for example you can cook a meat skewer with meat you hunt for which gives a good amount of health, then you can create a similar dish but with stamina-restoring properties if you add another ingredient which restores stamina when cooked to make a healing item that also restores stamina and so on). In addition to the cooking you can also brew potions witcher-style using monster drops and various herbs found in the world so you can get more effective or longer lasting buffs without the health boosts.
The open-world potential of this game really impressed me. Not only through how you can just ignore the main story quest and go off to do whatever you want while still having a load of fun, but there’s so many small details that make this game so special. You can climb every tree, every mountain and just about everything else that is obviously not supposed to be climbed on (though the list of things you can’t climb is very short). You can fell trees with an axe, cut the log into firewood, pile the wood up and then set fire to it using any source of fire you may have (flint, lit torch, lightning strike, the list goes on) and then use this fire either as a means to keep yourself warm in a cold wilderness/at night, to open-roast food to cook it quickly and to skip time by resting beside it. Every item of clothing does something different (basic clothes, armour, cold-resistance, heat-resistance and so on).
The story of the game may not be for everyone due to the style it was written (minor spoiler— it’s written in the retrospective, learn about the past as you play kind of way—end spoiler) though I really like it, you’re not forced into playing through the main story quests and all there’s so much additional lore to search out. You don’t get a “hand-holding” experience with the story, quest markers on your map aren’t necessarily pointing to the solution and you usually have to do some asking around or pathfinding in the area that you’re pointed to in order to work out what you need to do.
Overall- this game is worth buying a Switch for alone, anyone who enjoys puzzles, exploration, combat, little features which let you play the way you want to play- this is the game for you!
So here it is. After what seems like an eternity, the next installment in the Zelda series is here and it has made some big changes while it has been away. Some for the better and some not so much. However, is the game any good? The short answer is yes with a but.
The game starts with a familiar style for the Zelda series with our hero Link waking up to the sound of a mysterious voice. After a quick change of clothes (if you want to that is!) and a new tablet like device at his side, our hero Link is ready to begin another adventure in the land of Hyrule. I feel that the opening sequence is easily going to be one of the most remembered moments in the series history as Link runs up a short hill to look over the vast land that awaits him. All of which can be travelled to and explored at the players own pace. I can easily see people talking about that moment years from now for good reason, it is amazing, and sets the stage from the get go. The music that plays is simple yet touching and fits the scene perfectly.
After this, the game starts in a small area that acts like a tutorial zone, which will take around one to two hours to complete depending on how to tackle it. This area works extremely well to show the player that this is no ordinary Zelda game. You must clear four shrines which act like mini dungeons to unlock player abilities but apart from the first one, the other three can be tackled in any order and in anyway. A good example is a shrine that sits on top of a cold mountain. On my first play through I carry a lit torch to keep of the cold and yet my second play through I unlocked a warm coat and climbed up the side of the mountain. This gives you an idea of how varied the game is.
As I mentioned just, the game has introduced a temperature system. This means when you enter a certain area such as a cold maintain, you will need heated clothing or cook something to keep you warm. The same for the hot places like Death Mountain where you need armour to keep you cool. This is one of the features I was worried about but has now become one of my favourite in the whole game.
After that, you can go anywhere at any time. Some of the areas however are clearly designed for later on in the game as the biggest and most difficult monsters are in those areas. You can go there if you want but you will die almost instantly until you have unlocked a good amount of hearts and upgraded your armour.
One of the most notable problems some will have is the games unbalanced difficulty when it comes to monsters. Some can be taken out with ease yet just a few yards down the road, the same type of monsters can deliver an instant death especially if your number of hearts are low. The game does thankfully save quite regularly so even when you do die (I said when not if) it’s never more than a few moments back but the spikes will put many people off the game and certainly newbies or younger players to the series may not be happy with seeing the game over screen time and time again. While it’s certainly not Zelda 2 hard, it’s still unpredictable how much health you will lose in a fight. However, once you’ve upgraded your armour to full and have the best weapons, the game can become too easy where enemies do almost no damage but you can kill in just one hit. While not game breaking in anyway it is unbalanced at times.
As for the health, that has had a complete overhaul in this game. Gone are the dropped hearts to replenish your health and in comes cooking. The game is littered with ingredients, meats and fresh fruit that have different effects depending on how they are cooked. At first, I didn’t like this idea but it does grow on you as the game progresses. It’s akin to having a health pack with you at all times. One of the biggest annoyances though is the health doesn’t regenerate which is something odd for an open world game or at least, the ones I have played such as Skyrim.
The graphics in this game are very impressive for the system with a Studio Ghibli vibe to them. They are done in a cel-shading style but unlike the Wind Waker cel-shading in the world has many details. The water effects are great, the world feels alive and you want to keep exploring even long after completing the game. Truth be told, I have spent more time wondering around the world then playing the main quest.
On the flip side the sound is probably the worst part of the game and especially for a Zelda game. The sound effects are spot on with every weapon making the correct sound (clanging of metal or the thud of wooden swords) and on their own get a ten out of ten. However, the music is the huge let down overall. One thing that nobody can deny is that the Zelda games have some of the greatest and most iconic video game music ever created. That is sadly lacking in this game. It does have a soundtrack but it is mostly ambient in its style. Unlike say the Elder Scrolls games that play beautiful music when traversing the world. It’s really missed when the only sounds are the wind blowing, birds tweeting and the odd piano key now and then. However, certain areas do have proper music such as Zora’s Domain and the Horse Stables that it is all-orchestral and sound fantastic.
The voice acting is hit and miss. Some like the Goron’s and the Rito sound pretty good but others like the Mipha of the Zora Clan is quite poor and Zelda herself can sometimes be cringy. When compared to other voice acting in video games it does need some work. However, I do think adding voice acting is the right move for the series and if you ask me, it should have been adding back in Twilight Princess. I hope this does return for future games in the series but better voice actors are used. I personally changed it to Japanese once the update came out and it sounds a thousand times better.
Now on to the gameplay. One thing that the series has brought back from Wind Waker is the ability to use enemy’s weapons and this time you can keep them. I really enjoyed this idea as each weapon has it’s strengths and weakness and does mix up gameplay for the better. However, the durability of these weapons is ridicules. They can break at the drop of a hat. For example, I found a trident in Zora’s Domain and it broke after throwing it at one enemy. Swords can break after less than five hits and so on. As I said I really like the idea but the weapons need to last a lot longer than they do. It does force you to think fast about what weapons to use but at the start of the game it is insane when you are given a stick and it breaks in three hits. I actually found myself avoiding conflict completely.
The climbing feature is also something new to the series and I do believe it is not just the best thing to happen to a Zelda game but could be one of the best things to happen to an open world game in years. Everything is truly open to you and nothing is out of bounds. You can climb almost any surface making the game world truly open. One complaint I’ve always had about Skyrim is getting stuck trying to climb a mountain where in this game, that’s not a problem!
Speaking of the game world, it amazing to see what Nintendo have made and for the first few hours it will astound you. However, later on it will start to become a little tedious, as some areas are just too big for their own good and without a horse can take a long time to cover a short distance.
Oh and another thing, for some reason everyone but the Hylians are giants. I really mean it, the Zora’s, Rito and the Gurudo are about eight foot tall! Not sure why.
So on conclusion do I recommend this game? I’m going to say yes.
However, many will disagree but I have found this game is not the same the second time around. Ocarina of Time is still my personal favourite and I play it at least once a year and enjoy it every time. However, wen I played this through for the second time it lost all of its fun. The shrines become boring, the dungeons can be done in less than 15 mins and it just didn’t hook me like so many other entries in the series.
Oh and why have they removed the file select? Seems like a step backwards there.
My first play through I rated it a strong third but at this point, I rate it as my sixth favourite in the series.
The game is not perfect in anyway and many of the critic’s scores are a little too generous for my liking as they overlook some of the games minor problems but it is a triumph none the less. It has some creases that need to be ironed out in the future but if this is the direction the series is going in, then I for one will be one happy Zelda fan once again.just don’t let us wait another six years for a new Zelda next time, Nintendo.
Game play:-17/20
Graphics:- 18/20
Sound:- 15/20
Value for Money:- 20/20
Replay Value:- 16/20
(86/100). A must buy.
Link awakes from a 100-year slumber with little clue as to why so, or where he even is. With nothing more than a short promise from a mysterious female voice, a tree branch and some fetching underwear, you can guide Link around a huge, sprawling landscape that is just waiting to be explored. There are small prompts to guide you throughout the opening phase – but it is not until you start making friends that your quest becomes clear.
In fact, one can travel towards the ‘end’ phase of the game right from the beginning; though defeat is certain. This gives you an idea of the freedom and realism on offer.
The simplicity of the story serves a purpose, which is that it underpins your narrative. You play the game how you want to play it, and as such become a director. More importantly, I think what makes Breath of the Wild different to other open world games is that it has real integrity. Link must become at one with the environment to complete his quests, and that means being more thoughtful about your actions so that you can plan ahead.
Do you really want to try and slay a grizzly bear that can kill you with one swipe; or would you rather sneak up, jump on it and tame it? If I have no horse to aid, should I create a bond with a dog to help scare away smaller foe? Should I traverse at night through a forest looking for acorns, or wait until the morning when squirrel-like creatures collect them?
This is the so-called Nintendo Difference – a game that is built on morals we can learn from. Not a post-apocalyptic war zone with blood shed and linear objectives.
While the graphics are typically Nintendo as a stylised affair (which, let’s face, is a lot more interesting than hyper-photorealistic-pixel-peeping textures), I believe that it is the audio which shines through. I don’t believe I’ve ever played a Nintendo game with such crazily accurate attention to detail – so much so that you can pass time easily through just crouching in a meadow and listening to insects, animals and the wind gushing through the grass, changing position as you move. This game also lacks a soundtrack in the traditional sense, but instead opts for incidental and atmospheric music that accompanies your style of gameplay. If you’re a fan of Penguin Cafe Orchestra, then this is the game for you!
As a final word on performance, I have found the game runs at a steady 30fps for almost the entirety of the play session. Where there are frame dips, it is only for split seconds during graphically demanding scenes.
So don’t just take my word it. The hype is, surprisingly, real – this is a treasure that will go down as the next milestone, and should be experienced by as many gamers as possible. It is absolutely breathtaking.
to be in a position to afford the games and consoles I dreamed about as a kid! But I’ve checked on Amazon and I can’t find anywhere that sells time!!
And time is something I wish I had more of having played Zelda:breath of the wild. The game deserves your unreserved attention, and is a return to form for Nintendo (kind of reminds me of that Mickley O’Neil rising from the Matt in snatch).
Graphics
I have recently been playing Horizon Dawn on the PS PRO and for anyone else that has, they will tell you the games looks incredible. So in contrast Zelda would pale into insignificance right? WRONG! I have had just as many ‘wow’ moments as I have with Horizon. Maybe the art style of Zelda is more forgiving due to its cartoony look and feel. But everything feels alive, bugs and critters buzz and jump around you as you run through fields. Leaves blow through the air, sunlight paints a gorgeous glow over the mountains that have you hitting the screen shot button. I am yet to experience any rate rate issues either, although 90% of my play time has been in mobile mode which I believe runs at 720p so that may explain why. Unless you are offended by the art style I doubt there will be anything here that doesn’t make smile at how much thought has gone into it.
Audio
As I said above, most of my play time so far has been in handheld mode. But through headphones everything, as with the graphicsfeels alive. Wind blowing through trees, bombs going off, all links little shouts and grunts. Nothing feels out of place. What voice acting there is, is great although I wish all dialogue was voiced over as I’m not much of a reader. Music is like a walk back through time with jazzified versions of the music of old once again perfectly suiting the mood of the game.
Gameplay
Never has a Zelda game had so much to manage. The weapons system at first took some getting used to, knowing my big hitting samari sword would be broken after a few battles made me not want to use it. But when I bumped into a grumpy old cyclops I had know choice but to bring out the big hitter. At that point I realised this game mechanic might just actually work! Now it is like second nature. Thus is just one of the new additions to the game. There is so much to do, i think I’m probably 5% in after 12hrs play time….. After getting the….. SPOILER ALERT… glider, I was off running to the highest mountain to glide as far as I could in completely the opposite way to the main quest. And this game is HUGE!!! In the distance you can see the glow of a star that has just fallen from the sky, on the way there you pass a waterfall, on closer inspection you find a secret cave behind the waterfall….. And so on and so on. Little puzzles are everywhere, cooking elixirs, hunting, sliding down mountains on your shield. I feel like I’m just scratching the surface and the fame draws you in to dig deeper by rewarding you every step of the way.
I can’t praise this game highly enough. This reminds me of the classic Nintendo games of old, and I don’t think you can give it much higher praise than that. Sublime in every way!
10/10
Graphics
There have been mentions of frame issues from several publications, however during my playing 20 hours of playing time with the game these do not detract from the gameplay experience (Note, when playing docked frame rates do become more frequent). Aside from these hiccups, Nintendo has created there most beautiful game to date. From the beautiful vistas in the outer world to the charming and vibrant villages you come across in the game, Nintendo has done an excellent of potraying the original Legend of Zelda (1986) NES game which has inspired the design of Breath of the Wild. The varied locations, the beautiful sceneries and landscapes make this a beautiful game to behold. (9.8/10)
Gameplay
Nintendo has created their most dense, articulate and compelling gameplay mechanics in their entire video gaming history. From cooking food, to managing inventory, upgrading clothing/weapon slots…the list goes on. The game is truly massive and yet it is a harsh and brutal game that requires patience and deep thinking. The depature of 100s of shrines compared to the dungeons (which there are in this game) is a huge change that has seemingly impressed me so far. Combat is fairly challenging and it’s important to workout your enemies movements, for you to strike and possibly encounter a flurry attack. One minor complaint that may differ from other individuals are the horse controls which feel stiff and unresponsive to control at times. Though if that is the only thing to complaon about the gameplay in Breath of the Wild then that is saying something. This iteration of gameplay mechanics in a Zelda game is near flawless. (10/10)
Value
Is this worth you money? Considering this was made for the Wii U and those that still own one it would be hard to recommend to buy a Nintendo Switch just for Zelda as launch titles are pretty dire where there are no other big games to choosr from. However, to those individuals I say this; you miss the form factor of playing Breath of the Wild wherever you go, whether it be in bed, on a commute, airplane or even the toilet. That is the value proposition here. The game itself is more than 100 hours (plus DLC), which all the more makes it worth more than the moneys worth. To those that have never tried a Zelda game this is perfect to get into the series, whereas Nintendo and Zelda fans alike probably own the game already. This is a must buy if your purchase the Nintendo Switch
Verdict
Is this the greatest game of all time? Having been ranked inside the top 5 games in history on metacritic there is no reason to believe why it may not be. Personally, I believw this is an even greater achievement that Nintendo has accomplished with the Zelda franchise and formula since Ocarina of time (which is a timeless classic by the way). But seeing how much the series has developed and changed over the years building up to what the developers had envisioned a Zelda game to be all those years ago, this is a masterpiece on open-world design. Breath of the Wild is truly breathtaking and one of the most joyous and satisfied gaming experiences I have had since maybe The Last of Us. Is this the greatest game of all time? The answer to that question is a resounding ‘YES’! If not, this is the best game Nintendo has ever created and will be a timeless classic in many decades to come. (10/10)
Score: 10/10
–Gameplay–
Zelda: BotW offers virtually no tutorial and almost no hand-holding, instead teaching players about the world and game mechanics through discovering them for themselves. This makes playing the game incredibly satisfying, and a refreshing experience considering the lengthly tutorials which a lot of modern games force players into. Although you’ll inevitably make mistakes during this self-learning process (you can come across enemies and situations which can 1-hit kill you if you’re not careful!) there is no penalty for dying besides being placed back at your last save point. This further encourages experimentation and adventure, and I’ve had a genuinely good time running around the world discovering as much as I can within it.
Inventory mechanics are pretty solid – weapons have a short lifespan but are plentiful around the world, so you’ll find yourself rotating frequently between weapon types without the frustrating experience of being left unarmed. These are very easy to swap in/out, and can be done without opening the full inventory menu. Cooking food – essential to stop you from losing hearts and dying – is a refined and satisfying experience. Almost anything can be combined and cooked in a process which takes a few seconds and ends with a pleasing jingle. Since cooked food seems pretty effective, you shouldn’t find yourself in the typical Skyrim scenario of crafting 100s of potions before going out adventuring.
–Story–
I can’t comment too much on the story due to my current playtime, but there seems to be a good mix of emergent story (i.e. things you discover or learn whilst exploring the world) and traditional quest-based storytelling. Although the standard Zelda/Ganon/Hyrule scenario is there, this is given a slight twist, as is Link’s role and past. I imagine the exact details of Link’s past will be something players learn about as the story develops. Storytelling has always been good in Zelda games, and so far BotW certainly seems not to be an exception
–Graphics–
Considering this game can be played on a portable console, the graphics are pretty outstanding. The world is rich and colourful with a clear art direction; I’d put it somewhere between Wind Waker and Skyward Sword in terms of visual style. Although it might lack the raw graphical fidelity of many recent PC games (my primary platform), everything is clear and the world is a joy to explore visually. My only criticism would be in terms of FPS; generally BotW chugs along relatively well, but there are occasional noticable dips in FPS. This seems to happen mostly in large areas of long grass or when multiple enemies die simultaneously. It’s a shame that this happens and it’s a mild annoyance, but considering the how good this game looks it’s understandable.
–Sound–
Although lacking (so far) the epic, majestic soundtracks of previous Zelda titles, BotW creates an excellent soundscape with minimalist music and environmental sound. This really enhances the exploratory nature of the game, and makes those big fights even more dramatic when a bit of music occasionally does kick in. It was a risky move, but it suits the tone of the game very nicely and furthers the sense of this game breaking away from other games in the series
–Conclusion–
Overall I’m incredibly happy with this game. As someone who’s played quite a few Zelda titles, and games generally, BotW felt like a fresh experience and is a great joy to play. It has loose ties to previous games, but isn’t weighed down by the need to stick to their formula or mechanics. Although my experience so far has been brief, I can certainly see why BotW has had unanimous critical praise. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to play some more!