If you are a company like Nintendo, who is still developing video-games for longer than a substantial portion of its fan base have been alive for, ensuring that its cherished franchises do not feel repetitive must be a priority. Such is the case with The Legend of Zelda which has seen various releases since it was first introduced in the days of the NES. Now the latest release, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has finally been released both on new and old hardware.
Given the appeal of new hardware, it’s not surprising that Nintendo’s main focus throughout the late life cycle of such an important project has been on the Nintendo Switch version. Whilst it’s difficult to not become a cynic and claim that the latest entry in this franchise is just another Zelda adventure with some tweaking, the same could be said of Western role-playing titles such as the Elder Scrolls franchise.
You see the beauty in this new Zelda title is that it’s not just about finding new gimmicks to provide long running hero Link with the tools to save the land of Hyrule yet again. Spend some time exploring the wild land in this latest iteration of Hyrule and it quickly becomes apparent what is really different about it. Whereas in previous Zelda titles players were mostly confined to exploring areas depending on the latest objective, here they are encouraged to explore and forge their own adventures. Funnily enough, it’s even possible to attempt what is surely a suicidal crack at the end boss at any point. The primary goals which mainly consist of taking back control of mechanical mythical beasts can be attempted at any point. It’s entirely up to players to choose what they want to do and play and their own pace. One such goal could be dealing with the mind boggling amount of side quests just waiting to be discovered.
To reinforce this theme of freedom, most of the vital runes (tools) needed to solve puzzles and gain access to different areas are also given within the first hour or so. Although other essential runes are given when meeting certain goals, it’s these initial runes that truly transform Breath of the Wild into a fascinating experience. You see, scattered all over the land are shrines filled with devious puzzles and other challenges that can be tackled. The incentive for doing so being that items gained by completing them are exchanged for extra hearts (lives) and so on. But the real reward is the satisfaction that derives from solving the puzzles. Whilst it’s suggested that a specific rune is used to solve a puzzle, that doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to also use another or a combination of different runes to achieve the same result. In fact, the more complex shrine puzzles tend to make use of different runes at the same time. Being able to come up with alternative solutions to not only solve these puzzles, but also when battling enemies or just exploring the land, is incredible because it works most of the times.
It’s not a Zelda video-game without all sorts of enemies to take on and it’s certainly the case with this one. In fact, making use of both runes and any weapons Link picks up is usually the best way to find weaknesses for each of these enemies. Although it can be irritating, the fact that weapons will eventually break if not taken care of properly, ensures that players don’t get attached to using just one and instead find ways to use them in an efficient manner.
The attention to detail is remarkable and demonstrates Nintendo’s willingness to experiment with its popular franchises. The very weather can affect Link in a variety of manners. It’s incredible to just move around the land and pay close attention to the surroundings. There is a lot to discover like accidentally stumbling upon characters by picking up rocks to noticing the way that enemies react differently if disarmed by Link. The best part is that it’s not even necessary to constantly spend hours moving back and forth across this huge land. Although there are animals like horses that can be tamed and ridden, there are also locations such as shrines that Link can use to instantly move to.
A truly open world approach to what is a Japanese role-playing title means that this title shares some similarities with most of its Western counterparts. The ability to save at any point is not only a welcome addition, but also a sensible one given how easy it is to play the title on the move – thanks to the Nintendo Switch’s handheld capabilities. If anything the title doesn’t suffer the least from being played on the smaller screen and it offers the same experience as when playing it on a TV screen. It’s only logical for Nintendo to support just about every Switch feature and it’s impressive how it does so without any any major issues. Obviously, using the Joy-Con controllers separately might not be as comfortable for those blessed with bigger hands, but there are other ways to play it – like using a Pro controller or using the Joy-Con controllers as a traditional controller with a grip. Although it can be strange to quickly use certain abilities due to the way these are mapped to buttons, such as running and jumping, it’s still not enough to truly feel like it’s the reason for any potential failures whilst playing.
What also makes this title feel so unique is the way Link interacts with characters. Although previous Zelda titles have their share of… unique characters, it must be said that this is the first one where they truly feel like they are living. The addition of a day and night cycle means that characters go about their daily lives or what passes off as such in a land full of scars from the doomed battle where Ganon’s latest iteration was victorious. Sometimes even the simplest of interactions, such as a character that gives Link an item for defeating monsters hassling her, are what makes for such a remarkable experience. The dialogue is clever enough to usually steer away from stilted one liners about destiny and such to give way to conversations that actual living beings might have in such a setting. It’s actually surprising to witness just how far Nintendo went given that characters even react differently to Link if he’s not wearing much at and there are glamorous great (drag queen) fairies. Although Nintendo has tried to continue innovating when it comes to new titles, it usually tells a story in a more conservative manner.
Given the scope of the title, it’s only natural that Nintendo went with a more realistic approach to world building for Breath of the Wild. Getting to explore new areas means having to ensure Link can survive whatever challenge lies ahead (some areas require clothing/consumables to keep Link warm/cold) and ensuring his stamina bar isn’t depleted whilst climbing. It’s only until climbing one of the various towers used to gain information on a section of Hyrule, that players can truly get a feel for the size of this land. Each section of it has a distinct look from Rito village to the water palace of the Zora’s Domain complete with a water dam behind it. Getting to explore the inside of each divine beast is just as breathtaking. Rather unusual for a Zelda title, but the choice of mostly low key music tracks helps keep the mellow mood given off by the nature theme.
Despite the dungeons in this title not feeling as complex as those found in other Zelda titles, it means not feeling frustrated by spending hours trying to figure out the same puzzle. Solving a simpler puzzle still feels like an accomplishment in a title such a this. Just the way that puzzles are put together in such clever ways makes the process of finding the solution feel exciting. That and the shrine puzzles more than make up for anyone who is craving a proper challenge. The build up to the fights with the bosses also feels like a rush and more so due to the encouragement provided by the fallen characters who were tasked with controlling these majestic mechanical divine beasts.
In the midst of all this comes the pleasant realisation that Zelda herself has a bigger role to play in the story. It’s through memories that Link can unlock that we see a determined Zelda, who is actively trying to figure out the mysteries surrounding the shrines and the Sheikah slate, in order to increase the odds of defeating Calamity Ganon. Giving Link amnesia means players get to emotionally connect with key players at the same time that Link himself is familiarising himself once again with what happened many years ago.
Other Japanese companies have attempted to integrate Western role-playing elements into their Japanese role-playing titles with some success. Breath of the Wild has done so without sacrificing what makes franchises like Zelda last for so many years. Despite being full of ideas, they work by ensuring that every play session is just another opportunity to come across another delightful surprise – be it something majestic like successfully tricking giant enemies into fighting each other to a surprising act of kindness from a stranger Link has helped. It’s for these and many other reasons that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a wonderful journey of discovery that will most likely feel unique to every player who gives it a chance.
