Game Review: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The past couple months I have made a full submergence into the land of Hyrule, via The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This is my 3rd Zelda gaming experience, and reminded me why I loved the franchise so much. This game was released back in 2017 and I had been very aware of the hype from my brothers and my little nephew. I had no intentions however to buy a Nintendo switch until I finished my year long phase of Assassin's Creed. I was looking for a similar open-world gaming experience, and the massive map of Hyrule was most recommended. So I decided to buy the Nintendo Switch, mostly to play Breath of the Wild and it was very much worth the purchase.

It took me a little time to adjust to the Nintendo Switch controls after owning an Xbox for the past 10 years but I eventually got the feel for it. It also took me some time to get familiar with all of Link's weapons and mobility options. In this game he can do it all, and there really is no limit to where he can explore. Another major adjustment for me was switching from the gory aspects of Assassin's Creed to a more colorful and cartoonish world in Zelda. That being said however the graphics were still quite detailed compared to most Nintendo games. The freedom to explore and take on this game however I chose to is what I most loved about it. 

The Setting

From the get-go of the game, Link was presented an enormous map that had to be explored and unlocked via giant towers. This tower aspect quickly reminded me of Assassin's Creeds viewpoints, that unlocked all the details of a region. Just like in AC, climbing each tower was no easy task, and some required major combat and problem solving. The towers also served as portals to quick travel throughout the map. There are 15 towers in the game's massive map, each that covers a vast and unique geographical region. 

Aside from the towers, were the many shrines that also served as portals yet also offered a vital heart or stamina expansion. There are 120 shrines scattered all throughout the vast map, some of which are very difficult to find or unlock. However discovering the shrine is only half the battle, and the real challenge is to unlock it. These trials are mostly puzzles, with a few combat trials, where Link has to navigate thru these underworld domains to reach the ancient spirit. Once he completes the puzzle, the ancient spirit offers him a sacred relic. With four of these sacred relics, Link can expand his health or stamina. So ultimately the shrines are very necessary to increase Link's power. 

The vast map consisted of all forms of terrains; from the green fields of Hyrule, to the volcanic mountain ranges of the Gorons, the rivers and water domain of the Zoras, and the dry desert lands of the Gerudo. These three tribes were iconic Zelda races that I recalled from previous games who always had a vital role in aiding Link on his adventure. However there was a new 4th species added to this game, the race of the Rito. I believe they were included in other games such as Windwaker, yet this was my first experience with them. The Rito lived high up in the cold Hebra mountains and took the form of humanoid birds. 

Aside from these vast regions of wilderness were many stables and small towns to visit. Both the stables and towns provided a nice break from the wild, where Link could socialize with other people, rest, and trade. The stables provided Link a system to board and recall horses that he had claimed throughout the map. The towns offered many side quests and various shops such as food, clothing, weaponry, and inns for Link to rest. Iconic Zelda towns returned such as Kakariko Village, Hateno Village, Goron City, Gerudo town, and Zora's Domain. New settlements included Rito Village, Lurelin Village, and Tarrey Town.  

There was never a dull moment exploring the vast map of Hyrule and this is truly the greatest appeal to this game. Just like it's title suggests, the map is a homage to outdoor wilderness and Link is navigating it with every tool and resource he can find. He can forge for berries and mushrooms, hunt, fish, chop for wood, and start a fire to cook food. Cooking is one of the great additions to this game that are vital to restore Link's health. Link also has the ability to create elixirs (by mixing bugs with monster parts) which grant him various forms of protection and strength. 

The map of Hyrule is also loaded with many outposts and enemies always quick to attack Link at first sight. These enemies are all sorts of monsters such as goblins, lizards, skeletons, ghosts, bats, octopus, jellyfish, and ferocious centaurs known as lynels. There is also the Yiga clan which are ninja like warriors. However fighting and defeating these monsters have various advantages such as collecting their weapons, rupees, and monster parts to sell or cook elixirs. However no matter how many monsters you defeat they always return after several days due to the very annoying blood moon. When this moon rises all wicked creatures are somehow resurrected, thus Hyrule is never fully free from Ganon's wickedness. 

Link's mobility to navigate the wilderness is quite realistic in this game due to the stamina bar. There is a limit to how fast he can run, how far he can swim, and how high he can climb. At first this was somewhat annoying, but then it made for a new challenge. There are many tools and ways for Link to get where he wants to get to or achieve his mission. It's always fun to have different options and ways to achieve a goal. Furthermore the stamina bar can be increased after four shrine-relics are collected. My favorite way to navigate in this game was with the paraglider and Revali's Gale which launches Link high into the sky.  

The Story

The main story of this game was a good one, full of backstory and details to the current situation. Link awakens from a 100 year slumber and is slowly reminded of how Calamity Ganon invaded Hyrule Castle and took the princess Zelda prisoner. He discovers that he was the chosen champion of Zelda, yet suffered injuries in their battle against Ganon and was put into a health restoration tomb for 100 years. Thus the game begins with Link recovering his memory and strength needed to defeat Ganon. 

Link learns about the ancient guardians and four divine beasts of Hyrule, some 10,000 years ago who defended Hyrule from the first Great Calamity of Ganon. However after a long period of peace, Ganon returned for a 2nd time, 100 years ago, and this time was able to turn the guardians and beasts against Hyrule. The king of Hyrule called upon the magical power of his daughter Zelda and a team of champions to defeat Ganon. This included Mipha of the Zora Domain, Daruk of the Gorons, Revali of the Ritos, Urbosa of the Gerudo, and the main hero Link. The champions were all defeated however, except for Link who was injured and put to hide in the Shrine of Resurrection.

In his present day adventure Link learns from an ancient Sheikah elder, Impa that in order to face Ganon again he needs to unlock the four divine beasts. This can be done in whatever order you chose and requires Link to travel to the four main races of Hyrule; the Zoras, the Gorons, the Gerudo, and the Rito. Each region has several quests required to collect the proper tools to approach the divine beast. Entering the beast is also a challenge, in which Link must team up with one of the local heroes to defeat it. Once inside the beast, it is like a temple of puzzles in which Link must solve to unlock. The final stage of taking back control of the beast is facing the boss of the temple, which is a phantom version of Ganon. Solving the puzzles of the divine beast were quite challenging and facing the Thunderblight Ganon (from Gerudo) was the hardest boss in the entire game in my opinion. 

Once you had control of the four divine beasts it was time to enter Hyrule Castle and face Ganon. What's actually quite interesting is you could face Ganon at the onset of the game, but it would have been nearly impossible. In order to face Ganon Link needs proper health and weapons, yet mostly because the four divine beasts will send a blast at him that will cut his health into half. Entering the castle was quite a challenge as it is heavily defended by the guardians with their deadly laser blasts. Facing Calamity Ganon was also challenging but not as difficult as Thunderblight Ganon in my opinion. 

Like most Zelda games however defeating Ganon was never a cut-and-dry task, and there are often various phases to defeating him. In this game after defeating Ganon inside the castle, Link must face the beastly incarnate version of Ganon (which is basically a giant bull). This boss however is not too difficult and this time Link is aided by the magical powers of Zelda. With his horse and the Bow of Light, Link just needs to hit the monster at key targets to defeat it. I defeated this boss on my 2nd try and was glad there wasn't a third phase. 

After defeating Ganon the game ended quite abruptly with Link and Zelda walking off into the sunset. This was probably my biggest complaint to the game was the abrupt ending to what was a very good story. Furthermore after the credits finished rolling thru, it appeared Ganon did not leave the game. While it was acknowledged that you beat him, Ganon was forever residing in the castle and map of Hyrule. I think this game could have easily created a universe post-Ganon, which would have been interesting to explore. 

Nonetheless aside from the main Ganon story-arc there is still so much side activities to do after defeating him. This includes unlocking all the shrines, discovering all the Korok seeds, and collecting so many other rare items. Ultimately the story was not quite as beautiful as Ocarina of Time, yet still very good. It offered so much new content and backstory to the Zelda Universe. I am very interested to partake in the game Hyrule Warrios which is like a prequel that takes place during the 2nd Battle of Calamity. I also can't wait to play the sequel to this game which I hear is in the works. 

The Gameplay

The thing that took me the longest to get use to, was all of Link's combat weapon options in this game. Every button on the controller serves a purpose for one of Link's unique skills or weapon uses. This ranges from the Sheik Slate, his sword and melee weapons, his bow-and-arrows, his shields, and his special hero skills. He has the ability the attack, counter-attack, dodge, and parry blasts. Precision and timing is key, where every enemy has a weak spot (usually his head or eye), and a carefully-timed dodge or parry can unleash a fatal assault. 

However just like there is a limit to Link's stamina, there is also a limit to his use of a weapon. This concept of a weapon breaking after several uses was quite an original one, and very frustrating at first. However it also adds a new challenge to collecting and choosing the right weapons for various enemies. Even the iconic Master Sword has a limit, but thankfully goes into a brief hibernation period and does not break. Each of Link's weapons have a power ranking, and the bigger ones pack a bigger punch but also take more effort to swing. I thought it was very cool to see Link collect and use non-common weapons such as tree branches, spoons, and even skeleton bones. 

The Shiek slate also made for a unique gaming experience, that allowed Link to use magical tools. This included a bomb remote, a time freezer, a powerful magnet, an ice block generator, and a camera. Every one of these tools was needed to perform tasks throughout the game, mostly in shrines, puzzles, and even fighting bosses. The bomb remote was my favorite and ideal for killing multiple enemies or unlocking hidden treasures within caves. These tools often offered Link alternative solutions to navigating and solving puzzles. For example the ice block generator was a good solution for Link to cross long rivers or lakes, if he did not have access to a sailboat or leaf. 

Another very interesting aspect of the gameplay is the constant moving time. This allows you to experience the map during the morning, afternoon, and the night. Most of the characters in this game are asleep at night which is cool to see. There are many quests and locations where the time plays a vital role. One big difference in the time is temperature changes from daytime to nighttime, especially in the Gerudo desert. Tracking time is necessary when searching for things or hunting dragons who usually move at sunrise. Link also has the ability to fast forward time by sitting by fires or by going to sleep at inns. There are also various secrets to uncover at night, notably the Fang and Bone monster shop. 

One of the features I always enjoyed from the AC games was the financial transactions and renovations and this game certainty had it's economic aspects. For starters the rupees were very necessary to stay at inns, board new horses, and make purchases at various shops. The great fairies also required large payments to unlock their fountains. Selling was also an option at stores and traveling merchants, and the stone gems sold for the best prices. There were two renovation goals in this game which I greatly enjoyed. The first was building Link's house in Hateno village, which required various tasks, funds, and resources. Although I wish the home would have been more detailed, I enjoyed the idea that Link had a home in the vastness of Hyrule. The 2nd and more enjoyable task was building Tarry Town, which included collecting resources and seeking unique inhabitants of the city. Once complete the town became a booming settlement of trade and resources.  

Aside from the main quest and shrines, there are so many side quests to take on to get the most out of the game. These usually take place in the settlements and villages where a townsperson is in need of a resource or requests Link to perform a challenging task. These side quests provide great content and also good rewards such as rupees or rare items. There are also many difficult beasts to challenge such as the lynels, giant hinox, stone talus, and the desert moldugas. Defeating these monsters are a great accomplishment that also provide a great wealth of weapons, money, and resources. 

The vastness of this game map is exactly what I was after when I purchased the game. It provided a very mythical/fantasy quality that the Assassin's Creed games did not quite have, which made for a nice escape. The story, music, details, and characters were all very enjoyable and it did not take long for me to truly lose track of time and get lost into this game. The character of Link remains one of my favorite fictional heroes for his humble yet very courageous persona. This game truly did live up to the hype and I would go as far as to say that it exceeded my expectations. It was definitely worth the double purchase of the switch console and the game, as I put so much time into it. There were frustrating, challenging,  and also very enjoyable moments, which makes for a great balance in a gaming experience. I would certainly have this in my top 5 favorite games of all time.