Haley Reviews: Breath of the Wild

My review of Breath of the Wild: I loved it.

Okay, end script. That’s enough, right?

Humor aside, the problem that I am having in regards to writing about this game is that I have so much that I want to talk about. There is almost too much to mention, and I don’t want to do it an injustice. And if you haven’t played it, I suggest checking it out for yourself. I am not just giving a general overview, after all.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is absolutely beautiful: the sprawling landscapes of grassland with mountains looming majestically in the foreground of each shot, the soothing music, the small, familiar towns that seem homely in contrast to the ancient, mysterious shrines, the animation that is cartoonish, yet soft and elegant, and the unique re-imagined character designs of each race in Hyrule. There are so many aspects of artistry and composition that make this game special; most of all, it is the detail that makes Breath of the Wild so impressive.

Besides Breath of the Wild, I have only played Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, and Wind Waker, so my perception of the series is based in those experiences, as well as minimal knowledge of games that I have neither played nor mentioned. Unlike the other games in the series that I have played to completion (and really, the typical Zelda formula,) Breath of the Wild is the least straightforward and least linearly driven of the series. Link does not just go from dungeon to dungeon. You do not have to complete the central storyline by finding the memories or even free the Divine Beasts from Ganon’s control in any order, if at all. Finding the memories and defeating Ganonblights within the Beasts makes the game more enjoyable and the fight against Ganon supremely easier, but it is not necessary. The game grants agency to the player; from the moment that Link steps out into the sun after his one hundred year nap, he stands on a cliff, gazing upon seemingly endless green that is waiting to be explored.  That is why this game has so much potential for replay value, and that is what makes the game so immersive and fulfilling to whoever picks it up. 

I have seen quite a few people critique this aspect of the game because after getting the paraglider, they lose their sense of direction and purpose. However, like many RPGs, the game forces the player out of their comfort zone; you no longer have a current objective, so you must seek out another quest and talk to NPCs in order work towards that main objective (defeat Ganon) which seems unrealistic in Link’s novice-hood. When dropped into the world of Breath of the Wild with three measly heart containers and only a tiny bit of stamina, the prospect of being the Hero and conquering all challenges seems overwhelming... to put it lightly. This point is made especially clear when you first come across a guardian that will kill Link out-right in one horrifying blast from its laser.

The level of difficulty from early in the game 

makes the journey all the more satisfying when you put time and effort into upgrading Link’s armor with the help of the Great Fairies, finding and completing shrines, and cooking new and interesting meals that grant status boosts.

At the beginning of my playthrough, I wasn't sure how to feel about stamina in addition to heart containers, but I ended up really enjoying that component of the game. It added challenge and realism to battles and exploration, and encouraged decision making earlier on in the game. 

One of my favorite aspects of the game is cooking. It an interesting mechanic that is helpful, as by just travelling around the world, your inventory should be replete with resources. Besides being a fun way to incorporate gathering materials, cooking encourages the player to find those materials. In many cases, food and elixirs are essential in traveling and navigating terrain. Without heat resistant armor, Death Mountain is too hot for Link to go to, but Goron City is where you get that armor. Huh. Well, just make yourself some heat resistant elixirs and you’re good to go. Are you stuck in the middle of a climb that is too high? Eat something to increase your stamina. The system is forgiving and intuitive; it makes preparation before battle and traversing essential, and keeps the player entertained as they concoct different meals using a variety of ingredients. There are recipes all over Hyrule in stables and shops, which I found to be a wonderful detail to the game that encouraged thorough investigation. You can also heat meals outside by laying food on the ground around Death Mountain! The healing in this game is very well-executed; the raw materials do not heal as much of Link's heart container as cooked food does, which makes sense. On top of that, you need only to have a fairy in your inventory for it to revive you. The days of filling glass bottles are behind us.

The multitude of outfits that this game has for Link to wear are all unique and serve their own purpose without much overlap, and I enjoyed how easy it was to change in and out of outfits during combat. In fact, the main menu is organized and easy to navigate, and so are the mini menus that you can access in order to quickly switch weapons, bows, arrows, or shields. The Climber’s Gear is especially crucial for exploration, but each other outfit fits into a portion of Link’s persona of the Hero accurately by referencing his iconic style, with a twist. The shorts of the Trousers of the Wild are a tad silly and boyish for my taste, but that is a minor and inconsequential complaint in the larger picture.

The guardians, shrines, and other ancient tech did not clash with the rest of the game, despite contrasting aesthetically. They are intimidating and overpowering, yet strangely cute and endearing as the game went on. I loved how in one of the memories, Zelda and Link were watching Hylians try to control a guardian, and it spinned its head around like a dog wagging its tail. The shrines, although sometimes infuriating, are clever and pay homage to classic Zelda puzzles, in which a concept is introduced and becomes more complicated in each further iterations of the puzzle. There are so many shrines that sometimes finding them is the puzzle itself. Like other titles in the series, Link has to rely on elements such as fire, water, and wind to complete certain trials. There is an interesting theme of environmentalism because the plot is about ancient technology becoming evil, and the hero needing to use natural resources in order to build himself up to regain control of them.

Furthermore,  I loved how the Sheikah Slate powers can be used all over the world of Hyrule to find treasure and shrines, and not just within the shrines themselves. This mechanic made it impossible to forget what all of the sheikah powers were, as they were always relevant. Using cryonis to jump from ice block to ice block across long spans of water is a hilarious and ingenious way to avoid swimming, or in the case of a lack of stamina, drowning. You can use stasis to stop time on a rock, hit it to send it flying, and at the last second, hop on for a free ride. You can test whether or not a chest is an octorok mimic in disguise by opening magnesis. I also found the round and square bombs to be functional and effective, especially because Link can drop them below from his glider; the mine-carts along Death Mountain are a fun way to travel using the round ones that roll around, but the square bombs are useful on hills.

There are, unfortunately, some aspects of the game that I do not love. First and foremost: the weapon durability. Although there are an overabundance of materials in this game, including weapons and shields, this part of the game is unnecessary because it only added minimal challenge to combat. The durability was a pain in early-game, but luckily as the game goes on, there is no shortage of weapons when farming for resources and looting Hyrule castle. Thankfully, the Master Sword cannot break and only has to recharge for ten minutes after extended use, but the Hylian Shield, along with anything else, can break, so be careful.

The new Lost Woods is rewarding and challenging, making Link use the elements once again to gather his bearings. Using the trail of embers on your torch in the wind to determine your path was an interesting choice on the part of the developers, and satisfying to complete. On the other hand, I feel as though Nintendo missed an opportunity with the music in this area by completely ignoring the original iconic sound of the Lost Woods and replacing it with run-of-the-mill ambiance.

My least favorite part of the game was not the weapon durability, or the strange, off-putting dripping animation each time the sheikah slate synchronizes with a new tower, or the lack of the Lost Wood’s iconic tune, or even the fact that the truest evil in the world is called Calamity Ganon, and referred to as such in the most ridiculous manner by every single character. My biggest gripe is with the voice acting. Breath of the Wild is the first game in the series to have full voice acting (besides Navi’s “hey listen!”) and I understand that they were trying something new, but…it doesn't work for me. The voices did not fit the characters, especially the Great Deku Tree and the King of Hyrule, who should have deeper, more robust voices. Zelda’s voice actress is a bit whiny and almost ruined her plight within the game, which I found to be a fascinating portion of the narrative.

But, I do not want to be too negative. The voice acting takes away from the story in the slightest regard and the naming of Calamity Ganon is cringe inducing, but neither change the fact that the story is one of the most interesting in compelling in the entire series. Link’s memories, (which are admittedly super expositional) focus on Zelda’s efforts to save Hyrule with the champions by her side. Zelda’s reasonable existential struggle of fulfilling her role as princess despite not being able to use her power for most of the story humanized her character. She holds Ganon back from destroying the world for a hundred years as undeniable proof of her strength, wisdom, and endurance, anxiously awaiting Link to be her backup. Like in past titles, she is essential to saving the world, and in Breath of the Wild, she is leading the efforts on the front lines. When reading Zelda’s diary in Hyrule castle, you may even come across her speculating about Link’s role as a silent protagonist, saying that it is due to stoicism and taking up the mantle without burdening those around him. The game gets it right where it counts, and paints both of the main protagonists as brave and interesting in the narrative.

Link is a trusted advisor and knight that Zelda can rely on and she seeks to understand him. The other main characters, the champions, have distinct and memorable personalities that reflected their powers. Mipha, the Zora champion, who is kind and timid, is a healer and aids Link by making the Zora armor that helps him swim faster and ascend waterfalls. Urbosa, the Gerudo champion, is affiliated with lightning because she is a strong, quick, and tenacious warrior.  Daruk, the Goron champion, is sturdy as a rock, and seeks to protect people, hence his power being that of a shield. Revali, the Rito champion, is admittedly the least likeable of the bunch, but meant as such; he is a show-off and wants to prove his capability and superiority, so his power lifts Link into the skies to reach new heights. I enjoyed how all of the Divine Beasts referenced the respective "champions" of previous Zelda titles. Vah Ruta, the elephant controlled by Mipha, is a reference to to Princess Ruto from Ocarina of Time. Vah Naboris, the camel controlled by Urbosa, is a reference to Nabooru from Ocarina of Time. Vah Rudania, the lava lizard controlled by Daruk, is a reference to Darunia from Ocarina of Time. Lastly, Vah Medoh, the bird controlled by Revali, is a reference to Medli from Wind Waker. There are also countless landmarks and islands named after characters from previous titles in the series, a character that pays tribute to Robin Williams and a mountain dedicated Satoru Iwata. 

(Edit: One of my friends is salty at me for dissing Revali, so I will give credit where credit is due. It is refreshing to have a character that does not fall at Link's feet, especially in a game where they made multiple NPCs comment on how beautiful he is. Even though I thought that was hilarious and self-aware of them. He goes against the grain of quintessential minor character. That is for sure.)

My favorite character, along with the rest of the Internet, is Prince Sidon. I mean, just look at that endearing smile. I am filled with determination:

Making Ganon an uncontainable force of evil is an intriguing take on the dichotomy between darkness and light in the series; while in the past Ganon does not have much more character besides being the only male Gerudo that is a shape-shifting, intrinsically evil warlock with a proficiency in baseball, this time around, he is just a powerful energy. I like to think that Breath of the Wild Ganon, (no, I will not say Calamity Ganon) was once humanoid and then became so powerful that he lost his humanity, only to become a mass of evil without any purpose but to destroy. The story focuses heavily on ancient prophecy and the like, so it is not impossible. 

The monsters in this game are entertaining to fight, especially stealth killing and jumping mid-air to fire arrows at them in slow motion. I enjoyed how color indicates the level of difficulty and the game had enough variety with monsters and enemies that repetition of similar types of enemies did not make a negative impact on the gameplay.

Breath of the Wild’s charm is not only in the characters and story, but in the details and eastereggs that made the game feel classic, yet fresh and new. If Link is wearing certain clothing or wielding weapons around NPCs, they become visually uncomfortable or frightened. You can shoot a piece of wood with a fire arrow to make a campfire; or use a fire weapon to light it and keep you warm in colder areas instead of wearing warm clothing. Shooting shock arrows in water or metal conducts electricity and forms a bubble, which is very useful for killing enemies or fish. You can even start your own town called Tarrey Town and have a house of your own in Hateno Village to store some of your weapons, and keep your most prized possessions out of your inventory and on display, safe and sound. My favorite obscure detail: you can ride other animals in addition to horses. Lynels are huge, terrifying beasts that can destroy Link if you aren’t careful, but you can still hop on their backs when they’re down. You can ride bears! Unfortunately, you cannot register any animal other than a horse at a stable. If you don't want to travel by horse, can use your shield as board on snow or sand. There are so many details in this game that not only play with the elements and resources, but reference past Zelda games. I cannot hope to list everything in this post, especially when there are people who have played the game and discovered much more than I have. Here is an awesome Twitter thread that explores a ton of those lovable details. 

Breath of the Wild is immersive and magical. It is filled with somber moments of reflection as you venture, uncertain in your quest through the land of Hyrule, yet is filled with endearing moment with quirky NPCs, heartwarming memories of the past, and quests that test your wit and creativity. Breath of the Wind is a game that will never cease to satisfy your thirst for adventure.