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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild |OT3| Your Free Time is Badly Damaged
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SolidChamp
Banned
I've been trying to articulate my feelings on the game for some time now...
I'm over 120 hours into the game, and my thoughts and feelings on BOTW bounce back and forth between complete adoration and total bafflement.
At it's very best, BOTW is exhilarating in how open and freeing the world is. There is no open world game which encourages exploration as much as BOTW. For this reason alone, BOTW succeeds in many respects and happens to be the best Zelda game I've played. It is pure adventure, and it's glorious. The game rewards experimentation; wander in any direction with no purpose and you're going to find something cool, eventually.
This is why, when it comes to the portions of the game that funnel you into linear, "story-driven" events, things get bogged down in tedium. There's no emotional thrust to the narrative, no sense of urgency to the unfolding plot points due to the anachronistic template they chose upon which to lay the story. Characterizations are thin and rely wholly on exposition. Therefore, there's no one point in time during the story-driven events where I feel I should be compelled to care, and so the linear bits of gameplay become a chore to slog through so that I can get back to the freedom of my open world adventuring. The Divine Beasts are, essentially, just slightly bigger puzzle rooms than the myriad of puzzle rooms you're already tackling. The only game mechanic they offer that helps to delineate them from their smaller counterparts is the ability to change the orientation of the room. Yay?
That's not to say the Divine Beasts don't provide moments of "ohhh, so THAT'S how that works!"
They have hints of cleverness to them. But at the end of the day, I just want to get them out of the way. Maybe the last one I have to do, Medoh the flying beast, will prove to be the best of the bunch.
I didn't even touch on the LAME boss battles that have zero nuance and have been bested by my basically knocking down xblight Ganon and slashing the fuck out of him. It's really disappointing, especially considering none of these bosses incorporate more than one game mechanic as a strategic means to win.
If BOTW is, as many people say, the "sum of it's parts", maybe we'd just as soon leave these particular parts on the floor? They're not awful. Not by a long shot. But they are wholly unremarkable and hamper the overall presentation of a game that's supposed to be endlessly epic in scope and mythology.
I need not say more about the story or characters, because the centerpieces of the narrative are tied to the beasts, and so I feel I've managed to cover why I feel the elements of the story that are present don't really lend themselves to the world or mythology. It works, to a degree, but it's not a complete success and feels more like an afterthought.
What's really worth talking about when discussing BOTW is obvious: the world. That's what it's all about. And for all of the dynamic and wondrous aspects that are present in this world, there are some major grievances that hold it back from feeling "complete".
Take the posts you showed me about the "post apocalypse" trope in gaming, and how BOTW offers a vibrant and refreshing take on this. I agree. To an extent.
This version of Hyrule, making its slow recovery from total devastation, is massive, sprawling and beautiful. Terrain is varied. Traversal is fun, relaxing, and oftentimes rewarding.
However, this sprawling expanse comes with a tradeoff; for long, long stretches you can wander without ever finding anything truly remarkable. Yes, the way you interact with the environment has an effect; but to what extent? To what extent is the player influencing the game environment? I blew open a hidden cave buried in rubble. I chopped down some trees for some firewood. I ignited a bomb barrel at an enemy camp by shooting down a flaming lantern.
When I'm not walking through large patches of flat grass, or climbing a mountain to see what might be at the top (50% of the time it's nothing, the other 50% is a Korok seed), what am I actually DOING? Attacking the 125th moblin camp? Finding a shrine?
My biggest hurdle in finding my way to the "GOAT" status that many people bestow upon this game is, what are some truly deep and intricate ways in which the game mechanics affect the world, and vice versa?
Enemy types are extremely limited; almost embarrassingly so (consider Horizon, as the inverse of this). Weather is dynamic and changes frequently, yes, but how much does it really affect the player apart from making climbing pretty much impossible when it rains, or avoiding lightning strikes that are attracted by metal weapons? Does weather force the player to seek shelter? Not really. Are there massive snow storms that cause visibility to be severely limited? Nope. Do the rain storms affect the waters when you're on the open ocean? Probably want to play ACIV for something like that.
This is just one area in which the game is dynamic...on a surface level. It's dynamic...until it isn't.
So the world tells its own little mysterious stories? Bits of the landscape have remnants of a devastated world. Okay. The post-apocalypse has never been more beautiful...or more bereft of detail.
The game world is not detailed (to say nothing of the actual in-game textures being used on the ruins). It's not lined by ruins that have meaningful visual details or hints of lore. They pretty much all look the same, varying only by size.
Last night I found the "Forgotten Temple". I was tracking a shrine which lead me to it. I actually landed on top of the temple. This was probably the most boring bit of walking I've ever done. I had to walk the length of the roof, all the way to the front of the temple where there's a drop off down to the entrance. Every. Single. Bit of that geometry was a prime example of "cut and paste".
What did I find once I was inside the "forgotten temple"? A bunch of Guardians shooting at me which I had to cut down. The shrine was a blessing shrine. And so I was rewarded for surviving the guardians. What else did I find in the temple? Nothing. It's massive. It's empty. There's a single chest containing yet another, rupee, opal, sapphire, amber, etc
The length of the canyon that leads to this temple (and it is one long-ass canyon) plays host to nothing but a few packs of wolves, 6 or so hidden Korok seeds...and that's it.
For nearly ten minutes l walked through this canyon, and when I finally got back to my original path all I could think of was "that's it?"
I had fun exploring, to be sure, but there's not a whole lot more here that makes it anymore dynamic or interactive than the next world, aside from the "go anywhere, anytime" angle.
Your exploration, however, is hindered by the stamina system. In concept, the stamina system lends itself to the survivalist urgency the gameplay boasts. It's great. But it's not doing anything remarkable. It's actually a shame they didn't try to do more with the food/stamina system.
Take MGS3, for example. The hunting and foraging in that game is how I would define "dynamic" or "nuanced". The implementation of this system in MGS3 deserves to be lauded, more so than any one thing BOTW is doing.
In MGS3, the stamina gauge is crucial to Snake's ability to function. Not only does he need to eat in order to keep the stamina gauge up (the very basic execution of the idea found in BOTW), but if his stamina gauge runs low, Snake's abilities take a hit. His stomach growls, and enemies who are close to him will be alerted to his presence. Aiming weapons becomes difficult because he gets "hunger shakes". Soon, his health gauge slowly begins to deplete. Wounds don't heal as fast if he's running on an empty stomach.
THIS is something that, back when Snake Eater was first released, had me feeling like the developers were thinking 2, 3, 4 layers deep.
I've not encountered anything even close to that in my 120 hours with BOTW.
The food and stamina system don't coalesce in any meaningful way.
I've got all of this food...why doesn't Link get hungry?! Lol
It would be sweet if Link had hunger tied to stamina, and so eating occasionally helps to maintain the necessity for food. I could see something really cool where, if you go hungry long enough, Link passes out from exhaustion and when he wakes up he's surrounded by moblins and has to fight (or try to flee) in a weakened state. That kind of shit would really make the food/cooking system meaningful.
This isn't to say that hunting and cooking aren't fun, because they totally fucking are. Very fun.
But to say that any of these mechanics come together in a deep and meaningful way that goes beyond surface-level implementations is hyperbolic. Or maybe I'm just blind.
The game is also held back by baffling technical inconsistencies. I consider the "approach the combat in a number of ways" to be a farce, since the abysmal draw distance doesn't allow me to use the Sheikah Scope to see enemies at their camp until I'm close enough to be spotted by them. This isn't MGS5, to be sure. I can't plan an approach or know the threat a camp is housing because I can't see the fucking moblins due to the draw distance.
I won't go into the button-mashing combat, countless fetch quests (shrine quests are awesome, though), the sparse population of the game world with travelers who pop in and out while only a few feet away as you trot along the road, the godawful disguised Yiga clan members who are fucking EVERYWHERE and get tiresome after your first two dozen (awesome the first few times, now it's just a fucking ridiculous chore)....I have a long list of gripes. The basic enemies are cheap and some of them can take down your hard-earned hearts (a row and a half of them) in just two hits...
In conclusion (lol), The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is still a fantastic game and is best when taken as a straight open-world exploration game, and nothing more. This is the definition of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. It's still one of my ten best games of the generation, but falls somewhere in the bottom half of that list.
It's still very, very insane to me that this will most likely sweep most of the GOTY awards.
I'm over 120 hours into the game, and my thoughts and feelings on BOTW bounce back and forth between complete adoration and total bafflement.
At it's very best, BOTW is exhilarating in how open and freeing the world is. There is no open world game which encourages exploration as much as BOTW. For this reason alone, BOTW succeeds in many respects and happens to be the best Zelda game I've played. It is pure adventure, and it's glorious. The game rewards experimentation; wander in any direction with no purpose and you're going to find something cool, eventually.
This is why, when it comes to the portions of the game that funnel you into linear, "story-driven" events, things get bogged down in tedium. There's no emotional thrust to the narrative, no sense of urgency to the unfolding plot points due to the anachronistic template they chose upon which to lay the story. Characterizations are thin and rely wholly on exposition. Therefore, there's no one point in time during the story-driven events where I feel I should be compelled to care, and so the linear bits of gameplay become a chore to slog through so that I can get back to the freedom of my open world adventuring. The Divine Beasts are, essentially, just slightly bigger puzzle rooms than the myriad of puzzle rooms you're already tackling. The only game mechanic they offer that helps to delineate them from their smaller counterparts is the ability to change the orientation of the room. Yay?
That's not to say the Divine Beasts don't provide moments of "ohhh, so THAT'S how that works!"
They have hints of cleverness to them. But at the end of the day, I just want to get them out of the way. Maybe the last one I have to do, Medoh the flying beast, will prove to be the best of the bunch.
I didn't even touch on the LAME boss battles that have zero nuance and have been bested by my basically knocking down xblight Ganon and slashing the fuck out of him. It's really disappointing, especially considering none of these bosses incorporate more than one game mechanic as a strategic means to win.
If BOTW is, as many people say, the "sum of it's parts", maybe we'd just as soon leave these particular parts on the floor? They're not awful. Not by a long shot. But they are wholly unremarkable and hamper the overall presentation of a game that's supposed to be endlessly epic in scope and mythology.
I need not say more about the story or characters, because the centerpieces of the narrative are tied to the beasts, and so I feel I've managed to cover why I feel the elements of the story that are present don't really lend themselves to the world or mythology. It works, to a degree, but it's not a complete success and feels more like an afterthought.
What's really worth talking about when discussing BOTW is obvious: the world. That's what it's all about. And for all of the dynamic and wondrous aspects that are present in this world, there are some major grievances that hold it back from feeling "complete".
Take the posts you showed me about the "post apocalypse" trope in gaming, and how BOTW offers a vibrant and refreshing take on this. I agree. To an extent.
This version of Hyrule, making its slow recovery from total devastation, is massive, sprawling and beautiful. Terrain is varied. Traversal is fun, relaxing, and oftentimes rewarding.
However, this sprawling expanse comes with a tradeoff; for long, long stretches you can wander without ever finding anything truly remarkable. Yes, the way you interact with the environment has an effect; but to what extent? To what extent is the player influencing the game environment? I blew open a hidden cave buried in rubble. I chopped down some trees for some firewood. I ignited a bomb barrel at an enemy camp by shooting down a flaming lantern.
When I'm not walking through large patches of flat grass, or climbing a mountain to see what might be at the top (50% of the time it's nothing, the other 50% is a Korok seed), what am I actually DOING? Attacking the 125th moblin camp? Finding a shrine?
My biggest hurdle in finding my way to the "GOAT" status that many people bestow upon this game is, what are some truly deep and intricate ways in which the game mechanics affect the world, and vice versa?
Enemy types are extremely limited; almost embarrassingly so (consider Horizon, as the inverse of this). Weather is dynamic and changes frequently, yes, but how much does it really affect the player apart from making climbing pretty much impossible when it rains, or avoiding lightning strikes that are attracted by metal weapons? Does weather force the player to seek shelter? Not really. Are there massive snow storms that cause visibility to be severely limited? Nope. Do the rain storms affect the waters when you're on the open ocean? Probably want to play ACIV for something like that.
This is just one area in which the game is dynamic...on a surface level. It's dynamic...until it isn't.
So the world tells its own little mysterious stories? Bits of the landscape have remnants of a devastated world. Okay. The post-apocalypse has never been more beautiful...or more bereft of detail.
The game world is not detailed (to say nothing of the actual in-game textures being used on the ruins). It's not lined by ruins that have meaningful visual details or hints of lore. They pretty much all look the same, varying only by size.
Last night I found the "Forgotten Temple". I was tracking a shrine which lead me to it. I actually landed on top of the temple. This was probably the most boring bit of walking I've ever done. I had to walk the length of the roof, all the way to the front of the temple where there's a drop off down to the entrance. Every. Single. Bit of that geometry was a prime example of "cut and paste".
What did I find once I was inside the "forgotten temple"? A bunch of Guardians shooting at me which I had to cut down. The shrine was a blessing shrine. And so I was rewarded for surviving the guardians. What else did I find in the temple? Nothing. It's massive. It's empty. There's a single chest containing yet another, rupee, opal, sapphire, amber, etc
The length of the canyon that leads to this temple (and it is one long-ass canyon) plays host to nothing but a few packs of wolves, 6 or so hidden Korok seeds...and that's it.
For nearly ten minutes l walked through this canyon, and when I finally got back to my original path all I could think of was "that's it?"
I had fun exploring, to be sure, but there's not a whole lot more here that makes it anymore dynamic or interactive than the next world, aside from the "go anywhere, anytime" angle.
Your exploration, however, is hindered by the stamina system. In concept, the stamina system lends itself to the survivalist urgency the gameplay boasts. It's great. But it's not doing anything remarkable. It's actually a shame they didn't try to do more with the food/stamina system.
Take MGS3, for example. The hunting and foraging in that game is how I would define "dynamic" or "nuanced". The implementation of this system in MGS3 deserves to be lauded, more so than any one thing BOTW is doing.
In MGS3, the stamina gauge is crucial to Snake's ability to function. Not only does he need to eat in order to keep the stamina gauge up (the very basic execution of the idea found in BOTW), but if his stamina gauge runs low, Snake's abilities take a hit. His stomach growls, and enemies who are close to him will be alerted to his presence. Aiming weapons becomes difficult because he gets "hunger shakes". Soon, his health gauge slowly begins to deplete. Wounds don't heal as fast if he's running on an empty stomach.
THIS is something that, back when Snake Eater was first released, had me feeling like the developers were thinking 2, 3, 4 layers deep.
I've not encountered anything even close to that in my 120 hours with BOTW.
The food and stamina system don't coalesce in any meaningful way.
I've got all of this food...why doesn't Link get hungry?! Lol
It would be sweet if Link had hunger tied to stamina, and so eating occasionally helps to maintain the necessity for food. I could see something really cool where, if you go hungry long enough, Link passes out from exhaustion and when he wakes up he's surrounded by moblins and has to fight (or try to flee) in a weakened state. That kind of shit would really make the food/cooking system meaningful.
This isn't to say that hunting and cooking aren't fun, because they totally fucking are. Very fun.
But to say that any of these mechanics come together in a deep and meaningful way that goes beyond surface-level implementations is hyperbolic. Or maybe I'm just blind.
The game is also held back by baffling technical inconsistencies. I consider the "approach the combat in a number of ways" to be a farce, since the abysmal draw distance doesn't allow me to use the Sheikah Scope to see enemies at their camp until I'm close enough to be spotted by them. This isn't MGS5, to be sure. I can't plan an approach or know the threat a camp is housing because I can't see the fucking moblins due to the draw distance.
I won't go into the button-mashing combat, countless fetch quests (shrine quests are awesome, though), the sparse population of the game world with travelers who pop in and out while only a few feet away as you trot along the road, the godawful disguised Yiga clan members who are fucking EVERYWHERE and get tiresome after your first two dozen (awesome the first few times, now it's just a fucking ridiculous chore)....I have a long list of gripes. The basic enemies are cheap and some of them can take down your hard-earned hearts (a row and a half of them) in just two hits...
In conclusion (lol), The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is still a fantastic game and is best when taken as a straight open-world exploration game, and nothing more. This is the definition of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. It's still one of my ten best games of the generation, but falls somewhere in the bottom half of that list.
It's still very, very insane to me that this will most likely sweep most of the GOTY awards.
I probably would've hated the micromanagement of food and things for little details.
I liked how it was "survival lite". Like you can get more involved if you wanted for the fun of it, not the necessity, or mostly go without. Like it jus tamed certain timings easier.
I tended to use food only for higher end battles before I had all the abilities and good armour, otherwise I just brute forced everything, as I enjoyed the combat (and I'm in no way an expert t th combat, I just rushed in).
I found the balance appropriate for me.
I liked how it was "survival lite". Like you can get more involved if you wanted for the fun of it, not the necessity, or mostly go without. Like it jus tamed certain timings easier.
I tended to use food only for higher end battles before I had all the abilities and good armour, otherwise I just brute forced everything, as I enjoyed the combat (and I'm in no way an expert t th combat, I just rushed in).
I found the balance appropriate for me.
I wish hard mode forced those survival aspects. Would have preferred that over master mode. Would have appreciated a hunger system, maybe a reduction in stamina or strength the longer Link goes without sleeping. More restrictive inventory. Anything else to make it feel less gamey, and feel even more like an adventure.
TheMoon
Member
nope
just taking screenshots of your photos either while in the camera or when watching the small version in the album.
That sucks. Seems like an oversight. I took some screenshots both in camera view and in the menu but sadly both are less than ideal. There should definitely be an option.
i just have a quick question:
my daughter beat the game like a week ago and wants the DLC.
meanwhile, i haven't had as much free time (i didn't get the whole summer off, jeez) and i'm like at the elephant thing.
the question: if i buy the DLC will it change my core game experience? or is it an opt-in type thing?
my daughter beat the game like a week ago and wants the DLC.
meanwhile, i haven't had as much free time (i didn't get the whole summer off, jeez) and i'm like at the elephant thing.
the question: if i buy the DLC will it change my core game experience? or is it an opt-in type thing?
The DLC just add some optional quests for items, the master sword boost gauntlet, and a hard mode. The core experience doesn't change unless you want to go seeking out those items.
thanks!
SolidChamp
Banned
How difficult are the master trials if you're just playing on Normal?
Depends on if the enemies in there scale up for hard mode or not. If they do it shouldn't be too hard on normal.
DarknessTear
Banned
I'm too bad at the game to complete the first DLC. Kill me.
And every time I get really far and then fail, it kills my hope of doing it any more.
And every time I get really far and then fail, it kills my hope of doing it any more.
I try not to think of it as failing. Each time, you learn a little bit more. You try new things to see what works, and what doesn't. You eventually develop an effective process and overcome the challenge.
I told myself I didn't have time for to trial and error, so I looked att a guide. That way I could plan ahead, but it was still pretty hard to actually play through.
Choppasmith
Member
I spent a good 10 hours ago trying to track down the last two shrines I needed for completion. Gave up and looked to the internet. This is a really handy guide for finding things. The two I was missing all this time were the Tho Kayu Shrine on the western edge of the Gerudo Desert and the Dunba Taag Shrine in Tanagar Canyon.
I wish the Sheikah Sensor could work like the Korok mask and detect "hidden" shrines. I think that was my problem with the Tho Kayu while Dunba Taag was more like dumb oversight.
I wish the Sheikah Sensor could work like the Korok mask and detect "hidden" shrines. I think that was my problem with the Tho Kayu while Dunba Taag was more like dumb oversight.
Just beat the game after almost 6 months. No guide, no help, nothing and I really feel that I beat the game when I got the last shrine.
After TWW was released I wanted more story focused Zelda and then we got TP which I loved and the SS which I hate.
When I played ALBW I realized that Zelda doesn't need a complex story and to me it's defined by three things: Fast Action, Adventure and sense of discovery. BOTW, to me, it's the pure definition of Zelda and I'm sad because I won't be able to experience this game for the first time ever.
So I envy you, you who is yet to play BOTW because you can experience something that I won't be able to experience never again.
Sorry for this post with no structure or purpose or whatever. I'm just sad that it ended.
After TWW was released I wanted more story focused Zelda and then we got TP which I loved and the SS which I hate.
When I played ALBW I realized that Zelda doesn't need a complex story and to me it's defined by three things: Fast Action, Adventure and sense of discovery. BOTW, to me, it's the pure definition of Zelda and I'm sad because I won't be able to experience this game for the first time ever.
So I envy you, you who is yet to play BOTW because you can experience something that I won't be able to experience never again.
Sorry for this post with no structure or purpose or whatever. I'm just sad that it ended.
I think I may give the game a break for now. I haven't played Link Between Worlds yet, maybe that's next. It's been sitting in a drawer for over a year.
When the next DLC pack releases, I'll also finish trial of the Sword, maybe tidy up sidequests. I still can't find the last two shrine quests and am missing a few others too.
I feel like I've exhausted much of what the base game offers now. I combed the overworld with the shrine tracker tagged to chests, and I think I've got most of them. There are a few that strangely seem to fade in and out sporadically, which I can't find (one of these is near Hateno village; when I approach, the sensor turns off like there is nothing nearby). But for the most part I've got everything. I went to the dye shop for the first time last night and changed some clothes. I don't know what else I can do that I haven't tried yet. I still enjoy my time playing, but i think I'm ready to refocus my free time now on a book, or a walk, or a different game.
Man... it's been a good time. For the first time in a good long while (two decades!) I am immediately excited for the next Zelda title. I still can barely believe this is a Nintendo game. A miracle for the series. Few games hold a place in my heart like this one does. I can think of only a handful, and none of them feels as special or resonant as Breath of the Wild.
When the next DLC pack releases, I'll also finish trial of the Sword, maybe tidy up sidequests. I still can't find the last two shrine quests and am missing a few others too.
I feel like I've exhausted much of what the base game offers now. I combed the overworld with the shrine tracker tagged to chests, and I think I've got most of them. There are a few that strangely seem to fade in and out sporadically, which I can't find (one of these is near Hateno village; when I approach, the sensor turns off like there is nothing nearby). But for the most part I've got everything. I went to the dye shop for the first time last night and changed some clothes. I don't know what else I can do that I haven't tried yet. I still enjoy my time playing, but i think I'm ready to refocus my free time now on a book, or a walk, or a different game.
Man... it's been a good time. For the first time in a good long while (two decades!) I am immediately excited for the next Zelda title. I still can barely believe this is a Nintendo game. A miracle for the series. Few games hold a place in my heart like this one does. I can think of only a handful, and none of them feels as special or resonant as Breath of the Wild.
DirtyLarry
Member
Well, I finally did it. I "beat" BOTW.
After I beat all 4 Divine Beasts, I did not play the game for upwards of 3 weeks. Just picked it back up again today and beat Ganon, credits roll.
Still so much left to do (amazingly it now says when I load the game up I am only at 18.69/100% completion) but holy shit what a ride.
Definitely one of my favorite games I have played over my 35 or so odd years with games. And truth be told, it may very well be my favorite game of all time.
For every little nitpick one can point out, it does so, so many other things incredibly well.
I am sure to go back to complete as much as I possibly can, but I will take an extended break for a bit.
Damn. What a game.
After I beat all 4 Divine Beasts, I did not play the game for upwards of 3 weeks. Just picked it back up again today and beat Ganon, credits roll.
Still so much left to do (amazingly it now says when I load the game up I am only at 18.69/100% completion) but holy shit what a ride.
Definitely one of my favorite games I have played over my 35 or so odd years with games. And truth be told, it may very well be my favorite game of all time.
For every little nitpick one can point out, it does so, so many other things incredibly well.
I am sure to go back to complete as much as I possibly can, but I will take an extended break for a bit.
Damn. What a game.
Tribes of Trusty
Member
I have beat the first DLC, and while it might seem a little light on the content, I absolutely loved it.
Sure, maybe I'd have preferred another adventure, other temples and whatnot.
But whereas I loved everything in previous Zelda (especially dungeons and riddles) I did not enjoy the combat, which was serviceable at best.
Here ? It's freaking amazing and the DLC shows how solid the mechanics are. There are so many options and ways to play it. It's so good.
This game is so good I don't even want another Zelda game, just make a sequel or addition expansion pack set in the same map please.
Sure, maybe I'd have preferred another adventure, other temples and whatnot.
But whereas I loved everything in previous Zelda (especially dungeons and riddles) I did not enjoy the combat, which was serviceable at best.
Here ? It's freaking amazing and the DLC shows how solid the mechanics are. There are so many options and ways to play it. It's so good.
This game is so good I don't even want another Zelda game, just make a sequel or addition expansion pack set in the same map please.
TheMoon
Member
Moz La Punk
Member
Yesterday, I finally did it. After half a year (got my Switch and Zelda on launch day), I've finished Breath of the Wild. I had 96 shrines and about 170 korok seeds, might go back to finish off all the shrines though.
I dunno why I kept postponing it. I think I just didn't want it to end. The first few months I played almost daily but after that every once in a while, but it was always a joy to return and to just kick back and explore the world. While some area's I frequented so much that I could dream them, I often still found new area's until my very last playsession. Incredible that you keep finding new spots. Especially with the dlc and the Hero's Path it was easy to find places I'd never visited before, and to my surprise most of those area's had cool stuff, like beautiful sights, strange terrain or new Shrines. I found the large wooden bridge in the sky from the trailer like a few days ago or something, lol.
The end was incredibly tense. I had all four Guardian Animals so that made it easier. To be honest the Lynel before the end fight kicked my ass more. I only fought like two or three linels in the entire game and of the weaker species so this was difficult. I went through a lot of weapons and food, but thankfully the fight with Ganon was doable. The ending was pretty adrupt though, but it didn't matter. The entire journey has been an adventure like no other.
While I did miss some of the story beats and progression, not to mention the dungeons from previous Zelda's, I really like what Nintendo has done here. It is, together with OOT, my favorite Zelda. The next game, if it has a similar open world but with a more refined story and dungeons, it would be the ultimate Zelda-game imo. They should create an entire new world though, something outside Hyrule I guess. Keep that sense of discovery.
Worth the price of the Switch, this game. Wow.
I dunno why I kept postponing it. I think I just didn't want it to end. The first few months I played almost daily but after that every once in a while, but it was always a joy to return and to just kick back and explore the world. While some area's I frequented so much that I could dream them, I often still found new area's until my very last playsession. Incredible that you keep finding new spots. Especially with the dlc and the Hero's Path it was easy to find places I'd never visited before, and to my surprise most of those area's had cool stuff, like beautiful sights, strange terrain or new Shrines. I found the large wooden bridge in the sky from the trailer like a few days ago or something, lol.
The end was incredibly tense. I had all four Guardian Animals so that made it easier. To be honest the Lynel before the end fight kicked my ass more. I only fought like two or three linels in the entire game and of the weaker species so this was difficult. I went through a lot of weapons and food, but thankfully the fight with Ganon was doable. The ending was pretty adrupt though, but it didn't matter. The entire journey has been an adventure like no other.
While I did miss some of the story beats and progression, not to mention the dungeons from previous Zelda's, I really like what Nintendo has done here. It is, together with OOT, my favorite Zelda. The next game, if it has a similar open world but with a more refined story and dungeons, it would be the ultimate Zelda-game imo. They should create an entire new world though, something outside Hyrule I guess. Keep that sense of discovery.
Worth the price of the Switch, this game. Wow.
Kingpin Rogers
Member
Apparently the entries in the quest log in the Japanese version are written in first-person, from Link's perspective, and show off a bit of his personality and motivations.
Definitely something I wish they kept in translation.
(Apparently they're also written in this fashion in other languages)
Definitely something I wish they kept in translation.
(Apparently they're also written in this fashion in other languages)
-shadow-
Member
Tried it myself, it's a rather interesting side effect of the shadow they put there.
Normal:
Incorrect:
Split:
Lockjaw333
Member
So I'm still in early game, finished off the plateau and I'm on the road leading to kakariko village I believe. I've just been exploring and fighting enemies. I also climbed and unlocked the nearby tower.
What's the best thing to do first? Should I head straight for kakariko village? I've been dying a fair bit from seemingly normal enemies, feels like I'm under powered or not ready to fight them.
What's the best thing to do first? Should I head straight for kakariko village? I've been dying a fair bit from seemingly normal enemies, feels like I'm under powered or not ready to fight them.
Literally anything you want to do. You're going about it the right way so far. Have a quest in mind, but stopping for the 'oh that looks interesting'.
Naked Snake
Member
Yes, that would be advisable. But if you see anything interesting on your way no harm in taking a detour here and there. Edit: beaten.
Hey all - wanted to throw this out there in case none of you meander into the pop-art thread in the OT. I had an art commission for the game just completed by Chris Koehler and still have a few prints available since I was only have a total of 20 printed. If you'd like more info and want to see the piece just shoot me a PM!
You decide. If you'd like some early guidance, Kakariko should be the first stop. If you're okay figuring things out, go anywhere else.
Phew. That game is an abyss. Once you're inside, there is no climbing back. Not to say that the game is perfect, as I have a few complaints, but overall the experience is refreshing compared to previous Zelda titles (and open world ones in general). I managed to start without getting spoiled (well, in terms of gameplay I mean, as I watched almost no videos besides the official trailers), and it is a blast. Leaving the starting area is an unique experience, as you know that, no matter where you decide to go, you won't get that amazing feeling of discovery twice.
Anyhow, I explored roughly 60% of the map (mainly the right-hand side nearly entirely - there are still quite a few spots I never set foot on -, the middle, north and south, and I also did Hyrule Castle on a whim, without going as far as starting the boss fight). Zora and Goron's Divine Beasts are down. I'm beginning to explore the left-hand side / upper left-hand side now, with a short backtrack in the middle zone in order to beat shrines and find those very well hidden Korogus.
... Oh. Found the (unique drop)
inside a random chest in a shrine. Never thought some
?! Oh crap.
On a side note: best great fairies ever.
I think I'm going to put my exploration on hold: not having the Zora helm is annoying me more than I thought. Finding it, however, is going to be a little difficult. Oh well.
Anyhow, I explored roughly 60% of the map (mainly the right-hand side nearly entirely - there are still quite a few spots I never set foot on -, the middle, north and south, and I also did Hyrule Castle on a whim, without going as far as starting the boss fight). Zora and Goron's Divine Beasts are down. I'm beginning to explore the left-hand side / upper left-hand side now, with a short backtrack in the middle zone in order to beat shrines and find those very well hidden Korogus.
... Oh. Found the (unique drop)
anti-electricity body
armor pieces would be hidden like that. Did I unknowingly missed armor pieces in previous shrines
On a side note: best great fairies ever.
I think I'm going to put my exploration on hold: not having the Zora helm is annoying me more than I thought. Finding it, however, is going to be a little difficult. Oh well.
-shadow-
Member
Started playing it again after having played over 100 hours of Splatoon 2 and managed to get all memories except for the one in
and also went from around 95 shrines to 114. I took a good hard look at the map and found that I had tagged a bunch of them already, but apparently incorrectly, and walked past the point of interest (I use the most right tag for shrines). So managed to get a couple more ticked of the box and am nearly done.
Just a few more hours I guess, it was a wonderful, 150 hours plus, ride!
Hyrule Castle
Just a few more hours I guess, it was a wonderful, 150 hours plus, ride!
Lockjaw333
Member
Does the pro controller improve the experience with this game over using the joycons grip?
It doesn't change any of the functionality, so its only a matter of if you prefer the pro controller.
I personally prefer the pro controller or using the joy cons split. I'm not so much a fan of the joy con grip, but its fine.
Asking again, and for clarification the Hori Pad has not rumble or motion controls.
Naked Snake
Member
I think you need motion controls for some shrine puzzles. You could skip those shrines I guess if you have no other choice.
Don't think rumble is needed for anything.
Etrian Oddity
Member
As someone who beat Ganon/hit the credits and took a long break from the game, how are the DLC owners happy about their purchase? Enough of an impact to keep you hooked?
CharminUltra
Member
The Trial of the Sword gave me PTSD.
Ruud_Luiten
Member
Lived vanilla botw; bought the dlc for 20 euro. Sofar I hate the dlc. Its not worth it at all. Most of the stuff should have been in the normal retail version.
But.. 135 hours and counting
But.. 135 hours and counting
Hey, just bought the game! Finally! Before I start, does it make more sense to buy the DLC up front or wait until I'm done / want more of the world?
I guess I'm asking - does the dlc just build on the world or will it create loads of optional distractions when i'm trying to start out? I don't really want all these cool armour choices hoisted on me before I get to have a sense of the base game's progression from rags to cooler costumes.
I guess I'm asking - does the dlc just build on the world or will it create loads of optional distractions when i'm trying to start out? I don't really want all these cool armour choices hoisted on me before I get to have a sense of the base game's progression from rags to cooler costumes.
It really doesn't matter. Although I would argue that the item that allows you to see where you have been on the map is priceless. Though you won't reach it for a little while.
Edit: I'm wrong. Hero's Path is available from the start. It's awesome.
Thanks! Yeah that will be very cool, I'll buy the DLC early then.
TheMoon
Member
Great, i can use the original joy cons then.