**The following review is rather lengthy and in-depth. If you enjoy those kinds of reviews, I encourage you to read this one. The other thing I should mention is that I preordered this game from amazon, but it didn't arrive on time. I ended up getting the game elsewhere for the Will U, but will likely purchase the Nintendo Switch version from Amazon in the future. With that out of the way, on to the review.**
Wow, who would have thought that after thirty incredible years of Zelda, with some of the best and most critically acclaimed games ever, Nintendo would manage to create what is, hands down, the best Zelda game to date in the form of “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, it is time to step aside. The Zelda series has a new champion. Breath of the Wild is a Masterpiece, and feels destined to be a classic.
The Legend of Zelda series is, I must admit, my favorite video game series of all time (which is my favorite past-time) I have been absolutely obsessed with Zelda since I first played Ocarina of Time at the age of ten, sometimes obsessed to a rather unhealthy degree. I have loved every Zelda game, and especially every 3D Zelda, though none of them quite captured the same feeling of wonder and exploration. Until very recently, I would rank Ocarina of Time as my favorite video game of all time, but it looks as though that mantle is finally being passed to another game. Breath of the Wild feels like the Zelda game Nintendo has always wanted to make, but hasn’t been able to do to technological constraints or what have you. This game feels like the essence of what Zelda is, and always has been, about. While this is a lengthy review, this is a game that warrants such a lengthy review.
Story: The story to this game begins in a place called the chamber of resurrection. Our hero, Link, has been asleep in a form of stasis for 100 years. When he awakes, he finds the land of Hyrule in ruins, starting with the desolate Temple of Time and the Great Plateau, the starting location. Link is told by a voice in his head that he must be the light to shine upon the land of Hyrule. After meeting a mysterious old man (throwback to the original Zelda game there) Link sets out on his quest to save Hyrule from the evil monster inside Hyrule Castle, known as the Calamity Ganon. Without spoiling too much of this story, I will only say that it is probably the most cinematic Zelda story to date. The fact that this game has voice acting, which is a first for the Zelda series, adds a lot of weight to the key story moments. The characters feel far more fleshed out, and they feel genuinely human. This game’s version of the titular princess Zelda might be the most relatable and interesting incarnation of the character to date, as she has genuine depth to her character. The other pivotal characters also feel uniquely more fleshed out as well, providing some of the most memorable story cut-scenes in a Zelda game, or any Nintendo game. Though Wind Waker and Skyward Sword might rival it, this is probably the best Zelda story to date. It does a great job of immersing you into the Gameplay and the world itself. Moreover, as you explore the world, you feel as though a story is being told through the exploration itself. One of the ingenious methods to the story-telling in this game is how it is told in a nonlinear nature, meaning that you can track down different pieces of the story in any order, and still have it all make sense in the end. Parts of the story are also optional, so it doesn’t ever feel like it’s spoon-fed to you, which is a good thing.
Presentation: Right off the bat, I must say that Breath of the Wild is one of the most Gorgeous looking games that has ever been made to me. The simple, soft and vibrant colors also contain a hidden elegance and sophistication that can convey lots of emotion both in terms of story and Gameplay. The style feels reminiscent of Skyward Sword’s, which I also adored, but taken to the next level. This is the first Zelda title to be made in HD, and it shows. The character designs are flawless, and unforgettable. The stunning lighting effect, particularly when the sun rises and sets, remain beautiful to watch from start to finish, and the whole game just looks fantastic. This is the Wii U version I’m talking about here, and I imagine the Switch version looks even better (can’t wait to play it on the Switch.) There were some noticeable frame-rate drops during high-energy moments in the game, particularly during big explosions or battle moments. This only happened every so often, but it was noticeable. This is another aspect that I hear is better on the Switch version. Even so, this never ruined the game for me, or even the immersion.
I for one love the choice of music in this game. The subtle but brilliant use of piano cords make the world feel more natural and organic, and is contrasted brilliantly with the high-energy guardian themes and shrine theme. This, in a way, helps the thematic element of nature versus technology play out in its sound design. While the music may not be something you would listen to while running in the same way you would with previous Zelda games, I believe the music and sound design is perfect for this game. That said, the riding theme, Hateno village, and Hyrule Castle are amazing pieces. The Hateno Village theme is simple and beautiful. The voice acting is also very solid, and I would love to see future Zelda games expand on it even more.
What it comes down to is that the visual style choices, and the music help to make this, arguably, the most immersive and atmospheric open-world game I have ever played, and it serves the gameplay perfectly.
Gameplay: This is the best and most top-notch Gameplay I have ever experienced, period. The controls are so darn good that you could bounce a dime of them and get change leftover. As a veteran Zelda player, there was a learning curve to the controls at first, but after getting accustomed to them, they really did feel like second nature. This is the first 3D Zelda to have a jump button, a simple addition that changes the Gameplay mechanics significantly. Furthermore, the ability to climb in this game also adds a whole new dimension to the Gameplay.
This time around, the enemy AI is quite advanced for a Zelda title. The enemies also do quite a bit more damage to Link than they ever have before in a 3D title. What this means is that every encounter, and combat situation feels dangerous, and as though something is at stake. Link’s arsenal of weapons this time around includes far more than just a single sword, but many swords, as well as sticks, axes, spears, clubs, magic rods, sledgehammers and more. You also have a plethora of shields to use, and bows to use. The weapons in this game do break after being used a bit, which might be a point of contention to some. I love this mechanic, and feel that it forces you as the player to think and be strategic as to how you approach every encounter with an enemy. Link can also use stealth to sneak up on his enemies, destroy exploding barrels nearby and watch the enemies scream in horror (such as satisfying feeling,) or even use his rune abilities to take the enemies out before they know what hit them (more on that later.) The possibilities in this game feel almost endless. The coolest move Link can pull off in this game is the flurry rush; when fighting an enemy close-up, if you dodge just in time, Link will do a dodge or backflip in slow-motion, and proceed by striking the enemy several times, ending them in the process. It’s the coolest thing ever.
In this game, Link uses a plethora of abilities known as the Rune abilities. With these abilities, Link can create remote bombs that he can explode upon impact whenever desired. You can also use Cryonis, which creates ice blocks from water, which can be used as platforms to climb. You can use what is called stasis, which temporarily freezes objects in place, allowing you to hit them several times, after which point they go flying every which way. Then there is Magnesis, which is my favorite. This allows Link to push, pull, and lift heavy metal objects from afar, and use them to make paths, or even drop them on enemies from a distance. You’ll often stumble upon scenarios, particularly in the dungeons and shrines, that allow you to find your own clever ways of solving puzzles with these brilliant and fun mechanics. Like every aspect of the game, the experimentation alone will soak up hours of your life.
Speaking of shrines and dungeons, the dungeons in this game are vastly different than in previous Zelda games. Whereas previous Zelda’s had you collect keys, a key item, in order to make it to the final boss fight, this game’s dungeons are more based around experimentation and manipulation. Through using Link’s powers and abilities, as well as the map in this game, it allows Link to manipulate the layout of the dungeon, and essentially bend them to his will. This is another aspect of this Zelda that feels so fresh and fun. The bosses at the end of the dungeon are also really fun to fight. While the game only has four main dungeons, there are more than 100 mini shrines throughout. The shrines are essentially bite-sized dungeons, and play-out as such on a micro level. Many of them require you to use your rune abilities to solve puzzles and progress, while others have you engage in a little boss fight of sorts with a guardian robot. Needless to say, these shrines are fantastic and provide some of the most enjoyable and mind-bending scenarios I’ve ever encountered, and manage to surprise at every turn. Moreover, the whole over-world almost feels like one giant, outdoor dungeon. What I mean by that is that while it isn’t literally a huge dungeon, you begin solving puzzles and thinking about where to go, and how you want to proceed to the next shrine or dungeon right of the bat. Simply getting to these shrines and dungeons feels like a puzzle in and of itself.
Being a truly open-world game, this game’s real obstacle, beyond even the enemies and the dungeons, is the world itself. This game is an open world adventure game, but it’s also a survival one. This world feels alive. The weather changes, the wild-life has a mind of its own, and the world will try to kill you in a multitude of ways. Whether it be by falling from foolishly attempting to climb massive heights, to lightning striking your metal items, to the wild animals such as bears and wolves that see you as their next meal. Furthermore, the realistic and ingenious physics engine makes the game world feel more natural.
The trick then, is to use the world to your advantage. By hunting wild animals and gathering supplies and ingredients, Link can cook a multitude of dishes to refill both his heart meter (no hearts in pots or grass in this game) or his stamina gauge. You can hunt just about any wild animal you see in the wild. Cooked meat is always more effective than raw meat in strengthening you, and you can combine it with other ingredients like fruits, vegetables, or grains and wheat to increase their effect (only eat the "dubious food" at your own risk, though.) You can also break chunks of rocks to find minerals, ore, and other materials. By buying and selling these goods, you create your own in game economy of sorts.
The other aspect of this game that makes it truly feel like the “open air” experience that series-producer Eji Aonuma called it is none other than the glorious climbing mechanic. You can climb almost anything in this game, whether it be a rock face, a cliff, buildings, towers, Hyrule Castle itself, the Temple of Time, you name it. You can even climb trees, and certain rock monsters that appear throughout the world, and even flagpoles. Climbing is yet another big component and aspect to this game that Nintendo really got down pat, and it does feel like a game changer. I’ve played several games where you can climb certain things, like Assassin’s Creed or Uncharted, but never has it been this freeing in how you can do it. This simple yet elegant mechanic really makes the already huge world feel even bigger. Climbing will slowly eat up your stamina gauge, so it’s up to you to figure out how you want to approach it, and finding little footholds is always a good way to rest when you need to. The only places you can’t climb every wall is in the dungeons and the shrines. The other open-air aspect to this world is the paraglider. When you reach the top of the mountain or a tower, you don’t need to worry about climbing all the way back down. Now, Link can simply jump off the cliff, and glide down to the world below ala Batman. This mechanic remains euphoric from start to finish.
In this game, you can catch any number of wild horses, tame them, and check them into a stable. In past Zelda’s, your horse was Epona, and it was the only horse you could get. Here, there are several horses, some are harder to get than others, and they all have different stats. When you do catch your horse, it really does feel like your own horse, since you caught it, tamed it, and gave it a name. You can hold up to five horses at any given time, and ride around the world, into the villages, and even approach combat while on horseback with your melee weapons and bows. As someone who finds joy and excitement by simply exploring the game world, and doing random things, riding around Hyrule has never felt more fun. I used to love doing that all the way back in Twilight Princess, and this aspect puts that game to shame. The Horses can die, which may seem annoying to some, but I love it as, once again, it offers more strategy and thinking than previous games. When fighting a Guardian, it’s better going up against it on horseback as you have the element of speed on your side.
Unlike previous Zelda games, where boss battles were restricted to the dungeons themselves, here in Breath of the Wild, you will often encounter boss like enemies in the world. These come in the form of giant rock monsters (Stone Talus,) Centaur-like creatures (Lynels, another throwback to Zelda on NES,) and the now iconic game enemy known as the Guardian’s (octopus-like robots that attempt to kill you throughout the game.) You can approach these enemies however you choose, or not approach them at all and leave them be at first. Throughout the game, as you become more powerful, you may be bold enough to take them on, it is all up to you. The first time I killed a Guardian was a defining moment for me, as was my first Lynel kill. What’s amazing is that even after you have several of the key upgrades, the enemies still feel like a threat.
What makes the Gameplay in Breath of the Wild so good, and so perfect, is that you as the player can literally approach it however you want. The whole world is your oyster, and it’s up to you to figure out how you want to use it.
Replay value. This game has lots of reason to play even after your first initial playthrough, which will likely take at least forty hours if you just do the main story. I certainly plan to play this game from start to finish again (probably several more times) when I pick up the Nintendo Switch version of the game. As it stands, you can find all of the optional things in the game (the Master Sword itself is optional,) Find and beat all of the shrines, collect all of the korok seeds (plant like creatures fans may know from Wind Waker,) and do any number of side-quests. The side-quests I have done have all been tremendously fun, and while the rewards may be simple, just playing them feels like a reward. You can help herd cucoos for a chicken-freak in Kakariko village, catch a royal white-steed, help a man start a village from the ground-up, and even build your own house in Hateno Village. This game has tons of replay value, apart from just the urge to go back and play it again. Because of the open-ended nonlinear nature of this game, you can replay the game from start to finish, and take a completely different path, even so far as taking on the last boss right away (though not a good idea if you value your life.) Just experimenting with all the different weapons, finding all the different locations and using your rune abilities will keep you distracted for quite some time.
Verdict: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a Masterpiece, and a game I feel will be looked at as a timeless classic. While it isn’t literally “perfect,” it has its occasional frame-rate issues, and the very occasional camera issue, it is, to me, as close to flawless as video game’s get. I haven’t been this immersed, this addicted, or simply had this much fun with a single player game in years, if not decades. This is the best game Nintendo has made in likely the past twenty years, if not ever. I have no regrets in saying I am ready to move on from Ocarina of Time being my all-time favorite video game, as Breath of the Wild now takes the cake. This is the game that really feels tailored to be played however you choose. It feels like the fully realized Zelda game that Nintendo has always wanted to make, and the one we as fans have been salivating for. A new Zelda of any kind is always a big deal, but this one feels uniquely special. I hyped this game to Death Mountain and back, and not only does it meet expectations, it defies them. This feels like a giant playground full of joy, wonder, discovery, exploration, and fun. This is a game of survival, action, adventure, comedy, sadness, joy, and creativity, all wrapped into one package. To say it bluntly, this has everything that makes Gaming such a great past-time to me, and millions of people, and it manages to capture the essence of Zelda most of all. This is an absolute must-buy, and a must play. I would honestly encourage you to get a Wii U, or a Nintendo Switch if you do not already have one, to experience this Masterpiece. So get it, play it, enjoy it, and take a Breath of the magnificent Wild.
*Update 04/09/2017*
***Now that I have finally completed all 12o of the shrine of trials, and done several more of the optional side-quests, including helping to build a town from the ground up, and help a Hylian and Gerudo get married, as well as continually finding new secrets that continue to amaze, I am even more reassured that this is now, without a shadow of a doubt, my new favorite game of all time. I haven't been this excited or addicted to a single-player Nintendo game, or any game period in years, at least not since Super Mario Galaxy 2, a game that Breath of the Wild manages to top for me by a long shot. I loved this game after my first initial paly-through, and I love it even more now.
Even with the simple rewards, finally completing each and every shrine of trials has felt truly vindicating, as I finally got to wear this games version of (spoilers) Link's iconic green tunic, and truly feeling like the Hero of the Wild at last. I am already salivating at the thought of going back and completing every side-quest, and possibly even finding every korok seed. This is one of those rare games to me that is so much fun that it warrants me going back and re-playing. There are still so many dishes for me to cook (Finally learned how to make seafood paella, fruitcake, and monster cake,) armors to upgrade. Just the sense of wonder I feel whenever I'm scaling a large cliff, or riding through the great planes of Hyrule is enough to keep my mind focused on this game for several more months to come.
To elaborate on a previous statement, I completed a side quest in which you must help a man build a small village from the ground up; you do this by recruiting members of nearly every race in Hyrule, giving the man many bundles of wood, and even helping the man with his love-life. Completing this quest felt extremely rewarding. All I can say is that I can't wait for the DLC to come out, and I certainly plan to play through the game again either on the Wii U, or the Switch once I finally track one down. There is so much more for me to say about this Master-piece, but I'll leave it be for now.***
Cons:
Occasional frame-rate issues
Pros:
Sublime Controls
Perfect, Flawless, and incredible Gameplay
Masterful Open-World Exploration
Freedom and personal choice
Mechanics encourage experimentation
Fresh new dungeon design
Amazing art direction
Brilliant music and sound design
Great Voice Acting
Great Story and awesome characters
Lots of replay value
Tons of hidden secrets
Sense of reward after finishing every shrine
Hands down one of the greatest video games of all time
Overall: 10/10
Peace, Dana
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From the manufacturer
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Game of the Year, Best Action Adventure, Best Game DirectionThe Game Awards 2017 |
Best of Show, Best Console Game, Best Action/Adventure GameE3 2016 Game Critics Award |
2017 Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch are trademarks of Nintendo. |
Breath of the Wild: Nintendo's Greatest Achievement
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2017
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Wii UThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild...Those who are reading this might think that I am just another person writing a review because Amazon "asked me." Well, for your information, this game is so good that I couldn't help writing this review. I have played various Zelda games like Skyward Sword, Minish Cap, Windwaker, Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask, and other titles that you might (or might not) be familiar with. I am an over the top Zelda fan and I cant get enough of the series. I research, play, and watch videos of the game because they are so good! But when I found out about Breath of the Wild, I was astonished that it was even a part of the series... I first found out about the game about 7-8 months ago while browsing on the web. I stumbled upon it and was surprised that I didn't know about its upcoming release. From there on, I did extensive research on the game and I immediately fell in love with it. I even have to admit that I developed a slight obsession for the game. From just the videos, the game was so astonishing. The graphics, animation, and even world made me loose my breath. The trailer blew me away and all of the footage from the demos made me loose my train of thought for around 2 days (not joking, I could NOT think at all.) As time went on, more footage was released and more trailers were published by Nintendo. Each one blew me away and I became even more excited to receive the game. I pre-orderd the game on September 23rd of 2016. I didn't care about the money, I didn't even care that its release date hadn't been set yet. I just wanted the game! When I'ts release date came, I flipped out. I went BALLISTIC. I couldn't wait, I just wanted the game. For 6 and a half months I waited for Breath of the Wild and now here I am, playing the game. When I received the game, I nearly crashed my car driving home from the mailbox because I was so excited. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think, all I wanted to do was to play the game. When I opened the package, I was even blown away by the case. It seemed to sparkle and shine. I ripped (CAREFULLY RIPPED) the package open and took out the disk. The disk was enough alone. It seemed to be something from heaven. It was GLORIOUS. I then proceeded to insert the game into the WiiU and from there on, my whole life changed. Soon, the beginning title appeared and the game began. I was astonished by everything, I cant even express how suppressed I was by what Nintendo had accomplished. I cant spoil anything but I can tell you that the game was worth it. Every second I have played was worth it. Every minute and hour was worth it. I still haven't finished the game but here I am writing a review of the game. Nevertheless, I hope you buy it, not because I told you to, but for the experience. When I started the game, I knew it was going to be amazing but I was awe struck. The graphics blew me right off the couch and I couldn't look away from the screen. Why you ask? Because of the animations and graphics. Below are even reasons why they are so bizarre and different.-When it is windy, Links (the main character) hair blows in the wind. Not in any direction though, it blows in the direction the wind is blowing.-The grass, bushes, and trees move in the direction of the wind as well-Links movements 1. Walking: Link doesn't just "walk." His movements are actually accurate and they portray an accurate depiction of a real person. It isn't just some stiff legged animated character. 2. Running: Link actually "runs." It actually looks like he is putting in some effort and his body movement are once again accurate. 3. Climbing: Yes, link CAN climb. This is not a spoiler, it is in the trailer. Even though is hands might go through rock walls in some instances, it looks as though it is a real person. 4. Crouching: When Link crouches, he actually does it "right." Nintendo did a good job with this feature because Link actually bends down, and walks as though he is a normal person trying to be "sneaky." 5. Jumping: Since Nintendo decided to take off the auto jump, you can now control when Link jumps. When he does though, he doesn't look like a dork/idiot trying to do gymnastics. (sorry for the criticism, I'm just trying to give a decent depiction for visualization) He actually jumps like a person would jump-The ocean has tides (yes, it has tides. There is a high tide, low tide, and medium tide)-Link gets wet: Often in video games, after a person leaves water (swimming pool, ocean, source of water, etc) they are dry. They look as though they never entered water. In Breath of the Wild though, link doesn't look "wet" but if you look closely, he drips for a while and leaves "water footsteps."-Lighting: The lighting is amazing. The sunrise, sunset, daytime, and nighttime just BLEW me off my feet. I was awestruck when I first saw them for the first time-Environment: The environment alone would be enough to make me satisfied. The clouds move, the grass sways, when clouds pass over the sun, it blocks out the sun. The shadows are spot on, the lighting from torches, lamps, and fires are amazing, and I am still amazed with Nintendo's excellent job.Now for the good parts. The world of Breath of the Wild. I am only going to say some things because it would leave spoilers.-Weather: The weather is just not for "aesthetics." The environment effects everything in this game but mainly link. When it is raining, Link slips when trying to climb. When it is raining, fires go out. When there are thunderstorms, Lighting will strike metal objects so link cant have metallic objects equipped or he will be struck by lighting. He has to switch to wooden materials. I am only going to say these things so lets move on.-Voice acting- THANK YOU NINTENDO! To my knowledge (correct me if I am wrong), this is the first Zelda game (besides the CDI once which are excluded for reasons that all Zelda fans know) with voice acting. It is extremely well done and so far, it is flawless.-Combat- I was so amazed throughout the game because of these simple things. -When you throw a bomb at an enemy, they try to kick it away -You can manipulate the environment to hurt enemies. EX: you can cut down trees and push the logs down cliffs to smash enemies. You can also use boulders! -Enemies can see and hear you. -Enemies just don't "magically" have weapons on them. They have to go and retrieve them.-AI's: They are amazing. When they are walking, if you go in front of them, they will actually go around you, not just stop. They will also chart different courses if their paths are blocked. I also noticed that their pupils follow you when you are near you. Not just their heads or body. They also will react to things you do. If you take out a weapon around them, they will react and will become defensive. They also do other things but I will also leave that to you to find out.-Weapons: Yes, you can find and use many, many different weapons. From boomerangs, short swords, fire swords, spears, bows, multiple different arrows with different abilities, battle axes, normal axes, battle hammers, clubs, and so many more weapons. There are even shields that you can obtain through various methods. Not only that, they break. Now, the game is actually challenging! Another amazing aspects on the subject is the fact that they all have different stats. Some are weaker, others more powerful. Some do more damage to specific types of enemies and others don't. Some can be found, some can be fought for. All weapons can also be thrown making the game have more battle tactics and strategies.-Food: No more hearts and potions! Link now has to either buy or find food. Not only that, he can cook food and there are (to my knowledge) so many different combinations for recipes. There are so many materials to find from Mushrooms, apples, and meat to Monster guts and horns. You can find food or hunt and kill wild animals for it. So many combinations make the game more challenging to play.-Potions: In this game, you have to make your potions and there are so many more stats.-The environment can hurt link: Link has to adjust his clothing to different environments. If he is too cold, he looses life. If he is too hot, he looses life. You either have to change his clothing or use different "methods" to create a warm/cold environment so Link can survive.That is all I am going to say but I want to end with this: This is the best game I have ever played. I left out so many things that I waned to say but this review would have turned into an essay. I would like to apologize if my spelling was off (I went through it to check for errors) but I'm assuming that you can still understand it. This game is so amazing and I forgot to say that the world is "open." Somebody did an estimate of how large the world was (I'm assuming they are accurate) and the math added up to 300 kilometers. The world was not randomly generated but carefully designed by a team of master designers and programmers. There are so many things to explore and discover and the world is filled with so many different enemies. In conclusion, BUY THIS GAME NOW. It is better than so many games and I have to say that is is too good to be true. I don't know how Nintendo can top this but they always find a way.
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2017
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 24, 2017
Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 12, 2017
Those who are reading this might think that I am just another person writing a review because Amazon "asked me." Well, for your information, this game is so good that I couldn't help writing this review. I have played various Zelda games like Skyward Sword, Minish Cap, Windwaker, Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask, and other titles that you might (or might not) be familiar with. I am an over the top Zelda fan and I cant get enough of the series. I research, play, and watch videos of the game because they are so good! But when I found out about Breath of the Wild, I was astonished that it was even a part of the series...
I first found out about the game about 7-8 months ago while browsing on the web. I stumbled upon it and was surprised that I didn't know about its upcoming release. From there on, I did extensive research on the game and I immediately fell in love with it. I even have to admit that I developed a slight obsession for the game. From just the videos, the game was so astonishing. The graphics, animation, and even world made me loose my breath. The trailer blew me away and all of the footage from the demos made me loose my train of thought for around 2 days (not joking, I could NOT think at all.) As time went on, more footage was released and more trailers were published by Nintendo. Each one blew me away and I became even more excited to receive the game. I pre-orderd the game on September 23rd of 2016. I didn't care about the money, I didn't even care that its release date hadn't been set yet. I just wanted the game! When I'ts release date came, I flipped out. I went BALLISTIC. I couldn't wait, I just wanted the game. For 6 and a half months I waited for Breath of the Wild and now here I am, playing the game. When I received the game, I nearly crashed my car driving home from the mailbox because I was so excited. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think, all I wanted to do was to play the game. When I opened the package, I was even blown away by the case. It seemed to sparkle and shine. I ripped (CAREFULLY RIPPED) the package open and took out the disk. The disk was enough alone. It seemed to be something from heaven. It was GLORIOUS. I then proceeded to insert the game into the WiiU and from there on, my whole life changed. Soon, the beginning title appeared and the game began. I was astonished by everything, I cant even express how suppressed I was by what Nintendo had accomplished. I cant spoil anything but I can tell you that the game was worth it. Every second I have played was worth it. Every minute and hour was worth it. I still haven't finished the game but here I am writing a review of the game. Nevertheless, I hope you buy it, not because I told you to, but for the experience.
When I started the game, I knew it was going to be amazing but I was awe struck. The graphics blew me right off the couch and I couldn't look away from the screen. Why you ask? Because of the animations and graphics. Below are even reasons why they are so bizarre and different.
-When it is windy, Links (the main character) hair blows in the wind. Not in any direction though, it blows in the direction the wind is blowing.
-The grass, bushes, and trees move in the direction of the wind as well
-Links movements
1. Walking: Link doesn't just "walk." His movements are actually accurate and they portray an accurate depiction of a real person. It isn't just some stiff legged animated character.
2. Running: Link actually "runs." It actually looks like he is putting in some effort and his body movement are once again accurate.
3. Climbing: Yes, link CAN climb. This is not a spoiler, it is in the trailer. Even though is hands might go through rock walls in some instances, it looks as though it is a real person.
4. Crouching: When Link crouches, he actually does it "right." Nintendo did a good job with this feature because Link actually bends down, and walks as though he is a normal person trying to be "sneaky."
5. Jumping: Since Nintendo decided to take off the auto jump, you can now control when Link jumps. When he does though, he doesn't look like a dork/idiot trying to do gymnastics. (sorry for the criticism, I'm just trying to give a decent depiction for visualization) He actually jumps like a person would jump
-The ocean has tides (yes, it has tides. There is a high tide, low tide, and medium tide)
-Link gets wet: Often in video games, after a person leaves water (swimming pool, ocean, source of water, etc) they are dry. They look as though they never entered water. In Breath of the Wild though, link doesn't look "wet" but if you look closely, he drips for a while and leaves "water footsteps."
-Lighting: The lighting is amazing. The sunrise, sunset, daytime, and nighttime just BLEW me off my feet. I was awestruck when I first saw them for the first time
-Environment: The environment alone would be enough to make me satisfied. The clouds move, the grass sways, when clouds pass over the sun, it blocks out the sun. The shadows are spot on, the lighting from torches, lamps, and fires are amazing, and I am still amazed with Nintendo's excellent job.
Now for the good parts. The world of Breath of the Wild. I am only going to say some things because it would leave spoilers.
-Weather: The weather is just not for "aesthetics." The environment effects everything in this game but mainly link. When it is raining, Link slips when trying to climb. When it is raining, fires go out. When there are thunderstorms, Lighting will strike metal objects so link cant have metallic objects equipped or he will be struck by lighting. He has to switch to wooden materials. I am only going to say these things so lets move on.
-Voice acting- THANK YOU NINTENDO! To my knowledge (correct me if I am wrong), this is the first Zelda game (besides the CDI once which are excluded for reasons that all Zelda fans know) with voice acting. It is extremely well done and so far, it is flawless.
-Combat- I was so amazed throughout the game because of these simple things.
-When you throw a bomb at an enemy, they try to kick it away
-You can manipulate the environment to hurt enemies. EX: you can cut down trees and push the logs down cliffs to smash enemies. You can also use boulders!
-Enemies can see and hear you.
-Enemies just don't "magically" have weapons on them. They have to go and retrieve them.
-AI's: They are amazing. When they are walking, if you go in front of them, they will actually go around you, not just stop. They will also chart different courses if their paths are blocked. I also noticed that their pupils follow you when you are near you. Not just their heads or body. They also will react to things you do. If you take out a weapon around them, they will react and will become defensive. They also do other things but I will also leave that to you to find out.
-Weapons: Yes, you can find and use many, many different weapons. From boomerangs, short swords, fire swords, spears, bows, multiple different arrows with different abilities, battle axes, normal axes, battle hammers, clubs, and so many more weapons. There are even shields that you can obtain through various methods. Not only that, they break. Now, the game is actually challenging! Another amazing aspects on the subject is the fact that they all have different stats. Some are weaker, others more powerful. Some do more damage to specific types of enemies and others don't. Some can be found, some can be fought for. All weapons can also be thrown making the game have more battle tactics and strategies.
-Food: No more hearts and potions! Link now has to either buy or find food. Not only that, he can cook food and there are (to my knowledge) so many different combinations for recipes. There are so many materials to find from Mushrooms, apples, and meat to Monster guts and horns. You can find food or hunt and kill wild animals for it. So many combinations make the game more challenging to play.
-Potions: In this game, you have to make your potions and there are so many more stats.
-The environment can hurt link: Link has to adjust his clothing to different environments. If he is too cold, he looses life. If he is too hot, he looses life. You either have to change his clothing or use different "methods" to create a warm/cold environment so Link can survive.
That is all I am going to say but I want to end with this: This is the best game I have ever played. I left out so many things that I waned to say but this review would have turned into an essay. I would like to apologize if my spelling was off (I went through it to check for errors) but I'm assuming that you can still understand it. This game is so amazing and I forgot to say that the world is "open." Somebody did an estimate of how large the world was (I'm assuming they are accurate) and the math added up to 300 kilometers. The world was not randomly generated but carefully designed by a team of master designers and programmers. There are so many things to explore and discover and the world is filled with so many different enemies. In conclusion, BUY THIS GAME NOW. It is better than so many games and I have to say that is is too good to be true. I don't know how Nintendo can top this but they always find a way.
Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Breath of the Wild: Nintendo's Greatest Achievement
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 12, 2017
[[ASIN:B00LCHZRIK The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Wii U]]The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild...Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 12, 2017
Those who are reading this might think that I am just another person writing a review because Amazon "asked me." Well, for your information, this game is so good that I couldn't help writing this review. I have played various Zelda games like Skyward Sword, Minish Cap, Windwaker, Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask, and other titles that you might (or might not) be familiar with. I am an over the top Zelda fan and I cant get enough of the series. I research, play, and watch videos of the game because they are so good! But when I found out about Breath of the Wild, I was astonished that it was even a part of the series...
I first found out about the game about 7-8 months ago while browsing on the web. I stumbled upon it and was surprised that I didn't know about its upcoming release. From there on, I did extensive research on the game and I immediately fell in love with it. I even have to admit that I developed a slight obsession for the game. From just the videos, the game was so astonishing. The graphics, animation, and even world made me loose my breath. The trailer blew me away and all of the footage from the demos made me loose my train of thought for around 2 days (not joking, I could NOT think at all.) As time went on, more footage was released and more trailers were published by Nintendo. Each one blew me away and I became even more excited to receive the game. I pre-orderd the game on September 23rd of 2016. I didn't care about the money, I didn't even care that its release date hadn't been set yet. I just wanted the game! When I'ts release date came, I flipped out. I went BALLISTIC. I couldn't wait, I just wanted the game. For 6 and a half months I waited for Breath of the Wild and now here I am, playing the game. When I received the game, I nearly crashed my car driving home from the mailbox because I was so excited. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think, all I wanted to do was to play the game. When I opened the package, I was even blown away by the case. It seemed to sparkle and shine. I ripped (CAREFULLY RIPPED) the package open and took out the disk. The disk was enough alone. It seemed to be something from heaven. It was GLORIOUS. I then proceeded to insert the game into the WiiU and from there on, my whole life changed. Soon, the beginning title appeared and the game began. I was astonished by everything, I cant even express how suppressed I was by what Nintendo had accomplished. I cant spoil anything but I can tell you that the game was worth it. Every second I have played was worth it. Every minute and hour was worth it. I still haven't finished the game but here I am writing a review of the game. Nevertheless, I hope you buy it, not because I told you to, but for the experience.
When I started the game, I knew it was going to be amazing but I was awe struck. The graphics blew me right off the couch and I couldn't look away from the screen. Why you ask? Because of the animations and graphics. Below are even reasons why they are so bizarre and different.
-When it is windy, Links (the main character) hair blows in the wind. Not in any direction though, it blows in the direction the wind is blowing.
-The grass, bushes, and trees move in the direction of the wind as well
-Links movements
1. Walking: Link doesn't just "walk." His movements are actually accurate and they portray an accurate depiction of a real person. It isn't just some stiff legged animated character.
2. Running: Link actually "runs." It actually looks like he is putting in some effort and his body movement are once again accurate.
3. Climbing: Yes, link CAN climb. This is not a spoiler, it is in the trailer. Even though is hands might go through rock walls in some instances, it looks as though it is a real person.
4. Crouching: When Link crouches, he actually does it "right." Nintendo did a good job with this feature because Link actually bends down, and walks as though he is a normal person trying to be "sneaky."
5. Jumping: Since Nintendo decided to take off the auto jump, you can now control when Link jumps. When he does though, he doesn't look like a dork/idiot trying to do gymnastics. (sorry for the criticism, I'm just trying to give a decent depiction for visualization) He actually jumps like a person would jump
-The ocean has tides (yes, it has tides. There is a high tide, low tide, and medium tide)
-Link gets wet: Often in video games, after a person leaves water (swimming pool, ocean, source of water, etc) they are dry. They look as though they never entered water. In Breath of the Wild though, link doesn't look "wet" but if you look closely, he drips for a while and leaves "water footsteps."
-Lighting: The lighting is amazing. The sunrise, sunset, daytime, and nighttime just BLEW me off my feet. I was awestruck when I first saw them for the first time
-Environment: The environment alone would be enough to make me satisfied. The clouds move, the grass sways, when clouds pass over the sun, it blocks out the sun. The shadows are spot on, the lighting from torches, lamps, and fires are amazing, and I am still amazed with Nintendo's excellent job.
Now for the good parts. The world of Breath of the Wild. I am only going to say some things because it would leave spoilers.
-Weather: The weather is just not for "aesthetics." The environment effects everything in this game but mainly link. When it is raining, Link slips when trying to climb. When it is raining, fires go out. When there are thunderstorms, Lighting will strike metal objects so link cant have metallic objects equipped or he will be struck by lighting. He has to switch to wooden materials. I am only going to say these things so lets move on.
-Voice acting- THANK YOU NINTENDO! To my knowledge (correct me if I am wrong), this is the first Zelda game (besides the CDI once which are excluded for reasons that all Zelda fans know) with voice acting. It is extremely well done and so far, it is flawless.
-Combat- I was so amazed throughout the game because of these simple things.
-When you throw a bomb at an enemy, they try to kick it away
-You can manipulate the environment to hurt enemies. EX: you can cut down trees and push the logs down cliffs to smash enemies. You can also use boulders!
-Enemies can see and hear you.
-Enemies just don't "magically" have weapons on them. They have to go and retrieve them.
-AI's: They are amazing. When they are walking, if you go in front of them, they will actually go around you, not just stop. They will also chart different courses if their paths are blocked. I also noticed that their pupils follow you when you are near you. Not just their heads or body. They also will react to things you do. If you take out a weapon around them, they will react and will become defensive. They also do other things but I will also leave that to you to find out.
-Weapons: Yes, you can find and use many, many different weapons. From boomerangs, short swords, fire swords, spears, bows, multiple different arrows with different abilities, battle axes, normal axes, battle hammers, clubs, and so many more weapons. There are even shields that you can obtain through various methods. Not only that, they break. Now, the game is actually challenging! Another amazing aspects on the subject is the fact that they all have different stats. Some are weaker, others more powerful. Some do more damage to specific types of enemies and others don't. Some can be found, some can be fought for. All weapons can also be thrown making the game have more battle tactics and strategies.
-Food: No more hearts and potions! Link now has to either buy or find food. Not only that, he can cook food and there are (to my knowledge) so many different combinations for recipes. There are so many materials to find from Mushrooms, apples, and meat to Monster guts and horns. You can find food or hunt and kill wild animals for it. So many combinations make the game more challenging to play.
-Potions: In this game, you have to make your potions and there are so many more stats.
-The environment can hurt link: Link has to adjust his clothing to different environments. If he is too cold, he looses life. If he is too hot, he looses life. You either have to change his clothing or use different "methods" to create a warm/cold environment so Link can survive.
That is all I am going to say but I want to end with this: This is the best game I have ever played. I left out so many things that I waned to say but this review would have turned into an essay. I would like to apologize if my spelling was off (I went through it to check for errors) but I'm assuming that you can still understand it. This game is so amazing and I forgot to say that the world is "open." Somebody did an estimate of how large the world was (I'm assuming they are accurate) and the math added up to 300 kilometers. The world was not randomly generated but carefully designed by a team of master designers and programmers. There are so many things to explore and discover and the world is filled with so many different enemies. In conclusion, BUY THIS GAME NOW. It is better than so many games and I have to say that is is too good to be true. I don't know how Nintendo can top this but they always find a way.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
D. Tankha
not compatible with Switch
Reviewed in Singapore 🇸🇬 on December 26, 2020Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Good game.
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on October 24, 2019Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Oscar
Uno de los mejores juegos de la decada
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on May 31, 2017Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
Kels
Awsome game!
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on June 18, 2023Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
livvie
This is the Zelda We All Wanted (Even If You Never Thought You Did).
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on March 5, 2017Platform For Display: Nintendo Wii UEdition: StandardVerified Purchase
