Let me preface this by saying that I am not a gamer by any definition. My limited gaming resume consists of “Animal Crossing,” “Stardew Valley,” and “Pokémon Brilliant Diamond,” largely because of my personal gaming requirements.
Anything too difficult stresses me out; games that are easy and straightforward bore me. I need to have some freedom with the gameplay, but too much leaves me restless.
Nevertheless, I went on a hunt for something that met my strict preferences. A quick Google search for the best Nintendo Switch games yielded “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” at the top of the list.
Another quick Google search told me that it was perfect for new-time Zelda players as no prior knowledge was needed to play. Desperate and on a whim, I bought the game.
I began “Breath of the Wild” apprehensively. I was well aware of the game’s extensive lore, and I worried that I wouldn’t have the necessary background to enjoy the storyline. The reviews about the game proved correct. Before long, I was completely and utterly sucked into the land of Hyrule, teeming with its post-apocalyptic enemies and scarily realistic laws of nature.
In the game, you play as an amnesiac Link who has just awoken from a 100-year-long nap. You then must recover his memories in an effort to save Princess Zelda; she’s trapped fighting off Calamity Ganon in the heart of Hyrule Castle. The path to rescuing Zelda is anything but straightforward, making for a nonlinear gameplay that will capture the attention of even the most skilled gamer.
Despite having played over 50 hours so far, I have yet to complete the main storyline of “Breath of the Wild.” The number of side quests and physical freedom of the open-world map prove countless hours of immersive gameplay, all of which are accessible outside of the main quest.
For example, I’ve gone off on hunts just to mine ore that I can sell for a few extra rupees, Hyrule’s currency. Other times, I’ve spent considerable time simply exploring the map to get a better lay of the land.
The game sets the player up perfectly for this addictive playability as the world itself is not unlike our own. Grass fields are easily set on fire; flowers, mushrooms, and fruit are scavenged for food; lightning strikes any metal objects on your person; rain makes climbing surfaces slippery and difficult to scale; cold, and conversely, heat, affect your person, making specific armor more appropriate for certain biomes. One can take hours just experimenting with how the character reacts to the elements.
The environment itself isn’t the only enticing aspect of “Breath of the Wild.” The storyline is filled with such rich and dynamic characters that the player can’t help but feel a connection with, despite the minimal screen time each character has with Link. Each recovered memory of Link’s results in a short clip the player gets to watch.
It is in these moments that we, as well as Link, learn about his relationships with the other warriors and his ultimate purpose within the grand scheme of defeating Ganon. So, as the plot unfolds, so does a new motivation to recover the rest of his memories and fulfill the quest to save Zelda.
Due to my newfound love for the game, it’s an understatement to say that I was excited to hear that Breath of the Wild’s sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, is scheduled for release on May 12 of this year. The hype across the board is unmatched, as six years have passed since the release of Breath of the Wild— making its successor one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year.
Until May, I’ll continue my quest to free Zelda and wait in anticipation for which direction the storyline heads in next.
