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Breath of the Wild Is Breath of the Wild the greatest Zelda game ever?

Jamie

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There is a lot of empty space between everything and once you find/do something that takes away all relevance from that area and adds to the empty space. Also I think Epona has 4 stars across the board while the one horse we were talking about doesn't so I think Epona is actually the best.

Also the graphics are not better than wind wakers, those graphics are timeless and therefore the best. But on a serious note, Zelda graphics lately have been dated and the is no exception epically compared to other games like horizon.
Really no more empty space than any other open world game made in the last 5 years. That's just what gaming has become, I suppose.

I just meant that graphics being dated isn't a good argument for it not being a top Zelda game. Twilight Princess looks more dated than BotW, because it's older. My criteria for what game is the best is if they were all released at the exact same time, which one would I enjoy the most. With that criteria, BotW is my favourite, followed by Wind Waker.

I think a lot of people (not you necessarily, just a general statement) do have trouble saying x new game in a franchise is their favourite when they are set in stone though. Seems like many people try to find reasons why they don't like a new game instead of trying to enjoy it. Again I don't think this is you because clearly you got enjoyment from it, just a general observation that I think is common with franchises.
 

Kylo Ken

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Graphics aren't dated in the slightest. MGS for PS1 is dated, Bubsy 3D is dated. This is not dated.
 

misskitten

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I agree, games like the witcher 3 had too much open space but that doesn't excuse zelda because other games have that flaw also.

We are seriously having a different experience with the space, because I find the open space highly engaging. Even if the top of the mountain I climb doesn't have any direct "reward" it still gives me a great vantage point, I can scout out where I want to go next, I can reach certain areas more easily by gliding. Even when I'm wandering among ruins and there aren't really anything to pick up, I find myself studying the area around me, something I haven't really done before in a past Zelda title. Where other games open areas have felt needlessly void of things to do, here it feels full of potential. But that's just me, just how I experience it. Nothing feels like a chore, I'm the one who wants to explore this area. I don't just look for the fastest way through to the next exciting thing.
 

Lozjam

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I'm surprised you think this given the time you spent on it, I thought you liked it a lot more. I also find your point on the world being empty to be weird since there's 120 shrines, 4 dungeons, and 900 korok seeds it's hard for me to agree. Also Epona isn't the best horse. I also find graphics being dated to be a poor argument since the graphics are still better than every Zelda game prior.

But to each their own, for me I think it's my favourite Zelda game.



It seems that the split between loving it and not being terribly fond has a lot to do with what games in the series were people's favourites. A lot of WW fans seem to love BotW, but a lot of TP fans seem to not be big fans of BotW. I wonder if there's a connection, because I don't see much of one, but perhaps it's more than a coincidence.
I also find this trend to be there as well. It's strange to say the least. Wind Waker is one of my favorite Zelda games.

Now, I am not prepared to say that BotW is my favorite Zelda game yet, as I want to give it some time to sit before saying it definitively(and I haven't even beaten the game despite my 60 hours of playtime). But it's definitely up there in my top 3 Zelda games, that's for sure.


I agree, games like the witcher 3 had too much open space but that doesn't excuse zelda because other games have that flaw also.

Twilight Princess was dated before it came out.
Breath of the Wild is less empty than Twilight Princess though. Even though there may not be enemies around, in a seemingly empty field, that doesn't mean it's empty. You can find assortment of insects to make elixers, in many cases you can find minigames for horse riding, you can find Korok seeds many times as well. And: if all else fails, if you truly are sick of that open space(which really isn't empty), set the grass on fire and use the updraft to take you someplace more interesting.

Also, you must admit, though the "graphics may look dated", it actually presents some of the best animations within gaming. Particularly the physics based animations of the horse, and especially the grass. No game, not even the Witcher 3 has taken such a detailed approach to grass on the scale BotW does, and it does really make it seem alive.

I'm also starting to think that people's experiences with the game differ radically with play style as well. And how observant the player is to the "smaller" mechanics of the game. For example, my play style is one of creativity. Whenever I see a batch of enemies, I rarely if at all use my weapons in any conventional matter. I look for weak points in enemy defenses, seeing if there are any bombs to blow up, any trees to cut down, how can I use fire to exterminate the enemies, how to sneak up on enemies. And I use very specific tactics when I do use weapons, of distracting enemies using magnesis, or stasis(this actually allowed me to beat a Lynel, and the Most Powerful Shrine guardian before even beating any of the dungeons). This is why I think weapon durability isn't a problem, whereas someone like @Deus probably approached it like TP... Where you run up, start wailing on some guys. This makes something like weapon durability very annoying to him, and a burden to him, but for me, leaves it really fun for me to experiment on.

I think this is also related to the story as well. Since everyone unlocks the story in a different order(and even some text changes due to this as well), this creates the radical viewpoints of the story either being underwhelming, or really good. It also has to the be the point of proper pacing too, and how often the player unlocks the story.

I'm not going to be the one that says "you're playing the game wrong", but I think this accounts the experiences of those who had a fantastic experience with the game, a pretty good experience with the game, and a semi-negative experience with the game.
 

misskitten

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Also another problem I have is octo balloons pop way too fast. I tied 4, one to each corner of a sailing raft and wanted to fly it to hyrule castle to confuse the **** outta ganon but they popped after like 30 seconds.

Stock up on many of them and then replace them as you go using the stasis rune?
 

Azure Sage

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I just don't think botw has the attention to detail that other games have. Sure it does a few things well but when you compare it to a game like uncharted where it does so many little things so well that the entire world feels alive it makes botw fall flat.
Okay I haven't played Uncharted but BotW's attention to detail is absolutely out of this world good. Have you really looked at any of the surroundings? That massive world filled with things to do has extremely detailed and interesting environmental features. The level of detail they put into designing every single inch of grass and cliff is incredible, literally nowhere got scrimped on and I've been nearly everywhere by now. The environment makes you think, it makes you imagine what happened 100 years ago to make it the way it is. And you can even gather insight from NPCs in the areas as well. There's exposition everywhere, whether its in dialogue or in the look of the environment itself.

Like I said, I haven't played Uncharted, so I can't make a comparison between the two. But to say BotW doesn't have attention to detail on any scale is just... as Revali would say, just asinine.
 

Jamie

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Okay I haven't played Uncharted but BotW's attention to detail is absolutely out of this world good. Have you really looked at any of the surroundings? That massive world filled with things to do has extremely detailed and interesting environmental features. The level of detail they put into designing every single inch of grass and cliff is incredible, literally nowhere got scrimped on and I've been nearly everywhere by now. The environment makes you think, it makes you imagine what happened 100 years ago to make it the way it is. And you can even gather insight from NPCs in the areas as well. There's exposition everywhere, whether its in dialogue or in the look of the environment itself.

Like I said, I haven't played Uncharted, so I can't make a comparison between the two. But to say BotW doesn't have attention to detail on any scale is just... as Revali would say, just asinine.
He never said that though lol
 

Dio

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I think this is also related to the story as well. Since everyone unlocks the story in a different order(and even some text changes due to this as well), this creates the radical viewpoints of the story either being underwhelming, or really good. It also has to the be the point of proper pacing too, and how often the player unlocks the story.

I'm not going to be the one that says "you're playing the game wrong", but I think this accounts the experiences of those who had a fantastic experience with the game, a pretty good experience with the game, and a semi-negative experience with the game.

I'm sure there is a good and orderly way to unlock the story that would give the most positive experience, but that isn't made clear or encouraged enough by the game. Too much freedom is not always a good thing and with distractions at every turn I would even say players are being encouraged to play and get a lesser experience.

Yes W3 and TP's worlds were emptier but they were designed to make the world seem vast and to give you something nice to look at on the way to your destination. It wasn't there to discourage you from completing your main mission, instead the focus was more on the story. In BoTW you can spend hours encountering distractions on the way to your next main objective and just like with Fallout 4 I find it causes the main quest to seem insignificant.
 

Cartoonmaniac

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I haven't even gotten to the first Divine Beast yet, and I already love this game. The vastness and detail of the world is simply astounding, and I love being able to do anything I want, whenever I want. However, I would not consider it the best Zelda game. Sure, it's an amazing game, but if it wasn't Zelda, I wouldn't love it any less. In other words, if it was its own separate franchise, I would still love it the same.
 
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but if it wasn't Zelda, I wouldn't love it any less.
I agree 100%. I only got into Xenoblade because of Xenoblade Chronicles X. I think Breath of the Wild in the same sentence as XCX. We all know how amazing XCX is and I am saying Zelda is just as good. I do prefer XCX to BotW though but that's just a preference thing, not because BotW is any worse.
 

Jamie

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"I just don't think botw has the attention to detail that other games have" This is what I was replying to.
Right, which hardly means "botw doesn't have attention to detail on any scale" which was the strawman you attacked. Poor guy.
 

Azure Sage

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Right, which hardly means "botw doesn't have attention to detail on any scale" which was the strawman you attacked. Poor guy.
I don't think you know what "any scale" means. Because calling that a strawman is completely inaccurate. Saying it doesn't have as much attention to detail compared to other games is on "any scale". I don't understand why that didn't occur to you, but whatever. This is pointless to discuss further in this thread lol
 

Jamie

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I don't think you know what "any scale" means. Because calling that a strawman is completely inaccurate. Saying it doesn't have as much attention to detail compared to other games is on "any scale". I don't understand why that didn't occur to you, but whatever. This is pointless to discuss further in this thread lol
I know what any scale means. I thought you were saying that he said that BotW doesn't pay any attention to detail, I think your comment can easily be read that way. I apologize for misinterpreting.
 
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I wanted to answer this question after my first Playthrough of Breath of the wild, but I wasn't satified with my opinion back then, so I decided to play the game a second time. Now that I’ve gotten more used to the game, I can say beyond a doubt that Zelda Breath of the Wild is a very good Zelda game.

However despite enjoying the game with the gloating fact that I’ve managed to beat Ganon at the most earliest point possible during my 2nd Playthrough (Hooray for me!), there’s just certain things about Breath of the Wild that just stops it from being THE best Zelda game ever. Now don’t get me wrong there are some shining factors to this game like:

· Stunning Visuals
· Very good music (where there is some)
· Fantastic story
· Best use of Amiibo to date
· Superb puzzle solving in shrines
· Fun Boss Battles
· Appropriate use of voice acting (which was surprisingly done well)

Breath of the Wild is a very addicting game, but why isn’t it the best Zelda Game for me? Well here’s why:

· Breakable weapons with no way to repair them (Save for a very few weapons)
· Too easy to die and hearts deplete like no one’s business resulting in some cheap deaths
· Electricity is too overpowered in this game, resulting in some very frustrating battles and deaths
· Having to worry about Hot/Cold weather when other Links in the series don’t
· Unable to swim properly, even with the Zora Armour
· Has one of the most disappointing final boss battles in the series (Not including the alternate Final Boss Fight very early in the Game)
· Controls are flawed and sensitive. the amount of times I’ve crouched during a fight or gone into scope view while using Magnesis due to awkward control stick pressing has screwed up puzzles and caused deaths.

Now I will say, having played BotW for a 2nd time, I do find the more enjoyable than my 1st Playthrough, but ultimately I feel the gameplay for Breath of the Wild is the aspect that stops this from being the best Zelda ever. In Ocarina of time and Twilight Princess, the gameplay was so satisfying; you never had any of the problems that Breath of the Wild somehow has. and that’s a real let down because otherwise this would have been the best Zelda game.

Overall, Breath of the Wild is certainly better than Most Zelda games, but it will never trump the likes of Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess.
 

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