Breath of the Wild Newbie to BotW, how should I best enjoy my adventure? (Spoiler free please)

[stormflora]

Hi! I'm the happy new owner of BotW now (and the Switch, actually), and I'd just like to know what is the best way to enjoy this game with minimal frustration. So far, I've beaten the first area and have the parachute, and the King told me to go to somewhere in the east for the next main quest, but I decided to just go south instead for the hell of it.

Clearly, BotW was designed to give total freedom and not really tie people to any specific sort of path, so I was just curious as to if there are some areas I should/shouldn't go to at this point in the game to optimize my experience. (In other open-world games, you have areas that are locked off/require specific tools to access, and there are also areas that offer useful tools to have that make the rest of the game easier to deal with.)

I kind of have the basics down, cooking random things here and there, knowing where to find a horse, climbing up mountains and stuff. I just finished a temple straight down south from the starting location, which was on top of a mountain, near an NPC that was cooking. (I couldn't grab the chest though; wasn't sure how.) I'm thinking of heading west from this point on, climbing more mountains.

I briefly looked at the interactive map, and it's really massive, and seems to have a ton of stuff to collect and areas to explore. Unlike other games, BotW doesn't use a "fog of war" map that clears up wherever you go, so it's kind of hard to keep track. I imagine the towers are necessary to reveal the map, and the shrines are the main points of exploration that I should be checking out to raise my health and stamina. The rest seem to be unimportant or 'spoilery', so I hid them all.

Would seeking out all of the towers and shrines (and doing whatever happens in between) be a decent approach to the game, or should I stick to the main quest (to a certain point first) after all? Thanks!

 

[Azure Sage]

Honestly, the best way to enjoy BotW is to do whatever you want, however you want. If you feel like you need more health or stamina, then hit up the shrines. If you'd feel more secure with a more detailed map, then hit up the towers. If you wanna see what the main story is like, follow the quest markers. It's your choice to decide how to go about it. My approach was to do whatever I thought was the most interesting at the time. I think that's part of what makes the game so darn special and great. The adventure is entirely in your own hands.

So basically, do what you think is most interesting to you at the moment. Don't feel like you "have" to do anything a certain way. Just do what you see in front of you. That's the best approach when the map is so huge, I think.

 

[Hero of Pizza Time]

Hi,

Welcome to the forums! One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this game is that there is no "right" way to play the game. It gives you all of the basic tools you will need (the runes) at the start of the game, so once you get off the Great Plateau, you are more or less free to explore wherever you want and you are meant to get side-tracked with things that you see in the world.

Looking for towers and shrines is a pretty good approach. There are 120 shrines in the game though, and a lot of them are hidden behind puzzles and challenges, so it would be pretty hard to get all of them without some kind of guide.

I would recommend getting all the memories because it gives you an extra cutscene at the end if you interested in that kind of stuff. I would also recommend getting the Master Sword (which I believe you need something like 13 hearts to be able to acquire). You should also get the Champion's Tunic from Impa (I think you have to complete some side quest that involves getting a memory). There are also four divine beasts.

Other than that though, there is nothing you really need to get unless you want to have it. I might add the Hylian Shield, but that's just if you want the full Link look (though it is the best shield in the game).

Enjoy the game.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

I just went ahead and did the main quest and whatever side stuff I came across, the memories I'd also recommend for you to try to seek out before fighting the final boss, but you may possibly need a walkthrough for a couple of them

above all else...just play the game

 

[stormflora]

Hi, thanks for all of your replies!

I see, so the game truly is built for absolute freedom then. Is there any sort of like, sequence, that things progress in? Or is every area accessible so long as you figure them out? BotW definitely has strong Skyrim vibes to it where you'd just go off doing a ton of sides at your own leisure, although Skyrim did have a main quest that had to be progressed eventually.

I noticed in my current map that most areas are just blank (I guess I need the towers), and that the in-game map isn't even as large as the interactive map here. Is there some sort of wall that prevents me from exploring beyond, or is it just that the game waits for you to get that far before it enlarges?

I think for the time being I'll go for the towers and shrines, and do whatever happens in between. Since the shrines are basically the fast travel points, it would make the game easier to travel later on. Are there ways to travel faster on foot (besides a horse, speed elixirs)?

As for the memories and specific equipment, I think that enters a bit into spoiler territory, so I will leave those for the very end. I'm guessing that the endgame is defeating Ganon, so I should be safe so long as I do basically everything else before I fight him, right? I will keep in mind that the memories need to be collected first before finishing the game. (On that note, is there a post-game? Or does it just end?)

I'm going to try not to refer to the interactive map for now, since it spoils the game. Does the in-game map track every (significant) thing you find (the various things on the interactive map)? Or are there some things it won't keep track of?

Side questions: Do monsters respawn? I'm not sure if they come back or not. And is there a way to get a permanent horse? Also, I'm missing the last rune; is it something I unlock later?
Thanks everyone!!

 

[el :BeoWolf:]

Is there any sort of like, sequence, that things progress in? Or is every area accessible so long as you figure them out?

Once you have the parachute the whole of Hyrule can be accessed. Though you may need something to protect you from the harsher climates.

and that the in-game map isn't even as large as the interactive map here.

The in game map is the same as the interactive map. You just need to fill it in by activating the towers. Again the entirety of Hyrule is open.

Are there ways to travel faster on foot

Nope

(On that note, is there a post-game? Or does it just end?)

Like nearly all zelda games it just ends there.

Does the in-game map track every (significant) thing you find (the various things on the interactive map)?

The map marks shrines, divine beasts, towers, settlements and location names iirc

Do monsters respawn?

Eventually yes after enough are defeated and enough supplies have been gathered the world eventually respawns everything signified by the blood moon.

 

[MapelSerup]

Welcome to the forums! I went east when I started, and went through the main quest, but I was unprepared. Going east starts the main quest, I believe, but you really don’t have to go there. Do whatever you want, however you want, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time!

 

[stormflora]

Like nearly all zelda games it just ends there.

Ah, I see. It's been a long time since I played a Zelda game (last time was Wind Waker IIRC, and that was easily over 10 years ago), so my memory of the game is basically nonexistent. I'll keep it in mind to do everything before finishing, then.

Eventually yes after enough are defeated and enough supplies have been gathered the world eventually respawns everything signified by the blood moon.

Oh, so for the time being, monsters and items will all remain gone once they're killed/taken. When does the blood moon come, or is that very late game after I've pretty much explored everywhere?

 

[el :BeoWolf:]

When does the blood moon come,

It's somewhat random but if you slay enough monsters, and collect a lot of materials it'll increase the odds as the game eventually has to reset all that to clear up memory.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

Ah, I see. It's been a long time since I played a Zelda game (last time was Wind Waker IIRC, and that was easily over 10 years ago), so my memory of the game is basically nonexistent. I'll keep it in mind to do everything before finishing, then.

when you beat the game and reload your save, it just takes you back to right before you beat the final boss, so there's no real worry of not doing something anymore after beating ganon

 

[Ninja]

I see, so the game truly is built for absolute freedom then. Is there any sort of like, sequence, that things progress in? Or is every area accessible so long as you figure them out? BotW definitely has strong Skyrim vibes to it where you'd just go off doing a ton of sides at your own leisure, although Skyrim did have a main quest that had to be progressed eventually.

I would recommend the following, as it will give you an easier time if you are having trouble. To avoid spoilers I'll just name the areas by species. Fish (east) > Birds (northwest) > Rock (northeast) > Desert waifus (southwest). Before fighting the end game boss at the castle, I'd highly suggest finding a guide online for the memories as they add story to the game. If you can, the DLC story is awesome too.

I noticed in my current map that most areas are just blank (I guess I need the towers), and that the in-game map isn't even as large as the interactive map here. Is there some sort of wall that prevents me from exploring beyond, or is it just that the game waits for you to get that far before it enlarges?

You'll need to activate the towers. Some towers with certain dungeon upgrades can be a breeze to get, others you'll have to use your runes to get creative.

I think for the time being I'll go for the towers and shrines, and do whatever happens in between. Since the shrines are basically the fast travel points, it would make the game easier to travel later on. Are there ways to travel faster on foot (besides a horse, speed elixirs)?

You can definitely tame horses. Travelling on foot is nice because you can take in the world. It's really beautiful.

As for the memories and specific equipment, I think that enters a bit into spoiler territory, so I will leave those for the very end. I'm guessing that the endgame is defeating Ganon, so I should be safe so long as I do basically everything else before I fight him, right? I will keep in mind that the memories need to be collected first before finishing the game. (On that note, is there a post-game? Or does it just end?)

As said before, if you follow the above order, you should have a good first playthrough. The memories are definitely great to see, and I would highly recommend doing the memories before the final fight. There is no notable post game aside from the DLC story (which unlocks after you defeat the four dungeons I believe). Like past Zelda games the game returns to your last save point.

I'm going to try not to refer to the interactive map for now, since it spoils the game. Does the in-game map track every (significant) thing you find (the various things on the interactive map)? Or are there some things it won't keep track of?

Yes, the map keeps track of all notable objects, minus Korok seeds. Good luck on those lol.

Do monsters respawn? I'm not sure if they come back or not. And is there a way to get a permanent horse? Also, I'm missing the last rune; is it something I unlock later?

Yes, monsters will respawn after time. Here is a link below that explains the mechanic, and a way to force it.

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Also, welcome to the forum! Hope you stick around, everyone here is very kind and will answer any questions you have.

 

[stormflora]

Thanks for all of your advice everyone!

@Ninja: Wow, that sequence certainly sounds like it goes all over the place, haha. I'll keep it in mind if I hit a wall and just want to progress.

 

[stormflora]

Hi, sorry for the bump; I just have another question.

Is it right to think that the primary areas to explore are the towers, shrines, Divine Beasts, enemy outposts, towns, and the main and side quests?

Thanks everyone!

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

you mean playing the game?

 

[MW7]

I think that's fair to say. There's a large collection quest which you would discover on the road between Dueling Peaks and Kakariko (or elsewhere if you miss it) as well. Towers, shrines, and divine beasts are probably the best way to track your progress. Most Zelda games you can sum up your progress by saying which dungeon you're on and this isn't really true of Breath of the Wild.

I'd encourage following the recommended path for a few hours because there are some useful items that you receive. Divine Beasts have some useful rewards as well.