BOTW is almost one year old and it is still magical

[entremet]

I've decided to get back into Breath of the Wild due to the DLC. While it wasn't my overall GOTY for 2017, that was Hollow Knight, it was a very tough year and Breath of the Wild is easily in the top 3.

Those first 3 hours were sure something. Mostly since it was great departure from recent series tropes, excessive introductory tutorials. Great game design teaches game systems in a seamless fashion a la MMX and it seems the Zelda team has finally got the hint here.

I also forgot how well done the sound design is in the game. Yes, it lacks the ever playing tunes of previous Zeldas, but the use of music is fantastic. While I did miss being to hum the ever present melodic tunes of previous Zeldas, I think the new approach works better for open world games like BoTW.

And then there's the art direction. Originally a Wii U game, which is less powerful than the Switch, I do love the cell shaded style. However, what still seems very impressive is the environments. They're very diverse and fascinating to inspect. You want to climb the next hill or structure only to explore it. I turned off the default HUD and it was perfect. Link's design is also rather strong. I loved that they added all the armor variations and his default champion's tunic was a drastic change in the feel of the character along with him ditching the pointing green hat.

BoTW is not a perfect game. I think that discussion is a boring one honestly. There are no perfect games. However, I'm rather impressed how strong it still is, almost one year going. I've found most open world games not very compelling. My favorite before BOTW was Crackdown to give you a sense of my tastes. And I never developed much interest in the GTA series. I tried.

I've been rather jaded with 3D Zeldas and I'm glad this new direction succeeded both critically and commercially. This is the best selling Zelda game, correct?

What are your thoughts on BOTW nearly one year later?

 

[VeePs]

I still have to get around to finishing it. I thought it was a really fun game, and well made. But the lack of a story (in both the main quests and the side quest) have slowed me down from coming back to it. Simply because of that for me personally the game seems overrated.

 

[Amaterasu]

I did pretty much everything the game had to offer when it came out. It was a great experience and I can only imagine what comes next will be even better. Hope you're ready to see "overrated" a lot though.

 

[entremet]

I did pretty much everything the game had to offer when it came out. It was a great experience and I can only imagine what comes next will be even better. Hope you're ready to see "overrated" a lot though.

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That's fine. That's discussion. I just hope people can give reason instead of driveby posts. I get that we have different tastes.

 

[Toriko]

I really liked it but the more I look back the less impressed I am. RE7 VR was the best and only magical game of 2017 for me but I still like BOTW.

 

[tommy7154]

It's magical and also currently $36 new at Best Buy with GCU in case anyone didnt know.

 

[Deleted member 8112]

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[entremet]

Prepare for people making drive by posts. I agree OP, even after almost 500 hours I still boot it up to walk around. I wish I could play it for the first time again.

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Sounds like you got all those forest children lol? I forget their name.

 

[Djawed]

A year later I still miss roaming through the world. It's magical and satisfying. Im glad the dlc is there so i can go back.

 

[Kewlmyc]

Fun game is fun, though the weapon breaking system will never not bother me.

Got all 4 of the dungeons beaten, but never actually beat the game. Want to go back to it, though I doubt I ever will honestly.

 

[VZ_Blade]

I agree. Sometimes I just boot up the game and walk around in the overworld, taking in the atmosphere. The sense of exploration I felt is simply unparalleled (the closest game to get me to feel that way is probably Xenoblade X).

 

[entremet]

A year later I still miss roaming through the world. It's magical and satisfying. Im glad the dlc is there so i can go back.

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This was my favorite part of the game. Just roaming around and getting to know the environments was fun.

I need to play Assassin Creed: Orgins, since I heard that another strong modern open world game. I've seen a lot of comparisons between both games actually.

 

[Deleted member 8112]

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[Inugami]

This thread is a little premature. Should have just waited the 2ish more weeks. This game needs a proper 1 year celebration!

(edit) Sorry, this makes it sound like thread whining. It's always a good time to celebrate BotW, it just feels like this was premature. We'll be getting some amazing threads soon with tons of content and links and opinions and everything else.

 

[entremet]

This thread is a little premature. Should have just waited the 2ish more weeks. This game needs a proper 1 year celebration!

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This forum moves so damn fast, I'm sure it's not a big deal lol.

I'll let the Zelda super fans do that. I just want to talk about the game, especially given the recent DICE award haul.

 

[Jaymageck]

I just beat Ganon today after a year of exploring on and off. What a game!

I do think if the next Zelda game is in this style that we need to find something a bit more than shrines to hunt for. Perhaps something more like Majora's Mask - lots of little isolated stories. I'm ok with still having mini dungeons though but they can't be at the end of everything.

 

[Jader7777]

Prepare for people making drive by posts.

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The game is nintendo garbage trash because
a) weapons break, which is dumb bad wrong notzelda
b) it's not a carbon copy of ocarina of time

I rest my case *wheel squealing noise*

 

[Deleted member 3017]

It's pretty good I guess

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

Still need to get back into it - I put about 60 hours into the game at launch, but set it down before raiding the castle or finding most the memories. I know there's still a lot more for me to discover, and the DLC is a whole other beast.

REALLY loved the game - there's just so much else out to play. 2017 was a killer year and I'm behind still. Haven't even started Persona 5, yet, for example. But yeah, BotW is a magical experience and absolutely the second best game of the gen for me, after Bloodborne.

 

[Cybersai]

Loved it, but miss traditional dungeons.

Honestly if this game had at leas 5 classic style Zelda dungeons, it would have been damn near perfect.

 

[MegaManTrigger]

It's one of those experiences that I will forever remember because of the gameplay direction that the series went to, as well as it being tied to the Nintendo Switch to me because of it being the first game that I played on the console.

 

[Iceternal]

And its magic is still lost on me...

But I'm not a fan of open worlds without direction.

I need constant narrative content to motivate me. That's why the Witcher 3 is so perfect to me !

 

[wow_bob_wow]

Magical is the right word for me. It gave me the feeling I haven't felt since my parents let me and my brother rent a Super Nintendo from Blockbuster, when I played Super Mario World and Link to the Past for the first time. That feeling of wonder and wanting to explore all the mysteries the game had to offer and just finding it an absolute joy to just move the playable character around in the game world.

 

[Sadist]

I'm still playing. I'm still finding new area's in the game and thinking "Wow, I've never been here before, neat!"

Afterwards I find another one of those Koroks.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Replaying it on Switch now. You can't recapture your first experience with anything, but I have to agree that the magic is long lasting. I'm enjoying it almost as much the second time around.

 

[Deleted member 3017]

I'd honestly pay $50 for another Expansion Pass. I need more more more

 

[takriel]

My first personal 10 this generation. It's my favorite Zelda game.

There's still room for improvement. I share the common criticism that the story needed a bigger focus and the dungeons should have been more diverse.

 

[Deleted member 8112]

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[Olinad]

I'd honestly pay $50 for another Expansion Pass. I need more more more

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More than a DLC, I'd love for them to pull a Majora's Mask and add a quirky story with some weird mechanics on top of the open world.

 

[Sub Boss]

wow time flies

 

[RoyaleDuke]

Incredible game, and a return to a style that is more similar to the first game that started the series than anything else preceding it. It is one hundred percent my favorite Zelda title besides OKAMI.

 

[upinsmoke]

I finished this recently. Before this I only played Twilight Princess on the Wii and honestly didn't enjoy it.

This was great, especially in the beginning the world seems so vast and wondrous. You look into the distance and wonder if you'll end up there in the future.

Only thing is I'd of liked to explore after I'd finished the main story. But it seems like it takes you back to the save before ganon.

Are the expansions worth getting or not?

 

[Jobbs]

More than a DLC, I'd love for them to pull a Majora's Mask and add a quirky story with some weird mechanics on top of the open world.

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This is what I keep hoping they'll do -- A Majora's Mask style asset flip. Take the good stuff about the game (the engine, the look, the world and all of its dynamic systems) and get rid of all the bad stuff and do something actually interesting with it

 

[Kattlauv]

Of course. I guess most of the games that came 1-2 years ago are just as good today.

 

[switchitter]

It's pretty good I guess

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It's aight I reckon.

 

[Cheesy]

It's not perfect, but I still absolutely adored it. I traded it in not long ago because I ran out of stuff to do, most of the games side quests just amount to boring fetch quests, but my god I had so much fun just exploring the world.

 

[eXistor]

I've said all I want to say about BotW in the last year, but one thing I was always expecting BotW would have and failed to deliver is a graveyard. Before it came out I was fantasizing about a giant, intricate graveyard or cemetary . These are always some of my favorite locations in Zelda and it was an absolute shoe-in for BotW right? How about fucking nothing. Nada. I couldn't believe it. There's so much wasted space in the overworld and they didn't think to put in a proper graveyard?

Oh well, just another bullet-point for the next Zelda.

 

[entremet]

Of course. I guess most of the games that came 1-2 years ago are just as good today.

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Sure. But there's usually an initial euphoria for these types of heralded games. They tend to regress to the mean somewhat. GOATs are GOATs mostly due to their staying power.

 

[Hailinel]

I feel like I did an incredible amount in the 70 or so hours I played, and yet I barely scratched the surface. It's nuts.

 

[Acheteedo]

Just dived back in myself, have completely fallen in love with it all over again. Ive got all the DLC and a bunch of endgame content to enjoy. I realised I was forcing myself to play Xenoblade while not really enjoying it, the second I loaded up Zelda I was a happy camper once again. It's such a special game.

 

[eKongDiddy]

Longest I've ever played a game (over the years not time) besides Skyrim. Still haven't beaten it 100% yet. It's difficult trying to get everything without a guide. You find more secrets, and what not, the more you play. I love continually unearthing secrets and quests I didn't see before.

Spoiler: Secret I guess

I found a giant horse the other day! Was surprised that was in the game!

Mario Kart is the only game that matches it in play time on my Switch. Skyrim is quickly catching up, though.

 

[Joeytj]

Yes it is. Haven't played it in a couple of weeks but I've been meaning to get back into the second DLC ASAP. And I still just get a feeling of bliss every time I go back in, especially now that there's a bit more to do. I'm taking my time with the Champions' Ballad, because I really don't want this game to end, not even a year later.

I've said all I want to say about BotW in the last year, but one thing I was always expecting BotW would have and failed to deliver is a graveyard. Before it came out I was fantasizing about a giant, intricate graveyard or cemetary . These are always some of my favorite locations in Zelda and it was an absolute shoe-in for BotW right? How about fucking nothing. Nada. I couldn't believe it. There's so much wasted space in the overworld and they didn't think to put in a proper graveyard?

Oh well, just another bullet-point for the next Zelda.

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I know what you mean, although there is a graveyard in Kakariko. It only plays a tangential part in some of the side quest and a shrine quest, but I don't think they forgot about it completely.

But yeah, I was disappointed in the lack of a paranormal level or quest as well. No redeads, true ghost and the Stall versions of the enemies get annoying after a while.

Zelda usually does amazing work with the ghost and death levels.

 

[PancakeBurglar]

I think it may be the best game Nintendo has made just the perfect adventure game. Captivated my imagination and hooked me, going to start finishing the dlc soon

 

[Skies]

The honeymoon ends on March 3rd. That day the clouds fade away, and Breath of the Wild will be seen for what it truly is:

 

[Deleted member 11018]

I am happy for you OP that you enjoyed the game so. I hope you have much happiness replaying it in 5 years, sincerely, and wish more expansions come to add to your fun.

My opinion has not changed much, it was good enough. Link handled well . Stamina felt off before many upgrades, there were not enough interesting NPCs and smart sidequests for my taste; the beasts felt like rubik's cubes puzzles and not dungeons, shrines felt like busy work just to increase stamina and life; i disliked the items endurance mechanics, and the story felt poor as the world did not convey what happened much to compensate for the NPCs low key exposition.
I think i like it a little less even, because as i was playing it originaly, i was waiting for an ura-world or a time travel that would bring me back (like visiting first hand the era of the flashbacks).
I might be bitter because the stables refused my "barebones" horse... nhaaa, i'm joking.
Visually it was nice and still is though.

 

[Namyu]

Absolutely amazing game.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

its the best overworld in a Zelda game, but thats about all it is for me

 

[kaisere]

There are so many things i hate about BOTW, and yet it's still one of my favorite gaming experiences ever. There's an intangible x-factor that makes the world so mysterious and compelling, and it was a joy to be in that world even thought the combat isn't great and the weapon system is terribly balanced.

 

[Cup O' Tea?]

Goes head to head with Bloodborne for my favourite game this generation. I really hope the take the basic concept and expand on it with future games. I'd love to see another game like this but with the tone of Majora's Mask.

 

[D.Lo]

I flicked it back on recently planning to play the DLC. I had a save at the Rito village as I had just finished all the Kass sidequests.

I was blown away all over again at how amazingly beautiful the world is. Incredible artwork and design. Absolutely Captivating.

I feel like I did an incredible amount in the 70 or so hours I played, and yet I barely scratched the surface. It's nuts.

Click to shrink...

Yeah 180 hours and in 15 minutes after booting it up I found a new (non-DLC) sidequest and two koroks in places I literally had not been before. Insanity to have such density of content in such an immense world.

I really can't see any game ever again comparing to the weekend I spent exploring the east coast. A whole weekend of just exploring. It was like real world travelling, except every corner was an mysterious secret, I wanted to photograph everything like a tourist. I do adventure travelling in real life and it captured that in a fantasy land.