The legend is back. And she hits hard. With the arrival of Nintendo’s new console, Big N is launching its first headline on the Nintendo Switch. Hang on because The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sends heavy. Very very heavy even.
The legend is reborn.
What’s going on in this Zelda? Many things. So much. Too much even for some. Let’s start with the scenario. You are Link, Hyrule prodigy, hero of the nation. However, 100 years ago when you fought Ganon, your longtime enemy, you fell in battle. In order to keep you alive, you are “cryogenized” or rather “put in stasis”. When you wake up 100 years later, Hyrule is still plagued by Ganon. Princess Zelda tries somehow to hold him back, but she won’t be able to do so for long. And this is where your adventure begins.
Your mission: free the 4 divine creatures under the influence of Ganon, allowing you to be able to beat him more easily. Yes more easily and not necessarily. Indeed, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has the particularity of leaving you the total choice in what you want to do. But we’ll get to that later. So these divine creatures are normally controlled by the 4 wonders of the four great peoples of Hyrule. Once under your control, go save Princess Zelda!
Adventure with a capital A!
Adventure: this is the key word that characterizes this game. Never have we had so much freedom of action, so many gameplay ideas so well mastered. You are let go from the first seconds of the title. You have no objective except to take down Ganon. But for that, you need the equipment, to know where the divine creatures are, to have information quite simply. Because as we said, it is possible to attack Ganon without even doing anything else. You will certainly have a hard time, but it is quite possible. But when is it really gameplay?
He is simply ingenious and has a logic rare in video games. For example: destroying an entire camp of enemies just by setting the grass on fire and letting the wind blow. Or roll a stone from the top of the hill so that it crushes everything in its path. Getting electrocuted if we have weapons or metal armor in a thunderstorm. All these little things make for total immersion. Every element of the game transports you. The fights are also of good quality. If you are well prepared, you can do anything. Based on dodge and attack, the fights can sometimes seem a little messy but just as strategic. Analyzing the terrain before launching into battle is often beneficial. The first black point comes from the weapons. Indeed, all in-game weapons and shields have durability. And we find that some break down quickly, too quickly. It is not uncommon that during a boss fight, you will need to change weapons three to four times.
Climbing is an important part of the gameplay. You have the possibility to climb any wall in your environment. But watch out for your stamina and the rain. We are not going to reveal absolutely everything to keep you surprised. It’s just good to note that everything is done to give you an epic adventure as it should be.
Content to no longer know what to do with.
In this version of Hyrule, you have plenty to do. When you arrive in an area, you must find and climb the tower to unlock the map. Once this is accomplished, let’s go for the sanctuary hunt! You have over a hundred to find. Each shrine grants you an emblem. After four emblems, you have the opportunity to exchange them for an additional heart or additional stamina. As for quests, you have all kinds. Ranging from the harvest to the accomplishment of certain actions. The main quests are common threads to a particular event or object that will help you in the final battle. No quest is required. Except that of defeating Ganon. The Korogu, little beings well known from the saga thanks to Zelda Wind Waker, are back. Each Korogu you find grants you a nut that can be exchanged for additional space in your inventory. Hang in there, you’ve got 900 to find. And they hide well.
As far as weapons, shields and armor are concerned, there too you have plenty to do. There are lots of different kinds. Regarding armor, they can be improved with the Great Fairies. These will help you if you have the necessary components. Let’s finish with the most important: the kitchen! Indeed, food is an essential element in your adventure. It not only allows you to regenerate your health but also to obtain bonuses (increased attack for example) or resistance against certain elements. But for cooking, there is no recipe book. It’s up to you to find out what this or that mixture will give.
A wild air.
Let’s finish this test by talking about the soundtrack and graphics of the title. The OST brilliantly accompanies the various places and the various situations which will arise to you. A real sweet melody to your ears. Special mention to the music accompanying your horse rides. Let’s finish with the second black point of the title: the graphics. Or at least the stability of the title. On the Nintendo Switch, the sets are magnificent. A magic operates at each new place. But let’s not lie, yes it turns out that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has technical shortcomings that are visible. Even if in general everything is mastered to perfection, some textures hurt the eyes. In addition, in certain settings such as the forest, during combat, falls of framerates are to be deplored. Nothing too bad, but that sometimes harms the gaming experience. But let’s say it right away, as the title is masterful, we easily forgive these shortcomings. However, it is important to note this.
In conclusion, here we are in the presence of a masterpiece. There are so many things to tell, that this test would be fifteen pages long. However, in order not to spoil the surprise, a lot of elements have been intentionally omitted. Nintendo gives us a pure moment of video games to do and redo on Nintendo Switch or Wii U. Just for the main story, if you do not stray too far, you have about thirty hours. But if you want to finish it 100%, get ready for over 200 hours of gameplay.