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Taking control of [[Link (The Legend of Zelda)|Link]], players are able to freely explore Hyrule, with actions such as running, climbing, swimming, and gliding with a [[paraglider]] using up stamina. Unlike other games where Link obtains specific key weapons for permanent use, the player must procure various items from the environment, including melee weapons, bows, and shields, which break after excessive use. Many items have multiple uses; for example, wooden weapons can be set to light fires and shields can be used as makeshift snowboards, a practice known in-game as shield surfing. Players can also obtain various food and materials, such as meat from hunted animals, monster parts from defeated enemies, and valuable gemstones from ore reserves. By cooking various combinations of food or materials, the player can create meals and elixirs that can replenish Link's health and stamina, or provide temporary status bonuses such as increased strength or resistance against cold environments. Near the start of the game, Link obtains multiple rune powers that are installed onto his Sheikah Slate, which can also be used to mark waypoints on a map and take pictures. These include remote bombs, which come in cube and spherical forms; Magnesis, which can be used to manipulate metal objects; Cryonis, which forms ice blocks on watery surfaces; and Stasis, which temporarily stops objects in time, during which the player can build up kinetic energy which is released once time resumes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ign.com/articles/2014/12/06/new-gameplay-shown-from-the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u|title=New Gameplay Shown From The Legend of Zelda Wii U|last=Sliva|first=Marty|date=December 5, 2014|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|work=[[IGN]]|accessdate=December 6, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206172049/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/06/new-gameplay-shown-from-the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u|archivedate=December 6, 2014|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-wii-u-s-open-world-is-as-big-as-the-system-c/1100-6425351/|title=Zelda Wii U's Open World Is as Big as the System Can Handle|date=February 17, 2015|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|last1=Pereira|first1=Chris|accessdate=June 21, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621210207/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-wii-u-s-open-world-is-as-big-as-the-system-c/1100-6425351/|archivedate=June 21, 2015|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-14-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-the-most-ambitious-nintendo-game-in-years |title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most ambitious Nintendo game in years |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=June 14, 2016 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |accessdate=June 14, 2016 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615120830/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-14-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-the-most-ambitious-nintendo-game-in-years |archivedate=June 15, 2016 |df= }}</ref> Players will need to be cautious of environmental climate and changes in the weather; for example, cold environments will damage Link unless he wears warm clothing or eats spicy food, while lightning will become attracted to metal objects during thunderstorms.<ref>{{cite web |first=Patricia |last=Hernandez |url=http://kotaku.com/i-swear-if-it-rains-in-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-one-m-1793220766 |title=I Swear, If It Rains In Zelda: Breath of the Wild One More God Damn Time |work=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]] |date=March 13, 2017 |accessdate=April 4, 2017 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403223553/http://kotaku.com/i-swear-if-it-rains-in-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-one-m-1793220766 |archivedate=April 3, 2017 |df= }}</ref>
Taking control of [[Link (The Legend of Zelda)|Link]], players are able to freely explore Hyrule, with actions such as running, climbing, swimming, and gliding with a [[paraglider]] using up stamina. Unlike other games where Link obtains specific key weapons for permanent use, the player must procure various items from the environment, including melee weapons, bows, and shields, which break after excessive use. Many items have multiple uses; for example, wooden weapons can be set to light fires and shields can be used as makeshift snowboards, a practice known in-game as shield surfing. Players can also obtain various food and materials, such as meat from hunted animals, monster parts from defeated enemies, and valuable gemstones from ore reserves. By cooking various combinations of food or materials, the player can create meals and elixirs that can replenish Link's health and stamina, or provide temporary status bonuses such as increased strength or resistance against cold environments. Near the start of the game, Link obtains multiple rune powers that are installed onto his Sheikah Slate, which can also be used to mark waypoints on a map and take pictures. These include remote bombs, which come in cube and spherical forms; Magnesis, which can be used to manipulate metal objects; Cryonis, which forms ice blocks on watery surfaces; and Stasis, which temporarily stops objects in time, during which the player can build up kinetic energy which is released once time resumes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ign.com/articles/2014/12/06/new-gameplay-shown-from-the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u|title=New Gameplay Shown From The Legend of Zelda Wii U|last=Sliva|first=Marty|date=December 5, 2014|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|work=[[IGN]]|accessdate=December 6, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206172049/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/06/new-gameplay-shown-from-the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u|archivedate=December 6, 2014|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-wii-u-s-open-world-is-as-big-as-the-system-c/1100-6425351/|title=Zelda Wii U's Open World Is as Big as the System Can Handle|date=February 17, 2015|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|last1=Pereira|first1=Chris|accessdate=June 21, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621210207/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-wii-u-s-open-world-is-as-big-as-the-system-c/1100-6425351/|archivedate=June 21, 2015|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-14-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-the-most-ambitious-nintendo-game-in-years |title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most ambitious Nintendo game in years |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=June 14, 2016 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |accessdate=June 14, 2016 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615120830/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-14-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-the-most-ambitious-nintendo-game-in-years |archivedate=June 15, 2016 |df= }}</ref> Players will need to be cautious of environmental climate and changes in the weather; for example, cold environments will damage Link unless he wears warm clothing or eats spicy food, while lightning will become attracted to metal objects during thunderstorms.<ref>{{cite web |first=Patricia |last=Hernandez |url=http://kotaku.com/i-swear-if-it-rains-in-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-one-m-1793220766 |title=I Swear, If It Rains In Zelda: Breath of the Wild One More God Damn Time |work=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]] |date=March 13, 2017 |accessdate=April 4, 2017 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403223553/http://kotaku.com/i-swear-if-it-rains-in-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-one-m-1793220766 |archivedate=April 3, 2017 |df= }}</ref>


Littered throughout Hyrule's overworld are towers and shrines; activating either of which adds waypoints that the player may warp to at any time. Activating towers adds the surrounding territory to the player's map, although specific location names are not added until the player explores that area for themselves. Shrines replace the series' traditional dungeons, instead consisting of smaller challenges ranging from puzzle solving to battles against robotic opponents, with some shrines requiring a puzzle to be solved on the overworld to enter. Clearing these shrines earns Spirit Orbs, which can be traded in for additional heart containers or an expanded stamina wheel.<ref>{{cite web |first=Kyle |last=Hilliard |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/02/10/everything-we-know-about-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wilds-dungeons.aspx |title=Everything We Know About The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild’s Dungeons |work=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |date=February 10, 2017 |accessdate=April 4, 2017 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216092104/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/02/10/everything-we-know-about-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wilds-dungeons.aspx |archivedate=February 16, 2017 |df= }}</ref> Also scattered across the overworld are various small puzzles where Koroks are hiding. Solving these puzzles earns Korok Seeds, which can be traded in to expand inventory size for weapons, shields, and bows.<ref>{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Phillips |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-03-15-theres-a-ridiculous-reward-if-you-collect-zeldas-900-korok-seeds |title=The reward for collecting all 900 Zelda: Breath of the Wild Korok seeds is a bit poo |work=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |date=March 15, 2017 |accessdate=April 4, 2017 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324222624/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-03-15-theres-a-ridiculous-reward-if-you-collect-zeldas-900-korok-seeds |archivedate=March 24, 2017 |df= }}</ref> Players may also scan [[Amiibo]] figures to add items into the game, including Link's horse Epona and Wolf Link from ''Twilight Princess''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/14/11936130/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-amiibo-gallery|title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gets three new Amiibo, here they are|date=June 14, 2016|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|last1=Crecente|first1=Brian|accessdate=August 25, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615122636/http://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/14/11936130/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-amiibo-gallery|archivedate=June 15, 2016|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="Polygon: Amiibo"/> If the player fulfills certain conditions, they are able to unlock an alternative ending of the game.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pritchard|first1=Tom|title=Breath of the Wild Will Have an Alternate Ending|url=http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2017/01/21/breath-of-the-wild-will-have-an-alternate-ending|website=kotaku.co.uk|publisher=[[Future plc]]|accessdate=January 21, 2017|date=January 21, 2017}}</ref>
Spread throughout Hyrule's overworld are towers and shrines; activating either of which adds waypoints that the player may warp to at any time. Activating towers adds the surrounding territory to the player's map, although specific location names are not added until the player explores that area for themselves. Shrines replace the series' traditional dungeons, instead consisting of smaller challenges ranging from puzzle solving to battles against robotic opponents, with some shrines requiring a puzzle to be solved on the overworld to enter. Clearing these shrines earns Spirit Orbs, which can be traded in for additional heart containers or an expanded stamina wheel.<ref>{{cite web |first=Kyle |last=Hilliard |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/02/10/everything-we-know-about-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wilds-dungeons.aspx |title=Everything We Know About The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild’s Dungeons |work=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |date=February 10, 2017 |accessdate=April 4, 2017 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216092104/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/02/10/everything-we-know-about-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wilds-dungeons.aspx |archivedate=February 16, 2017 |df= }}</ref> Also scattered across the overworld are various small puzzles where Koroks are hiding. Solving these puzzles earns Korok Seeds, which can be traded in to expand inventory size for weapons, shields, and bows.<ref>{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Phillips |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-03-15-theres-a-ridiculous-reward-if-you-collect-zeldas-900-korok-seeds |title=The reward for collecting all 900 Zelda: Breath of the Wild Korok seeds is a bit poo |work=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |date=March 15, 2017 |accessdate=April 4, 2017 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324222624/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-03-15-theres-a-ridiculous-reward-if-you-collect-zeldas-900-korok-seeds |archivedate=March 24, 2017 |df= }}</ref> Players may also scan [[Amiibo]] figures to add items into the game, including Link's horse Epona and Wolf Link from ''Twilight Princess''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/14/11936130/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-amiibo-gallery|title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gets three new Amiibo, here they are|date=June 14, 2016|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|last1=Crecente|first1=Brian|accessdate=August 25, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615122636/http://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/14/11936130/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-amiibo-gallery|archivedate=June 15, 2016|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="Polygon: Amiibo"/> If the player fulfills certain conditions, they are able to unlock an alternative ending of the game.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pritchard|first1=Tom|title=Breath of the Wild Will Have an Alternate Ending|url=http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2017/01/21/breath-of-the-wild-will-have-an-alternate-ending|website=kotaku.co.uk|publisher=[[Future plc]]|accessdate=January 21, 2017|date=January 21, 2017}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==

Revision as of 13:28, 1 June 2017

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Primary packaging artwork, depicting Link overlooking Hyrule's landscape
Developer(s)Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Hidemaro Fujibayashi
Producer(s)Eiji Aonuma
Programmer(s)Takuhiro Dohta
Kenji Matsutani
Hiroshi Umemiya
Artist(s)Satoru Takizawa
Writer(s)Akihito Toda
Composer(s)Manaka Kataoka
Yasuaki Iwata
SeriesThe Legend of Zelda
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch, Wii U
Release
  • WW: March 3, 2017
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[1] is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U video game consoles. The game is a part of the The Legend of Zelda series, and follows amnesiac protagonist Link, who awakens from a 100-year slumber to a mysterious voice that guides him to defeat Calamity Ganon before he can destroy the kingdom of Hyrule.

The title's gameplay and mechanics constitute a departure from the series' usual conventions, featuring an open-world environment, a detailed physics engine, high-definition visuals, and voice acting. Announced in 2013, the game was initially planned for release as a Wii U exclusive in 2015, but was delayed twice prior to its release on March 3, 2017. Breath of the Wild was a launch title for the Switch, as well as the final Nintendo-produced game for the Wii U.

Breath of the Wild received universal acclaim from critics, who deemed it to be one of the greatest video games of all time. Critics praised the game's open-ended, physics-driven gameplay that encourages player experimentation and exploration, with many calling it a landmark title in open-world game design, although minor criticism was directed at the game's technical performance at launch.

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild departs from most games in the The Legend of Zelda series, as it features an open-world environment which is twelve times larger than the overworld in Twilight Princess, with less emphasis on defined entrances and exits to areas.[2] Similar to the original The Legend of Zelda, the player is placed into the game's world with very little instruction, and is allowed to explore freely at their own pace.[3]

Taking control of Link, players are able to freely explore Hyrule, with actions such as running, climbing, swimming, and gliding with a paraglider using up stamina. Unlike other games where Link obtains specific key weapons for permanent use, the player must procure various items from the environment, including melee weapons, bows, and shields, which break after excessive use. Many items have multiple uses; for example, wooden weapons can be set to light fires and shields can be used as makeshift snowboards, a practice known in-game as shield surfing. Players can also obtain various food and materials, such as meat from hunted animals, monster parts from defeated enemies, and valuable gemstones from ore reserves. By cooking various combinations of food or materials, the player can create meals and elixirs that can replenish Link's health and stamina, or provide temporary status bonuses such as increased strength or resistance against cold environments. Near the start of the game, Link obtains multiple rune powers that are installed onto his Sheikah Slate, which can also be used to mark waypoints on a map and take pictures. These include remote bombs, which come in cube and spherical forms; Magnesis, which can be used to manipulate metal objects; Cryonis, which forms ice blocks on watery surfaces; and Stasis, which temporarily stops objects in time, during which the player can build up kinetic energy which is released once time resumes.[4][5][6] Players will need to be cautious of environmental climate and changes in the weather; for example, cold environments will damage Link unless he wears warm clothing or eats spicy food, while lightning will become attracted to metal objects during thunderstorms.[7]

Spread throughout Hyrule's overworld are towers and shrines; activating either of which adds waypoints that the player may warp to at any time. Activating towers adds the surrounding territory to the player's map, although specific location names are not added until the player explores that area for themselves. Shrines replace the series' traditional dungeons, instead consisting of smaller challenges ranging from puzzle solving to battles against robotic opponents, with some shrines requiring a puzzle to be solved on the overworld to enter. Clearing these shrines earns Spirit Orbs, which can be traded in for additional heart containers or an expanded stamina wheel.[8] Also scattered across the overworld are various small puzzles where Koroks are hiding. Solving these puzzles earns Korok Seeds, which can be traded in to expand inventory size for weapons, shields, and bows.[9] Players may also scan Amiibo figures to add items into the game, including Link's horse Epona and Wolf Link from Twilight Princess.[10][11] If the player fulfills certain conditions, they are able to unlock an alternative ending of the game.[12]

Plot

Since time immemorial, legends have recorded conflicts between Hyrule and Ganon, an ancient evil. Each time Ganon had appeared, he has been defeated by a princess, the reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia, alongside a Hylian hero. One of these legends occurred 10,000 years ago.[13] During these ancient times, Hyrule was at peace, and became an advanced civilization thanks in large to the Sheikah tribe. Using their knowledge of technology, they decided to prepare themselves for Ganon's return by creating four gigantic zoomorphic piloted machines, the Divine Beasts, and an army of autonomous mechanical soldiers, the Guardians.[14] Upon Ganon's return, the princess and the hero, alongside the Guardians and Divine Beasts launched a direct attack on him. The hero struck Ganon down with the sword that seals the darkness, and the princess used her inherited power to seal Ganon away.[15]

10,000 years later, the kingdom of Hyrule had reverted to a medieval state.[16] Upon reading the prophecies their ancestors had left behind, they learned the signs of Ganon's return and recovered the Divine Beasts and Guardians after excavating land throughout the kingdom.[17] Key members of Hyrule's various races — Daruk, a warrior of the mountainous Gorons; Mipha, the princess of the aquatic Zoras; Revali, the most skilled archer among the bird-like Ritos; and Urbosa, the chief of the desert-dwelling Gerudos — assembled to pilot the Divine Beasts, and were given the titles of champions by Princess Zelda. She did this to follow the strategy her ancestors used to face Ganon in ancient times. Additionally, to her dislike, a highly-skilled knight, Link, was appointed to her protection.[18] A conflicted Zelda headed to the Spring of Wisdom in a last attempt to awaken her powers, which she had struggled to obtain since her teacher and mother passed away before showing her how to gain control over them and due to the pressure of her people expecting her to dominate such powers as was her royal responsibility, witnessing the champions dominate theirs powers before her, and Ganon's return being imminent. Immediately after such an attempt failed, Ganon appeared from beneath Hyrule Castle and took control of the Guardians and Divine Beasts, turning them against Hyrule. In the "Great Calamity" that followed, the king, champions, and everyone in the castle and its surroundings perished, and the entire kingdom was utterly devastated. Zelda and Link managed to escape, but were being chased by Guardians across Hyrule.[19].

Eventually surrounded at Fort Hateno, Link made a final sacrifice to protect Zelda by standing in front of a Guardian even when he was unable to wield the Master Sword. Zelda, determined not to watch Link die, awakened her powers and deactivated all surrounding Guardians. However, Link was mortally wounded during their escape and collapsed in her arms. The spirit of the Goddess residing within the Master Sword, Fi, communicated to Zelda that Link could still be saved, and Zelda commanded Sheikah guards to take Link back to the resurrection chamber she found during her research and scouting. Meanwhile, a determined Zelda returned the Master Sword to its pedestal, headed back to Hyrule Castle to face Calamity Ganon, and used her magic to restrain him within the castle walls, sealing herself within him to accomplish this. The princess awaited the champion's return so that Ganon might finally be cast away.[20]

In the present day, 100 years later, an amnesiac Link awakens from within the Shrine of Resurrection. A mysterious female voice guides him to the now ruined kingdom of Hyrule where he meets an old man who, after helping Link adjust to the ruined world, reveals himself to be the restless spirit of King Rhoam, the last king of Hyrule. The king explains to Link that Calamity Ganon has been sealed in Hyrule Castle for a hundred years, and that his awakening was guided by Princess Zelda. But Ganon has continued to grow in power, thus, the king pleads for Link to defeat him before he breaks free and destroys the world.[21]

Link travels to Zora's Domain, Goron City, Rito Village, and Gerudo Town, regaining his memories of the Champions as he visits their hometowns, as each member of their respective race helps him board each of the Divine Beasts to purge them of the monsters that Ganon sent to assassinate the Champions, the Scourges. The Champions' spirits are released along with their Divine Beasts and pilot them once again, preparing them to attack Ganon once Link storms Hyrule Castle. Since the Champions are now spirits, they offer their powers to Link, thus, obtaining Mipha's grace, healing powers once Link's energy depletes; Urbosa's fury, a devastating electric attack enhancing Link's spin attack; Daruk's protection, an active attack deflection mechanism that triggers once Link wields a shield; and Revali's gale, a powerful skyward wind torrent that enhances Link's vertical movement. As Link travels the world, he also comes across key areas he and Zelda traveled to in the past, eventually regaining all his memories, and specially, remembering what happened before he fell.

After obtaining the Master Sword from the Korok Forest, Link confronts Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle with help from the Divine Beasts. However, Ganon survives the unified attack of the Divine Beasts and, though weakened by it, clashes with Link, initiating their legendary confrontation, but Calamity Ganon is no match for the fully awakened hero. As a last resort, Ganon manifests himself in his true form, an ethereal monster of pure hatred and malice, Dark Beast Ganon. By doing this, Zelda is now free to fight Ganon as well, but is still held within him. Thus, Zelda provides Link with the Bow of Light, and Light Arrows so that he can help her weaken Ganon. Once Link subdues Ganon, an unwavering and fully power-awakened Zelda breaks free, and finally vanishes an unrelenting Ganon with the last of her divine power. After sealing Ganon away, Zelda and Link meet face-to-face once again, where she asks the Hero of Hyrule: "Do you really remember me?"

Zelda and Link return to Hyrule Castle, where she is saddened as she sees what is left of it. Unseen to them and from afar, near to the castle's Sanctum, the spirits of King Rhoam and the champions depart. While walking away from the castle and towards the ruins of its town, Zelda and Link turn back and look at where the spirits once stood.

In the epilogue, Zelda reveals that Ganon's defeat could be only temporary. She talks with Link about rebuilding Hyrule, and that she cannot listen to the voice of the Master Sword anymore. Zelda smiles after telling Link she is fine with her dwindling powers finally coming to terms with her insecurities, Link then immediately jogs to her side.[22]

Development

With Breath of the Wild, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma sought to rethink series conventions.

On numerous occasions, The Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma has reiterated the development team's focus on "rethinking the conventions of Zelda",[23][24] an idea that first prompted the change in the series' gameplay style to nonlinear, open-world, and objective-based gameplay in 2013's A Link Between Worlds, reminiscent of the original The Legend of Zelda.[25] At E3 2014, Aonuma said one of the ways he wanted to alter the norms of Zelda was by reforming dungeons and puzzle solving, two major gameplay elements in the series.[26] Aonuma also stated that the story of the game is entirely optional, and that it is possible for players to reach the end of the game without progressing through it.[27]

Prior to creating the final game, which uses a modified version of the Havok physics engine, the developers designed a playable two-dimensional prototype similar to the original Zelda to experiment with physics- and chemistry-based puzzles.[28] At the 2017 Game Developers Conference, Fujibayashi, technical director Takuhiro Dohta, and art director Satoru Takizawa held a presentation titled "Change and Constant – Breaking Conventions with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild", during which they demoed the prototype.[28][29][30]

The title was originally built and demonstrated with touchscreen features for the Wii U, but the developers found that looking away from the main screen distracted from the game. The features were removed when the game moved to tandem development across the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.[31] The Wii U GamePad also affected the game's animations. Though the series protagonist Link is canonically left-handed, he is right-handed in the game to match the GamePad's control scheme, which has its sword-swinging buttons on its right side.[32] The Switch version performs better than the Wii U release when docked to a television, though when undocked, both run at the same resolution. The Switch version also has higher-quality environmental sounds.[33][34] On the game's art style and direction, Aonuma stated that it was inspired by gouache and en plein air art to help identify the vast world.[35] Monolith Soft, the developer of the similarly open-world Xenoblade Chronicles series, assisted with the game's topographical level design, which was based on Kyoto, the hometown of game director Hidemaro Fujibayashi.[36][37][38]

The game marks the first time that cutscene voice acting appears in a main Zelda title, although Link remains voiceless. Aonuma was affected by the first time he heard a character with a human voice in-game, and wanted to leave a similar impression on players.[39] The team decided to record voiceovers for all cutscenes instead of only the key scenes, as originally planned.[40][41] Nintendo provided voiceovers and subtitles in eight languages. Initially players were not able to mix and match, for instance, Japanese voice-over with English subtitles;[42] however, Nintendo released an update in May 2017 that allowed players to choose the voice-over language.[43]

The game's original score was composed by Manaka Kataoka, who had previously worked on the series with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks,[44] and Yasuaki Iwata, a relative newcomer at Nintendo who had only worked on two previous games for the company.[45][46] The soundtrack was primarily written by and based around the piano, with an ambient focus in mind instead of a more melodic one, which was a first for the series. According to sound director Hajime Wakai, this helped add "authenticity" to the game's environments and scenery, and was taken on as a challenge by the sound team.

After a development period of five years, the game went gold on February 3, 2017, with Nintendo holding an event celebrating it.[47]

Promotion and release

File:The-Legend-of-Zelda-Breath-of-the-Wild-Booth-Gamescom-2016.png
The booth for the game at Gamescom 2016

Aonuma announced a new entry for Nintendo's Wii U console in January 2013 during the company's regular online presentation. The game, he continued, would challenge the series' conventions, such as the requirement that players complete dungeons in a set order.[3][48] The next year, Nintendo introduced the game's high-definition, cel-shaded visual style with in-game footage at its June 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) press event.[49][50] Once planned for release in 2015, the title was delayed early in the year and did not show at that year's E3.[51][52] Zelda series creator Shigeru Miyamoto reaffirmed that the title was still set for release on the Wii U, despite the development of the console that would be called the Nintendo Switch.[53] The title received another delay in April 2016 due to issues with its physics engine. With its new 2017 release date, the game would launch for both the Wii U and Switch consoles simultaneously.[54] Nintendo let attendees play the game's Wii U version at E3 2016,[55] where they also announced its subtitle, Breath of the Wild.[56]

At a Nintendo Switch presentation in January 2017, Nintendo provided a new trailer announcing that the game would be released as a launch title for the Switch on March 3, 2017.[57] The Switch version of the game was available in limited "Special Edition" and "Master Edition" bundles, which both included a Sheikah Eye coin, a Calamity Ganon tapestry with world map, a soundtrack CD, and a themed carrying case for the Switch. The Master Edition also included a figurine based on the Master Sword.[58][59][60] Fils-Aimé told Polygon that the game would be the final first-party title released for the Wii U.[61] In February 2017, Nintendo announced that the game would support downloadable content (DLC), with two packs being set for release later in 2017. The first pack, set to be released in mid 2017, will include a "Hard Mode" difficulty setting, a new "Cave of Trials" challenge, and an "additional map feature"; the second pack, set for release in late 2017, will include a new dungeon and original story. The packs cannot be purchased separately, and those that purchased the expansion pack would get three treasure chests, one of which contains an exclusive Nintendo Switch shirt.[62]

Reception

Pre-release

The game's announcement was met with praise by fans and critics alike. CNET said that the showing of the game at the convention would "take your breath away".[80] IGN called the game "the open world Zelda we've always wanted",[21] and Engadget called it "Nintendo's next classic".[81] Sam Machkovech of Ars Technica praised the game's renewed emphasis on open-world exploration.[82] John Linneman of Eurogamer deemed it "Nintendo's most technologically ambitious project to date", but acknowledged that the Wii U's hardware sometimes had difficulty maintaining the targeted 30 frames per second during the game's E3 demo.[83] According to Brandwatch, a social media monitoring platform, Breath of the Wild was the most talked-about E3 2016 game on social media.[84]

Following its E3 demonstration, the game received several accolades from the Game Critics Awards,[85] as well as from IGN and Destructoid.[86][87] It was also listed among the best games at E3 by Eurogamer,[88] GameSpot,[89] and GamesRadar.[90][91] In late 2016, Breath of the Wild received two awards at Gamescom,[92] and won the award for Most Anticipated Game at The Game Awards 2016.[93]

A week prior to release, Peter Brown of GameSpot deemed Breath of the Wild "a strong contender" for the best Zelda game.[94] Several reviewers noted the game's difficulty, with Arthur Gies of Polygon considering it the most challenging title in the series.[95]

Post-release

Critics universally acclaimed Breath of the Wild upon its release, quickly considered it a "masterpiece"[101] and one of the greatest video games of all time, where it holds the largest number of perfect reviews of any game on review aggregator Metacritic.[102][103][104] The game broke Nintendo's launch title sales records in multiple regions.[105][106] The game competed with the open-world title Horizon Zero Dawn in its launch week, which it outsold in Japan (around 200,000 copies).[107][108] It was the third largest Zelda series release in the United Kingdom, behind Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.[109] Nintendo reported that Breath of the Wild sold more than 1.3 million copies in the United States in March 2017, 925,000 copies of which were for the Switch version, attaining a 100% attach rate for the console.[110][111][112][113] In its year-end report for the 2016 fiscal year which ended on March 31, 2017, Nintendo reported it had sold 3.84 million copies of Breath of the Wild worldwide. The Wii U version sold 1.08 million units and the Switch version sold 2.76 million units, surpassing the latter console's global sales of 2.74 million for the same period.[114] Nintendo's president Tatsumi Kimishima said that the attach rate of Breath of the Wild to the Switch was "unprecedented", and that "this momentum may lead to a new sell-through record for the entire The Legend of Zelda series".[115]

Jose Otero of IGN praised the game's combat and open world by calling it "a masterclass in open-world design", and "a wonderful sandbox full of mystery, dangling dozens upon dozens of tantalizing things in front of you that just beg to be explored."[75] GameSpot called it "the most impressive game" Nintendo had ever made, appreciating the way that it "takes designs and mechanics perfected in other games and reworks them for its own purposes to create something wholly new, but also something that still feels quintessentially like a Zelda game." The review declared that the game is "both a return to form and a leap into uncharted territory, and it exceeds expectations on both fronts."[72] Edge stated that "the magic of being given all the tools in the opening hour is the knowledge that the solution to any problem is already at your disposal, and you can always change tack." The publication praised the game world, saying that it is "an absolute, and unremitting, pleasure to get lost in". The publication awarded the game a perfect score, making it the 29th game (including retrospective perfect scores) to earn that score from the publication.[66] Breath of the Wild became the 24th game to receive a perfect score from Famitsu.[116] Entertainment Weekly stated that they thought Breath of the Wild was the best Zelda game of all time, also calling it "arguably Nintendo's greatest triumph".[97] Ars Technica praised the open world of the game, stating "After spending a week utterly immersed in Nintendo's open-world reimagining of the tried-and-true Zelda formula, it's hard to return to the more formulaic entries of the franchise's past."[117]

Reviewers lauded the game's sense of detail and immersion.[118][119] Kotaku recommended playing the game without its on-screen minimap and indicators, in praise of the indirect cues that contextually indicate the same information, such as Link shivering when it's cold or waypoints visually appearing in the distance when using the scope.[118] Journalists commented on unexpected permutations of interactions between Link, villagers, pets, and enemies,[119][120][121] as well as a tribute to former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who died during the game's development.[119][122] These serendipitous moments proved popular on social media, according to Chris Plante of The Verge. He predicted that more open world games would abandon linear tasks in favor of Breath of the Wild's format, as game publishers would appreciate the free marketing.[123]

Gaming journalist Jim Sterling was more critical of the game than most, giving it a 7/10 score. He criticized the difficulty, weapon durability, and general level design, though praised the game's variety of content and open-world mechanics.[124] Post-release updates later addressed some criticism regarding the game's technical performance and unstable frames per second (FPS) experienced at launch.[125][126][127]

The game's success sparked an increased interest in the Wii U emulator Cemu, as the emulator's developers rapidly updated the software to run the game at a smooth frame rate within weeks of its release.[128][129][130]

Accolades

List of pre-release awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Result Ref
2016 IGN's Best of E3 Best Adventure Game Won [86]
Best Wii U Game Won
Game of the Show Won
Destructoid's Best of E3 Best Action/Adventure Game Won [87]
Best of Show Won
Best Wii U Game Won
Game Critics Awards Best Action/Adventure Game Won [85]
Best Console Game Won
Best of Show Won
Gamescom 2016 Best of Gamescom Won [92]
Best Wii U Game Won
The Game Awards 2016 Most Anticipated Game Won [93]

Notes and references

  1. ^ ゼルダの伝説 ブレス オブ ザ ワイルド (Zeruda no Densetsu: Buresu obu za Wairudo) in Japanese
  2. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (June 14, 2016). "E3 2016: Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Open World is 12 Times Bigger than Twilight Princess". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b George, Richard (January 23, 2013). "New HD Zelda Revealed for Wii U". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Sliva, Marty (December 5, 2014). "New Gameplay Shown From The Legend of Zelda Wii U". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 6, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Pereira, Chris (February 17, 2015). "Zelda Wii U's Open World Is as Big as the System Can Handle". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Phillips, Tom (June 14, 2016). "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most ambitious Nintendo game in years". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (March 13, 2017). "I Swear, If It Rains In Zelda: Breath of the Wild One More God Damn Time". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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  9. ^ Phillips, Tom (March 15, 2017). "The reward for collecting all 900 Zelda: Breath of the Wild Korok seeds is a bit poo". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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  12. ^ Pritchard, Tom (January 21, 2017). "Breath of the Wild Will Have an Alternate Ending". kotaku.co.uk. Future plc. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  13. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. Impa: The history of the royal family of Hyrule is also the history of Calamity Ganon, a primal evil that has endured over the ages. This evil has been turned back time and time again by a warrior wielding the soul of a hero and a princess who carries the blood of the Goddess. With the passage of time, each conflict with Ganon faded into legend. So listen closely as I tell you of this 'legend' that occurred 10,000 years ago.
  14. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. Impa: Hyrule was then blossoming as a highly advanced civilization... the people thought it wise to utilize their technological progress to ensure the safety of the land should Calamity Ganon ever return. They constructed... the Divine Beasts. They also built a legion of autonomous weapons called Guardians.
  15. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. Impa: The Divine Beasts were piloted by four individuals of exceptional skill from across the land. And thus, the plan to neutralize Ganon was forged... The princess and the hero fought alongside these four champions against this ancient evil. The Guardians were tasked with protecting the hero, as the Divine Beasts unleashed a furious attack... And when the hero wielding the sword that seals the darkness delivered his final blow, the princess used her sacred power to seal away Calamity Ganon.
  16. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. Princess Zelda's Research Notes: In the war against the Calamity 10,000 years ago... were the injuries so great as to necessitate such a facility?
  17. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. King Rhoam: There was also a prophecy. 'The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear, and the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground'. We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land.
  18. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. King Rhoam: The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon... But Nay...
  19. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. King Rhoam: [Ganon] seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts and turned them against us. The champions lost their lives. Those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess. And thus, the Kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon.
  20. ^ Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo. King Rhoam: However, the princess survived to face Ganon alone...
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  34. ^ When docked, the Switch runs at 900p resolution, and when undocked, it runs at the screen's maximum 720p. The Wii U has the latter's maximum resolution. All versions run at 30 frames per second.[33]
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  44. ^ Under the maiden name of Manaka Tominaga
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