The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

CaughtCross

Vyemm Raider
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People are already speed running it at under an hour. Nice for speedrunners that Nintendo made it so you can go straight for Gannon and skip most the game.

 

Rafterman

Molten Core Raider
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Holy fuck the Nintendo/Zelda fanbois went completely apeshit over Jim Sterling's review lol.

Nothing he said in his review is wrong, it's mostly just about how much those things annoy you. Clearly they annoy him quite a bit, and although I only have about eight hours in the game many of those things have already annoyed the fuck out of me as well. Not enough to rate it a 7, but definitely enough for me to not think it's the world ender that every other review claims it to be. But it's a Zelda game and simply liking it is enough for the fans, which is why they go batshit crazy that its score dropped from 98 to 97 and want Sterling hanged.
 
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Malkav

French Madman
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They definitely are rabid.

Last night I shared on Facebook the Polygon article about this (Let’s talk about that ‘bad review’ of Breath of the Wild), which is really reasonable.

It successfully pulled my dumbass younger brother in a diatribe saying bad Zelda reviews are from salty Sony fanboys angry that it's better rated than Horizon. God sometimes I want to smack the little fucker.
 
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Siliconemelons

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(


Wow! I've only got two wheels of stamina and 1/3 rock-climbing gear, and I still apparently don't have enough hearts to pull out the master sword. I've got enough orbs for another heart and it felt like I was close last time so hopefully that'll make the difference.


But then you're missing one of the most fun apects of Hinox: Running between his legs and staying away from his butt-slam so you can get a bunch of consecutive hits from behind! Feels good.

[/spoiler]

How many you need at min =
13 total hearts


Lynels will have to wait until I get the camel dive beast ability that boosts charged attacks because right now they eat my store of food and weapons and the hard ones are unkillable.

Master sword should not lose durability against guardians, hate having it break midnight and having to blow guardian weapons.

Lynels are easy mode with stasis, you just have to stay in range so they don't arrow you- all their mid range stuff, charge - fire etc. you can wait till it charges and freeze it once its close, or after fire when it does its animation pause. If you can get a complete normal spam attack button spam on them while frozen they then come out of it to do their "hurt" animation that allows ALMOST another full normal spam attack cycle before they do 1 of 2 of their close attacks - and their swing range is HUGE - so I would say 2, maybe 3 hits of a 1h before you need to run away to not get hit - 1...maybe 2 of a 2h and 3 ish of a spear - but you wont have time to do the spears final pull back and stab animation. If you have the mastersword you should not go through a charge, less its almost done to start... that is unless you are fighting "the last" lynel in the gatetower...that fucker.

and you can hurt guardians with non guardian weapons- you just eat through them lol
 

Man0warr

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Sithro

Molten Core Raider
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So apparently he lied about the DDOS? That's what I'm hearing on the grapevine anyway. BoTW isn't without flaws, but it isn't a 7 by any means.
 

Man0warr

Molten Core Raider
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I mean, if you post that review on Reddit and 10k+ people all try to view it at once that can look like a DDOS.
 
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Denaut

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So apparently he lied about the DDOS? That's what I'm hearing on the grapevine anyway. BoTW isn't without flaws, but it isn't a 7 by any means.

I can't watch the review due to the sever being overloaded (DOS or Otherwise), so take what I am about to say with a grain of salt. From what I gathered reading discussions of the reviews, it wasn't so much that he gave it a low score it was that his review was inaccurate and contradictory in places.

I am going on what other people claims he said (mostly from the Zelda subbreddit), so if he didn't claim or say any of these things I apologize ahead of time.
  • The game paints you into a corner rather than encourage varied play-style
    • If this is true that he said this then I don't even know where to begin. The variation in your ability to overcome obstacles in BotW is, without a doubt, the thing that sets this game leagues ahead of its open-world peers. The layer upon layer of gameplay systems both encourages and enables you to make interesting decisions about how you approach the variety of problems you are presented with.

      Zelda especially contains systems that are designed to specifically confound a "usual" or straight forward approach under certain conditions so that you must consider the environment and your initial instincts to approach obstacles in creative and unusual ways.
  • The proper way of dealing with shrines is to complete them on sight lest lose track of them
    • This is just patently false. The map clearly indicates 3 pieces of critical information about a shrine. It indicates when the shrine has been found opened (blue border), the spirit orb has been obtained (the center icon turns from orange to blue), and all of the chests have been taken (chest icon next to the name). Neatly enough the outside of the shrine shows this as well, the top will stay orange if it still has the orb. The game is full of these subtle and clever touches.

      Furthermore you can return to any shrine absolutely at will from anywhere in the game at any time. There have been several shrines that I couldn't figure out at the moment where I later had a light bulb go off because the solution presented itself to me through the course of other gameplay. Also you can stamp a shrine to indicate other important information, I usually stamp a shrine with weapons or bows to indicate what I left behind so I know that I found the chests but didn't take them.
  • General Complaints about Durability, Stamina, and Weather
    • We've talked about this a little so I won't go into detail here, but I just wanted to reiterate that these elements of the game are critical to make the many layers of systems shine the way they should. It is ironic that he falsely claims the game paints you into a corner while at the same time complaining about the very elements that encourage player creativity. I understand why most people don't see these things but a professional game reviewer should know better.

      For example I think they balanced the game on the easy side. I personally would prefer a game where the various gameplay mechanics were tuned to be much more punishing and force failure far more often, but I know that is inappropriate for a Zelda game and the target audience
The game isn't perfect, but I would consider it the best open world adventure sandbox game I've played (in the same genre as GTA, AC, Saint's Row, Shadow of Mordor, etc) by a noticeable margin. Should a not perfect game ever get a perfect score? Maybe. Should BotW get a perfect score? I'd probably say no based primarily on the performance issues, but it is damn close due to the core game design.
 
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Muligan

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I am doing my best to stay away from all the YouTube videos but it looks as if people are finding hidden, secret, or rare things daily. I'm going to try to beat the game without Amiibos or any videos and then try to hit it up and try to pick up everything.

I do think BotW will change how RPG's and maybe other genres are made. The concept is very enjoyable. The world is massive, so many things to do, nothing feels daunting or overly repetitive, and it is simply fun. Everything seems to be relevant to the world and history of characters and story.

I do think their DLC is pointless. We'll see as I haven't read up on it entirely but i'm really enjoying this game and would love to see a Pokemon and a Final Fantasy (4 or 6-esque) game made like BotW. Maybe even Castlevania.
 
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chaos

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I can't watch the review due to the sever being overloaded (DOS or Otherwise), so take what I am about to say with a grain of salt. From what I gathered reading discussions of the reviews, it wasn't so much that he gave it a low score it was that his review was inaccurate and contradictory in places.

I am going on what other people claims he said (mostly from the Zelda subbreddit), so if he didn't claim or say any of these things I apologize ahead of time.
  • The game paints you into a corner rather than encourage varied play-style
    • If this is true that he said this then I don't even know where to begin. The variation in your ability to overcome obstacles in BotW is, without a doubt, the thing that sets this game leagues ahead of its open-world peers. The layer upon layer of gameplay systems both encourages and enables you to make interesting decisions about how you approach the variety of problems you are presented with.

      Zelda especially contains systems that are designed to specifically confound a "usual" or straight forward approach under certain conditions so that you must consider the environment and your initial instincts to approach obstacles in creative and unusual ways.
  • The proper way of dealing with shrines is to complete them on sight lest lose track of them
    • This is just patently false. The map clearly indicates 3 pieces of critical information about a shrine. It indicates when the shrine has been found opened (blue border), the spirit orb has been obtained (the center icon turns from orange to blue), and all of the chests have been taken (chest icon next to the name). Neatly enough the outside of the shrine shows this as well, the top will stay orange if it still has the orb. The game is full of these subtle and clever touches.

      Furthermore you can return to any shrine absolutely at will from anywhere in the game at any time. There have been several shrines that I couldn't figure out at the moment where I later had a light bulb go off because the solution presented itself to me through the course of other gameplay. Also you can stamp a shrine to indicate other important information, I usually stamp a shrine with weapons or bows to indicate what I left behind so I know that I found the chests but didn't take them.
  • General Complaints about Durability, Stamina, and Weather
    • We've talked about this a little so I won't go into detail here, but I just wanted to reiterate that these elements of the game are critical to make the many layers of systems shine the way they should. It is ironic that he falsely claims the game paints you into a corner while at the same time complaining about the very elements that encourage player creativity. I understand why most people don't see these things but a professional game reviewer should know better.

      For example I think they balanced the game on the easy side. I personally would prefer a game where the various gameplay mechanics were tuned to be much more punishing and force failure far more often, but I know that is inappropriate for a Zelda game and the target audience
The game isn't perfect, but I would consider it the best open world adventure sandbox game I've played (in the same genre as GTA, AC, Saint's Row, Shadow of Mordor, etc) by a noticeable margin. Should a not perfect game ever get a perfect score? Maybe. Should BotW get a perfect score? I'd probably say no based primarily on the performance issues, but it is damn close due to the core game design.
Yeah, if true, those are basically bullshit complaints minus the last. I personally think that people complain too much about the durability, but I can understand people making that argument, it's just a preference thing. I know that for me, I would not use half the weapons I have if it weren't for the durability thing and that has led me to alter my playstyle in some ways. But I get the complaint. I don't really get the stamina complaint, there are similar mechanics in all kinds of games and it barely slows you down.

I've never played a game, that I can remember, with so many different options for accomplishing the goals, or different goals, or different ways to play the game. For someone to say that the game paints you into a corner and discourages varied playstyles, it's as if they didn't play the game at all.
 
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Synj

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I do think their DLC is pointless. We'll see as I haven't read up on it entirely but i'm really enjoying this game and would love to see a Pokemon and a Final Fantasy (4 or 6-esque) game made like BotW. Maybe even Castlevania.

You forgot Metroid.

Also: Kid Icarus in this engine would be amazing!
 
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Ritley

Karazhan Raider
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I can't watch the review due to the sever being overloaded (DOS or Otherwise), so take what I am about to say with a grain of salt. From what I gathered reading discussions of the reviews, it wasn't so much that he gave it a low score it was that his review was inaccurate and contradictory in places.

I am going on what other people claims he said (mostly from the Zelda subbreddit), so if he didn't claim or say any of these things I apologize ahead of time.
  • The game paints you into a corner rather than encourage varied play-style
    • If this is true that he said this then I don't even know where to begin. The variation in your ability to overcome obstacles in BotW is, without a doubt, the thing that sets this game leagues ahead of its open-world peers. The layer upon layer of gameplay systems both encourages and enables you to make interesting decisions about how you approach the variety of problems you are presented with.

      Zelda especially contains systems that are designed to specifically confound a "usual" or straight forward approach under certain conditions so that you must consider the environment and your initial instincts to approach obstacles in creative and unusual ways.
  • The proper way of dealing with shrines is to complete them on sight lest lose track of them
    • This is just patently false. The map clearly indicates 3 pieces of critical information about a shrine. It indicates when the shrine has been found opened (blue border), the spirit orb has been obtained (the center icon turns from orange to blue), and all of the chests have been taken (chest icon next to the name). Neatly enough the outside of the shrine shows this as well, the top will stay orange if it still has the orb. The game is full of these subtle and clever touches.

      Furthermore you can return to any shrine absolutely at will from anywhere in the game at any time. There have been several shrines that I couldn't figure out at the moment where I later had a light bulb go off because the solution presented itself to me through the course of other gameplay. Also you can stamp a shrine to indicate other important information, I usually stamp a shrine with weapons or bows to indicate what I left behind so I know that I found the chests but didn't take them.
  • General Complaints about Durability, Stamina, and Weather
    • We've talked about this a little so I won't go into detail here, but I just wanted to reiterate that these elements of the game are critical to make the many layers of systems shine the way they should. It is ironic that he falsely claims the game paints you into a corner while at the same time complaining about the very elements that encourage player creativity. I understand why most people don't see these things but a professional game reviewer should know better.

      For example I think they balanced the game on the easy side. I personally would prefer a game where the various gameplay mechanics were tuned to be much more punishing and force failure far more often, but I know that is inappropriate for a Zelda game and the target audience
The game isn't perfect, but I would consider it the best open world adventure sandbox game I've played (in the same genre as GTA, AC, Saint's Row, Shadow of Mordor, etc) by a noticeable margin. Should a not perfect game ever get a perfect score? Maybe. Should BotW get a perfect score? I'd probably say no based primarily on the performance issues, but it is damn close due to the core game design.

Only complaint I agree with is the weather one. Not being able to effectively climb during the rain is incredibly irritating for no real balance reason. Especially considering climbing is so much of what you do in the game. Wouldn't be so bad if there was some piece of gear or food or something that negated it. Sure, you can stop what you are doing and either find a fire or find somewhere to make one and rest, but what value or challenge does that add to the game? None, just annoyance. I've started to love when whatever I'm doing takes me to a frozen or desert area, just for no rain
 
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Siliconemelons

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--warning: fanfic random story post and what ifs!--

I think it would be interesting to see the story-line picked up by the first link we met and knew... there still is a story if you think about it.

BOTW is said to be essentially the "end" or far removed from the successful child link timeline - reason =
In what, many get as the first memory - Zelda mentions Skyward Sword, OOT and Twilight Princess --- this game has a history of 10k years + 100years to current BOTW , so the events of 10k years at minimum after 4 swords adventure

Anywho - I loved Adventure of Link - and BOTW almost or maybe just as much- but seeing the paths they are taking with the plot- there is story for our first known and loved link, there is a story still for Zelda 3 per say ;-)

Zelda 1 - we had 2 tri-forces - Gannon had Power, Zelda split Wisdom - the game was collecting wisdom and killing gannon and rescuing Zelda. The game starts with Link saving Impa and being told about the captured Zelda - Link is some random do-gooder that just jumped in to help Impa... after he is successful...

Zelda 2: Adventures of Link - he learns truly of "The Legend of Zelda"... that the princess Zelda from ages past was put into an eternal sleep... Link gets a sign on his hand showing he truly is the chosen hero will be the one to find the "lost" triforce of Courage and wake the old Zelda - while facing the threat of an soon to be gannon return / ressurection (but why so soon? he almost always returns but after ages or hundreds / thousands of years?!)

Theory / Story for its conclusion of the OG Zelda Trilogy - the waking of the "first" zelda actually causes gannon to return, he was not killed or sealed with the master sword - remember it is just "magic sword" in Z1/2 - also the Zelda from Z1 most likely did not have all her power as there was another Zelda at that time stuck in an eternal sleep - So we have a story in that now Link must find, reconstruct or whatever The Master Sword - as it to, like the 3rd triforce has been lost in ages past.

okay done rambleranting
 

Soygen

The Dirty Dozen For the Price of One
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I've probably spent less time thinking about the "story" of the Zelda games than the time it took you to type that post!
 
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