The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

 Switch
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20981 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17,830 out of 20981
  2. Mixed: 1,176 out of 20981
  3. Negative: 1,975 out of 20981
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  1. Razv
    Mar 3, 2017
    7
    Not as good as the critics make you think it is, but overall a pretty good game. The story is not excellent, the combat could use some more polishing, but the world created is simply marvelous.
  2. Captiosus
    Jul 26, 2017
    7
    I grew up playing Legend of Zelda. The first game on NES was one of the first games I saved my allowance and mowed neighbors yards to buy. With exception to Skyward Sword, I have enjoyed all of the mainline console entries (and many of the handheld entries) of the Zelda franchise. So when I finally got my Switch, and thanks to the overwhelmingly positive reviews, I was stoked to pop inI grew up playing Legend of Zelda. The first game on NES was one of the first games I saved my allowance and mowed neighbors yards to buy. With exception to Skyward Sword, I have enjoyed all of the mainline console entries (and many of the handheld entries) of the Zelda franchise. So when I finally got my Switch, and thanks to the overwhelmingly positive reviews, I was stoked to pop in Breath of the Wild.

    30 hours of gametime later and I'm woefully bored. Let me be succinct: This isn't a Zelda game. Sure, it has the location and character names, the stylization, the same old "beat Ganon"/Triforce story, but don't let that fool you. The core of the game is a mediocre open world collectathon.

    If I were to mention a game where you have to collect hundreds of items to upgrade your inventory, health, and stamina, have multiple in-game currencies for items and other upgrades, and have to climb towers to unlock area map information while using a scope to identify landmark points of interest, you'd think I was talking about an Ubisoft open world game. Except that's precisely what Breath of the Wild does.

    BotW takes this penchant for collecting further by almost becoming a survival game. Gone are the days of buying/finding jars, buying potions in shops (or from witches!), finding hearts in containers, or keeping fairies in jars. Now it's all about hunting animals for meat, gathering insects, enemy parts, ores, herbs, spices, and other ingredients and then cooking. Endlessly cooking - and there are HUNDREDS of different materials. The materials themselves give paltry benefits (if any at all) but cooking them turns them into feasts and exilirs. Unless you go look up a strategy guide for what ingredients you need, the cooking process is all experimentation. In the 30 hours I've played thus far, I wouldn't at all be shocked if I've spent a third of that in front of a fire.

    It doesn't end with just cooking. Weapons and shields have paper thin durability so you're constantly breaking weapons even in the most basic of fights. This requires constant carrying of extra gear in order to swap when your weapon, bow, or shield inevitably breaks. You must also carry different sets of elemental resistance gear because if you wander into an area that's too cold or too hot and don't have enough resistance from gear or potions, you can DIE from exposure as it reduces your health as a damage over time effect. And just to remind you that they're going for realism, basic actions can become more difficult with various weather conditions (e.g. climbing while raining means you'll slide down a lot and have to start over).

    "But the shrines", I can hear people saying. Sorry, these Shrines are a very poor imitation of what previous Zelda game dungeons had been. They're often only one or two rooms with little to no challenge. Take ten of them and mash them together and you'd be close to having a proper Zelda dungeon. Quantity (and there are many, again, see "collectathon") doesn't equal quality.

    I don't know what this game is. It looks and sounds like Zelda but it plays like a sub-par mashup of open world games from Ubisoft, Rockstar, and Bethesda. Stylistically it looks great and despite the occasional frame drop, I enjoy looking at the game and visiting its locales. But the combat, the constant need to be a hunter/gatherer and cook, the open world fluff and the snorefest Shrines.. it's all just so dreadfully boring.

    It's not a 9 or 10, nor is it a 0 or 1 game. It falls squarely in the middle. On some level, it pains me to rate this so low as it's clear they put a lot of effort into it; However, this is an example where going to a western RPG open world style fundamentally changed the core of what made the franchise and not in a good way.    … Expand
  3. B-Knock
    Mar 20, 2017
    7
    Absolutely awful English voice acting. Pure garbage. The game is great, but the deal breaker was Zelda's fake British accent, which was pure garbage. It would have been fine if it was not forced. Absolute worse ever! Please don't buy this game and save your money for a quality Nintendo title that respects gamer's ears. The game is great but the terrible voice acting just sucks the life outAbsolutely awful English voice acting. Pure garbage. The game is great, but the deal breaker was Zelda's fake British accent, which was pure garbage. It would have been fine if it was not forced. Absolute worse ever! Please don't buy this game and save your money for a quality Nintendo title that respects gamer's ears. The game is great but the terrible voice acting just sucks the life out of the game because it just sucks so much. It was unnecessary. Nintendo bent over for stupid fan boys demanding voice acting in a game that didn't need it. Pure garbage. I give it a 10/10 for game play, but I can not get past the stupid English voice acting its so awful I just wan to go jump off a damn bridge, or smash my head into a concrete wall. Seriously!… Expand
  4. vincesz
    Mar 26, 2017
    7
    I dunno what it is about zelda games that makes every 'professional reviewer' think they have to give it a 10.

    This game is solid, it's tight, it's good but it's not a 10. Props to Nintendo for taking chances with the same old formula. It really felt like for the past 20 years they've just been trying to recreate the magic of Ocarina of Time and failing. Now they've finally figured out    I dunno what it is about zelda games that makes every 'professional reviewer' think they have to give it a 10.

    This game is solid, it's tight, it's good but it's not a 10. Props to Nintendo for taking chances with the same old formula. It really felt like for the past 20 years they've just been trying to recreate the magic of Ocarina of Time and failing. Now they've finally figured out that it's about trying to do something completely different.

    The combat is the biggest change here. They have an item system with durability rolled in so weapons and items are all temporary. There's no more 1 sword, 1 boomerang, etc. You get tons of swords and boomerangs. Makes it that much more special when you find the master sword.

    The game is also hard. I used to rarely if ever die in a Zelda game. I died a few dozen times in the first couple of hours alone in this one. It's more like Dark Souls than the typical Zelda. They also realized that getting items like the bow and bombs and all that is really boring so they made them super easy to access right from the get go.

    The game has been refocused on exploration with the new climbing system, which is really the only true innovation in the game. Almost every terrain is climbable. It adds a new dimension to the exploration that has always been a Zelda mainstay.

    The puzzles are fun but not too challenging, pretty typical to the Zelda series. They did try for different ideas in this new game with spatial problem solving which I appreciate. The dungeons seem to have taken a few pages from the Shadow of the Colossus book.

    One of the coolest, most thoughtful additions is that the last boss is accessible probably less than an hour from the start of the game. And you can go try your luck too! A really cool idea and it was very well implemented.

    So with solid combat, great exploration, and good puzzles why is it a 7? The game just has too many noticeable flaws.

    The voice acting is terrible. Everyone is gonna complain about it, it's truly God-awful. I wish I could just have silence and read text but there's no option to do that. What a shame...

    Second, the graphics. They're bad. I get that Nintendo never cares about graphics and while the art is beautiful, these textures are worse than games from 7 years ago. I almost want to say I've seen better texture work in games like Gears of War 1 from 2006... That's just unacceptable. Being 2-3 years behind is whatever, being more than 7? Give me a break.

    Third, music. I hate it. They tried to make the whole thing into a Miyazaki movie. The music just doesn't fit at all. You don't need symphonic music for everything with little cutesy piano pieces. It just doesn't fit the action or what's happening on the screen at all. I just never get that exhilarating feeling during action sequences because of how low-key and mellow the music is for fighting. I never felt like any of the zones had music that fit the mood or the atmosphere. It really detracts from the experience very very noticeably.

    Lastly, the open world concept was just not done well. There's not enough here to warrant exploring an open world. There are only so many moblin camps you can clear out before it gets boring and old. While some of the environmental puzzles and enemies (like stone monsters you have to climb on) can be fun, the novelty wears off. Eventually it dawns on you that you're completing little mini-games. Where other games made their side quests deep and immersive (a la Witcher 3, Skyrim etc) this game's side quests are fairly bland and unimpressive.

    The game is fun, if you're gonna buy a switch you probably already have it. If you're debating whether you need to buy a switch for it: pass.    … Expand
  5. DukeJon
    Dec 27, 2017
    7
    First time playing a Zelda game and now I'm several days in, I am beginning to wonder where this great game is everyone's been talking about. The world is very large, but dull and empty. Not much variety in terms of enemies. NPC characters are like something out of a game that was released 20 years ago; limited interaction and no voiceover dialogue. Link is a boring character : in otherFirst time playing a Zelda game and now I'm several days in, I am beginning to wonder where this great game is everyone's been talking about. The world is very large, but dull and empty. Not much variety in terms of enemies. NPC characters are like something out of a game that was released 20 years ago; limited interaction and no voiceover dialogue. Link is a boring character : in other games I can completely customise my avatar, in this game I get to choose what trousers to wear and that's pretty much it. Physics is fun but inconsistent; I can chop down a huge tree but my axe swings through the supports of an archer tower without harming it. I can climb better than spider-man but I'm a baby in the water. Crafting is essentially limited to cooking only. Weapons break after two hits which means I just avoid mobs where possible, and even when I don't the battles aren't interesting. Shrines are like puzzle games you might download for free on a smartphone. Music is forgettable. Story is like something out a children's fairytale.

    Yet there are so many 10/10 reviews flying about and this game is touted as not only one of the best releases this year, but possibly the best RPG of all time. I am guessing people have obviously not played Deus Ex, Mass Effect, Witcher, Fallout, Dark Souls or any of the Elder Scrolls games.

    It's a good game, but no more than that. If it didn't have Zelda in the title, and wasn't carrying a new console by Nintendo, I don't think many people would have paid much attention to it.    … Expand
  6. Camitic
    Apr 4, 2017
    7
    I am a huge Zelda fan make no mistake and Breath Of The Wild isn't a bad game but its not the best Zelda game either.
    The open world at first blew my mind i thought wow.........but after the alluring shine reality sunk in and I began to dislike certain aspects of the game.
    The weapon durability system is the biggest one and I wasn't quite sure what the aim was with that.I became    I am a huge Zelda fan make no mistake and Breath Of The Wild isn't a bad game but its not the best Zelda game either.
    The open world at first blew my mind i thought wow.........but after the alluring shine reality sunk in and I began to dislike certain aspects of the game.

    The weapon durability system is the biggest one and I wasn't quite sure what the aim was with that.I became increasing annoyed at having to change weapons mid-fight. The stamina wheel which made sense with climbing annoyed me when sprinting. The shrines......I get needing to make a system to upgrade our hearts/stamina but the shrines felt more of an annoyance then a challenge to overcome.

    However the story is fantastic. The climbing aspect is great I loved and with the rain causing climbing to be an issue it added a lovely dynamic to the game. The physics of the game overall are quite brilliant and work well in a open world game.

    Overall a good solid Zelda game that attempted to break from certain traditions which I respect.    … Expand
  7. ShadowofZexa
    Oct 25, 2021
    7
    Breath Of Wild is a great game, no doubt about it. However the game feels way too different from other Zelda games and feels worse because of it. The combat in Zelda hasn't been amazing but it worked in this game it's very difficult since the game wants have good reaction time to pull off attacks that do a lot damage. That's okay but having to do this a lot since your weapons in this gameBreath Of Wild is a great game, no doubt about it. However the game feels way too different from other Zelda games and feels worse because of it. The combat in Zelda hasn't been amazing but it worked in this game it's very difficult since the game wants have good reaction time to pull off attacks that do a lot damage. That's okay but having to do this a lot since your weapons in this game don't do too much damage. There is also no way to upgrade your weapons to make them do more damage. One issue in this game that is almost a dealbreaker at times is your durability of your weapons they feel like sticks and break very easily. There is also no way to upgrade your weapons making for a lot of weapon hunting and inventory management which is very slow and boring.
    The story is pretty good but not amazing like in Skyward Sword, The graphics look amazing and I love the way Nintendo made the visuals in this game. Another thing I do like the use of voice acting in the game and it's a welcome edition to the Zelda series. Overall Breath Of The Wild is good blueprint for BOTW 2 that I believe can be an amazing game if they improve on it's flaws.    … Expand
  8. ultraviper
    Nov 29, 2017
    7
    A bit overrated. There are sooo many things in this game that seem to have no purpose other than to annoy the player. Not being able to climb in the rain. Climbing being so slow. Having to constantly change clothes when you enter different temperature zones. Having to go through so many steps to cook things. Weapons being so fragile. Inventory for weapons being so small. Lots of annoyingA bit overrated. There are sooo many things in this game that seem to have no purpose other than to annoy the player. Not being able to climb in the rain. Climbing being so slow. Having to constantly change clothes when you enter different temperature zones. Having to go through so many steps to cook things. Weapons being so fragile. Inventory for weapons being so small. Lots of annoying little cutscenes. Find a shrine: cutscene. Enter a shrine: cutscene. Finish a shrine: cutscene. They're skippable after the first couple seconds, but there's 120 shrines in the game, so you'll be pressing that skip button a LOT… Expand
  9. RDonnell
    Nov 22, 2021
    7
    Good game, Innovates but technically a failure. The art style will be eternal and will scale well in future but clearly the game is not being done justice. This 30fps 1080p nonsense is just that. This is a masterpeice of art constrained to an underpowered platform. I would give this game 9/10 if it were on a better gaming platform that could enable 4k/60. Byt Nintendo are so jealous andGood game, Innovates but technically a failure. The art style will be eternal and will scale well in future but clearly the game is not being done justice. This 30fps 1080p nonsense is just that. This is a masterpeice of art constrained to an underpowered platform. I would give this game 9/10 if it were on a better gaming platform that could enable 4k/60. Byt Nintendo are so jealous and greedy they continue to persist on only allowing you to see the true art of a game many years later. The HD Skyward Sword release is a perfect example of this crime!… Expand
  10. Dark_D3s7r0y3r
    Aug 22, 2017
    7
    I'm using the scale of 1-10 where 5 is average, 7 is very good, and 10 is a game that's perfect, no flaws or frustrations to be had during my entire experience. As in, there is absolutely nothing I can say that I think would improve the game. So rating it a 7, I think this is a very good game. If you have a Switch, definitely pick it up, you'll probably have a good time regardless of theI'm using the scale of 1-10 where 5 is average, 7 is very good, and 10 is a game that's perfect, no flaws or frustrations to be had during my entire experience. As in, there is absolutely nothing I can say that I think would improve the game. So rating it a 7, I think this is a very good game. If you have a Switch, definitely pick it up, you'll probably have a good time regardless of the things you may not like about it.

    Let's start with the good. The world is ENORMOUS and you really feel it. Seeing a mountain off in the distance that you have to run to before you can fast travel to has that grand feeling of wonder and exploration. The world feels alive and active, as well, with different weather patterns, events, and collectible flora and fauna to use in cooking and upgrades. Cold areas require special gear not to freeze to death, and hot areas require special gear not to die of the heat. Some areas rain frequently, some areas have thunderstorms that make it a bad idea to carry metal weapons around, some have sandstorms and blizzards and rolling blankets of fog that obscure your vision. It all makes each visit to an area that much more unique, since there will likely be a different weather forecast each day.

    The art style is stunningly beautiful. It's as if they took cartoon drawings and directly translated them 1:1 into a game. It really speaks for itself.

    The story is very compelling. Throughout the game, I genuinely wanted to know more about Link's past and was interested in learning more about all the people he met along the way. And with an entirely non-linear path (it's totally possible to beat the final boss from the get-go without breaking anything), the journey feels like it's my own unique pathway through the game.

    I absolutely love the horse capture/training system in this game. Finding the perfect horse, registering and naming them, and forging a bond with them as you ride all feels surprisingly natural, and makes each horse you train feel special and personal. Though I'd prefer if patterned horses weren't arbitrarily worse than solid colored horses...

    And now let's look at a few negatives, starting with the obvious durability system. The issue isn't having weapons to fight with, the issue is what the durability system brings to the table. Which is just making you pause mid fight to switch to the same weapon you were just using just for it to break again in the same fight because Lynels have a billion health and weapons don't. Previous Zeldas did just fine without a bizarrely hamfisted durability system, and Breath of the Wild would have lost nothing if they gave you less frequent, incremental upgrades rather than a mountain of weapons to break. In fact, it would have made combat, hitting stasised objects, and archery minigames actually fun to experiment with instead of just dreading having to break that one weapon you found because the game says so.

    Draw distance, framerate, and resolution are all terrible due to the Switch's extremely limited processing power. I'll frequently find myself missing distant items or enemies simply because the game can't draw them from more than a moderate distance away, and in areas filled with visual effects the framerate plummets from its already sub-standard 30fps. It's sad to see such a grand idea for a game limited so severely due to only being released for underpowered hardware. While the Switch is a great mobile system, it certainly doesn't make a very good modern home console. But I digress.

    Rain is also a big pain to deal with. If you need to climb somewhere and it's raining, you may as well just plop tour controller down and go make something to eat while you wait it out. And if the rain lasts for more than one weather segment, you could be sitting around doing nothing for minutes. I don't understand why they decided to add in this bit of realism instead of weapons that realistically didn't shatter into dust after a handful of encounters (or one big encounter).

    There are a few puzzles that force motion controls. These same puzzles also give what you're controlling a significant delay. It basically feels like shouting instructions at someone across the room to do something that requires a deal of precision with how unresponsive it is. Not at all fun to deal with.

    And finally, there are also puzzles that require precise player movement. The issue with this is that on top of Link not immediately moving as you instruct him, the Switch's joycons don't give nearly the level of precision required for these puzzles to not feel like a chore. I guess I just need to shell out another $70 on a pro controller...

    Again, this is a great game, but I seriously fail to see how it gets perfect 10's. The intro area in particular almost made me quit the game right then and there because a cliff I had been climbing for the past few minutes decided to eject me off the edge of a platform I had just climbed onto. But I am glad I stuck with it.    … Expand
  11. kuehnau
    Mar 3, 2017
    7
    Well the day is finally here for the Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild. After all the fanfare and hype, was it worth the wait?

    I'd like to start off by saying that all of the 0 out of 10 reviews don't seem fair. But I think that's sort of the price you pay for having such a well known brand and franchise, it brings out the worst in people. With that being said, those reviews    Well the day is finally here for the Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild. After all the fanfare and hype, was it worth the wait?

    I'd like to start off by saying that all of the 0 out of 10 reviews don't seem fair. But I think that's sort of the price you pay for having such a well known brand and franchise, it brings out the worst in people. With that being said, those reviews aren't wrong, even if the scores appear to be.

    Going into Breath of the Wild, based on just the online reviews and videos alone, I was expecting one of the most epic Legend of Zelda games to date, unfortunately that really isn't the case and previous entries in the game series end up faring better in comparasion.

    I think one of the bigger issues stem from the fact that the developers lost sight of the core game when they started moving it into "open world" territory. The developers became more engrossed in that concept than what really makes a Zelda title a Zelda title to begin with.

    When compared to other games in the franchise, the selection of enemies is shallow compared to what we usually come to expect from the series. Generally these games tend to have a wide selection of enenmies that change based on the dungeon and region of the game. With Breath of the Wild, we are seeing a lot less unique enemies and instead a lot of re-colored or re-skinned enemies as a direct result. This wouldn't be horrible if it was expected, like with titles such as Dragon Quest. But in a Legend of Zelda game, it's a bit of a disappointment.

    The story isn't nearly as grand as it has been in the past. And while I haven't actually beat the game yet, I have found myself not nearly as invested or interested as I would have from previous titles in the series. A lot of times it feels as though the story element of the game was tacked on as an afterthought.

    The game play is also equally shallow when compared to other games in the franchise. Yes, there's a lot of weapons you can collect, but considering their frequency of appearance and the fact many of them will break over time, they are really underwhelming. None of them feel nearly as powerful or epic as you'd expect from a Zelda title. Remember all the neat tools you'd get in other Zelda titles? Nonexistent. Don't expect to find cool tools such as the hook-shot, it doesn't exist. I think this is one of the things that hurts the game the most.

    There are no heart pieces. Rupees are still in the game, but not in the same capacity as other Zelda titles. Instead you'll need to actually work to earn Rupees, you'll need to make and sell things in what appears to be an active economy and for whatever reason, it doesn't feel as if it fits properly with the overall theme of Legend of Zelda.

    There's a severe lack of music in the game. It's still there, but it doesn't feel as grand as it did in previous entries of the game. I see what they were trying to go for with the music, but it doesn't feel the same.

    As far as the technical specs go, the game looks good for what it is, there is no complaint there. But if people recall, there was some complaints about slow downs for the game, which apparently were reported to be fixed. But lo and behold people are still reporting slow downs on Breath of the Wild. This doesn't really surprise me as a release day title, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing. Folks are reporting that the switch can get pretty hot when played for extended peroids, so it makes me wonder if the game is suffering from the system physically slowing down due to the system becoming too warm, like how a tablet game will under perform on a Android tablet.

    So, what's the final verdict? It's a Legend of Zelda title in name only, it doesn't feel like a proper Legend of Zelda game at it's core.    … Expand
  12. Subject98
    Jul 24, 2020
    7
    At first it seemed very promising, and they got pretty much all of the gameplay mechanics down very well, but after several dozen hours of playing it I came away feeling like this is just good ground work laid down for an even better game in the future.

    I've heard so much about how this is the best open world game and that it fixes all of the problems that have plagued the genre for    At first it seemed very promising, and they got pretty much all of the gameplay mechanics down very well, but after several dozen hours of playing it I came away feeling like this is just good ground work laid down for an even better game in the future.

    I've heard so much about how this is the best open world game and that it fixes all of the problems that have plagued the genre for years... and I couldn't disagree more. It fell into pretty much all the same old habits. The world may be huge, but aside from the main quest locations, the rest of the world is just filled with samey, borderline copy/paste material. Again it's fine at first but it starts to feel like you're never seeing or doing anything new after a while. There are lots of enemy camps, NPC stations are almost always the same horse ranch again and again, puzzles to get collectibles like the korok seeds repeat dozens of times.

    There are certain key areas of the map with unique events, but most of these I found pretty boring if not aggravating in some way. There's that big featureless maze box in one corner of the map, the lost trial and error woods, and the Yiga Clan Lair which is a forced stealth section with instant failure if you're spotted, just to give a few examples. Most of these side places that should have been interesting didn't make me very happy.

    Another example of reused assets is the shrines. I'm actually on board with the idea of these, since the world is so big it makes sense to have a lot of smaller mini dungeons dotted around the map, but I still felt they managed to botch this to a degree. They all have the exact same big blue cube look to them no matter which region they're in, and at least a third of them are empty except for the reward, or just put you in a combat challenge with the same enemy with slight variation in what weapons it carries.

    That brings me to my next example, the enemy variety. 80% of what you fight are moblins or lizalfos with color palette swaps. You go to one side of the map, red lizards. Go to the other side, blue lizards. Even mini bosses are the same everywhere you go too, either the fat pigs, the stone golems, or the man-lions you don't ever want to fight anyway because they kill you in one hit and tank 50 million damage. Hell even the main bosses at the end of each proper dungeon just feel like a variation of the same boss. Would it have killed them to put some more variety of foes in here? The world certainly is big enough! (Past Zelda games with 1% the map size had more content, and I'm talking about unique content, not copies.)

    To add insult to injury, after completing each main dungeon, the difficulty in the world increases by populating the world, not with new enemy types, but more of the exact same ones with different colors that now take a dozen hits to kill rather than a few. They don't function any differently, or challenge you in any way, it just makes combat more tedious and eventually I started ignoring enemy encounters out in the world whenever possible.

    I don't think BOTW is a bad game, I just don't see how it's any different from the medium standard of what open world games are like, except not having quest markers. They can do better than this.    … Expand
  13. revillo
    Apr 11, 2017
    7
    This is an enormous game that functions well as a casual handheld experience. Pick it up whenever and kill a few hours running around its theme park mmo style world. Solve a few shrine puzzles, clear out some monster encapments, finish a quest, see what's on the other side of that mountain etc. It's your run of the mill RPG experience, but with stunning draw distances that let you seeThis is an enormous game that functions well as a casual handheld experience. Pick it up whenever and kill a few hours running around its theme park mmo style world. Solve a few shrine puzzles, clear out some monster encapments, finish a quest, see what's on the other side of that mountain etc. It's your run of the mill RPG experience, but with stunning draw distances that let you see clear across the gargantuan map, and somewhat novel climbing and paragliding mechanics that help you get around.

    It's easy to be blindsided by the scale of the game, but after spending a few dozen hours grinding through it, I'm finding myself a little baffled by the perfect scores. The essentials here are weak, from the dark-souls-for-children combat mechancis, the ability to heal yourself whenever in the middle of combat with essentially limitless potions, puzzles that telegraph their solutions so blatantly you don't feel much reward in completing them, and maybe worst of all, an awkward, gaping void where a story ought to be.

    There's fun to be had for sure, especially when you find some novel way to play in Breath of the Wild's coherent but gimmicky physicsy sandbox, it's just that little charming quirks don't add up to a deep gaming experience. The expertly polished, pitch-perfect game design i've come to expect from the series appears to have peaked with Twilight Princess. I'm genuinely happy Nintendo is flexing their engineerig muscle and taking some big risks with a change to the formula, but I hope they make a smaller, more concentrated map next time and fix this game's clunky controls and shallow components.    … Expand
  14. Juras
    Mar 8, 2017
    7
    Most overratted game i ever played. Just good game, nothing more. Journalism this days is joke. Graphics is outdated (i do not care about Switch tech power, its almost price of PS4 Pro), art design isn't my style but ok, music no memorable, Zelda VA is terrible. Part where Zelda shines is "gameplay", so many possibilities and mechanics from other games in "one pack". But its not enough toMost overratted game i ever played. Just good game, nothing more. Journalism this days is joke. Graphics is outdated (i do not care about Switch tech power, its almost price of PS4 Pro), art design isn't my style but ok, music no memorable, Zelda VA is terrible. Part where Zelda shines is "gameplay", so many possibilities and mechanics from other games in "one pack". But its not enough to be perfect game.… Expand
  15. shundog
    Apr 10, 2017
    7
    The princess has no clothes! There, I said it. A good game, but not great, and nowhere near perfect.

    Before I get into the negatives, I will mention one positive: the art. The art in this game is truly amazing. It's unique and refreshing in a time where most games strive too look as realistic possible. I had mixed feelings about it when I saw it in trailers, but after playing the    The princess has no clothes! There, I said it. A good game, but not great, and nowhere near perfect.

    Before I get into the negatives, I will mention one positive: the art. The art in this game is truly amazing. It's unique and refreshing in a time where most games strive too look as realistic possible. I had mixed feelings about it when I saw it in trailers, but after playing the game, I absolutely adore it.

    The landscapes are also impressive. They are enormous and well designed. However, I can’t help but feel that they are over-done. A lot of the world, while beautiful, feels rather empty. I think that the open world concept works very well, but the world itself could have easily been 1/2 to 1/3 of the size. There world is seriously HUGE -- it's bigger than that of most MMOs. A lot of the areas don't even have dungeons, which makes me wonder what purpose they serve.

    My biggest complaint about this game is the weapon durability system. I think it is a decent idea, but one that is poorly implemented. It’s kind of hilarious to complete a dungeon and be rewarded with a weapon that breaks after a few swings… like thanks, I guess? It makes finding epic weapons feel like crap. I also find it laughable that bows have such low durability when you already have ammo to deal with. As if ammo wasn’t tedious enough! There needs to be more unbreakable weapons and the durability on breakable weapons needs to be increased by at least 10x.

    As for the shrines, the vast majority of them are way too easy or short. Heart pieces were better.

    Dungeons are in the same boat as shrines. There are only a handful and they are extremely easy, especially when compared to the dungeons in the previous titles. They are all very short, contain few enemies, have the same aesthetic, and rely on the same gimmicky rubrics-cube-map mechanic to complete (which I did not find challenging at all). Also, the bosses are pathetic -- I beat most of them in 1 shot, some without even taking damage. Dark Souls it is not. Overall, the dungeons in this game are a HUGE letdown. The Great Deku Tree in OOT feels epic in comparison to some of them (ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but still). They feel like an afterthought. In past Zelda games, dungeons have always been the focus with the overworld being just a means to get you from one dungeon to the next, but in this game, it is the opposite -- the overworld is the primary focus and the dungeons are just... there?

    The inventory and cooking systems are also atrocious. I could go into great detail about why they are so bad, but I’d rather not waste my time.

    So all in all, it’s enjoyable, but I don’t understand all of the 10/10s. I think most of them are fueled by nostalgia and the hardware its running on (the Switch really is a great console). It's funny that most of the 10/10 reviews will list off several negative things about the game, but still give it a 10/10. I also find the difference between the user score and crictic score to be very suspect... Ultimately, it looks like Zelda, brings back some fond memories, but at the end of the day, feels more like a cheap thrill than the real thing. It’s a good game on it's own, but it's standing on the shoulders of giants and in comparison, looks rather insignificant. Definitely the worst 3D Zelda game to date.    … Expand
  16. Jorchking
    Oct 7, 2020
    7
    A ver, como videojuego es muy bueno y largo. Pero cuando uno califica un juego es en su totalidad, y la verdad hay cosas que no puedes dejar pasar por alto:
    - Port mediocre: Se supone que este era el gran plato fuerte del inicio de Switch. Es un juego que fue trabajado para Wii U pero la Switch ni siquiera puede mantener 30fps estables... Ni hablar de los bajones por debajo de los 20fps    A ver, como videojuego es muy bueno y largo. Pero cuando uno califica un juego es en su totalidad, y la verdad hay cosas que no puedes dejar pasar por alto:
    - Port mediocre: Se supone que este era el gran plato fuerte del inicio de Switch. Es un juego que fue trabajado para Wii U pero la Switch ni siquiera puede mantener 30fps estables... Ni hablar de los bajones por debajo de los 20fps cuando estamos en los bosques o hierba alta.
    - El Joy-Con drifting es donde más molesta es en este juego. Simplemente insoportable. Este juego drena la batería como una sanguijuela. No llego ni a las 3 horas con este juego.
    Ahora lo que más critico del juego, quizá, es la ausencia de grandes desafíos y de una historia bien construida. La verdad es que en ambos puntos es donde más flojea el juego. Se nota la falta de mazmorras y lo de los Santuarios, lugares totalmente vacíos, no representan desafíos memorables ni de gran altura. La historia está ahí, más como excusa que como otra cosa, no tiene mucho peso para decir verdad. Y salvo por uno o dos personajes (Sidon y Mipha) se siente mucho hueco aquí.

    La banda sonora está bien, y en cuanto a físicas y mundo el juego sobresale mucho. Pero siento que al juego le faltó algo más desafíos, los Centauros los sentí más desafiantes que el jefe final que fue un chiste para ser sincero. Pero en ningún momento sentí que este fuera más sobresaliente que otros juegos como Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Majora's Mask y, muchísimo menos, Ocarina of Time.
    El juego está bien, lo empaña bastante el port, y diría incluso que tuve mejor experiencia jugándolo en emulador. Pero así y todo no es un juego que vuelva a tocar, ni un juego que me ha encantado como tal. Sólo espero que Breath of the Wild 2 lo repiense y vuelvan las mazmorras y los desafíos.
    7/10.    … Expand
  17. Gecko300
    Mar 11, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll some this up in one sentence.
    This is a great game, it's not a great Zelda game.

    Lets start with THE GOOD:
    -The open world aspect IS fun, exploring the world and wanting to know what's just over that next ridge is thrilling. (However this does wear thin pretty fast .... see bad.)
    -The combat is probably better than it has ever been; rather than enemies being mostly a nuisance that you just thwack away at...these enemies take some timing, potions and skill; especially in that early-mid game. It's not dark souls/witcher but it's V.Good for Zelda.
    -The artistic design is nice and never gets stale to look at. It's a far cry from the drab and dreary OoT or Twilight princess.
    -It's different...hell that might be a bad or a good thing but I'm putting it in the good. Zelda has been doing the same thing for 30 years and it's nice to see them try something else.

    THE BAD:
    -The story, I'm not asking for greatness in a Zelda game, however it was so cool in OoT when you pull out the sword and fly forward in time...In link to the past when you go to the dark world. Where is THAT here? It feels like I'm playing half the game most the time...with all the coolest and most fleshed out characters left 100 years in the past!
    -The "dungeons." These are embarrassing to say the least, why even keep these hollow shells of their former renditions in the game? Just try something different. Instead we are left with what essentially comes down to 4 larger shrines that take all of 10-15 minutes to complete with 0 difficulty and 4 end bosses that fight/look almost identical.
    -The sidequests, 90% of these SUCK SO MANY EGGS. This is basically about an effort/reward type deal. Minor spoilers but one person wants me to go searching high and low for rare ingredients or a super rare weapon and rewards me with JUST 100 Rupees!!! (Which I could get in 3 minutes from grabbing all the apples in a town and throwing them in a pot.) With heart/stamina containers given out for completing the shrines and the breakable weapons it almost makes the sidequests completely pointless.
    -Which goes back to exploring...I used to search in Zelda games because you are looking for that hidden quest that leads to a heart piece or some rupee's for a bag upgrade. But with nothing to really upgrade other than armor it's kinda worthless other than just enjoying the beautiful world.

    THE UGLY
    -The music: for a series that is known for it's beautiful music...this game is severely lacking in it. A few musical cue's here and there and a bit of fight music. The rest of the time enjoy the dead silence and the sound of Links sword banging against his shield.
    -The faaaaarming. Ok the most farming I've personally ever done in a Zelda game before this is about 30 mins farming in Majoras mask for the biggest wallet upgrade. But in BotW my God...to upgrade all the armor would take hundreds of hours of just running around following the bleeping and picking up fish/mushrooms/guts/butterfly's. I think I've already put in over 15 hours of solid farming for armor upgrades.

    Again this review may come off as negative but it is a beautiful and fun game.
    However take out the useless side quests, crappy farming and kinda not worthwhile exploring and you're left with maybe 12 hours of main quest line for a mediocre story.

    It might be harsh...however if they continued to improve on this formula + did the classic 2D Zelda for a handheld console. I think I'd be in heaven.    … Expand
  18. NikoBocce
    Dec 4, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Breath of the Wild is Nintendo's swing at the open world genre, using one of their most recognizable IPs "The Legend of Zelda". In terms of scope and size Breath of the Wild is Breathtaking (Pun Intended), the dynamic locations, cultures, and areas are truly something to be admired and praised. BotW also includes several callbacks OoT in locations and music. The gameplay is also a step forward, opting for a controversial yet innovative durability system for the weapons, shields, and bows. The graphics and art style are also unique and look great for a handheld experience. The story also has many moments that are tear-jerking and emotional. As an adventure game BotW works on many levels, innovating from the traditional Zelda gameplay and tropes.

    However, BotW is not free from criticism as there are numerous flaws that appear the longer the game goes on. The first glaring issue is the music, from a series that has created some of the best soundtracks in the industry; BotW opts for a more minimalist approach and in my opinion, it doesn't work at all. While older Zelda games have memorable jingles and melodies, BotW comes off as boring and lethargic. That's not to say the entire soundtrack is garbage, some battle scores are quite good. It's just that a large amount of the soundtrack is unforgettable and lacks in character. The story while admirably non-linear in its approach, is also lacking on several levels. It seems that most of the impactful moments in the story happened 100 years before Link was awoken at the beginning of the game. Some characters are interesting, and Link's dead girlfriend is certainly worth a mention. However, the cast of characters presented here are a step back from the other past titles in the series. This brings me to my largest critique the overworld. BotW's progression system is based on shrines which are scattered across Hyrule, there are 120 in total. The issue with these shrines is that they all look the same in design. Instead of a colorful thematic dungeon design, these shrines are aesthetically the same and after 5-6 of them, they begin to feel like an absolute drag. With this large interesting landscape, the lack of things to do and activities inhabiting it, turns the large expansive world of Hyrule into one large, uninspired, sandbox. While that might seem a little harsh, I do believe that this game and concept is one that should absolutely be built upon. There is a 10/10 game hidden somewhere inside here, I'm just not seeing the perfect masterpiece everyone else is.    … Expand
  19. Methanol
    Jul 29, 2017
    7
    Breath of the Wild is not a Zelda game anymore. They've changed so much and made things worse.
    It could have easily be a real 10/10, if they just had sticked to the original Zelda formula.
  20. Pannon
    Sep 20, 2018
    7
    I am really stumped by the 10s and raving reviews. I am a big Nintendo fan and I did play zelda on SNES. Now that was a long time ago. ..Anyway, as I said, I'm not sure which game the 10 scorers and the review magazines playing or they maybe played, but not 40hrs or more. As other stated, there is a lot of running around in the big nothing. There are a lot of vast empty space with nothingI am really stumped by the 10s and raving reviews. I am a big Nintendo fan and I did play zelda on SNES. Now that was a long time ago. ..Anyway, as I said, I'm not sure which game the 10 scorers and the review magazines playing or they maybe played, but not 40hrs or more. As other stated, there is a lot of running around in the big nothing. There are a lot of vast empty space with nothing and the cartoonized graphics hides the shortcoming of the Switch. It just can't render too much at once so they had to use extremely low quality textures in the game. Then, as I said, big grassy fields, rocky hills and flats with nothing beside grass hoppers and some birds. A lot of walking around. I'm disappointed by not having a cave or a dungeon to go monster hunting. The 1-shot one kill flower pottery (guardians) and some other 1-hit kill monsters are just super annoying and the most annoying have to be the always breaking weapons. Button mapping can be a pain. I constantly end up hitting sneak (left thumb stick down) while fighting and Link drops the shield cover and it's a dead sentence with one of the stronger monsters. The other is the "lock on" way to continuously hold the top left trigger. Why can't we just click once and be locked on? Why make it a painful experience? And as I said, the sneak -on/off is just super annoying, especially on the original controller. I heard the pro-controller sold separately is way better controller and strongly recommended for this game. But now...I have to cash out another $60 for it? That would make this game the most expensive game I have bought in years. The enemies are repetative also. Sitting by the fire, it's a rinse-repeat of approaching their camp sneaking, let loose some arrows to the one standing on the guard towers and then either pick them off with the bow or go into a melee. You gonna do this over and over and over...with a sort of increasing difficulty, but essentially the same thing. I am playing this game on an extra wide monitor, but nintendo doesn't support this format I think. The game is stretched like the monitor, but the quality of the resolution suffers greatly, not to mention I am not a fan of applying this cartoon skin over the 3D graphics. I'm just not, especially with the low quality textures and low quality polygon models. The game looks at least 10yrs old really, but again, the Switch just can't handle it, hardware-vise, it was already obsolete when it came out.
    So anyway, the game can be fun, some fights can be exciting and some items can be interesting. But there is no way this game is a 10. 7 is the max..which is "slightly better than average", otherwise you have played this game a few times already, if you played the Farcry series or Assassin's Creed etc. it'll feel awfully a deja vu, right from the first mission you get.
    Play it an enjoy it, but I don't think everyone is gonna finish this game entirely. It can get very boring and pointlessly time consuming.    … Expand
  21. starki11er
    Apr 30, 2023
    7
    Despues de 6 años que se puede escribir de este juego?
    Si bien no es excelente, se ha repetido tanto que es una joya, un caliz perdido, un cambiador de vidas que la mentira se convierte en verdad indiscutible, los compradores han hecho tan propia la IP que al decir que el juego no es perfecto lo defienden con uñas y dientes mas que su propia familia.
    la nula variedad de enemigo, la    Despues de 6 años que se puede escribir de este juego?
    Si bien no es excelente, se ha repetido tanto que es una joya, un caliz perdido, un cambiador de vidas que la mentira se convierte en verdad indiscutible, los compradores han hecho tan propia la IP que al decir que el juego no es perfecto lo defienden con uñas y dientes mas que su propia familia.
    la nula variedad de enemigo, la falta de piezas memorables de koji kondo, armas de cristal, enemigos esponjas, espacios tan vacios, nulos calabozos son algo que no se pueden pasar por alto.
    sin embargo la experiencia de la exploracion es lo que es un punto de inflexion para la franquicia que atrajo a propios y extraños.    … Expand
  22. Juhiz
    Mar 8, 2017
    7
    Technical hiccups pull you out from the experience. It´s a shame that Nintendo can´t make their first-party games run smoothly on their new platform..Still this is the best modern Zelda-game. If i exclude nostalgia and fanboyism from the equation, personally i think that critic-scores are a bit too high. If I have to choose between Zelda BOTW and Horizon ZD. I would personally pick HorizonTechnical hiccups pull you out from the experience. It´s a shame that Nintendo can´t make their first-party games run smoothly on their new platform..Still this is the best modern Zelda-game. If i exclude nostalgia and fanboyism from the equation, personally i think that critic-scores are a bit too high. If I have to choose between Zelda BOTW and Horizon ZD. I would personally pick Horizon - Zero Dawn.… Expand
  23. ANeuhouser
    Mar 17, 2017
    7
    To give an impression of play time have completed 74/120 shrines and unlocked all of the towers.

    The negatives: - Quest and character depth are pretty minimal compared to something like The Witcher. - Enemy variety is also lacking there are 12 enemy types (Lynel, Hinox, Molduga, Talus, Bokoblin, Moblin, Lizalfos, Wizzrobe, Chuchu, Keese, Octorock, Guardians) and they are all seen    To give an impression of play time have completed 74/120 shrines and unlocked all of the towers.

    The negatives:
    - Quest and character depth are pretty minimal compared to something like The Witcher.
    - Enemy variety is also lacking there are 12 enemy types (Lynel, Hinox, Molduga, Talus, Bokoblin, Moblin, Lizalfos, Wizzrobe, Chuchu, Keese, Octorock, Guardians) and they are all seen throughout the map, just recolored or with a different elemental power in different areas.
    - Weapons degrade too quickly, most weapons are not durable enough to kill a single one of the tougher enemy types without breaking (White Wokoblin, Blue Moblin, Black Lizalfos, Lynel, Hinox, Molduga, Talus)
    - Tougher variants of common enemies (White Wokoblin, Blue Moblin, Black Lizalfos) don't fight any differently than their weaker counterparts, they just have their damage and health cranked way up. Most of these units can be easily knocked down in a few hits but then you have to sit there breaking weapons on them for ~30s until they die.
    - There are only 4 real dungeons in the game, they are all quite small, and all have the same type of puzzles.
    - Too many "____'s Blessing" shrines that have no puzzle inside of them.
    - Occasional stuttering when playing in docked mode.

    The positives:
    - Nostalgia, nostalgia in spades.
    - It's a pretty good take on the standard ubisoft open world game. Towers unlock portions of the map but unlike a ubisoft game the towers do not then litter your map with icons. Exploration is key in finding everything.
    - The exploration mechanics are great, The paraglider and climbing mechanics make traversing the map quite fun.
    - There is weapon and armor variety well beyond any other LoZ game.
    - Combat presents a greater challenge than other LoZ games and taking down the miniboss monsters (Lynel, Hinox, Molduga, Talus) scattered around the map is very rewarding.
    - Smooth frames and no stuttering when playing in handheld mode.

    Overall it's a pretty decent open world game with some shortcomings but a good amount of fun.    … Expand
  24. rushiosan
    Jul 26, 2017
    7
    A beautifully crafted world, with engaging combat and lots of small details, hurt by lack of substance where previous installments succeeded. Breath of the Wild often feels too big or too ambitious for its own good. Some important aspects were left aside in favor of picturing a vast, lively Hyrule, and while they undoubtedly achieved that, this Zelda entry felt lackluster at times - bossA beautifully crafted world, with engaging combat and lots of small details, hurt by lack of substance where previous installments succeeded. Breath of the Wild often feels too big or too ambitious for its own good. Some important aspects were left aside in favor of picturing a vast, lively Hyrule, and while they undoubtedly achieved that, this Zelda entry felt lackluster at times - boss fights, enemy variety, story, dungeons, music. Although all of these aspects have memorable moments in the 50h main quest, they never reach the quality level of its predecessors.… Expand
  25. GK0
    Mar 13, 2017
    7
    Really good game - great graphics, the music is fantastic, the story is good, but the stamina bar location is kind of irritating and the fact that weapons break literally every 10 seconds during combat is so incredibly stupid. Weapon durability systems are garbage and should stay in the trash heap of design choices where they belong.
  26. bennibop
    Mar 8, 2017
    7
    Good game not great and not one of the best Zelda games. The game has 4 dungeons and 100 shrines (mini dungeons) all of which are very easy and pose no challenge unlike previous instalments. Finding new Vistas and the sense of exploration can be great but getting there in the first place can be repetitive and frustrating as you are unable to climb when it is raining (which is the mainGood game not great and not one of the best Zelda games. The game has 4 dungeons and 100 shrines (mini dungeons) all of which are very easy and pose no challenge unlike previous instalments. Finding new Vistas and the sense of exploration can be great but getting there in the first place can be repetitive and frustrating as you are unable to climb when it is raining (which is the main mechanic for getting anywhere.)

    The games framerate is awful, probably the worst I have seen since Just Cause 3 and it can impact on the game and definitely does on the immersion. I have also seen issue with physic where the game seems to stutter (perhaps due to switch cartridges.) Considering this is a Nintendo game it is very surprising as they have always prided themselves on high quality software.    … Expand
  27. pinball123
    Mar 8, 2017
    7
    Was not the biggest fan early on and I thought the world felt a bit empty and felt abit mmo style in it's encounters, after another 10 hours I'm finding I enjoy it much more than my original impressions. The shrines work well at adding a hook and I've been surprised they haven't gotten too dull. I am hoping the frame rate can be improved with a patch because it can chug at times. I stillWas not the biggest fan early on and I thought the world felt a bit empty and felt abit mmo style in it's encounters, after another 10 hours I'm finding I enjoy it much more than my original impressions. The shrines work well at adding a hook and I've been surprised they haven't gotten too dull. I am hoping the frame rate can be improved with a patch because it can chug at times. I still prefer the earlier zelda games but this is solid but a bit over rated at the moment.… Expand
  28. elterrible
    Sep 2, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really wanted to love this game, I Really did! However, I found there was too much open space and not enough tasks or actions to fill out the adventures.

    Also, what there is to do, is incredibly repetitive at times. Literally, shine after shrine had only small variations at best and in many ways it was a lot like the telephone game, where the variation of the shrines change slowly as you advance through them.

    Another thing that I found clever and also annoying were the elements... Lightning always got you if you had any metal on at all! Cold would kill you if you didn’t have a torch or a jacket (a jacket that your buddy gives you only after you’ve struggled to complete most of the early tasks in the opening portions of the game.

    Honestly though, I didn’t find the load times to be too bad, but I did find that Zelda was a serious battery killer for the original switch and that also lead to some frustrations as I typically played the switch when I was out on the road (Maybe I’ll play it again on the new switch and see if some of my frustration goes away with the improved battery life).

    Now, if you’re a Zelda fan from the way back, you will likely give this game 1 or 2 points higher than I did, but for me, Super Mario Odyssey is the best game on the platform. So, with that said, if you weren’t all that into early versions of Zelda, you should probably look at other games before buying this, or you might hate the switch.    … Expand
  29. smahlt
    Apr 19, 2017
    7
    I felt compelled to write an honest review because everything else is either "10/10 OMG IT'S ZELDA" or "LOL NEVER PLAYED IT BUT 0/10".

    I've played nearly every Zelda game. It is my favorite game series, and OoT is my favorite game of all time. I generally only hate on Zelda when it has something annoying getting in the way of the fun (such as Skyward Sword's and Phantom Hourglass's    I felt compelled to write an honest review because everything else is either "10/10 OMG IT'S ZELDA" or "LOL NEVER PLAYED IT BUT 0/10".

    I've played nearly every Zelda game. It is my favorite game series, and OoT is my favorite game of all time. I generally only hate on Zelda when it has something annoying getting in the way of the fun (such as Skyward Sword's and Phantom Hourglass's controls). This game is not amazing. It is a solid open world game with no particular strengths or weaknesses (other than having a giant world with nothing in it, but that's expected at this point). The story is standard Zelda fare, the graphics are great, the music is good when it's actually playing, and the controls are solid, though the mapping takes a little getting used to.

    Don't buy a Switch just for this game. Play it on your WiiU if you have one, or just wait until there's more reasons to buy a Switch.    … Expand
  30. sarisa
    Aug 17, 2019
    7
    I spent nearly 300 hours with this game and all DLCs. And all has been said about this game already.

    So just to recap: It's typical good AAA game of our times, but poor Zelda game. Period. Imagine "Link to the past" overworld without dungeons moved to modern 3D aesthetics. That's exactly this game. Good exploration game, poor in terms of being Zelda game. "Forget all you know about    I spent nearly 300 hours with this game and all DLCs. And all has been said about this game already.

    So just to recap: It's typical good AAA game of our times, but poor Zelda game. Period.
    Imagine "Link to the past" overworld without dungeons moved to modern 3D aesthetics. That's exactly this game. Good exploration game, poor in terms of being Zelda game.

    "Forget all you know about Zelda game..." - I thought that was just marketing. Oh boy... No, they were just honest with us.

    And all these 10/10... Really? How can you give 10/10 score to a game that was intended to have mini map on gamepad, but eventually had this feature disabled on the release (remember 2014 wii u demo? Just compare). Meaning automatically that current BoTW cannot be perfect right now, because we have seen better "more perfectish" BoTW with minimap on youtube! Logic? Who cares.

    Right, "Big N" will sell anything with right marketing. In my opinion Zelda has gone simply in wrong direction. With BoTW, our good old Zelda just made transition to another polished corporate product without soul. That's prolly what modern consumer expects, but not necessarily Zelda fan. All what made this game so unique was lost with this release "like tears on the rain".

    7/10 is a real score here.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Switch Game of 2017
1
#1 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
1
#1 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
97

Universal acclaim - based on 109 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 106 out of 109
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 109
  3. Negative: 0 out of 109
  1. GameGrin
    Dec 12, 2017
    100
    Where it takes mechanics from others in the industry, it improves upon them; where it introduces new ones, you slap your forehead in amazement that it hasn’t been done before. Breath of the Wild is development done right, and damn near the best game you’ll play all year.
    Read full review
  2. Wired UK
    Aug 30, 2017
    100
    Breath of the Wild is a masterpiece.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    May 19, 2017
    96
    Up there with the finest Zelda games, Breath of the Wild is bold, liberating, and utterly astonishing. [Apr 2017, p.60]
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