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. Atlasz
    Mar 16, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just beat the game today, i enjoyed it overall and it is an excellent game, however no game is perfect, and I was majorly disappointed with the dungeons and bosses, to me it was an extreme lack of creativity when it came to all the gannon's you fight, they pretty much were all the same just with a different weapon and were very easy, even dark beast gannon was somewhat disappointing, it looked great but only had one attack, the yugi clan basically let you win, and another thing to me that is extremely important to every zelda game, is the music, which when beating the game i had barely any songs that left a heavy footprint, which never happens when it comes to a zelda game at least for me. As a game I give it 9/10, as a zelda fanboy, i give it 8/10… Expand
  2. juelz
    Mar 16, 2017
    9
    Couldn't ask for anything else when it comes to an open world game. Zelda is such a fantastic franchise.
    Yet I don't think this game deserves a score of 10. Why?
    1: Because it has framerate issues. 2: The voice acting. For some stupid reason, Aounuma decided to go without dual audio. Just a very few of the VA were okay in the english version, but most of them sounded horrible, way too    Couldn't ask for anything else when it comes to an open world game. Zelda is such a fantastic franchise.
    Yet I don't think this game deserves a score of 10. Why?

    1: Because it has framerate issues.
    2: The voice acting. For some stupid reason, Aounuma decided to go without dual audio. Just a very few of the VA were okay in the english version, but most of them sounded horrible, way too cringy and out of character.

    Thankfully, they don't speak that much in the game. But when they do, it's always in an important cutscene. I just don't get it why they wouldn't go for dual audio in such a big, important game like this.    … Expand
  3. Draco781
    Mar 16, 2017
    9
    Breath of the wild is one of the greatest Zelda games ever made, without a doubt. It is gorgeous (for a nintendo game), and the open world gameplay is fantastic. My only gripe is the frame rate issues. that is the only reason that this game gets a 9 instead of a 10.
  4. BodManFord
    Mar 16, 2017
    9
    The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is a entirely new Zelda game with the core mechanics changed and everything is centered around the open world environment. The story of this game is one of the most deep and gripping stories I have ever witnessed. I shed a few tears.
    But in order to see this story, you have to find very specific places in this massive world with picture clues. Which    The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is a entirely new Zelda game with the core mechanics changed and everything is centered around the open world environment. The story of this game is one of the most deep and gripping stories I have ever witnessed. I shed a few tears.
    But in order to see this story, you have to find very specific places in this massive world with picture clues. Which is tedious and a chore but it pays off.

    The open world design gives the game a completely non linear approach to where you can storm the final boss right after the tutorial area. The world connects very well and the whole map has wasted eggs in the location names and Easter eggs that can be found in game.

    The combat is where the game either makes or breaks the experience.
    At the start of the game, dispatching foes can be extremely creative (ie putting a balloon on someone and make them float away) and fun, but later in the game that is scapped because of your foes high HP.
    Weapon durability can be annoying, but it really adds to the whole "survival" aspect of the game and is really fun (to me at least).

    One of the main things that puts this apart from other Zelda games is the difficulty. This is not a easy game. It's not too hard either (coming from me though, I've beaten and 100% all souls games). You can easily die without good armor and such. But the non linear world allows for you to wander into end game smokies who kill you with just their glare. And the bosses are just meh. Not too creative and forgettable.

    The game runs fine for me, I noticed no frame drops or anything. The graphics are pretty and fun to look at. Minimalistic but detailed. They are cell shaded and it looks lovely

    All in all, this is one of my favorite games I've played in a long time.
    I give it a 9/10 for excellent story but with tedious mechanics here and there but overall it's a masterpiece    … Expand
  5. saf126
    Mar 17, 2017
    10
    this game is all consuming encouraging exploration while giving near complete freedom of what and how to do things. its as close to perfect as a game has ever been.
  6. Spagbonara
    Mar 17, 2017
    9
    This game is really fun and has become my favourite Zelda game of all time. The world is massive, vibrant and filled with secrets, The combat is pretty fluent in the most part and the game is just a blast to play. Just when i'm about to stop playing, something allures me into playing more. The atmosphere is brilliant and immersive. The voice acting however is not the best but it doesn'tThis game is really fun and has become my favourite Zelda game of all time. The world is massive, vibrant and filled with secrets, The combat is pretty fluent in the most part and the game is just a blast to play. Just when i'm about to stop playing, something allures me into playing more. The atmosphere is brilliant and immersive. The voice acting however is not the best but it doesn't hinder my gameplay experience. Rain falls too frequently when i'm climbing mountains making it frustrating sometimes. Framerate drops are an issues that come up from time to time (Wii U Version). Weapons break a little bit too easily as well. Most of my issues with the game can be fixed with a patch so i don't consider them a really big deal. Overall the game is a lot of fun and it will keep you playing for hours or maybe even days.… Expand
  7. clynnc19
    Mar 18, 2017
    10
    Best game I've played this year. I often got lost in the huge beautiful world and never ran out of things to do or places to explore. The shrines are fun to solve and it is very satisfying when you complete a really challenging one. The story is great and the characters are memorable. I could not put this game down and even though I've already beat it I still want to play it and continueBest game I've played this year. I often got lost in the huge beautiful world and never ran out of things to do or places to explore. The shrines are fun to solve and it is very satisfying when you complete a really challenging one. The story is great and the characters are memorable. I could not put this game down and even though I've already beat it I still want to play it and continue my adventure in Hyrule.… Expand
  8. Minaverus
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    This game is a masterpiece and sets the bar for all future open world games that follow. I've never really been into open world type games, because it felt like you had no idea what you were doing or what your eventual goal actually was. This game sets you up from the beginning with a clear goal in mind and from there you just explore and uncover the story for yourself if you so choose toThis game is a masterpiece and sets the bar for all future open world games that follow. I've never really been into open world type games, because it felt like you had no idea what you were doing or what your eventual goal actually was. This game sets you up from the beginning with a clear goal in mind and from there you just explore and uncover the story for yourself if you so choose to do so. Simply running around this vibrant and beautiful world is a pleasure from start to finish. I never really felt a need to progress the story or get to the next 'checkpoint'. It's a wild world and it begs you to uncover its secrets. What's lying in wait in that next canyon? I wonder if I can glide all the way across and still be able to climb that cliff on the other side? This is what makes the game so special. There is such an attention to detail and physics in this game that it is truly mind-boggling. If you think you can do it, chances are that you can. The sense of freedom is unrivaled in any game that came before it. It's all in the title of the game, Breath of the Wild. Another masterpiece from Nintendo that will endure for generations as one of the most beloved titles in the company's history.

    10/10    … Expand
  9. Hollando
    Mar 18, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game took a while to get into. People seem to be praising the slow start but I like a little backstory to my games. I didn't have an issue with the slow intro to past Zelda games. Once you meet Impa, you begin to piece together what this game is about. There are 4 behemoths that you must take back from Ganon. Over a hundred shrines scattered throughout the land that provide classic Zelda puzzles. A ton of side quests that start off silly but get really cool as you progress through the game. Overall, I gotta say this game is excellent and one of the best Zelda games to date.… Expand
  10. Calvin-DesPanda
    Mar 19, 2017
    10
    After almost 72h, i beat the ultimate boss of this game. I have to admit that this Zelda... was not the other Zelda, and that why this game is perfect. So many way of different approach for discovering this world and fight their its occupants.

    I failed a lot into planing what i want to do during all this time, every time something come in front of me and call me, i was suprize 1h after    After almost 72h, i beat the ultimate boss of this game. I have to admit that this Zelda... was not the other Zelda, and that why this game is perfect. So many way of different approach for discovering this world and fight their its occupants.

    I failed a lot into planing what i want to do during all this time, every time something come in front of me and call me, i was suprize 1h after to ask me "What iwas supposed to do before this ... ?" and find a way to do it.

    This is not a a simple new Zelda, this is The Legend of Zelda, a new game. People that never played it ever before can appreciate a perfect game to introduce themself into the universe of Zelda.    … Expand
  11. pekyus88
    Mar 20, 2017
    10
    Juegazo con todas las letras, hacía tiempo que un videojuego no me atrapaba tanto. El mejor juego de mundo abierto hasta la fecha con infinidad de cosas que hacer. Marcará un antes y un después en la industria de los videojuegos. Gracias nintendo.
  12. Bustillox
    Mar 20, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the greatest games I've ever played on my entire life... Suspenseful fights, great story line and cinematic and the most beautiful thing of all, is that when you beat the game is not over yet since it has a lot of great things to do and collect (Such as Dark Link armor and great weapons).… Expand
  13. gorkem
    Mar 21, 2017
    10
    This game is massive with a huge open world, where everything is reachable, a great storyline with interesting characters and backstory, and a very well made gameplay mechanic with lots of intuitive puzzles. The artwork is simply beautiful and stunning.

    This is by far the best Zelda game and maybe even the best game ever made.
    Truly a masterpiece!
  14. Steviejd
    Mar 21, 2017
    10
    Best game of this generation, perhaps of all time if you can look past it's few flaws. No game is perfect but this comes close and if future patches come to iron out the few flaws and performance issues, then not much will be able to touch this game for the foreseeable future.
  15. NekiCrit
    Mar 21, 2017
    10
    Absolutely enjoyed this game. Ignore what the other reviewers who are purposely rating this game absurdly low on purpose for attention as they have no objectivity in the reviewing.

    Anyways, even after beating the game, I still had PLENTY to do and PLENTY of areas to explore and learn. Story is decent, though not perfect but I feel that the exploration and gameplay aspect was the biggest    Absolutely enjoyed this game. Ignore what the other reviewers who are purposely rating this game absurdly low on purpose for attention as they have no objectivity in the reviewing.

    Anyways, even after beating the game, I still had PLENTY to do and PLENTY of areas to explore and learn. Story is decent, though not perfect but I feel that the exploration and gameplay aspect was the biggest selling point of this game, and changing the old Zelda system to what it is now is possibly the best choice yet and I cannot wait for the next Zelda game to come soon! Nothing is completely overpowered as it makes you think on how you can get your gears as well as being self-sufficient with your supplies as nothing lasts forever. It's just a must-have if you are getting a Switch, heck even the Wii U version is just as good as this version!    … Expand
  16. Nicknack79
    Mar 21, 2017
    10
    This is everything I've wanted from a Zelda game since OOT. While I have played all major Zelda releases since, they were all missing something I can't put my finger on. This game has it! Wonderful experience and I look forward to many more hours of gameplay
  17. ErFranGr
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    juego perfecto el mejor creado hasta el momento ojala todos los juegos fuesen asi de buenos y con esta calidad

    me lo termine y debo decir que es una obra maestra
  18. klasflod
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    I feel like now, with soon to be 100 hours in Hyrule, I can chip in. With all this nonsense of 0/10 I feel like it's an obligation. This is not a perfect game, but I'll be damned if it isn't close. God damn this game. If you're a gamer and have the financials you can not pass this up. It's one of those games that we are going to remember, 10, 15, 20 years from now and just say "Wow. ThatI feel like now, with soon to be 100 hours in Hyrule, I can chip in. With all this nonsense of 0/10 I feel like it's an obligation. This is not a perfect game, but I'll be damned if it isn't close. God damn this game. If you're a gamer and have the financials you can not pass this up. It's one of those games that we are going to remember, 10, 15, 20 years from now and just say "Wow. That game really did set a new standard". It's THAT good. Play it.… Expand
  19. mbg51
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Best game I have played in years. Beautifully made, interesting quests and side quests and fully immersive. When you pick it up, you don't want to put it down.
  20. qwertydre
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Haven't played a Zelda game in a while and was really hoping to finish before Mass Effect A. came out since that series is my favorite of all time. Well, I am still playing BOTW and do not want it to end, haven't played a game this good in years.
  21. jbakes25
    Mar 28, 2017
    10
    I had some high expectations for this game, and it exceeded all those expectations. I have already soaked over 100 hours into this game, and I am still not done yet. Not only has it become my favorite Legend of Zelda game, but one of my all time favorite games. I could play this game several times, and it would still feel fresh to me. Breath of the Wild also does one other important job:I had some high expectations for this game, and it exceeded all those expectations. I have already soaked over 100 hours into this game, and I am still not done yet. Not only has it become my favorite Legend of Zelda game, but one of my all time favorite games. I could play this game several times, and it would still feel fresh to me. Breath of the Wild also does one other important job: System Seller for the Nintendo Switch. A near flawless mix of open-world concepts and Legend of Zelda characteristcs with a lovely art style have made a masterpiece that will be hard to forget.… Expand
  22. Sparadrax
    Mar 23, 2017
    8
    this game do not deserve a 10 at all because of all his technical problem.
    10 fps in the master sword zone
    a lot of empty place

    still a really good and pleasant to play
    a masterpiece for a zelda maybe idk, a masterpiece of videogame no but still worth
  23. mikerbiker62
    Mar 23, 2017
    10
    This is a truly gorgeous game The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is a breath of fresh air, literally there's a huge open world to discover all by yourself. It graphically looks great even in Handheld mode it still looks clean and efficient and the thought of taking a triple A game like Breath of the wild on the go is simply amazing, it has great gameplay, combat, quests, story,This is a truly gorgeous game The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is a breath of fresh air, literally there's a huge open world to discover all by yourself. It graphically looks great even in Handheld mode it still looks clean and efficient and the thought of taking a triple A game like Breath of the wild on the go is simply amazing, it has great gameplay, combat, quests, story, soundtrack, overall it is fantastic and there's a lot to do so if you're unsure about this game or you haven't ever played a Zelda game before then this is the perfect time to start and i'll be honest with myself here i'm not a huge Zelda fan, infact this is the first proper Zelda game i've purchased and it's so fun and breathtaking. Breath of the Wild took 4 years to develop and I tell you what: I'm so glad that Nintendo delayed this game, those 4 years made this one of the best games of Nintendo's huge library of marvelous games. This game is simply remarkable.… Expand
  24. Draisen
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    This game was one of the best ones thet i ever played in my entiere life. It may not have the best graphics on the market, but this is not about the graphics its about the open world expiriance and the story line. Anyways, I have played it for 9 hours and i cant stop playing it, this game is incradible and probably one of the best zelda games ever made.
  25. jarvis0284
    Apr 28, 2017
    10
    por este gran juego que tiene un apartado grafico impresionante, una jugabilidad increible, siento que juego dark souls, wow, dragon quest, y xenoblade juntos, un mundo maravilloso e inmenso , las posibilidades infinitas, este zelda es el omega de los juegos gracias nintendo me alejastes de blizzard por fin…
  26. dowy
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    this game brings you to a explorable world with the epic cool weapons and a lot of content and great characters . and subbosses like hinox fearsome enemies like lynels probably the best game of 2017
  27. imalmenzar
    Mar 26, 2017
    10
    Great game, a MUST. If you want to achieve the 100% of the game you will be playing around 200 hours in a really beautiful and enormous world. The game is absolutely amazing. You won't be disappointed.
  28. adanfime
    Mar 27, 2017
    10
    Nintendo did its best to release this game as a launch title for the Switch. This game proves that Zelda definitely is a system seller. As Aonuma said, this game, by breaking the conventions of Zelda, proves that Nintendo definitely always has surprises for us gamers. Definitely the beginning of a new era.
  29. Thajocoth
    Mar 30, 2017
    10
    After the disaster that was Skyward Sword & the terrible controls of Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (having to cover the entire screen Link is on with my hand to be able to move around is just a terrible design decision), I didn't go into this game expecting anything. If not for the trailers showing it to be much better, I might not have gotten the game at all. I got the game andAfter the disaster that was Skyward Sword & the terrible controls of Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (having to cover the entire screen Link is on with my hand to be able to move around is just a terrible design decision), I didn't go into this game expecting anything. If not for the trailers showing it to be much better, I might not have gotten the game at all. I got the game and found it to be quite good. I had started to grow concerned for the series, but with this amazing game, I no longer feel that way. The open world feels more like the original NES Zelda than any other game in the series, while still being very much its own thing, and this return to the series roots breaks a lot of the conventions that I've had a problem with ever since Ocarina of Time.

    Though as someone who enjoys exploration far more than combat, I do feel like the enemies should have far less health than they do. In the original Zelda, fighting a group of blue lynels with the wooden sword was very difficult, but completely possible. Fighting just one with a boko club in this game is simply impossible... But at least the combat difficulty curve isn't based on how patient you can be, like it was from Ocarina of Time through to Skyward Sword, which was a terrible design decision.

    The enemies also don't feel very varied, simply because such a large percentage of them are humanoids, which all seem to act pretty similarly. Where are the tektites, leevers, pols voice, & poes? And if you're going to favor humanoids so much, why not a few with play styles that are a bit more different, like the boomerang-favoring goriyas, or the slow-but-tough gibdos and redeads? Thankfully, most combat can pretty much be ignored for those who wish to simply run past it, so I'm not going ding the game on that, but it's a thought to share..

    The world to explore is huge without feeling empty like Ocarina of Time's larger areas, or feeling repetitive like most open worlds seem to do. For example, I enjoyed Fallout 3 & New Vegas, but didn't get Fallout 4 simply because I got so tired of staring at a brown screen, and with the same assets everywhere, most places didn't feel unique enough to really remember where what was in relation to one another. Breath of the Wild's regions are colorful and varied, with no areas feeling too samey to one another.

    All in all, great job on this. 10/10 from me!    … Expand
  30. humblenarc
    Mar 30, 2017
    10
    The breakable weapons may seem annoying at first, but it makes the combat infinitely deeper than previous Zelda games. It also helps the game's balance. By doing this, it makes you a lot less likely to rely on a single weapon, and will encourage you to save your better weapons for boss fights. The visuals look absolutely gorgeous for only running at 900p. Magnesis, Stasis, and to a muchThe breakable weapons may seem annoying at first, but it makes the combat infinitely deeper than previous Zelda games. It also helps the game's balance. By doing this, it makes you a lot less likely to rely on a single weapon, and will encourage you to save your better weapons for boss fights. The visuals look absolutely gorgeous for only running at 900p. Magnesis, Stasis, and to a much lesser extent, Cryonis all add variety to puzzle solving, exploration, and even combat. The story is simple and straightforward, but the execution is really good. I especially love Princess Zelda in this game. The world feels alive too. The NPCs have their own schedules and special quirks that make them memorable. I do think some of the English voice acting could be better, but it doesn't bother me too much. Honestly, I could go on all day on everything the game gets right but I'll stop here to prevent me from rambling.… 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

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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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