User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20981 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Apr 12, 2017
    10
    Great looks, an open world to explore and lots of quests to accomplish. Not only does this game treat you like someone, who has played some games before (no endless tutorials), but it also gives you the freedom of choice. Overall the best game of the Zelda franchise in my opinion. After 100+ hours in the game, I can say, that you won't find a better and more entertaining way to spend yourGreat looks, an open world to explore and lots of quests to accomplish. Not only does this game treat you like someone, who has played some games before (no endless tutorials), but it also gives you the freedom of choice. Overall the best game of the Zelda franchise in my opinion. After 100+ hours in the game, I can say, that you won't find a better and more entertaining way to spend your money on the Switch. Expand
  2. Apr 12, 2017
    10
    I owned Switch, PS4 and Xbox One so I had owned this game with Switch when it's launched on launch day for Switch anyway I love this game so much and still haven't complete this yet due to too much to do in it. So much contents that Nintendo had put in open world unlike other open world games where you got half contents or repetitive things to do or less things to see or short in term ofI owned Switch, PS4 and Xbox One so I had owned this game with Switch when it's launched on launch day for Switch anyway I love this game so much and still haven't complete this yet due to too much to do in it. So much contents that Nintendo had put in open world unlike other open world games where you got half contents or repetitive things to do or less things to see or short in term of replay-ability etc... so this game is masterpiece and best open world game since GTA V is the fact.

    Well done to Nintendo. Best Zelda in the series too. :)

    Look forward to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe this month then Arms coming later this Spring with next month's Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers then Splatoon 2 coming this Summer then Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Fire Emblem Warriors, Skyrim remastered and more follow ups releasing later this year. Switch going be epic year with PS4 for their awesome exclusive line-ups in 2017 this year.

    Anyway I love how much gameplay in this game you go out there anytime you want and find quests or do quests whenever you want, brilliant combat gameplay, frame rate drops in and out runs smooth, visuals is beautiful so did artwork too, storytelling so beautiful and I admit I were closet to Princess Zelda when she crying and hugs with Link during story cutscene it were make me felt like crying well that due to upset scene it is how affect my emotional follow their storytelling (not tell you what happens or storytelling since I avoid spoilers for you all because want you all find out when play this game), unbelievable you climbing anywhere you want with cooling down system due to Link getting weak and tired when climbing long way it is bit like realistic life that your body need stop and rest if climbing too much since your body get tiresome and losing system in body. Best game ever made. I am deaf too and love games but this game is best one of all-time beats every games in history since GTA V and beats GTA V to me so GTA V is now 2nd top best games in history. :)
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  3. Apr 13, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 8/10
    This is a beautiful, enjoyable open world game which indeed does surpass other titans in the genre in artistic design, mechanics, and the like as the 10/10 critics have pointed out. It is addictive, engaging, and enthralling at times. I was glued to my couch for a month until I finished the main storyline today. It does indeed feel like a Zelda game, while being a big departure from past titles in many ways, namely becoming a full-fledged RPG. I enjoyed it immensely and it will go down as a top fifteen personal favorite. So why not 10/10 like other reviewers. Why will I focus my review on negative points mainly? Well, for one, reviewers have already accentuated the positives, at times to the point of embellishment. Secondly, there are a few elephants in the room most don’t want to notice. These are diminished presence of “dungeons” or “levels”, poor musical score, meager and repetitive beastiary, and technical limitations.
    I can’t help thinking of what a missed opportunity there was for this game and for Nintendo. They designed a beautiful open world, perhaps the best ever, so why not create more dungeons/levels with more elaborate design in to the story and experience? I can only imagine how satisfying the main story and overall experience would have been there been more layers than just four divine beasts (shrines are not levels). Zelda has (with exceptions) always had levels separate from the main overworld, but these levels should be a highlight of the experience. And here they weren’t. They were brief and unfulfilling. Indeed, when I discovered the four divine beasts were all I needed (or didn’t need) to tackle Hyrule Castle and Ganon, it was a massive letdown. When I completed one of the divine beasts the disappointment was palpable. Perhaps another set of levels could have revealed themselves in the story after the four divine beasts were conquered. My theory is that Nintendo intended for more levels/dungeons. But either budget constraints or time became an issue, with the release of the Switch imperative to the company’s continuity. Secondly, the lack of music throughout much of the game was being lauded by critics as a strength, however I disagree. Video games, like films, can use music to set tones, build suspense, inspire the player/viewer, move emotions, and create lasting memories of the game for years to come. The sound design was great, and some of the music was stellar for short periods, but overall it was shallow and absent through too much of the journey. A Link to the Past invokes musical memories for me as this game never will. Another issue lie in diversity of enemies. I found that the number of beasts encountered was FAR too small for such an expansive area. Once you armor yourself up and learn fighting mechanics, the enemies become easy and repetitive, and much too easy to avoid. There are a few exceptions, such as the Lynels, but these can be conquered fairly easily later in the game with the right defense. Some popular reviewers commended the quality of the enemies in this game, but I must ask those reviewers, have they played a Dark Souls game? (I draw a comparison because they are both RPGS) Finally, and perhaps the biggest elephant in the room, is the technical limitations of the hardware and how it affected the game. If you have played current generation RPGs on a PC with NVIDIA hardware at high settings, or even RPGs on a PS4, Zelda looks to be a full generation behind. The game is still absolutely beautiful to behold, but frame rates and level of detail do not compare to other highly rated modern RPGs. The draw distances were poor, towns were small and sparsely populated, the open world was fairly empty, and graphical details were not up to par with contemporaries. Some will take issue with this criticism---“games are about gameplay, artistic design, etc.”, which I agree with in part. But the greatest games have pushed the envelope technically, which this game did not. I don’t believe this game was groundbreaking as some reviewers have stated, but has taken familiar gameplay elements and designs to higher levels.
    Despite my criticisms, I am happy and relieved that BOTW turned out as it did. I was expecting a failure, as I did not expect the Open World to be so satisfying and to make up for many of its shortcomings. I hope the success of this game, and hopefully of the Nintendo Switch (I don’t foresee this), will put some cash in the coffers of Nintendo so they can once again become a competitor in the technical arena, and that the next Zelda game will be a true innovator, as Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 were when they were released. But history has told us that Nintendo’s financial success (The original Wii) has not let them close the gap on their competitors technically. However, the fingers of this ex-Nintendo fanboy remained firmly crossed.
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  4. Apr 12, 2017
    9
    In general, it is amazingly big and with thousands of things to do, good graphics (for the poor nintendo graphics) the only let downs for me (compared to how great the game is are nearly nothing) is that the prizes after completing certain missions which are complicated seem completely random, the game is too open without proper rewards for achieving milestones, you're just the same if youIn general, it is amazingly big and with thousands of things to do, good graphics (for the poor nintendo graphics) the only let downs for me (compared to how great the game is are nearly nothing) is that the prizes after completing certain missions which are complicated seem completely random, the game is too open without proper rewards for achieving milestones, you're just the same if you do them or not, it should be like Banjo Kazooie, Spyro or other games that you need to collect certain number of things to proceed in the game as in the beginning when you had to collect the first 4 orbs, after that you can achieve ganon right away skipping dozens of hours of gameplay. The 4 big bosses are the same (but ganon) just re-colored with different weapons and when you complete the game you're left with a "Meh" experience where you had expected more, you can complete the game without visiting many shrines and not even recovering all of your memories, even none of them. Had they combined the open world with specific control of achieving certain milestones in order to continue or being able to end the game, it would have been perfect. Expand
  5. Apr 12, 2017
    9
    This game is AMAZING in my opinion, People say "this game is so bad ughgughugh" but it really is Not deserving of a 10 but very close, It's simple, If you have a Wii U, get it, If you have a Switch (or are planning on getting one) GET IT. It's a game that is worth the wait for. It could be GOTY but who knows, Other games could swipe in and take it away, but for now this is GOTY in my opinon
  6. Apr 13, 2017
    9
    I do like this game the music is great, I like the exploration, it is a great callback to the original legend of zelda, but I would like the game to be easier, it is overall a great game love to see what is in the future
  7. Apr 13, 2017
    10
    Just like the title says it's breathtaking.. I haven't plated a game this fun and exciting in a decade! this game challenged me in a good way made me feel like a kid actually enjoying a game... this game will not disappoint.. it's a masterpiece! I LOVE IT!
  8. Apr 13, 2017
    10
    Honestly, Whoever gives this game a 0 because of graphics, The graphics are amazing, it's called an art style

    But with my time playing BoTW it was amazing.
  9. Apr 13, 2017
    10
    You should just buy the game and play it rather than read reviews.
    The game is beautiful, with a great balance of action and problem-solving.
    There are endless things to explore, with more coming on the horizon.
  10. Apr 14, 2017
    10
    My time with Breath of the Wild has shown me endless fun with endless adventure. Sometimes I'm not even doing a quest or shrines, I'm just climbing, killing, shooting, cutting, and dying. Its hours of fun without feeling like its a chore like past Zelda games. Frame rate issues are definitely bad, but are also not frequent, and are only in certain areas with too many particles or objectsMy time with Breath of the Wild has shown me endless fun with endless adventure. Sometimes I'm not even doing a quest or shrines, I'm just climbing, killing, shooting, cutting, and dying. Its hours of fun without feeling like its a chore like past Zelda games. Frame rate issues are definitely bad, but are also not frequent, and are only in certain areas with too many particles or objects on screen. Mostly its just the grass. Expand
  11. Apr 14, 2017
    10
    No doubt one of the best games I ever played, really amazing world with full of details, hope this game could work as a Standard to new upcoming open-world games, the develop of this game is amazing, it looks how much love and dedication it haves.
  12. Apr 14, 2017
    10
    This is by far the best video game I have ever played. I am more of a retro-gamer than a hardcore gamer, and before I had the switch, my last two systems were a PS3 and the Wii, so I don't have as much experience with PS4 level games, but everything about BotW was simply incredible.

    The game does drop frames from time to time but the world is just all encompassing. You get lost in the
    This is by far the best video game I have ever played. I am more of a retro-gamer than a hardcore gamer, and before I had the switch, my last two systems were a PS3 and the Wii, so I don't have as much experience with PS4 level games, but everything about BotW was simply incredible.

    The game does drop frames from time to time but the world is just all encompassing. You get lost in the universe and want to do nothing but explore, everything draws you in. The combat is thrilling and is both simplistic in its controls but complex in strategy. The puzzles are fantastic. The final boss was a bit too easy.

    As I started the review, this is the best game I have ever played and it deserves a perfect score.
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  13. Apr 15, 2017
    10
    Revolutionary game with an endless amount of things to do. Customisation is not the key here, but to be able to change character's clothes and have boosts with them definitely is, the game may not have the best graphics, but it has an absolutely beautiful arts style that I will never forget.
  14. Apr 15, 2017
    9
    I have been waiting for this game for four years, and it lives up to the hype. The open world and it's mechanics are new and interesting thanks to the games physics engine. Sometimes when I solved a puzzle in an odd way I would ask myself "was I supposed to do that?". The graphics, while not realistic still manage to look beautiful, you can look as realistic as you want but without goodI have been waiting for this game for four years, and it lives up to the hype. The open world and it's mechanics are new and interesting thanks to the games physics engine. Sometimes when I solved a puzzle in an odd way I would ask myself "was I supposed to do that?". The graphics, while not realistic still manage to look beautiful, you can look as realistic as you want but without good art direction your game is going to look awful. However some of the textures are a bit low-quality. Frame rate on the other hand is a mixed bag, however the game has been patched and It runs at a stable 30fps 99% of the time. The puzzles aren't just stuck to dungeons anymore, they are everywhere. Thanks to links new abilities, everything is a puzzle! Getting around is a puzzle, cooking is a puzzle, even approaching enemies is a puzzle. More on that in a bit. Alongside the general brain-teasers of getting around there are 120 Shrines and 4 dungeons. The shrines are bite-size mini-dungeons, usually taking less that 10 minutes to complete. At the end of a shire you are awarded a spirit orb, gather four off theses and you can upgrade either your hearts or your stamina, hearts will give you wore health and stamina will make movement easier. The dungeons on the other hand are a bit lacklustre, there are four of them and they all have the same objective. Activate five hidden terminals and then fight a boss. While the mechanics are intriguing, the look of the dungeons are all the same. Now onto the combat, which has received a major overhaul. Gone is the simple stabbing and rolling of other games. Now you really have to think about how you approach you enemies. Is there a puddle near them? Fire a shock arrow at it to electrocute them. Are the on the edge of a cliff? Sneak up on them with a bomb and knock them off. Stealth is now also an option. Even the regular stabby combat has changed. Instead of being stuck with a sword, you can now find a variety of weapons to collect and utilise. Spears, Axes, Clubs, Soup Ladles, you name it. They all handle differently as well. However a bit more variety in the actual weapons themselves would have been nice, they are most ____ Sword or ____ Axe. Something along the lines of RNG would have gone a long way. In a game as open as this, it surprises me that dual wielding is not an option. The soundtrack in the game is very minimalist, usually just a few notes here and their while exploring the world. However this approach somewhat extends to all the other music. Even the boss theme is kinda boring. Not to say the soundtrack is bad, there are some great songs (the champion themes being a highlight) but it's not heard very often and it's nothing along the lines of the switch presentation trailer. My biggest disappointment is the story. There's just so many things they could have done. There's little to no character development, and many of them go underutilised. For the sake of remaining spoiler free, I will not go into specifics.

    Overall, Breath of the Wild is a bold new step. Not just for Zelda but for open world games in general. In an age where huge worlds are a dime a dozen, Nintendo has made something truly special which shall influence games for years to come. However it's flaws cannot be overlooked. The mixed performance at launch, the sub-par story and soundtrack prevent it from being a 10/10.
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  15. Jul 19, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved this game but, it is no perfect I would't say it was a perfect game it does deserve a 10 but, I have one problem the story.
    The story is not the best combat,riding horses, and exploring are cool but, the story needed to be better the boss fight would of been harder if you didn't get all of the beasts. My favorite feature was the cooking of items! I love zelda it is one of my favorite game series. Some people are complaining about the graphics" it looks like it was made it the 2006." What do you expect! It is on a tablet on on a PS4 pro! Again I love this game it looks like dlc might reveal most about the story so i will wait for that pack.
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  16. Apr 23, 2017
    10
    Excelente juego, muy divertido, con un mundo abierto casi infinito, con muchas cosas que descubrir, tanto misiones secundarias como la principal, muchas horas de juego, lejos uno de los mejores juegos que he tenido.
  17. May 30, 2017
    10
    This game is everything I loved about Wind Waker, but extrapolated into quite the feat. The size and maneuverability of Breath of the Wild is unmatched, and all open world, exploration style games from here on out are going to attempt to allow you to climb anything as this game does so masterfully. It seems like a small thing, but it really opens the game up, to a truly "open" level, andThis game is everything I loved about Wind Waker, but extrapolated into quite the feat. The size and maneuverability of Breath of the Wild is unmatched, and all open world, exploration style games from here on out are going to attempt to allow you to climb anything as this game does so masterfully. It seems like a small thing, but it really opens the game up, to a truly "open" level, and allows you to get creative with your gameplay, rather than hindered in any way. The puzzles and dungeons are exciting and interesting, and the use of powers with the Sheikah Slate adds multiple angles to solve each puzzle. I have never lost myself in a game like I have this one, and the only other games I have played for 100+ hours and then wanted to start over and do it again came out of Bethesda, and even those seem like they will need a major overhaul going forward to hit what this game did (and with almost zero bugs and glitches I might add). I do wish the dungeons were a little bigger and had more to them, but the castle itself seems like a mega dungeon to me that satiated that need. Also, the bosses and enemies were semi-bland, as it is just variations on a handful of monsters. The mechanic of having your weapon break was obnoxious at times, and I wish at least the mega weapons (Master Sword, etc.) were unbreakable, but alas they did not have that be the case even though for me I would even be willing to work harder to attain those items if they didn't ever break. The exclusion of a fishing pole in this game astounds me, but obviously if that's a complaint then this game must be pretty amazing in all the other categories. Anyone who is a Nintendo fan in general, even if you've never played a Zelda game, will most definitely find enjoyment here. And especially with the over-saturation of open world games, this is one of the few must play's in that genre. Nintendo adds a level of polish to games that I never thought could be done in a fully open world setting, but here we are, and is it ever exciting. Expand
  18. Apr 30, 2017
    10
    I love this game. It offers endless amounts of entertainment and fun, and remains challenging up throughout the whole game. The horse controls are a bit wonky but you can get past that easily enough. So far i am working towards 100%-ing the game, and am pretty close! Wish me luck!
  19. May 27, 2021
    10
    Amazing Legend of Zelda Game huge big adventurous alot dungeons and platforming a must have on the Nintendo Switch Great Game all in one amazingly small cartridge. :)
  20. May 21, 2017
    10
    Beautiful, simply beautiful.
    The history of this game is magnificent, I have pc gamer, play 4 among other video game consoles, and I never entertain as much as with the zelda, as this design is made, it is a true work of art, a board does not play it with guides , At the most food guides, or else you miss a little the magic of descrying the mysteries of this work of art.
  21. May 25, 2017
    10
    the best game all the time. Incredible artstyle, polish and fun. A fantastic launch game for the Switch.A return to form for one of the most beloved franchise in video game history. The open world is stunning, interesting and entertaining.
  22. May 30, 2017
    10
    This game lets us realize how simple we live.
    The wild asks questions about how to survive.
    Not only is it fun, but it brings tears to this little machine for over 120 hours.
  23. Aug 26, 2017
    8
    BOW is a great open world RPG. The world is huge and can be intimidating. The map offers directions but let you choose where to go, what to do. I like combat in general, cooking, buying a house and items. Making upgrades. The story is fun and the voices over are amazing. The music is quite good and the sounds are just perfect. However it is not an easy game. It can be very frustrating whenBOW is a great open world RPG. The world is huge and can be intimidating. The map offers directions but let you choose where to go, what to do. I like combat in general, cooking, buying a house and items. Making upgrades. The story is fun and the voices over are amazing. The music is quite good and the sounds are just perfect. However it is not an easy game. It can be very frustrating when you get in an area too strong for you. Certain shrine puzzles are very easy, others plainly annoying. Some of them rely on the Gyro gimmick (I skipped all of them). Most extra powers like magnetism-freeze and such are fun. But the photograph stuff is something I totally disliked. The radar is a hit and miss. You can mark your map with a series of icons. Getting a horse and keeping him alive isn't fun at all...it's not especially interesting and I find it boring. So I did the entire game on foot, in the air and teleport. Of all the region, the Gerudo desert region was the most frustrating and difficult. Not because of the NPC and story, but it has a knack for killing you. It still a great RPG in my book and you want to do all the small things in the game. But it's not perfect...like any games of this scope it has annoyances, some poor choices of gameplay...It should be noted that fighting ennemies gives you items, but no experience at all. I kind of found that it was useless to fight everything after a while, since there was very little point in doing so. I give it a 85% Expand
  24. Jul 29, 2017
    10
    Way over 200 hours of fun and amazing game play. Must play for any Zelda player out there. I recommend this game either for the Wii U or the Switch. Please enjoy all video games.
  25. Dec 15, 2017
    10
    My only review ever made

    A masterpiece, not only did it win GOTY but also it won GOML

    GAME OF MY LIFE

    Thank you......................................................................
  26. Jul 10, 2017
    10
    Awesome... In my opinion The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild it's better than The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and it's the best videogame of the history.
  27. Jul 15, 2017
    10
    After a few hours of playing this game, I came across a flying Klan member dancing around what looked kinda like a burnt house. When I tried getting close to him he began to teleport around me and throw fireballs.

    I have to say this is the best game i have played in a while
  28. Dec 17, 2017
    10
    First 5 hours this game is supper awesome. After 20 hours, the game is overrated. Later 50+ the game is majestic cannot stop playing (dont want to spoil anyone, try it by yourself). After 130 hrs : 2 divine beasts gone, decided to purchase DLC (Master of trial) . Now become a stronger Link in master mode for 20 hrs, gonna defeat all the 4 power up divine beast, the master mind Ganon andFirst 5 hours this game is supper awesome. After 20 hours, the game is overrated. Later 50+ the game is majestic cannot stop playing (dont want to spoil anyone, try it by yourself). After 130 hrs : 2 divine beasts gone, decided to purchase DLC (Master of trial) . Now become a stronger Link in master mode for 20 hrs, gonna defeat all the 4 power up divine beast, the master mind Ganon and bring back peace to Hyrule. (Updated after playing 300 hrs, this game is amazing. Highly recommend dont want to leave Hyrue > <

    Pro: ingenious puzzle (create a lot of yureka moment), new weapon durability system, addicted innovative game-play (i would like to climb the real mountain as a hobby right now) still not as good as MGS5 Phantom pain's, the seamless and immersive hyrule but still not immersive as The Witcher 3,

    Con: -The combat system is not as good as dark soul's but the mechanic is very tight still better than the Witcher 3' s, the Story is not as good as the Witcher 3 as i am 34 years old married man, the generic monster 's art style in the field look dumb not intimidating and secrecy like the guardian.
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  29. Jul 14, 2017
    10
    In the first second of Breath Of The Wild, I felt excitement, just the idea of experiencing what I had been waiting for almost 3 years, and by the end, I just wanted more. Breath Of The Wild is hands down one of the greatest achievements in video game history. Every goddamn pixel in this game shows beauty and style, every character expresses emotions that you could only feel in the realIn the first second of Breath Of The Wild, I felt excitement, just the idea of experiencing what I had been waiting for almost 3 years, and by the end, I just wanted more. Breath Of The Wild is hands down one of the greatest achievements in video game history. Every goddamn pixel in this game shows beauty and style, every character expresses emotions that you could only feel in the real world, the entire map of Hyrule is gigantic, huge, beautiful. You could get lost in the first minute of playing freely in the fields, riding horses, or even cooking! This is a game for everyone, a game so perfectly designed, acted, and presented that leaves you in awe, wanting even more, which you can get thanks to a huge number of side quests, puzzles and activities you can engage in. I cannot express with human words what I've witnessed during my play sessions of Breath Of The Wild, the three words that can define this absolute masterpiece are beauty, freedom, and revolutionary. The problem is, I think those words aren't enough to show how amazingly Nintendo has knocked the ball out of the park, just play it, and come thank me later. Expand
  30. Jul 16, 2017
    10
    The game is awesome. One of the largest negatives from a lot of people is that the weapons break. I feel like it is missed that it is a positive. It allows you to go anywhere and get stronger weapons, but not be OP for the rest of the game. It isn't the typical Zelda game, but it is a fantastic game.
Metascore
97

Universal acclaim - based on 109 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Negative: 0 out of 109
  1. 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.
  2. Aug 30, 2017
    100
    Breath of the Wild is a masterpiece.
  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]