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. xxShadow
    Mar 11, 2017
    10
    Finished the game last night. I loved it!! It's without question the best Zelda ever made. I really didn't care the series over the last few years. They finally broke out of the same basic formula that they used in every entry of the series. And it was long overdue.
  2. wiiroy
    Mar 11, 2017
    10
    Notice how, of the 1,948 user reviews under an 8/10, only 35 of them were written after 2 days had passed since the game came out. Those are fraudulent reviews, those people didn't even play the game. I've been playing pretty much non-stop for 9 days now and can say that I'm ALMOST ready to give a balanced review of the game. It's that big, and that deep. Just about every user review madeNotice how, of the 1,948 user reviews under an 8/10, only 35 of them were written after 2 days had passed since the game came out. Those are fraudulent reviews, those people didn't even play the game. I've been playing pretty much non-stop for 9 days now and can say that I'm ALMOST ready to give a balanced review of the game. It's that big, and that deep. Just about every user review made after 3 days passed since release has given it an 8, 9, or perfect 10.

    What I can say is that the ~40hours I've put in so far have blown me away. This game has created a new league of open-world games. A new freedom of play unmatched anywhere. You have total freedom, you can do anything, go anywhere, you can fight the final boss straight away if you're game enough (I tried and got whooped). The combat is deep and challenging. The puzzles are clever, and they make you feel even more clever. The possibilities of play in the physics engine are seemingly endless, with only the players own creativity to limit them.

    The story is incredibly touching, making me tear up on many occasions. It has a perfect mix of mystery and progress, without being overbearing on the player's freedom. The world is astonishingly beautiful, I say that without exaggeration. I feel like I spend half my time gawking at sunrises, sunsets, epic vistas, or even simply the reflection of the sun on rained-on grass as it gently sways in the breeze while cloud shadows snake across the landscape.

    There is always something mysterious in the distance compelling you to explore. It's a world evidently designed by perfectionists. But to get there, you need to think about how to survive in the wilderness. If a lightning-storm comes - hide from conductive metal. If it's too wet to climb a cliff - find shelter, build a fire, and wait for clear skies. Or else go hunting, foraging and cook meals or brew potions to prepare. Go catch a faster horse, name it and build your bond with it so it will better obey you. The gameplay feels infinitely deep, and all of it is fun.

    This is an open-world game, an open-sky game, a survival game, an exploration game, an adventure game, a role-playing game, a puzzle game, a fighting game, an artistic game, It excites you, challenges you, rewards you, makes you laugh, makes you cry, and makes you think. It's the best game I've ever played. It's the ultimate game and it absolutely deserves it's critical acclaim.    … Expand
  3. ItsAllOgre5
    Mar 11, 2017
    10
    What I love about this game is just how packed the world is. Yes, there are a few large stretches of nothing, but most of the time, you can't go 10 feet without stumbling into something interesting: a settlement, a shrine (a little puzzle dungeon), a monster camp, an animal to hunt, a minigame, an item cache... even just some scenery, like a waterfall, which benefits from the game'sWhat I love about this game is just how packed the world is. Yes, there are a few large stretches of nothing, but most of the time, you can't go 10 feet without stumbling into something interesting: a settlement, a shrine (a little puzzle dungeon), a monster camp, an animal to hunt, a minigame, an item cache... even just some scenery, like a waterfall, which benefits from the game's painterly visuals. And the thing is, the designers were clearly very confident in this world's ability to inspire wonder and entertain, because it's all optional and you can go fight the final boss right after starting the game, before even getting into the interesting story. Speaking of fighting, I enjoy it. The weapon durability system forces you to not just spam your strongest weapon, and the enemies are the toughest they've been since Zelda 1, though I do wish they had more attacks and variety. The best part is that there are many ways to do things, be it dispatching enemies or solving puzzles. It just gives you tools to play in its enormous sandbox; the world is so interactive, and even with all this, I still haven't encountered a single glitch, so besides a few framerate problems in the starting area and in forests, the game is remarkably stable, especially for an unoptimized port of a Wii U game. The pros easily outweigh the cons, and all this makes Breath of the Wild the best open-world game I've ever played.… Expand
  4. Rekiotsu
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Amazing game. Beautiful and exciting open world full of things you want to explore and discover, no matter on which console you are playing on. If you have the brand new Switch, or Wii U, this game is must have.
  5. geralt662
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Not a perfect game. No game is. But it's pretty damn incredible. I'm glad they delayed the game. The finished game looks much better than the gameplay footage we saw in 2015. The game is a lot of fun. The combat, climbing, horse riding. Hours fly by when I'm exploring the world.
  6. BingoClamshell
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This games tastes like ****
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    10/10
  7. YEEyee
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    As a huge fan of this series I am glad to see a difference in the way we can play this game, it is your adventure and you can decide how you want to play the game. Only issue i have had with this game is probably the fps, but I myself look past it as i am too mesmerized by the fact that the open world and these game mechanics are a part of a legend of zelda game.
  8. Akahdrin
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Easily the best game that I've ever played on a console. I am shocked at the amount of negative spite reviews that rated it a 1. I would rate the game E.T. for Atari a 1, not this. Why is this game so good?

    It's open world, but not just open world. Like the Witcher 3 was pretty open, but I honestly don't care about Geralt. Fallout has the same problem, the main character is simply    Easily the best game that I've ever played on a console. I am shocked at the amount of negative spite reviews that rated it a 1. I would rate the game E.T. for Atari a 1, not this. Why is this game so good?

    It's open world, but not just open world. Like the Witcher 3 was pretty open, but I honestly don't care about Geralt. Fallout has the same problem, the main character is simply not important. Link is iconic and we know who he is. There aren't many games that simply pull you in based purely off the characters, but Nintendo happens to own the best IPs in the business.

    I hope that Metacritic does away with spite votes.    … Expand
  9. Youb
    Mar 10, 2017
    5
    Let us get the most pressing matter out of the way first. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is not a good game. There are several perfect scores in the critic page, and even more in the user submitted page, but those of us who are NOT paid to promote the game have a vastly different opinion of it.

    Namely, that this game is incredibly underwhelming, in pretty much every way imaginable. Combat is    Let us get the most pressing matter out of the way first. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is not a good game. There are several perfect scores in the critic page, and even more in the user submitted page, but those of us who are NOT paid to promote the game have a vastly different opinion of it.

    Namely, that this game is incredibly underwhelming, in pretty much every way imaginable. Combat is uninspired, the crafting mechanics feel tacked on, the AI is easily exploited especially when objects are in the way, and the story is.... well... laughably bad. The game features repetitive puzzles and embarrassing use of reskinned enemies. The framerate issues and objects in the distance popping in and out is horrible to experience. This game is simply not worth your time in any sense of the word. It is, in essence, an Assassin's Creed type game. It is promoting itself on this promise of delivering a game with a really cool idea, but the reality of the experience is more than simply lackluster. It is downright pathetic.    … Expand
  10. Alkhaz
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    It's hard to find a game with this level of liberty. We're talking about doing almost everything you might do in a video game.
    Zelda: Breath of the Wild brings the freedom every player always asked for. And it does even more by allowing you to never be bored.
  11. krysinello
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Never has an open world game felt so alive and interesting to explore, yet Nintendo have done it. Breath of the Wild is spectacular, with each part of the world filled with interesting secrets to mechanics. The world might seem barren at first, but the game not only invites exploration, but also attention, as a simple rock, and formation might hold a secret, to the environment itself becoming puzzles, either for combat or unlocking Shrines, to it being a korok seed puzzles. The environment itself becomes apart of the game play and not just a platform from travelling from place to place.

    Almost everything in the game can be used for a purpose, trees, grass, mountains, wild life, and you are able to effectively utilize almost everything to your advantage, set fire to grass, to create an updraft then bombard an enemy encampment with bomb arrows, use rocks to hide, and attempt to sneak up on enemies etc. The amount of freedom is unparalleled in this title for what you can do.

    Everything is driven dynamically, weather, including wind, thunder storms rain etc, the weather can play an important part. During a thunder storm, carrying anything metal will probably get you struck by lightning, but this can apply to enemies as well... tough to beat enemy in a thunder storm? Drop a metal weapon, trick it into picking it up, and wait for him to get fried. This game is versatility at it's best, and promotes discovery, quick thinking and figuring out methods, that can be outside of the norm depending on the situation you find yourself in.

    The game starts out with very little hand holding at all, the Great Plateau is the opening area, there you get a little guidance on what to do, from there, after you get the para-glider it's completely open. You can complete the objective set out before you, with some small guidance, or you can go out, explore, unlock area maps, complete Shrines, and find the little environmental puzzles integrated to the environment. You unlock most of your abilities early within the game, which gives you the freedom to explore.

    The game is quite challenging, early on, it follows what you might call the standard difficulty of a Zelda title, enemies only doing a fraction of your health damage, particular the red bokoblin's, so frequent at the start, however, this soon changes, as the game starts to increase the frequency and spawns of more difficult enemies the more you end up defeating. The next hardest line of Bokoblin's, the blue ones can almost one shot you, and sometimes can early enough in the game. Basically you're going to die if you just charge in, and as such, need to effectively find ways to deal with large groups of enemies. This is where utilizing the environment, stealth and objects surrounding are required.

    Weapons themselves have a set durability. Early on, the durability of items will be limited, often breaking, requiring you to hunt other weapons, or defeat enemies to obtain new ones. Later on, you will get access to longer lasting items. This keeps up the games dynamic, switching weapons not only for situation, but also for the style of situation you find yourself in.

    The story of the game itself, is rather simple, but is told in an effective way, but even the majority of the story content is optional, you are free if you wish, to go straight to the final boss, and attempt to defeat him, although you will probably fail. The main plot basically relates to you as Link, being asleep and recovering for 100 years, with no memories, going out with the simple goal of freeing the 4 divine beasts, recovering your memories, and defeating calamity Ganon. The 120 shrines included main purposes are for teaching you mechanics, loot, and receiving spirit orbs, which 4 can be exchange by praying to receive an additional heart container, or more stamina. How you upgrade your stats is completely up to you, you can go all Stamina, which means you can run longer, climb longer, swim for longer, or on heart containers, which means you might actually be able to survive a hit. Some enemies can hit you for a whopping 14 hearts, getting one shot killed is common, and even later with more heart containers, getting 2 shot killed is common.

    The main dungeons in the game, break the Zelda convention, the 4 divine beasts are these dungeons, and are one giant puzzle, expanded upon on the Shrine mechanics. Conquering these give you powerful abilities that can be used in battle, but also make the final boss encounter considerably easier.

    There are a few flaws however, the frame rate does have some issues in a few areas, these are minimal and hardly retract from the experience, 99% of the time, it will hold up to the 30 fps goal. Since it does use a double buffer vsync solution however, if it does dip below 30fps, it will result in it dropping to the next lowest denominator, being 20fps, but these are very infrequent.

    Overall, Breath of the Wild is brilliant, a near master piece.    … Expand
  12. ywdennis
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Great game!

    Amazing massive world. Fun gameplay and Mechanics. Nice art style. Story is entertaining.

    If you like Zelda and/or open world games you need to get this.
  13. seoros
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Not a big fan of RPGs but I really enjoyed this one. I'm kinda glad it didn't dwell on the lore of the game but rather the gameplay. I can't tell you how sick I am of plot driven games that fall short on combat. There's still a decent story, and okay voice acting. But what makes this game great is the gameplay. It's incredibly fun. Watching twitch streams won't do it justice. You need toNot a big fan of RPGs but I really enjoyed this one. I'm kinda glad it didn't dwell on the lore of the game but rather the gameplay. I can't tell you how sick I am of plot driven games that fall short on combat. There's still a decent story, and okay voice acting. But what makes this game great is the gameplay. It's incredibly fun. Watching twitch streams won't do it justice. You need to feel out the game. Read a puzzle and try to solve it. It's a very rewarding experience from a franchise that I thought was heading in the wrong direction. I've got to say I'm thoroughly impressed with this title. Great finale to my Wii U, which imo always got a bad rep.… Expand
  14. MakkaTheSlayer
    Mar 10, 2017
    7
    Game is quite good.. However, I find it quite tedious and generally boring a week after launch, I love how they have some voice acting, it's a great addition. Love the freedom of the game, but still don't find it enjoyable. This is my first Zelda game, the first 30 hours were magnificent. I loved finding random bosses and shrines. But i found this euphoric feeling while playing dissipateGame is quite good.. However, I find it quite tedious and generally boring a week after launch, I love how they have some voice acting, it's a great addition. Love the freedom of the game, but still don't find it enjoyable. This is my first Zelda game, the first 30 hours were magnificent. I loved finding random bosses and shrines. But i found this euphoric feeling while playing dissipate rapidly after a week.
    Recommend it to Zelda fans as you will probably enjoy it, but as a massive Skyrim fan I feel as if this doesn't completely do it for me.

    TL:DR
    Love the art style.
    Voice acting is great
    Feels a bit basic
    FPS drops
    Tedious    … Expand
  15. Vile-Okami
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This game is astounding. Not since the PS2 have I found a game I love as much as this one. I expect I'm oing to be exploring BOTW for quite awhile. Everywhere you go there's something to explore or something to find.
  16. kibbi1988
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is amazing. I've played previous Zelda games from old gen consoles. Breathe of the Wild takes it a step further, by adding a large open world, which makes the game fun to explore. It isn't like previous Zelda games that felt more linear. You can choose which temples you go to first in the main game story line, that is your choice to make, which gives you lots of room to explore the regions. The physics of the game are also really cool, everything form climbing to weather, etc.… Expand
  17. HollywoodZ
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This game is absolutely a joy from every angle. The story is well told, the gameplay is changed for the better from previous entries, and the challenge is tough, but rewarding. I've played for well over 40 hours now and I've only just defeated the first dungeon. The critics are right to give this game the amazing scores it's been receiving.

    The sheer joy of exploration and discovery is    This game is absolutely a joy from every angle. The story is well told, the gameplay is changed for the better from previous entries, and the challenge is tough, but rewarding. I've played for well over 40 hours now and I've only just defeated the first dungeon. The critics are right to give this game the amazing scores it's been receiving.

    The sheer joy of exploration and discovery is simply a treat not seen in a Zelda game since Wind Waker. If you are even slightly interested in a huge open world game with plenty to see and do, I encourage you to check out Breath of the Wild. The time you spend in this game will be as satisfying as it is rewarding.    … Expand
  18. GToad
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Amazing, nintendo hit it out of the park with this one. The hype is totally worth it, the characters and combat are amazing and so detailed, and it looks absolutely beautiful, definitely a 10!
  19. rockyboss7
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Es una maravilla. Mundo abierto de verdad, sin relleno, nada sobra, todo tiene su sentido y está colocado ahí para algo. Las físicas que tiene, construyendo un mundo completamente vivo y con unas mecánicas perfectas hacen que este juego sea eso, perfecto.
  20. b0xx3r
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Many reviews have already said it, just here to submit my rating without copying the same thing but need to type something for the character limit....
  21. lanmandragoran1
    Mar 10, 2017
    9
    since ocarina of time i have been waiting for another zelda game (or any game for that matter) that comes close to the fun and mystery that was thrown into my life whilst playing that game. THIS IS IT!
    ok the frame rate isn't always that great (i'm playing on wii u) and it is a very different zelda game in many respects, but the way i see it they are all a bit different from the one that    since ocarina of time i have been waiting for another zelda game (or any game for that matter) that comes close to the fun and mystery that was thrown into my life whilst playing that game. THIS IS IT!
    ok the frame rate isn't always that great (i'm playing on wii u) and it is a very different zelda game in many respects, but the way i see it they are all a bit different from the one that came before.

    my experience so far (i haven't yet completed it) has been amazing! i used to play skyrim and shadow of the colossus and say "i wish modern zelda games were abit more like this" and some how that's what this is. the vast world that far from holds your hand and leaves you open to explore how ever you like, big bosses and mini bosses mixed with the difficulty levels they provide is almost reminiscent of a dark souls game, and the new "dungeons" are great, mind bending in places but rewarding and don't keep you there for days on end.
    for me its a massive step up in the world of zelda and almost any zelda fan i think would agree. 9/10 from me, as it isn't perfect......but its very close.    … Expand
  22. JayFray
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This is by far the best game i've played in the last decade. The World is so interesting that i find myself smiling with the charm and personality of everything in the game. the art style is great. Nintendo hit a Homerun with this game. It is hard already, i cannot imagine what they will do with the hard mode coming up. i am not going to spoil the fun, just a tip, dont get too attachedThis is by far the best game i've played in the last decade. The World is so interesting that i find myself smiling with the charm and personality of everything in the game. the art style is great. Nintendo hit a Homerun with this game. It is hard already, i cannot imagine what they will do with the hard mode coming up. i am not going to spoil the fun, just a tip, dont get too attached with your weapons. ;) you welcome… Expand
  23. Komi35
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This game is almost perfect. There's so much to do and explore. The graphics are amazing. Its funny how all these salty haters come here because their "manly" PS4 and XB1 games don't get as good reviews.
  24. BrinZalazar
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Having been away from Nintendo for a while, this is a refreshing game, that takes me back to the joy and adventure of the original, while improving on it in every way possible. I feel this game will change the way we see and play open world games going forward.
  25. iamcpc
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Love this game. The world is huge. You would thing that with such a massive world it would get boring going all over the place but it's not. Every time you go somewhere there are hundreds of things, little secrets, hidden treasure,
  26. MarceloBuenoRJ
    Mar 10, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Não joguei ainda ,mas tudo que vi achei ótimo , dei nota 9 apenas porque acho nenhum jogo é perfeito ,esperando o preço baixar pra poder jogar essa maravilha de jogo. Uma pena que a Nintendo abandonou meu país e n temos o jogo localizado em português ,lamentável!… Expand
  27. DukeNukemRJ
    Mar 10, 2017
    4
    Jogo trava sem parar, erro de sicronização, sem opção de armazenamento do salve, se o console dar defeito, ja era, horas jogada fora, só para saudosistas e amantes incondicionais da Nintendo mesmo.
  28. Theherobrine333
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    This game awesome, a new way to zelda games, game had a lot of Disadvantages, but advantages overlap
    they. The best Zelda game made of the last time//
  29. Ensigned
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Best Zelda game ever made. Best adventure game ever made. I am a 38 year old corporate executive and attorney and, to be honest, this is the game that has gotten me back into gaming. I honestly can't believe the level of detail in the gameplay. I have never played a game with this much attention to gameplay detail in my life. Super fun and super challenging. There is so much to explore.
  30. Powerphoenix
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    A great video game tells a great story. An unforgettable video game engages your emotions. BotW takes hold of your senses and never lets go. Whether it's watching a sunrise, planning an attack on a larger foe with limited supplies, base-jumping from a mountain, or running to see what's over the next ridge, BotW does all of this and more. It lays the world at your feet and asks you toA great video game tells a great story. An unforgettable video game engages your emotions. BotW takes hold of your senses and never lets go. Whether it's watching a sunrise, planning an attack on a larger foe with limited supplies, base-jumping from a mountain, or running to see what's over the next ridge, BotW does all of this and more. It lays the world at your feet and asks you to explore and, most importantly, to play. I've never been drawn to adventure quite as thoroughly and freely as I have in BotW. I had to actively fight against my instinct to follow the story and trust that going anywhere is perfectly okay. With so much to see, BotW might keep me entertained for years. Beautiful, stunning, awe-inspiring, and funny. This is the gold standard of game development and an answer in the Affirmative to the question: Are video games art?… 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]
See all critic reviews »