The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

 Wii U
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2573 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,021 out of 2573
  2. Mixed: 222 out of 2573
  3. Negative: 330 out of 2573
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  1. luisbortolaso
    Feb 20, 2022
    10
    Melhor jogo da existência total da matéria, anti-matéria, energia, anti-energia, de tudo ate o inimaginável, sem palavras, o ápice total dos videos games, os videos games podem se definir antes e depois de THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD.
  2. lamen_table
    Jun 24, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Zerda: Breath of dthe wild es una secula pero poco pulida, un reeskin de los clasicos… Expand
  3. BadAim81
    Jul 1, 2020
    3
    +: Beautiful and unique graphics

    -: Boring gameplay. The world feels dead. The Shrines are so uninspiring. The weapons-break-system made me quit the game
  4. Kemp
    Mar 8, 2021
    10
    I had never played a Zelda game before when I played this, but I had more pure fun playing this game than almost any other game I have ever played. No other game captures the feeling of adventure quite like this game. I always felt there was something different to try, somewhere new to explore, and some more fun to be had. The music, the world, and the gameplay are all incredible. The onlyI had never played a Zelda game before when I played this, but I had more pure fun playing this game than almost any other game I have ever played. No other game captures the feeling of adventure quite like this game. I always felt there was something different to try, somewhere new to explore, and some more fun to be had. The music, the world, and the gameplay are all incredible. The only complaints I have are that the story is very generic (but you don't play it for the story, really), and they really should give Zelda some more to do herself. But the game is a 10/10 because everything else is as inventive as any video game I've ever played.… Expand
  5. poolpy11
    Jul 6, 2021
    7
    Won't go into much details but I'll say this:

    This game is overrated. Some fragments and details that I did not like. Graphics and music is good.
  6. Pizarrator
    Nov 4, 2022
    10
    El mejor juego de WiiU con permiso de Paper Mario Color Splash. Aun no comprendo cómo fue posible hacerlo correr en la WiiU.
  7. jurrabi
    Apr 19, 2017
    10
    If you never played a Zelda game, already have a Wii U (or plan to buy one if the price drops down) and didn't bought a Switch just because... I really don't know, my opinion might be sympathetic to your situation.

    As you can see I give this game a 10/10. And this is not a Metacritics 10 to compensate anything... This is a genuine 10 given from a gamer that spent over 90 hours enjoining    If you never played a Zelda game, already have a Wii U (or plan to buy one if the price drops down) and didn't bought a Switch just because... I really don't know, my opinion might be sympathetic to your situation.

    As you can see I give this game a 10/10. And this is not a Metacritics 10 to compensate anything... This is a genuine 10 given from a gamer that spent over 90 hours enjoining every second of my stay in Hirule.

    This is a game that made me remember that a good game doesn't need to render in 4k at 60fps to be fun.

    As this game remembered me, a game should entertain you, and this game did it for me. It made me come home wanting to launch the game and explore some more.

    I understand if Zelda fans find missing things or if someone doesn't consider possible for a game to be great of it doesn't look photo-realistic.

    But taking into account that this is a Wii U game (and not a XBox Excorpio tech demo) I find all about it really beautiful and enjoyable.

    I now this is not a real review, but you have thousand of those online.

    In the end I think all you need to know to decide if this game is for you is:

    * It is open world from minute 2. If you don't like that, you still might like this one, but less probably.
    * If you are all graphics, graphincs, graphics, you don't own a Wii U and you are not reading this, so...
    * If you are ready to be challenged to think to solve your issues instead of given a yellow brick road... You'll love this.

    This is a must have for your Wii U library. The last one there will be.    … Expand
  8. wojtasemzi
    Nov 28, 2018
    10
    Gra jest super, pierwsza Zelda w której ukończyłem główny wątek, po niej jestem zachęcony do skończenia wszystkich gier z serii Zeldzie i Linku... poza grami na CD-i.
  9. roo7788
    Mar 27, 2017
    8
    es un buen juego me gusta que el mundo sea abierto pero siento que no hay mucha recompesa por explarar el mundo ademas las armas se rompen lo cual no tiene nada de malo pero se rompen con 3 usos y realmente detesto cuando llueve no cabie la lluvia el entorno demasiodo solo cuesta mucho ver el panarama y escalar pero es el primer juego de nintedo de este tipo se que pueden mejorar peroes un buen juego me gusta que el mundo sea abierto pero siento que no hay mucha recompesa por explarar el mundo ademas las armas se rompen lo cual no tiene nada de malo pero se rompen con 3 usos y realmente detesto cuando llueve no cabie la lluvia el entorno demasiodo solo cuesta mucho ver el panarama y escalar pero es el primer juego de nintedo de este tipo se que pueden mejorar pero todavia tiene muchos dieños los cuales no tiene mucho sentido.… Expand
  10. Doggy
    Jan 15, 2020
    10
    Rarely do modern video-games provide such non-patronizing and truly open gaming experience as the Breath Of The Wild. Seldom these days do games truly focus and run on nothing more than the players' own curiosity; their desire to explore the world and have a wild adventure.
    ――
    Big words, huh? Well, I don't talk big without a good reason. Having watched numerous, once quintessential    Rarely do modern video-games provide such non-patronizing and truly open gaming experience as the Breath Of The Wild. Seldom these days do games truly focus and run on nothing more than the players' own curiosity; their desire to explore the world and have a wild adventure.
    ――
    Big words, huh? Well, I don't talk big without a good reason.
    Having watched numerous, once quintessential series decline in the past decade or two, Legend Of Zelda included, I can't say I was exactly ecstatic when I first saw how this latest installment would play in practice. Too often nowadays can an experienced veteran gamer make some pretty accurate and safe predictions out of given pre-release information or the first few minutes into the game, simply because how often modern titles tend to play it "safe" by rehashing the popular designs. In BotW's case, the term "Ubisoft open-world game", down to the climbable towers and all, was the common slur people hastily used to describe the newcomer title... and at first I thought they were right.
    ――
    "WRONG!", yelled Lex Luthor. At mere hour or two into the game, I started to realize my mistake. At most, this is a wolf in a sheep's clothing. Something that merely LOOKS familiar and same-y on the surface. The freedom to truly explore ANY nook and corner, scale any wall you come across, all while having to come up with solutions for how to deal with the numerous deadly hazards of this new version of the Hyrule... this is what "engaging" truly means!
    Then, a couple hours later, I came to realize that the first few hours were nothing more than an elaborate "tutorial". That beyond this already reasonably sized piece of the world map lied an even larger world. One with MORE dangers, more wonders and more exciting fun to be found.
    ――
    I cannot think too many other (mainstream / AAA) games, at least from the past several years, that would strip away all artificial obstacles and walls the same way as BotW. Literally nothing else than your own lack of skill (or sufficient gear) can stop you from waltzing straight from the starting area, to the very final boss, and maybe even defeat it. At no point will the game try to stop you from exploring deadly and exotic areas, for dozens of hours, before tackling some story -missions. And very rarely is the answer to your own "I wonder if this silly plan could work?" a big fat "No!".
    There's simply a ton of things to do in the BotW's ruined Hyrule, and more elaborate, simulated "systems" that not only keep the world feel "living", but that can also be exploited in numerous, even some hilarious ways.
    ――
    I can totally see Breath Of The Wild being a divisive game.
    However, one thing is for sure: no two playthroughs will ever play the same!
    Even after hundreds of hours, I am still learning something brand new of the game, and it seems like I too keep surprising some old vets with my tales of some tricks and experiences of my own.
    ――
    For 20+ years, I was certain that nothing could come close to the magnificence of the Ocarina Of Time and the Majora's Mask. Now, however, I am pleased to admit that I was wrong. Breath Of The Wild finishes this tri-force of greatest games in the history of the industry.
    ――
    Hyperbole much? On the contrary!
    THIS is a game that needs not only be played by everyone, but also TAUGHT in schools.
    This is a video-game, all about what makes video-games so good in the first place: the gameplay.
    When just moving in the game feels good, you are on the right track.
    Add an absolutely gorgeous audio-design and pretty impressive visuals on top, and you got what people call a "masterpiece".    … Expand
  11. Mandulum
    Mar 12, 2020
    8
    It's probably best Zelda I've played (and I've played almost all of them) but a few things keep it from the ridiculously high scores that the love sick reviewers have given it.
    1) Basic melee combat. Sure you can do some interesting things if you go out of your way but the central melee combat is plain and rather boring.
    2) Straight-forward story. No twists, turns, or hooks. 3) Silent    It's probably best Zelda I've played (and I've played almost all of them) but a few things keep it from the ridiculously high scores that the love sick reviewers have given it.
    1) Basic melee combat. Sure you can do some interesting things if you go out of your way but the central melee combat is plain and rather boring.
    2) Straight-forward story. No twists, turns, or hooks.
    3) Silent protagonist. It only serves to weaken a story and this story is already pretty weak.

    Date Completed: 2020-03-12
    Playtime: ~ 50h
    Enjoyment: 8/10
    Recommendation: Yes, it's a solid game. Wish the story was more engaging though.    … Expand
  12. Mudryknow
    Apr 8, 2017
    10
    This is a great game. It throws you into an open world to explore with very little explanations or guidance, and then you're left to your own accord. There are around 120 shrines in the game, so I've heard, though I have only finished around ten. You can see the glowing orange shrines in the distance which gives me incentive to leave the road to the next main quest line and find my wayThis is a great game. It throws you into an open world to explore with very little explanations or guidance, and then you're left to your own accord. There are around 120 shrines in the game, so I've heard, though I have only finished around ten. You can see the glowing orange shrines in the distance which gives me incentive to leave the road to the next main quest line and find my way over there.
    Though there are no traditional dungeons that I have found so far, the shrines are a mini-type dungeon which usually involve solving a small puzzle or two, maybe a little combat, then you receive a reward, though I would argue sometimes even getting to a shrine is a puzzle in itself and finding the shrine for a fast travel marker is reward enough.
    I love that I constantly have to scour the wild for new weapons, bows, and ingredients. Cooking is fun and absolutely necessary to keep your hearts up on your sojourn. The few towns that I have visited are full of life, and the people have a lot of different dialog depending on where they are, the weather, what you're holding, etc. Some side quests are only given under certain circumstances. The enemies are smart and difficult, especially if you have poor weapons and armor, which you will in the first few hours of exploring.
    The graphics are glorious, not realistic, but the art style is fun and colorful. animations are cool. The music is great, a little minimalist, but still with emotion and catchy tunes when you open chests, receive new items, enemies abound, the weather changes etc. Subtle and moving.
    I will address all the negative user reviews, and point out that 99% of them have not reviewed any other games, yet give breath of the Wild a zero. Some even say in their review that this game deserves a 7 or 8, yet still give it a zero. My hypothesis is most of the negative reviews are submitted by non-gamers, "fan-boys"(which I despise using that term, more like "imbeciles with blind hatred to an opposing brand name" I will not rant about it) or people who do not want the user ratings of the game to be high, so gave it a zero just to lower the average. This game in my opinion deserves the rating I give it. It brings back a childhood wonder of playing a video game and exploring that I have not felt in over a decade. I am constantly finding new ways to approach things in the game, discovering secrets and shortcuts, and genuinely loving the game. Even my wife, who is not a gamer at all, can't put it down. This game is highly acclaimed by critics for a reason, so take the user reviews with a shaker of salt.    … Expand
  13. akadani
    Dec 11, 2018
    10
    It's masterpiece! It's revolution in video games! It's best adventure ever!
  14. Camlambelot
    Mar 6, 2022
    9
    I HATED this game the first time I played it.. and the second time.

    But then I gave it some time, really gave it a third chance and realized .. This is one of my favorite games EVER made. why? The gameplay is something that has never been experienced before. Open world? Yes, but not in the way every one else does it. The world REALLY is open to do whatever you want HOWEVER you    I HATED this game the first time I played it.. and the second time.

    But then I gave it some time, really gave it a third chance and realized ..

    This is one of my favorite games EVER made. why?

    The gameplay is something that has never been experienced before. Open world? Yes, but not in the way every one else does it. The world REALLY is open to do whatever you want HOWEVER you want. The world REALLY is FREE and OPEN and ALIVE to explore and feel like you're on a real adventure.

    If I had any gripes it would be the 4 main "dungeons" in the game aren't very unique or memorable. The only thing I would want differently in a sequel is themed, elemental, challenging dungeons and... maybe bring back some music playing?    … Expand
  15. LPDawid
    Mar 21, 2022
    9
    I was not expecting a game that will jump to my top list of favourites in times of "greedy companies" gaming, definitely something everyone should try. Only one thing prevented me from giving 10/10, no difficulty settings - game felt too easy.
  16. drumguru
    Nov 24, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the best Zelda game I've ever played. The land is huge & beautiful while the main story is pretty simple free the divine beasts & then stop Ganon. There is plenty to do in the game collect & upgrade armor, 120 shrines that can help increase your health & stamina, dozens of side quests & a lot of Korok seed collecting that can help expand your inventory.… Expand
  17. JRo55
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    This game has a few major flaws. My main issue with this game is the lack of themed dungeons. I thought the main story quests (devine beasts) were quite weak. The frame rate in the towns was also quite bad and often broke my immersion. I also wish some of the towns were a bit bigger. That said, you can’t deny the quality and effort that was put into this game world. Where this game trulyThis game has a few major flaws. My main issue with this game is the lack of themed dungeons. I thought the main story quests (devine beasts) were quite weak. The frame rate in the towns was also quite bad and often broke my immersion. I also wish some of the towns were a bit bigger. That said, you can’t deny the quality and effort that was put into this game world. Where this game truly shines is just messing around and exploring the overworld. It was truly addicting.… Expand
  18. Kchewz
    Oct 17, 2021
    8
    Context: I beat the game, on a Nintendo Switch. I have experience playing open world action-adventure games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and Red Dead Redemption 2. While The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the first in its series, I have not played any other Legend of Zelda games other than Hyrule Warriors for the Nintendo Wii U. To see the creditsContext: I beat the game, on a Nintendo Switch. I have experience playing open world action-adventure games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and Red Dead Redemption 2. While The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the first in its series, I have not played any other Legend of Zelda games other than Hyrule Warriors for the Nintendo Wii U. To see the credits roll, took me roughly 40 hours, with about 30 deaths.

    In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, obviously, you play as the franchise's heroic Link, battling sinister forces, teaming up with the champions of Hyrule, and reviving a dormant civilization. Breath of the Wild is a gritty, survivalist game that doesn't hold back when it comes to brutalizing players. Breath of the Wild eschews traditional safety nets and spreads heuristic-upsetting risks throughout the player's journey. Link dies if he gets too cold while trekking in snowy regions or too hot while trekking scorching regions. If equipped with a weapon or piece of armour made of metal, Link risks being struck by lightning in a Thunderstorm. He risks drowning or falling to his death if he swims or climbs without taking a break. And, since the entire world is virtually accessible once a player leave the initial area, if he wanders into an area with too-powerful monsters, he's pretty much doomed. Even weapons are transient, crumbling after a few tense battles. When Link's health begins to dwindle, players must forage for scraps before cooking over a campfire.

    This creates one of the most expansive, gratifyingly adaptable playgrounds the medium has ever seen. Players can engage in tactical fights with a plethora of unique monsters. Or take images of the game's flora and animals with a Switch-like in-game tablet, named the Sheikah Slate, then follow audio pings to find whatever you're looking for. The Sheikah Slate provides expands the player's capabilities on all fronts. Bombs for combat, "magnesis," "cryonis," and "stasis" used for boss battles and puzzles, allow Link to tinker with reality itself. Instead of smashing crockery or cutting foliage for hearts (as in previous iterations), players tamper with a fascinating Minecraft-like economy of consumables and raw materials, balancing intuition against danger to concoct either nutritious or unpleasant concoctions and ability-boosting potions.

    This is really what makes Breath of the Wild stick out from other games in the open world genre. The training wheels are removed very early on. For food, should Link find apples from a tree or hunt an animal? Entering a dangerous region, should Link complete missions, save rupees and purchase the right armour or stock up on monster parts and brew elixirs making Link prone to such environmental hazards? To generate stunning or humdrum menu items, mix chemicals in cook pots? Have you been looking for materials to dye your garments in technicolour? Scale massive rune-scrawled skyscrapers to glass zones for possible destinations? Scramble up a cliff to catch a glimpse of a looming rainstorm? Glide over Elysian landscapes in search of hidden ledges and caves? Breath of the Wild urges players to walk off the beaten road and simply explore.

    Link will need to be prepared for everything. The distinction between foes and environment is frequently blurred in the most stylish of ways. For example, a tree toppled by hurling a bomb at a lumbering giant might be utilized by such foe to bash Link unconscious. Combat patterns, which often necessitate Witcher-style economy of mobility and the ability to react to unpredictable, multi-lethal opponents, are similar.

    In the end, most of what propels Breath of Wild to the highest point in the series' history boils down to core Nintendo principles: subverting and tectonically recasting traditional conceptions to create an odyssey that is both intriguing and expansive. But there's a Zelda-like balance to the action that's missing from other open world adventures, a symmetry to its unequal but interwoven elements. The ingenious, puzzle-filled dungeons, the easy-to-grasp, hard-to-master combat system, diverse cast of charming characters, and numinous Japanese Shinto-inspired mythology are all part of the appeal. If you're more in store for an action-adventure, emphasis on action, Breath of the Wild might not be for you. The detailed narrative and constant puzzle solving needed to collect Spirit Orbs and defeat Divine Beasts can put off a player who has an action craze. I also believe that the game being developed for the dead Wii U resulted a Breath of the Wild that is rough on the edges, something that the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 will resolve.    … Expand
  19. GAGMR
    Mar 26, 2017
    8
    Let me start off by saying I bought a Wii U just to play this game. Not a Switch, mostly because I want to play Wii games as well, but I bought one mostly for Zelda: BotW. Was it worth it? Hell yea, it was!

    This is honestly the best open world game I've ever played, & I've played a ton of open world games. Hands down, this one is the best one ever made. It's like playing through an    Let me start off by saying I bought a Wii U just to play this game. Not a Switch, mostly because I want to play Wii games as well, but I bought one mostly for Zelda: BotW. Was it worth it? Hell yea, it was!

    This is honestly the best open world game I've ever played, & I've played a ton of open world games. Hands down, this one is the best one ever made. It's like playing through an actual living breathing world where people & animals interact with eachother, animals will graze in the grass, or take a nap, enemies will hunt boars, deer, & capture wild horses. People get pissed off when you wake them from a good sleep! Friggen Elder Scrolls never did that! A lot of games advertise living breathing worlds, but god damnit, this Zelda actually delivers it! People don't do the same daily routine, either! One day, you'll see someone working a field, the next day they'll stay home with their family, or go hunting, or explore some ruins! Not everyone, but a lot of people actually do this! Some even travel the world, just like you are! You will find people constantly traveling around in certain areas. Not everyone, but there's a lot of people who do. People run to try and get out of the rain, etc.

    Enough about that though, the gameplay is where this game is at. The combat system is so well done & satisfying. It's also difficult, not Dark Souls hard, but still decently challenging. Some enemies will one shot you early on, but as you get used to it you will learn the in's & outs of combat & start reflecting lazers back at the death statues that are littered throughout hyrule. And by Death Statues, I mean they will kill you in one hit almost every time.

    From what I gather, there are 4 dungeons total (not counting the hundreds of shrines) known as Divine Beasts. Each one is a mechanical animal that you traverse through & these ones house some very unconventional puzzles unlike any Zelda game before it. Trust me, your mind will bend to think of clever ways to tackle some of these puzzles.

    This game isn't perfect, however. The game is littered with areas that drop FPS, especially in towns or when climbing trees or when it rains in some areas. The game especially lags in towns while it's raining. Luckily, the FPS isn't too bad (drops to around 20) which is still okay for being in a town since you're probably just running around shopping & stuff. None of these frame drops hindered my enjoyment of the game, either. The game is just that good. Also, the weapons tend to degrade a little to quick for my tastes. There's no shortage of extra weapons in the game, though. By the time you start to run low on weapons, you'll usually start to find one or to very decent replacements or even upgrades. The downside is they're gonna keep on breaking. This includes melee weapons, bows, & shields. Armor doesn't break at least & is upgradeable & customizable with dyes at a shop you'll eventually run into in one of the major towns. Also, the motion control segments are god awful & make me want to break my gamepad in half. **** these segments, Nintendo needs to shop forcing motion controls down our ****ing throats. Seriously, they are god awful.

    This game isn't perfect, but gosh darn is it friggin' close to it! Worth buying a Wii U for, that's for sure! If it weren't for the god awful motion control segments, the weapons constantly breaking & the FPS issues, the game would be a 10/10.    … Expand
  20. UltraTektite
    Aug 23, 2019
    9
    Incredible open world, wonderful revamped combat system, great puzzle design in the shrines, good sidequests, yada yada yada. You all know all the good stuff about Breath of the Wild. Here are the reasons it's not a 10:

    - Bad story: Barely anything happens in the present; most of the cutscenes are about how Ganon came back 100 years ago and such, which makes the main quest feel boring    Incredible open world, wonderful revamped combat system, great puzzle design in the shrines, good sidequests, yada yada yada. You all know all the good stuff about Breath of the Wild. Here are the reasons it's not a 10:

    - Bad story: Barely anything happens in the present; most of the cutscenes are about how Ganon came back 100 years ago and such, which makes the main quest feel boring because everything eventful has already happened.

    - Bad dungeons: The shrines, which serve as mini dungeons of sorts, are good, but the main dungeons themselves are cramped, not that well designed, and full of handholding with no room to explore and solve puzzles for yourself. Plus all of the bosses are too similar.

    - Not enough enemy variety: Past Zelda games would have dozens of enemy types to shake things up, but Breath of the Wild has barely more than 10, not counting different varieties of the same enemy types. Fighting the same footsoldiers over and over again across the massive world gets very repeptitive, and takes the life out of the otherwise beautiful world.

    - Unbalanced: Once you reach a certain point in Breath of the Wild, the combat becomes a joke, because you have started getting better weapons, but the enemies aren't getting that much stronger, with only a few exceptions. This is one major issue that went unsolved with the nonlinearity.

    - Slowdown: The game has issues with slowdown, especially in towns (moreso in the Wii U version). It was worse at launch, but it still happens a lot nowadays.

    These are the biggest issues that popped out to me. There are other minor ones, but ultimately BotW is still a great game. Unfortunately it has issues that keep it from being a masterpiece.    … Expand
  21. aitorrules
    Jan 26, 2020
    10
    Simplemente el mejor juego de mundo abierto jamás hecho. Tiene momentos irrepetibles, millones de mecánicas de juego, visualmente perfecto.
  22. redscizor
    Apr 14, 2017
    8
    Late a month I finished the game today, fast review 8.5/10

    ---- 1- Buena musica del castillo, el castillo era completamente otra cosa el juego Contra 1- Zelda OoT quest basadas en la musica, en BotW basada en platos e ingredientes 2- Zelda OoT amaba su rumble pack cuando cabalgaba, aca no pasa nada 3- NPCs bien diseñados y desperdiciados, gritaban por todos lados que se les de    Late a month I finished the game today, fast review 8.5/10

    ----
    1- Buena musica del castillo, el castillo era completamente otra cosa el juego

    Contra
    1- Zelda OoT quest basadas en la musica, en BotW basada en platos e ingredientes
    2- Zelda OoT amaba su rumble pack cuando cabalgaba, aca no pasa nada
    3- NPCs bien diseñados y desperdiciados, gritaban por todos lados que se les de amor
    4- Llegue con gear en 3* con 42 defensa, jugando mal, solo me tomo 2 comidas de las 20 que lleve de corazones amarillo
    5- Las armas legendarias de tus amigos son patéticas en el castillo    … Expand
  23. NeBrO
    Apr 17, 2017
    10
    En mi caso, es un juego que no quiero que se acabe. una delicia artistica y jugable al nivel de pocos juegos. Un colofón tremendo para la gran consola que es WiiU.
  24. Kaihaku
    Apr 11, 2017
    10
    A long time ago, my Aunt gave my family the original Legend of Zelda for the NES. It was like nothing we'd played before. There was a vast world to explore with little direction. We spent months adventuring in that world and sharing our discoveries with each other (this was long before the spoilers of the internet). Since then there have been a lot of Zelda games and I've finished most ofA long time ago, my Aunt gave my family the original Legend of Zelda for the NES. It was like nothing we'd played before. There was a vast world to explore with little direction. We spent months adventuring in that world and sharing our discoveries with each other (this was long before the spoilers of the internet). Since then there have been a lot of Zelda games and I've finished most of them. They've all had excellent elements...but none of them came close to offering the same sense of wanderlust and exploration. Until now. Breath of the Wild is a return to the series roots with the benefit of modern technology and game design...and somehow it manages to feel as revolutionary as the Legend of Zelda did back on the NES despite the prevalence of open world titles.

    Let me be clear. Breath of the Wild is not a perfect game. There are some performance issues, especially in this the Wii U version, and there are some weak points in the storytelling. But, despite that, it still manages to be one of the best games that I've ever played and will set a standard for decades to come. It's an instant classic that demonstrates what Nintendo can do at their best. One of the most fundamental differences between this game and other open world titles is that it's not about conquest. The vast open world isn't there for you to conquer. It's there for you to explore. Most loot is expendable. Enemies reincarnate. But with 120 shrines and 900 seeds to find, there's always something you missed another each corner...even if it's just the scenery. The inclusion of the stamina bar - which I loved in Skyward Sword - makes getting from here to there across the varied terrain a fun challenge rather than a boring march. It put the joy back in travel. It's an open world title that is full of life (many settlements, towns, wanderers, and wildlife). And, unlike most previous Zelda titles, Breath of the Wild goes back to the NES era in regards to difficulty - you'll find little handholding here. It's challenging but in a fun way. The combat reminds me of the Witcher, even fully equipped you need to prepare for most fights and approach them strategically.

    In general, the game ran well on the Wii U. It takes time to load...but performs far better than titles like Lego City Undercover and Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze (which doesn't make any sense). Compared to Xenoblade Chronicles X, another vast open world title, it manages similarly robust technical performance. There are slowdowns in towns, during particularly complicated fights, and some weather (lighting storms in certain locations) but none of this distracted from the game. I haven't played the Switch version but I've read that the Wii U version has one plus - the shrines load slightly faster, good for you speedrunners out there. My only real gripe is that the Wii U specific functionality was cut from the game. After Windwaker HD and Twilight Princess HD, it took some time to get use to no inventory management or minimap on the gamepad. The game was clearly built with a second screen in mind only to have it removed late in development. A shame to limit Wii U version in such a way.

    In any case, I finally finished the main quest and am enjoying exploring Hyrule. There are still so many secrets, fun locations, and sidequests to discover. I'm looking forward to the DLC and seeing the games that this inspires down the road. This is the Zelda game that I've been wanting since the NES era and I hope that we'll see more in this vein now.    … Expand
  25. jypas
    Mar 12, 2019
    10
    the greates game of all time. i hoped for more dlc packs. the only bad thing about this game was the korok seeds.
  26. techtronics
    Dec 22, 2017
    10
    This is an incredible game, you can play for hours and hours and don't get bored because all the elements are really great: the history, the levels, the characters...everything is marvelous. Undoubtedly one of the best video games ever, and one of my favorites. Certainly, one of the best Zelda ever released until today!
  27. GUNPEY
    Apr 30, 2017
    10
    A masterpiece, a true evolution in open world concept, the inmersive and vivid nature, the sensation of freedom, make this jewel the best game of 2017!
  28. REEDDLES
    Jul 19, 2019
    8
    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 8
    -Atmosphere: 7 -Characters: 7 -Graphics and design: 8 -Gameplay: 8 -Sound and Music: 8 -Bugs: 10 -Interface: 9 -Completeness of the world: 4 Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment): -Freedom of choice: 0 -Coop in Story mode: 0 -Multiplayer: 0 -Mods and the ability to change the game: 0 Scores from 1 to 10,    Main evaluation criteria:
    -Story: 8
    -Atmosphere: 7
    -Characters: 7
    -Graphics and design: 8
    -Gameplay: 8
    -Sound and Music: 8
    -Bugs: 10
    -Interface: 9
    -Completeness of the world: 4

    Аdditional evaluation criteria (Do not really affect the assessment):
    -Freedom of choice: 0
    -Coop in Story mode: 0
    -Multiplayer: 0
    -Mods and the ability to change the game: 0

    Scores from 1 to 10, the higher the better    … Expand
  29. Harek_Blom
    Apr 12, 2017
    10
    Straight up amazing. You could arguably deduct one point for the rein (appears slightly too often) or the frame rate, but that would not do the other aspects of this game any justice because I have not yet been as fascinated by a video game at all.

    Highlights include the very atmospheric and mesmerizing memory main quest, the overall style and design, the soundtrack (and its subtle and    Straight up amazing. You could arguably deduct one point for the rein (appears slightly too often) or the frame rate, but that would not do the other aspects of this game any justice because I have not yet been as fascinated by a video game at all.

    Highlights include the very atmospheric and mesmerizing memory main quest, the overall style and design, the soundtrack (and its subtle and well-timed changes in certain areas), the fascinating design of most monsters and cities and many more, but the list could literally go on much longer. Very well done, Nintendo and affiliates.    … Expand
  30. VirgonoShaka
    Apr 17, 2017
    9
    I would love to give this game a perfect rating and say that it is a masterpiece of the greatest order (and in many ways it is) but unfortunately, the shortcomings it has prevent me from saying that. If the rating system allowed it, I would say a 95-96 more than a 9. This game changes the legend of zelda in ways that I never expected to go, taking a page out of the Elder Scrolls andI would love to give this game a perfect rating and say that it is a masterpiece of the greatest order (and in many ways it is) but unfortunately, the shortcomings it has prevent me from saying that. If the rating system allowed it, I would say a 95-96 more than a 9. This game changes the legend of zelda in ways that I never expected to go, taking a page out of the Elder Scrolls and applying it in an excellent way to truly give us a next gen Zelda game, with many new mechanics that probably now I can't see a Zelda game without. But in this effort to truly change the game and make it new and exciting, perhaps Nintendo overplays a little bit and some of the aspects that truly define the series are not here in full. Mostly the aspects I can say that don't live up to par: the dungeons and their bosses while imaginative and interesting are not in the super memorable and complex ways of old. The music, which is a standard of quality in the series, here is just ok, and the main villain, while interesting in its design and fight. leaves a little bit to be desired in question to previous incarnations. For me, this game is an excellent one, one that any fan of zelda, nintendo, open world games, or just games in general have no excuse of not playing (even for Wii U), but there are some aspects that perhaps could have been more up to par to truly be a masterpiece like some games in this series have been in the past. I really enjoyed this one, and I believe that this is the foundation for the franchise forward (including the voice acting, that while not that good, really didn't angered me at all) and with this in place, for the next one is time to truly combine this new aspects and really go full out, a fully voiced acted game not only cutscenes, a more complex storyline with truly great and complex dungeons and bosses and music in the truly legendary standard that this series is used to.
    PS: What the hell nintendo, Why make Epona a pay up priviledge only if you have the Smash bros link amiibo, that's Capcom levels of greed.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Wii U Game of 2017
1
#1 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2017
1
#1 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Video Chums
    Apr 10, 2017
    91
    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an absolute joy to play as it's an undeniably rewarding adventure set in a deeply immersive world. Although the experience is weighed down by a few minor problems, the overall journey is one that no gamer will soon forget.
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  2. AusGamers
    Mar 28, 2017
    92
    Breath of the Wild can’t be compared to the likes of The Witcher 3 or Skyrim because it’s not trying to be those games -- it’s a Nintendo game -- and series -- all grown up. It has a lot to offer and will keep you engaged for lengthy periods of time. If you’re playing on Switch as you absolutely should be, then you can also Zelda wherever you go. It’s arguably not the best Zelda game, but damn, it might be the most polished, and the most ambitious.
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  3. DarkStation
    Mar 20, 2017
    100
    Does it have the best combat system in the world? No. Is it the best looking game out there? No. Does it have the best RPG soundtrack ever? No. Can the game make you feel like you are eight years old again? Hell yes. It certainly had that effect with me. It has been a long time since exploring, fighting, and adventuring has so consistently brought a smile to my face. Breath of the Wild is such a wonderful experience that once you play it, you will likely never look at open world games the same again.
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