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. silver_wasp
    Mar 7, 2017
    9
    Overall, It's fantastic. Blends several different mechanics from some of the most successful games of the last ten years. They seem to take away the annoying parts of those games in favor of a simplified entirely enjoyable experience. The English voice acting's not great honestly, and kind of annoying. I'm surprised to see voice acting at all. There's not too much; just here and there, butOverall, It's fantastic. Blends several different mechanics from some of the most successful games of the last ten years. They seem to take away the annoying parts of those games in favor of a simplified entirely enjoyable experience. The English voice acting's not great honestly, and kind of annoying. I'm surprised to see voice acting at all. There's not too much; just here and there, but still annoying. Beautiful expansive environment with little to no loading times for most of it. Just loads the intro, when you die, dungeons, and a few other places. I'm not used to Wii U controls, I usually play PS4 or the XBO controller on Steam, so the controls feel kinda backwards to me but that's just Nintendo controls in general. I'm dying A LOT as a result of that, but that's just my not being used to it. I do wish you could chose to remap controls more than just switching the jump button. The characters have a ton of personality and life, it's awesome! I feel like I'm interacting with real people and enemies with real lives. When fighting, the reactions to what's happening in combat on the faces of the enemy are vibrant and full of personality. The game doesn't run as well as I would hope for a modern console; on Wii U I'm getting plenty of stuttering and chugging frame-rate during battles and in populated areas. The dungeons are fun, don't take forever, and are many. I love how open things are, the world feels real due to temperatures, the passage of time, plenty of variable weather, and the characters in it. The game is not really linear at all. You can follow the game from mission to mission, or go anywhere else and do whatever the hell you want. The only thing stopping you is how prepared you are. So to sum it up, I keep playing and it only ever gets better. I'm not done, but I've put in a ton of hours and feel confident in my review.

    Now, just so everyone knows; I bought this on March 3rd 2017, nobody paid me to give it my genuine feedback. I'm in my late 20's, not a fanboy teenager. I wrote this because I want to give honest feedback for people trying to decide if they want to jump in or hold of on a not insignificant purchase. I don't care and will never know if you buy it or not; but I enjoyed it and I'm sure almost anyone that plays it would.    … Expand
  2. demonfire737
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    Not a perfect game, there really is no such thing in my opinion, but Breath of the Wild is definitely one of the best games I've ever played. I'll admit that I am a long time Zelda fan-boy, starting in the year 2000 with Ocarina of Time, but I've seen several reviews from Zelda fan-boys who say "It's not Zelda 0/10! No dungeons only mini puzzles! Climbing simulator 2017! blah blah blah",Not a perfect game, there really is no such thing in my opinion, but Breath of the Wild is definitely one of the best games I've ever played. I'll admit that I am a long time Zelda fan-boy, starting in the year 2000 with Ocarina of Time, but I've seen several reviews from Zelda fan-boys who say "It's not Zelda 0/10! No dungeons only mini puzzles! Climbing simulator 2017! blah blah blah", but I believe that it certainly deserves the high ratings that it gets. Would it get so many 10/10's if it didn't have that Zelda name? Probably not, but the ratings would still be high.

    One thing in particular that stands out to me is the distinct lack of guidance in this game. It is both a blessing and a curse. The main quest will tell you exactly where you need to go (the order and timing is up to you), but side quests leave a map marker only on the quest giver (mostly) and you are left with the directions that they gave you. It's up to your own intuition to complete these tasks. On one hand this is a refreshing change from the norm of many current games where you always feel like you are watching the map marker, following the golden trail, etc. Here, however, you follow your intuition, study the landscape, and figure things out for yourself which makes it that much more rewarding when you finish each quest. But it can also be frustrating, some quests can seem very vague and even frustrating. Overall I'd say I like this inclusion, but it won't be for everyone.

    Anyway, let's break this down.

    Pros:
    Large, varied open world
    Stunning visuals and vibrant colours
    Dynamic weather system that affects environment (For example rain makes it hard to climb)
    Hot and cold environments that require heat or cold resistances
    Absolute minimum of invisible walls
    Plenty of things to do
    Interesting side quests
    Fun verity of weapons
    Many options for taking down enemies
    No broken promises (looking at you Hello Games)
    Mostly good frame rate
    Endless cooking options, mix up to five ingredients and see what happens!
    Less guidance than most current games
    Complete main dungeons in any order you want
    Tame horses, bears, deer, a ghost horse thing!
    Collectibles that I actually want to collect
    An interesting backstory that you must hunt down piece by piece
    Many weapon types
    Shield surfing
    The return, and appealing redesigns, of many awesome past races
    Challenging minibosses scattered around the world
    Minimal bugs, at least in my game, one of the most polished and bug free games I have played in some time

    Cons:
    Frame dropping in some towns and thick forests, by no means unplayable, but a touch irritating (I don't care about 30 or 60 fps differences, I only care when it drops below 20)
    Not much enemy variety, late game enemies are just different colours with higher health
    Not many minibosses, only four types unfortunately. Could have really stood to have more
    Only five real dungeons, four that are somewhat short and visually similar (albeit challenging and unique) and one final dungeon
    Lack of tutorials for some non-essential, but fun mechanics (such as shield surfing)
    Limited weapon, bow, and shield inventories. You can improve them as the game goes on, but it is slow.
    Voice acting ranges from acceptable to terrible.
    Don't expect good lip syncing, but remember that this game was made in Japan

    Those cons did little to ruin my experience, and I struggle to think of more after my at least 60 hour playtime.

    Some may not like the whole breakable weapons thing, but I think that they really encourage the player to try all different kinds of weapons. If weapons were unbreakable, I'd just pick up a sword and a boomerang and never bother with anything else, but in this game I find myself using all manner of weapons even those I usually avoid in other games, like hammers, axes and spears, and you'll hardly be starved of them since weapons are everywhere.

    Honestly, if you love open worlds with a variety of stunning landscapes and plenty of adventure, if you love combining random foods to see what it makes, if you love thinking of something crazy and seeing if it works, and it does, then this is a game for you. If you're a Zelda purist, then you should probably play a different game.    … Expand
  3. Platinum_Laser
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    The game starts you in the middle of this huge open world and doesn't force you to do anything with it there is no companion that is constantly nagging at you to get to a certain location. It is also surprising how much depth the game offers for a world of its size, the game is full of fun small puzzles called shrines (on top of the dungeons) and is also filled with fun and quirkyThe game starts you in the middle of this huge open world and doesn't force you to do anything with it there is no companion that is constantly nagging at you to get to a certain location. It is also surprising how much depth the game offers for a world of its size, the game is full of fun small puzzles called shrines (on top of the dungeons) and is also filled with fun and quirky characters.

    The combat system has also been remade, Enemies now deal more damage and don't drop health and your items are constantly breaking at the begging of the game which forces you to think out your attacks carefully and manage your supply.

    Overall this game is a must buy whether your a Zelda fan or not and really shows what developers can do if there not afraid to change things up and In Nintendo's case it gave them a game which will be remembered forever in gaming history.

    But that's not why you read this review you wanted to know how this runs on the Wii U compared to the Switch and I can safely day that this game runs smoothly and besides the first few minutes in the begging it kept a constant frame rate.Keep in mind that this game was original made for the Wii U so it is not a downgraded version of the game the switch is just a boosted version of the Wii U's This game is a must buy if you have a Wii U and does not require the switch to have the full experience.    … Expand
  4. Tetragrammaton
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    Why are there so many trolls hating this game? Xbox and sony fanboys? This game is truly a 10. The only other game i gave a 10 to was dragon age origins.
  5. Demonik420
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    love how everyone is harping on the switch for only playing Zelda... take a look at the launch lineups for every console made int eh last 20 years! They are worse than the switch, sometimes have even less games (looking at you XBONE), and they consist of bargain bin 3$ games.... and none of the launch titles for Xbox360, Xbone, PS3, or PS$, even come close to comparing with Breath of thelove how everyone is harping on the switch for only playing Zelda... take a look at the launch lineups for every console made int eh last 20 years! They are worse than the switch, sometimes have even less games (looking at you XBONE), and they consist of bargain bin 3$ games.... and none of the launch titles for Xbox360, Xbone, PS3, or PS$, even come close to comparing with Breath of the Wild. Everyone is either jsut harping on ti cause they want ti but can't afford it, or because they hope it will fail for god knows what reason.

    The game and the console are fantastic. Breath is easily my favorite Zelda game since Link to the Past/Ocarina. It's a complete 180 from the garbage linear **** that was Skyward Sword. Finally, Zelda is about exploration again, If you don't like Breath then I've got bad news for you.... Your not likely a true Zelda fan. If you had any respect for Zelda's roots you would be drooling all over this game.    … Expand
  6. CriticalBen
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD Wii-U

    Zelda games have really fallen out of my realm since I have got older. I was a huge fan of Ocarina and Majoras mask, as well as the season and ages games for the GBA. I have never really used my Wii except for Mario Cart 8 with my girlfriend very infrequently and to play Smash Bros for a few hours. But the newest Zelda Game has completely    THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD Wii-U

    Zelda games have really fallen out of my realm since I have got older. I was a huge fan of Ocarina and Majoras mask, as well as the season and ages games for the GBA. I have never really used my Wii except for Mario Cart 8 with my girlfriend very infrequently and to play Smash Bros for a few hours. But the newest Zelda Game has completely renewed my use of the console and made me love the franchise once again. The shear depth of this game after the tutorial can be overwhelming if you try and follow a linear path to complete it, so you must be willing to explore and learn the world. The Shrines are fun puzzles scattered across the world that give souls which improve Links health and stamina, as well as way points across the massive map. The "Dungeons" without spoiling anything are fun and creative but they all follow a general quest line that i believe could of been a bit more varied in each approach but are still challenging and entertaining. The deeper you get into Breath of the Wild the more you learn to interact with the world in new and interesting ways to complete your goals. This is Highly rewarding and i feel like I've almost mastered the physics 30+ hours in and can control my environment such as sending huge rock slides on enemy's below or burning entire forests on fire to kill an entire camp and all surrounding wildlife.

    To cap it off Zelda Breath of the Wild is my favorite Nintendo game in last 10 years for me. If you love open world games and you love Zelda don't take my word just get it.    … Expand
  7. Mistrz
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    It's amazing! I have probably put in close to 30 hours and I'm nowhere close to beating it. I am working on one of the four "dungeons" that the game offers and it seems like it is going to be a good one. The framerate issues haven't been an issue for me and I think that people are just being really critical, it's not like these issues happen often or it goes to a crawl. The game is greatIt's amazing! I have probably put in close to 30 hours and I'm nowhere close to beating it. I am working on one of the four "dungeons" that the game offers and it seems like it is going to be a good one. The framerate issues haven't been an issue for me and I think that people are just being really critical, it's not like these issues happen often or it goes to a crawl. The game is great and I am loving the combat and everything about the game and am looking forward to putting 100+ hours into the game and then getting this on the switch when I pick one up.… Expand
  8. Hryciuk
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    Nintendo heard your complaints with Skyward Sword, and has done everything in their power to fix it. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely was in love with the game, and had a blast playing it. Although, I will admit to their faults since over the years I haven't let my bias turn into denial. It had a lot of padding, some good, some absolutely WTF? (Looking at you tadtone trial which ironicallyNintendo heard your complaints with Skyward Sword, and has done everything in their power to fix it. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely was in love with the game, and had a blast playing it. Although, I will admit to their faults since over the years I haven't let my bias turn into denial. It had a lot of padding, some good, some absolutely WTF? (Looking at you tadtone trial which ironically I liked) but Breath of the Wild has set a new benchmark for the series and for gaming in general.

    Skyrim was not a stellar game by any means, and people say Zelda is copying it (yes, an open world game from 1986 is copycat) then you know nothing about video games. I find it hilarious how people are actually falling for the fail trolls. It's either A) hilarious because I admit to trolling because it's funny. B) not a Nintendo fan and upset that the most critically acclaimed video game of all time is once again a Zelda game.

    With Breath of the Wild, you have an absolutely massive map filled with content that you will only find if you dig deep into every corner. I played for 22 hours until I even reached my first dungeon in Zora's Domain which is what you're advised to do very early on from leaving the Great Plateau. I have to say the dungeon design is the best in the series, although not theme based, it's use of physics and your runes are absolutely unique and incredible. I haven't felt so puzzled by a Zelda game since Majora's Mask or Ocarina of Time Master Quest. The combat for the first time in the 3D series I have actually avoided enemies because I accepted defeat. SS did have it's challenges, but even that game was undeniably simple when compared to this game.

    I often find myself lost in the vast, gorgeous world and always attempting to try new things. Shrine searching can be difficult 40 shrines deep but can be rewarding, there are areas in the game you should not go to until you have a good number of hearts, stamina, and good gear. 30 hours in and you will still barely be in the zone for that. The shrines are one of the most fun parts, short mini-dungeons that creatively use the laws of physics and multi-tasking to get the most out of your brain. Nintendo isn't shy to challenge you and realizes not everyone is an idiot. (Looking at you Microsoft fans.)

    The story, I won't spoil. But it is done very expertly as well. It's interesting, and always keeps you wanting more. After you are required to search out for your memories, I find it really unique. The first five memories I found were by carefully scouting the picture and realizing where that should be near. I saw Vah Medoh flying in the scenery, with the castle and a dry looking mountain area. I determined where that should be on my map and after a bit of exploration around my prediction, I found it. Others I found completely by coming across while journeying through the massive landscape. It truly is great.

    All in all, this is the most definitive game in The Legend of Zelda series, and it is by far the greatest game of all time. Anyone who hasn't played this game, or doesn't like it because it's Zelda, has no idea what a phenomenal experience they are missing out on. Zelda has once again redefined video games.    … Expand
  9. Princeps32
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    The aggregate user review score for this is absolute madness. This game is truly, unbelievably high quality. Please ignore nonsense 0's and 2's and play this game, you will not regret it.
  10. skyrimmer2
    Mar 7, 2017
    9
    This game might not look great in todays gaming world compared to other games but it has a lot of depth to it and is very fun to play. It's not the best game in the world like reviewers have you believe but its a solid game. The gameplay mechanics are a bit old but I wasn't that bothered because it is fun to play overall. If you own a wiiu or switch its a must play.
  11. benibass
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    Genius, this is genius. You must play it ! They totally reinvented what game play means, what video game means. Thank you so much for this experience, there will be an before and after this game.
  12. Evreegamer
    Mar 7, 2017
    10
    Switch's glorious launch-title is also Wii U's triumphant Swan Song. "Breath Of The Wild" feels like the proper culmination of 30 years of design lessons and wonderfully executed ideas. Hyrule has never looked as gorgeous. From the moment the game starts it announces itself as a revelation. If you're a fan of this legendary series, this is a must own and for everyone else this game makesSwitch's glorious launch-title is also Wii U's triumphant Swan Song. "Breath Of The Wild" feels like the proper culmination of 30 years of design lessons and wonderfully executed ideas. Hyrule has never looked as gorgeous. From the moment the game starts it announces itself as a revelation. If you're a fan of this legendary series, this is a must own and for everyone else this game makes for a great proposition in gameplay perfection.… Expand
  13. doodlerman
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    Never has a game felt quite as alive as Breath of the Wild. Initially I was a little put off by the differences between this and previous Zelda entries, but that soon changed to absolute adoration. Not only does it have a massive world, but it's a massive world filled with characters, animals, quests, mini-dungeons (shrines), and secrets. It plays surprisingly smoothly on the Wii U. I'veNever has a game felt quite as alive as Breath of the Wild. Initially I was a little put off by the differences between this and previous Zelda entries, but that soon changed to absolute adoration. Not only does it have a massive world, but it's a massive world filled with characters, animals, quests, mini-dungeons (shrines), and secrets. It plays surprisingly smoothly on the Wii U. I've heard things of frame drops, but I haven't experienced that at all (though, to be fair, this could be because I've been playing exclusively on the gamepad). One thing I truly love about Breath of the Wild is the challenge. Standard Bokoblins aside, every battle legitimately feels like a punishing life or death situation with little room for error. Weapons break fairly quickly and I love this. It adds to a frantic sensation of wild survival. What's more, there are little surprises around every corner. I have yet to find an area where exploration didn't bare fruit.

    While damn near perfect, it has a few minor issues. Firstly, the control scheme may take a while to get used to - the button configuration is kind of all over the place (some commands could probably have been simplified to one button rather than multiple). Secondly, the English voice acting is horrendous, and as far as I know there's no way to change it on the Wii U version. Finally, the actual dungeons aren't nearly as massive as pre-release rumors suggested. Naturally, this isn't the game's fault, rather misinformation leading to speculative hype. The dungeons are fun, but pretty short. The true satisfaction comes from the exploration of the seamless world.

    Despite these few imperfections (which are completely forgivable, in my opinion), the sheer brilliance and effort of this Breath of the Wild warrants a perfect score. It's hard to believe anyone could honestly dislike this game.    … Expand
  14. danlml
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    The only problem that i find is the fall of frames in certain places, such as the beginning of the game.

    Voices, History, Controls, Gameplay, Scenarios 10/10.

    There are only voices during the cinematics, so It really feels like a zelda and link has no voice.

    All the important characters have a lot of charisma, you really will care about them.
  15. Robinhio84
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    So impressed! I'm just a Nintendo guy, so I love the graphics also because it's a mix of all the previous styles. The best part of the game is that is honours it's roots. There is so much of the first game, where yur just browsing and searching around. Also I love that most creatures are bringing back lovely memories.

    One downside is the shrines, who have all the same look and feel to    So impressed! I'm just a Nintendo guy, so I love the graphics also because it's a mix of all the previous styles. The best part of the game is that is honours it's roots. There is so much of the first game, where yur just browsing and searching around. Also I love that most creatures are bringing back lovely memories.

    One downside is the shrines, who have all the same look and feel to it. Which comes across a bit repetitive. Although and 4 dungeons is not a lot, still I am a big fan. Will be playing this the weeks to come.    … Expand
  16. voiders
    Mar 6, 2017
    2
    Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the most overrated game of all time!
    A simple Zelda game with a good world and physics but with a PS2 graphic!
    The funny part is this game has the exacly same camera problems from Final Fantasy XV. The camera is manual, the moviment is not relative and the objects between the camera and the character are allways solid. So you can't see link with a    Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the most overrated game of all time!
    A simple Zelda game with a good world and physics but with a PS2 graphic!
    The funny part is this game has the exacly same camera problems from Final Fantasy XV.
    The camera is manual, the moviment is not relative and the objects between the camera and the character are allways solid. So you can't see link with a tree is in front of he. Every reviewer complain about this problem in FFXV and in Zelda "ow it's perfect".
    Just a normal game nothing else. People pick a lot of hype and fanboysm to make other people thing that game is perfect. It's even can handle 30 FPS.
    Also the story is so cliche and stupid. 'Hey link, you are the hero of the prophecy. Save the princess, save the world'    … Expand
  17. ZacharyVincze
    Mar 6, 2017
    8
    Don't get me wrong, this game is amazing. Definitely something worth your money. I love the size of the world in this game, it really gets my sense of adventure going. It's wonderful, there's so many places to go. But this doesn't really feel like a Legend of Zelda game, so fans of the series may be confused.

    So although I think that this game is great, it's not for everyone.    Don't get me wrong, this game is amazing. Definitely something worth your money. I love the size of the world in this game, it really gets my sense of adventure going. It's wonderful, there's so many places to go. But this doesn't really feel like a Legend of Zelda game, so fans of the series may be confused.

    So although I think that this game is great, it's not for everyone. Another issue would be the frame rate. I can't blame the game for this though. Instead, I'll just blame it on Nintendo's low-level hardware. I'm still very impressed that this game was able to run on the Wii U the way it has been running.

    But unfortunately, there are huge frame drops when the screen is heavily populated. When you enter a village, your frame rate can take large dips from 30 to 20 real fast.

    This is a huge turn off. But it still won't turn me away from the game. Don't let the frame rate turn you away from the game either. You won't regret it. This is one of the best games I've played in a long time.    … Expand
  18. johnnyrio
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    How games are supposed to be made. It's huge, it's fun, it's classic. There's so much to explore and do it's pretty overwhelming at times. Playstation and Xbox users are going to troll the reviews because it isn't Call of Duty at 60 fps with toddlers screaming at you online every 10 seconds, but that's just fine. It's an excellent game combining loads of elements from past games into oneHow games are supposed to be made. It's huge, it's fun, it's classic. There's so much to explore and do it's pretty overwhelming at times. Playstation and Xbox users are going to troll the reviews because it isn't Call of Duty at 60 fps with toddlers screaming at you online every 10 seconds, but that's just fine. It's an excellent game combining loads of elements from past games into one massive world. Great stuff.… Expand
  19. Thruck197
    Mar 6, 2017
    3
    90% of people will never replay breath of the wild.
    The game is designed around dumping all your time into a single play file thanks to how slow the accumulation of anything works. Theres no second quest, the enemy variety is **** like the only thing you have going for it is "the world is big and i wanna see every inch of it" which is absolutely no different than any other open world game    90% of people will never replay breath of the wild.
    The game is designed around dumping all your time into a single play file thanks to how slow the accumulation of anything works. Theres no second quest, the enemy variety is **** like the only thing you have going for it is "the world is big and i wanna see every inch of it" which is absolutely no different than any other open world game ever. Unfortunately the gameplay options and variety isn't there to carry you all the way.

    Its Minecraft survival without crafting, world building, world destruction, or a random world and fresh world every time you play. And I don't even like Minecraft, i'm just sayin this Hyrule is going to get old fast because the world itself is the only thing that got a lot of attention in development. There are re-used assets everywhere, from multiple recolored/reskinned variations of enemies to even there functionally being 6 or 7 different kinds of weapons in the game that were negligently forced into strict attack sets of shortsword, longsword or spear. Reused animations, reused monsters, reused assets everywhere. Even the mastersword explodes into blue dust like every other destructable weapon despite its plot mechanic of "running out of energy" to be returned to your inventory rendered useless for 20 minutes.

    The game is as wide as an ocean and deep as a puddle.    … Expand
  20. JWIsenhour
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    I own and have played this game, and it is amazing. Nintendo has finally stolen back everything that has been stolen from them for the past 30 years. It can be whatever you make it. You can play the main story if you want, ride around lighting stuff on fire, go rock climbing, or fight bokoblins. Even just sneaking around hunting has been a joy. I've spent so much time searching out andI own and have played this game, and it is amazing. Nintendo has finally stolen back everything that has been stolen from them for the past 30 years. It can be whatever you make it. You can play the main story if you want, ride around lighting stuff on fire, go rock climbing, or fight bokoblins. Even just sneaking around hunting has been a joy. I've spent so much time searching out and completing shrines (or not and just saving them as travel points). There are so many special points, but I think my favorite part so far was jumping off a mountain, soaring down on a paraglider, and landing on a wild horse. Whatever you want to do, you can do it.

    I don't get all the complaints about frame drops, etc. I'm too old for that crap as I remember the leap from the Atari to NES to Playstation. Graphics do not make a great game, though BOTW is stunning. The bottom line is that great gameplay makes a great game. So many of the best feelings I've had playing video games have been replicated here but in a much deeper way: the sense of openness I got playing GTA 3 years ago, running around avoiding large enemies or skip traveling like in Xenoblade Chronicles, playing off of every structure like in the old Tony Hawk series, interacting with the world (and just getting lost) like in Minecraft, that feeling of exploration and loneliness from Metroid, Of course, this is all wrapped up in that awesome Zelda lore that so much of us have loved for so long.

    Like every piece of entertainment and art, this game will not be for everyone. But for some of us, this game will be the best we've ever played.    … Expand
  21. Cfgk24
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    Absolutely outstanding! This is such a beautiful immersive experience - I haven't been able to sleep properly for 3 nights now as I've been up playing this game so late - This is the best way to judge a game - if you can't put it down! - a rarity for me!
    THe amount of effort and attention to detail put int this game is astonishing - Nintendo and the team deserve every single bit of praise    Absolutely outstanding! This is such a beautiful immersive experience - I haven't been able to sleep properly for 3 nights now as I've been up playing this game so late - This is the best way to judge a game - if you can't put it down! - a rarity for me!
    THe amount of effort and attention to detail put int this game is astonishing - Nintendo and the team deserve every single bit of praise they can get on this!    … Expand
  22. Apec
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    Great game. Fantastic and truly the best thing I have played..... ever.
    Only thing that costs it one point: Low framerates in villages like Kakariko. But while it can be annoying at times, it does not disturb the fun.
  23. owenw218
    Mar 5, 2017
    10
    This game is very enjoyable and well done for the most part.

    Pros: Feels like the original Zelda in sense of adventure, after a pretty open for an intro "intro" you're free to basically go anywhere you want. The freedom to explore, and the rewarding way they designed exploration makes for a very fun experience. The Story is good so far, but minimal in a good way. The combat is fun and    This game is very enjoyable and well done for the most part.

    Pros: Feels like the original Zelda in sense of adventure, after a pretty open for an intro "intro" you're free to basically go anywhere you want. The freedom to explore, and the rewarding way they designed exploration makes for a very fun experience. The Story is good so far, but minimal in a good way. The combat is fun and varied, and the cooking system is really fun to mess around with, but also crucial to being able to take on harder fights. The weapon system is good too, took a little getting used to, but it's fun using different weapons so frequently, and they are varied enough to provide a lot of different styles of combat.

    Cons: The frame rate does dip frequently, for a game running at 720p you would think they could hold that down better, but I understand the hardware of the wii u isn't amazing by 2017's standards, and the fact that it seems to run so consistently playable across the Wii U and the Switch is a testament to Nintendo giving us Wii U owners one last gem for our console before fading into obscurity. The Menu interface is also a bit tedious at times, as you will open a chest with a weapon in it, only to be told you don't have enough room so the chest closes, you have to open the menu, drop one of the weapons you have, reopen the chest, including the open animation, and then get the item. Those are my two legitimate complaints, this game is very enjoyable, and if you have a Wii U, this is a must own, even if you wait to get it. It runs about as well on the switch.

    It's too soon to say it's the best game ever, or one of the best games ever, it hasn't proven it has the staying power "best game ever" needs, (imo) but I can see months or years from now, having that conversation because this is Skyrim done right, in the world of Hyrule and I think most people who like open worlds and Zelda games, and everything in between will find much to enjoy here, while finding few things to really take them out of the experience.    … Expand
  24. GangsterSwedish
    Mar 5, 2017
    9
    I'll be honest. I didn't believe the hype, not one bit. I'm a 2D Zelda fan and have always preferred A Link To The Past and A Link Between Worlds far more than Ocarina, etc. I'm not a hipster by any means, I just always got lost, confused, and bored when playing 3D Zelda games.

    Nonetheless, I was a die hard Wii U fan for the little bit of time that it was relevant so I gave Breath of    I'll be honest. I didn't believe the hype, not one bit. I'm a 2D Zelda fan and have always preferred A Link To The Past and A Link Between Worlds far more than Ocarina, etc. I'm not a hipster by any means, I just always got lost, confused, and bored when playing 3D Zelda games.

    Nonetheless, I was a die hard Wii U fan for the little bit of time that it was relevant so I gave Breath of the Wild a shot, knowing that it would be the last Wii U game I'd ever buy.

    I'm absolutely stunned.

    This isn't the best game I've played this year - for me that's Watch Dogs 2 - but Breath of the Wild is definitely the first time in a long, long time that I've agreed with game critics reviews 100%. This is Zelda defined. I'm barely 10 hours into this thing and am so blown away by it that my face is numb from smiling so much. Think that sounds cheesy? Consider that I'm a 45 year old gamer from the stone age - and I'm loving every minute of this.

    Kudos Nintendo. Way to send the Wii U out with a bang - and usher in the Switch.    … Expand
  25. NightCreate
    Mar 5, 2017
    10
    Masterpiece :) I feel like my young self playing Ocarina of Time on my brand new N64. I haven't finished it yet, but the whole experience is so, so good. The open world is spectacular, quests are fun, skills and all stuff we can do is really wide and enjoyable. I can play this for 12 hours straight like the old Zelda games I used to enjoy. A must have for everyone, specially people whoMasterpiece :) I feel like my young self playing Ocarina of Time on my brand new N64. I haven't finished it yet, but the whole experience is so, so good. The open world is spectacular, quests are fun, skills and all stuff we can do is really wide and enjoyable. I can play this for 12 hours straight like the old Zelda games I used to enjoy. A must have for everyone, specially people who grew up with Zelda on N64!… Expand
  26. NessNoldo
    Mar 5, 2017
    10
    Breath of the Wild has become the best game of the whole franchise. Is insulting to see here in this page a lot of haters giving ratings of zeros just to annoy and to affect the user metascore of the product. All this multi-account people is frequently seen in the Internet forums and discussion sites doing the same thing as here: badmouthing about Nintendo all the time. All of these ratBreath of the Wild has become the best game of the whole franchise. Is insulting to see here in this page a lot of haters giving ratings of zeros just to annoy and to affect the user metascore of the product. All this multi-account people is frequently seen in the Internet forums and discussion sites doing the same thing as here: badmouthing about Nintendo all the time. All of these rat people comes from the Sony's PlayStation fanbase, the worst fanbase of "gamers" that ever existed. This people, even if they don't likes the game, can't just put a zero in the ratings for that, that's not objective and isn't positive for the videogame's community. The wrong and negative opinions of this toxic people that even have not the game in their possession, must be forgot or erased for the good of this page's trust.
    Returning to the review. Breath of the Wild haves a so big feel of freedom: is an incredible open world with lot of things to discover and you obtain rewards for that exploring impetus, there are different races with their own culture, each one very marked-up and well made. Another impressive gem is an excellent AI: enemies react so naturally to the surroundings and the situations, so much that you can hardly deceive them. The weather is another amazing work, making the world of Hyrule a more alive one, with the sounds of nature giving you signals or the physics, with the fire movement telling you the direction of the wind.
    The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the perfect welcome for the Switch and an elegant farewell for the iconic and unfairly underrated Wii U: the art is focus on the details, in give a freedom experience in a world that is alive, and here Nintendo gaves all they got to bring to us a master piece filled up with details, with reminiscences to the first Zelda game, but connected with the whole saga too. You can go and take the Master Sword and beat Calamity Ganon as the very start if you have the enough courage to do so, but is a dangerous world of adventures and have to be ready and pray for Triforce asistente. By the way: you can send to Nintendo a mail and ask them that check the frame drop and gives a patch or something. For me, it's a master piece.    … Expand
  27. Treckooxx
    Mar 5, 2017
    10
    Didn't like the trailers nor the game-play they showed, but when I started playing it and saw how much this game really offers I was blown away. Fun and Hard combat (which is really rare from Nintendo nowadays), Cool and unique weapon system, a GIGANTIC Map (Cant even believe this game is on Wii U) and you can really see they tried to make the graphics look good, even though the Wii UDidn't like the trailers nor the game-play they showed, but when I started playing it and saw how much this game really offers I was blown away. Fun and Hard combat (which is really rare from Nintendo nowadays), Cool and unique weapon system, a GIGANTIC Map (Cant even believe this game is on Wii U) and you can really see they tried to make the graphics look good, even though the Wii U sometimes struggles (eg. Frame dips in Towns) it really isn't enough to make you say: "wow this game runs like ****
    Another thing to add is that i have the physical copy of the game, since I have heard that the game might run a bit slower if you save it on your SD Card.    … Expand
  28. RealMido
    Mar 5, 2017
    10
    What sets the open world of this game is that you look at horizon you will see a landmark so you can play without the mini-map. the climbing on every surface is very useful to explore the world. Game mechanics all open up in the first area in the game, so you can explore at your own pace. The game tends to reward you for exploration and at the same time I never felt overwhelmed by howWhat sets the open world of this game is that you look at horizon you will see a landmark so you can play without the mini-map. the climbing on every surface is very useful to explore the world. Game mechanics all open up in the first area in the game, so you can explore at your own pace. The game tends to reward you for exploration and at the same time I never felt overwhelmed by how large the world is. Must play for fans and a lovely introduction for first timers.… Expand
  29. ejoseph
    Mar 5, 2017
    10
    I absolutely love this game. I've tried so hard before to like open world games. I've played dragon age, witcher3, ffxv. I just couldn't get into them because of those boring fetch quests. This game has absolutely no boring fetch quests and I love the art style. Everyone wants realistic graphic style in games but I don't know why. When I'm playing a game I'm trying to escape reality. ThisI absolutely love this game. I've tried so hard before to like open world games. I've played dragon age, witcher3, ffxv. I just couldn't get into them because of those boring fetch quests. This game has absolutely no boring fetch quests and I love the art style. Everyone wants realistic graphic style in games but I don't know why. When I'm playing a game I'm trying to escape reality. This game is so freaking good and there's so much to do. The enemy AI and the physics of the game are top notch. I will love this game for a long long time

    3    … Expand
  30. QuantumPelican
    Mar 5, 2017
    9
    Firstly, I'll start by addressing some complaints I've seen in negative reviews of this game:

    "There are no dungeons." Yes there are. There are 4 dungeons, accompanied by a myriad of shrines. "It's too easy/hand-holdy." I'm sort of baffled by this one, and all I can say is that is that the people saying this must not have engaged in any exploration whatsoever. A lot of the    Firstly, I'll start by addressing some complaints I've seen in negative reviews of this game:

    "There are no dungeons."
    Yes there are. There are 4 dungeons, accompanied by a myriad of shrines.

    "It's too easy/hand-holdy."
    I'm sort of baffled by this one, and all I can say is that is that the people saying this must not have engaged in any exploration whatsoever. A lot of the main-quest and areas around towns, etc. contain relatively easy puzzles and fights, but if you take the time to leave the beaten trail, you'll probably come across a fair challenge pretty quickly. Reviewers who specifically mention hand-holdiness have clearly not played nearly enough of the game to piece together an educated review.

    "The music sucks."
    A quick read through of comments in this vein shows that the actual meaning behind this criticism is that the music is different. Music plays a different role in this game than it does in previous titles. Here, it gives the game a bit of flavour and atmosphere rather than blasting the player with overt, repeating musical themes. It's fine to not like the music in this game, but it's useful to note that a thorough playthrough of this game will be far longer than the typical 20-40 hours of previous 3D Zelda titles. It's likely, given enough play time, that catchy, repetitive themes in the context of this game would end up being incredibly grating. As it is, there is a clear emphasis on the environments here and the use of music to simply enhance the mood set by the environmental sounds works extremely well (plus there are some really great musical moments where music is present).

    "There's nothing to do."
    There are over 100 shrines to discover, a bunch of sidequests if you look in the right places, over 300 unique photos to take in-game, and a number of diverse and engaging areas to explore. I'll concede that if you don't enjoy exploration, this game isn't for you.

    "It looks terrible."
    It doesn't have the best graphics on a technical level. It's low-res by modern standards, with some pop-in and frame drops, and it could do with a bit of anti-aliasing, but the game's art style stands out from its technical limitations, as was the case in The Wind Waker, and even Skyward Sword to some extent. The frame drops are a a fair complaint, however I haven't found this factor to have any effect on gameplay since they mainly occur in places with a lot of NPCs, which tend to be less timing-sensitive areas. They do occur in forested areas quite a lot, but this isn't an online FPS, and not every frame is critical in combat, to be brutally honest. It's a valid complaint, but I don't think it's a big enough issue to make this particular game less enjoyable by any significant measure.

    That's pretty much every complaint I care to cover. Now for some reasons to like this game, rather than reasons to simply not hate it.

    1. Combat/Gameplay
    The enemies in this game vary significantly in difficulty. Some are extremely easy to beat, and areas of the game that have high proportions of these enemies can begin to feel a bit too easy after a while, but what's interesting is that the combat never gets boring. The combat in this game requires a lot more strategy to deal with than in previous titles and keeps you on your feet since dodging becomes a really important aspect of swordplay. Coming off a 40 hour play-through of Twilight Princess HD, this a breath of fresh air to me as enemies have different attack styles that require adaptive strategies, unlike in Twilight Princess, and these strategies are often based around your fundamental moveset rather than gimmicky items and gameplay mechanics (I'm looking at you, Skyward Sword).
    Speaking of which, the basic controls are surprisingly deep for a game of this nature. Hours in, I was still learning new things about the controls. It could be argued that the game not teaching this to you from the outset is poor design, but in my experience, these elements are unnecessary for the progression of the game, and I'd argue that it's a plus that the early game doesn't get bogged down in tutorials or hint panels.

    2. Shrines
    The shrines can be divided into two categories: Combat and puzzles. The puzzle shrines have a wonderful amount of diversity, though they are not all particularly challenging. As stated above, the more isolated or out of the way a shrine is, the more likely it is to pose a challenge. The combat shrines are pretty homogeneous, but a lot of them pose a really great challenge, taking the aforementioned combat mechanics to their limits. Some of these shrines feel like dedicated boss arenas, and it's a lot of fun to employ all the strategies you've accumulated up to these shrines in defeating their enemies.

    3. There's a great sense of progression in this game, even without an experience or leveling system.

    4. I have reached my character limit. The game is great.    … 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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