The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii-U, Switch) 2017

[JaidynReiman]

We've known there were towns in the game since the Game Awards trailer, we can clearly see one marked on the map. I have no clue where "no towns" came from, it was never stated by Aonuma at all. I heard it was just speculation and some people thought it was confirmed. But towns just aren't in the demo.

 

I like the voice acting. I'm thinking maybe there might be more later, but I definitely don't think it will have full voice acting, just the major story sequences instead.

[Radiant Hero Ike]

27 minutes ago, JaidynReiman said:

We've known there were towns in the game since the Game Awards trailer, we can clearly see one marked on the map. I have no clue where "no towns" came from, it was never stated by Aonuma at all. I heard it was just speculation and some people thought it was confirmed. But towns just aren't in the demo.

 

I like the voice acting. I'm thinking maybe there might be more later, but I definitely don't think it will have full voice acting, just the major story sequences instead.

There is, in fact, more voice acting!

http://gonintendo.com/stories/259385-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-more-voice-work-but-li

[Mogtaki]

Just now, Gambling Idol Luka said:

There is, in fact, more voice acting!

http://gonintendo.com/stories/259385-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-more-voice-work-but-li

Link remaining silent I'm quite alright with. I know a few characters that got annoying with voice acting *coughSoniccharacterslikeCharmycough* so having him just grunting and humming is fine.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

People mixed up their quotes, there are Towns, just not in the Demo because they involve story spoilers.

Overall it's cool, looks like the first 3D game that may take place around the time original NES games far later on then anything we've seen. Ganon's confirmed, but I'm not sure I heard anything about Zelda, but she's probably in(hopefully Impa too). Honestly looks like it's going to be really interesting, and I can't wait to pick it up. also customizable weapons and clothing make hope for lots of nods and easter eggs, like a Chomp mace.

[Radiant Hero Ike]

I really like the easter egg idea that @KHCast mentioned. That'd be incredible.

Also, I'm assuming Zelda is trapped in the castle they showed that was covered in a bunch of darkness and Purple Lights Of Evil. Hope we get to see what she looks like soon, though. I wanna SEE the NEW ZELDAAAAA design.

[Strickerx5]

After watching some more footage.... this does look like a damn fine game. Especially impressed with what they're doing graphically with the Wii U. The amount of optimization involved must be insane. I'm not really that into Zelda, but this does look like something I'll pick up with the NX probably. Hopefully the added voice acting will bring more to the narrative than past games... if it's done well so fingers crossed there.

Though, is this going to be the next industry changer like OoT was?... eh, doubt it. It isn't really doing anything that other games (that were even shown this year) haven't done already and maybe even done better from what I've seen.

Though, I guess my laid back attitude towards this is mainly just due to me not being that huge of a Zelda guy. Who knows, this game might change that. I remember feeling the same way with games like Uprising, Overwatch, hell even Arkham City.... actually, this game might just click with me....

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

What makes me curious is how the Master Sword is tarnished in the Title, which means this may be in the failed timeline, since being a mystical sword only thing that could damage it would be a failure. Now I wouldn't be surprised if part of the plot is restoring it and it's one of the ultimate weapons in the game

[Indigo Rush]

Alright, now that I've had time to reflect on it all and take everything in, I just gotta say wow.

WOW.

Without a doubt, I am more hyped for this game than anything else this year or the next.

I had expected it to be 'open world' in the sense that you could travel freely wherever you wanted, probably in any dungeon order, but I didn't really contemplate how it'd work with how you interact with the environment. It's superb. Pushing giant rocks into enemy camps, setting off chain reactions that cause explosions, pitting two enemies against eachother, it's all just... its a lot to take in.

And it's breath-taking, visually. I forget that this is a Wii U game, honestly. Nintendo knows their hardware better than any other developer, clearly. I was kind of concerned that they stuck with a cel-shaded style, but now I see why: it scales. Close up, you see the individual shades in the environment, but you also see textures applied as well. As the camera zooms out, those simple colors and textures then blend together to create a beautiful moving masterpiece that I can't even fathom. This game is gorgeous.

And on to the new mechanics, of which there are too many for me to go over in-depth... but right off the bat you don't even start off with your sword. You can pick up a tree branch lying around and thats your arsenal until you loot an enemy or find a treasure chest. 

I love it. I love it all.

I love how the heart drop system is replaced with cooking. I did not expect to see that, and it's weird because that's EXACTLY what I wanted. That was one SPECIFIC thing I wanted to see in the next big Zelda game, and they DID IT, and I'm so happy for it, because it gives you options and variety. You have to rely on the environment to craft your recipes, and it went a step further that I didn't expect - cooking over an open flame vs cooking in a pot. That changes recipes, and that's awesome! And certain foods have certain affects, such as red chili peppers giving the player resistance against cold temperatures... speaking of.

Body temperature. I did not expect this, nor did I ask for it, but... I like it. It adds another layer of depth to the world around you. Realistically, Link can't just wear the same garb everywhere. Ocarina of Time touches on this with the Goron Tunic a little for the volcano areas, but that's pretty much one and done. In Breath of the Wild, it's constant, and it adds more strategy to how you traverse the overworld. 

And traversing the overworld. Horseback. Hang-gliding. Rock climbing. Chopping trees to make a path. Snowboarding on a shield in the mountains. JUMPING. JUMPING.

The bombs are infinite and come in two varieties, square and round, and can be detonated whenever you want them to, rather than there being a time limit. There's the magnet ability to drag metal objects around. There's the thing that turns water into ice pillars. Stopping time, hitting an object to build momentum then watching it FLY.

I just.. theres too much to talk about. I need a little more time.

Just. I just want this game now. RIGHT now, I mean it. Even if I must buy a Wii U again. I'm getting this. I AM GETTING THIS.

THIS IS GOAT.    

             

G O A T

[Hyp3hat]

I love that you love this game so much, Indigo

[Nepenthe]

Someone on NeoGAF put it into context why this game as an open-world adventure was generating so much excitement. Even if you stripped Zelda out of it and all of the context that brings (jumping being a big deal, for example), and you understand that a lot of its features are technically not fresh, the thing that's interesting about it is that Nintendo have stripped out a lot of the set piece-like context that governs open world play. When you're prompted to cut something down and you do it at the wrong angle in another game, your character will simply realign into the proper position and the object will fall on a predetermined path. Here, they made it very clear that you can cut down trees from any direction, meaning there is a chance of failure in creating that makeshift bridge. Fire in open world games is old hat, but there aren't many games where you can create a wind draft that will blow a self made fire along and light a makeshift fuse to blow up some enemies yards away. That same mechanic that creates drafts in turn can be applied vertically to give Link greater lift in combat and platforming scenarios. There's a utilization of multiple contexts for different actions going on that invites players to think, and in general there's seamlessness about everything that makes the world feel organic. For example, there was a segment where Link was using the parasol to glide down a mountain only to immediately shift into snowboarding mode. It's the kind of seamlessness that people have pretty much been asking for from Sonic games.

Basically, Nintendo cut out a lot of the presets and rails that tend to govern games like this and have thus made a world that is far more interesting to interact with at first glance than other open world games, and the scary part is they showcased this with a vanilla version of the game in a small area where all they did at the end of the day was just run around and goof off. We haven't even seen towns and dungeons yet, nor do we know of any other weapons and items that will augment Link's way of getting around even more. It's not that it's an open world Zelda game. It's that it's a fantastic open world game that actually updates and twists up the Zelda formula in interesting and elegant ways. Nintendo knocked it out of the park.

[Diogenes]

Part of me wants to do a whole big writeup of my thoughts, but...honestly, there's so much going on I don't even know where to start. My opinion's definitely, definitely on the positive side overall, though; the game looks gorgeous, combat and movement both look significantly improved, and interacting with the world seems immensely interesting and dynamic. I usually side-eye a lot of attempts at making games "immersive" but for once a game is showing a world that's immersive in an interesting way rather than an obnoxious one.

I am kinda wary of all the different equipment though. It leans a bit too much towards RPG bullshittery for me to fully trust it. I'm also kind of worried about the "items" and dungeons; the rune powers are definitely interesting but it seems like there might only be a few of them, and while the shrines look fun I'm not sure they'll be enough to make up for the rumored low dungeon count. And I'm disappointed that the female Link rumor didn't pan out, but oh well.

[MegasonicZX]

One thing that I hope we get in this game just as an added cherry on top is unlockable moves for each of links different weapons, sort of like twilight princess's sword techniques only expanded a little.

[Diogenes]

Also I cannot express enough the childish glee I get from the ability to just fuckin' hurl your weapon at dudes and have it be an actually reasonably effective tactic.

[Shaddy Zaphod]

1 hour ago, Mogtaki said:

Link remaining silent I'm quite alright with. I know a few characters that got annoying with voice acting *coughSoniccharacterslikeCharmycough* so having him just grunting and humming is fine.

Yeah, but annoying characters aren't annoying because they have a voice, it's because of a bad voice, or more likely, a badly written/annoying character in general. I could trust them do make Link interesting if they ever actually wrote a character for him.

Who would you guys have do Link's English voice if it did happen? I like Vic Mignogna as that other blonde teenager who fights stuff and screams slightly more often than necessary, so he'd be my pick

[Kuzu]

My Twitter timeline put it best; this Zelda finally embracing that Dark Souls like atmosphere that people have been clamoring for for years and I fucking love it. I'm really looking forward to the different customization options since that's just right up my alley :V

[Celestia]

I'm probably going to spend a lot of time with this game just goofing around in the overworld. I'm sure there are some people who are planning on getting the game primarily for that sort of thing. XP

[Mogtaki]

Just now, Celestia said:

I'm probably going to spend a lot of time with this game just goofing around in the overworld. I'm sure there are some people who are planning on getting the game primarily for that sort of thing. XP

Gotta roleplay to the max, man.

Even that god damn sunset looks so magnificent, geezus I just can't even this game. It's beautiful.

[Nix]

I haven't watched the entire stream yet, but based on what I've seen so far and what I've read from a recap from NeoGAF, this could be something special.  The amount of options the game presents to you for exploration and combat is impressive, especially some of the more physics based stuff you can do (like with fire).  Using gusts of wind to blow fire across the grass in a field to attack an enemy base from a distance, or using fire to gain more air with your stupid parachute thing so you get a better vantage point with your bow... it's really fucking awesome.  

My only potential problem is inventory management.  Link has new outfits, food and all that jazz, and it makes me think the menus might become a little shitty after awhile.  I fucking love The Witcher III, but even after CDProjekt Red completely redid the menus in a more recent patch it's still pretty shit.

But otherwise it's fine, fantastic even, can't wait to see more.

[Shaddy Zaphod]

50 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

My Twitter timeline put it best; this Zelda finally embracing that Dark Souls like atmosphere that people have been clamoring for for years and I fucking love it. I'm really looking forward to the different customization options since that's just right up my alley :V

Thing is, Dark Souls has an intentionally depressing and sort of "we're so far gone there's nothing left" tone to it, and while this has a lot of aspects similar to Dark Souls' roaming and "if you can see it you can go there" mindset, I think that the atmosphere isn't that different from standard titles.

[Sean]

I'm really really fucking amped for this game. The overworld itself is like if they combined the world of Shadow of the Colossus with the close-quarters puzzle-solving of Ico. In fact Zelda is making me want to replay those games again, along with Okami.

[azoo]

I honestly don't know what to say about the game itself as I've already out-talked myself with friends over it today (and agree with every sentiment from Sean, Indigo, Cele and Nepenthe).

But if this is the standard of innovation and bold steps Nintendo are willing to take now, then count me in. This game wastes no time harboring your nostalgia and instead spends every last second redefining the entire concept, emphasizing control and setting a new standard for gameplay and sense of scale, and that's all I ever could've asked for. It's taken leaps and bounds over my wildest imagination for Zelda, and it's got me feeling emotions I haven't felt in years about video games.

That's the Nintendo I used to know. 

I can't wait to see the other NPCs / main characters. I can't wait to see the towns and civilizations. I can't wait to see the dungeons and the bosses. I can't wait to see the variety in terrain. I can't wait to see just how far away my expectations are blown. I'm too giddy to even think, let alone speak. Give me this game.

[Remy]

1 hour ago, Nepenthe said:

Basically, Nintendo cut out a lot of the presets and rails that tend to govern games like this and have thus made a world that is far more interesting to interact with at first glance than other open world games, and the scary part is they showcased this with a vanilla version of the game in a small area where all they did at the end of the day was just run around and goof off. We haven't even seen towns and dungeons yet, nor do we know of any other weapons and items that will augment Link's way of getting around even more. It's not that it's an open world Zelda game. It's that it's a fantastic open world game that actually updates and twists up the Zelda formula in interesting and elegant ways. Nintendo knocked it out of the park.

TBH this is why I'm really interested in it. I really liked messing around in MGSV for the same reason- the gameplay systems, AI and World interacted in interesting, natural, ways that allowed me to solve problems with weird, unexpected solutions that weren't just "shoot and kill". Of course MGSV has it's own problems (there is little incentive to be weird when it starts giving you powerful weapons and tools, second half sucks) but a Zelda game embracing the manic tool/toybox style game design has the potential to be truly special. 

[Shaddy Zaphod]

This is going to be one of those games where one person brings up the ending and everyone goes "this game has an ending?", I just know it.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Well this video popped up of the trailer that plays for people going into Nintendo's booth

 

 

 

[Nepenthe]

Oh look at that. Must be nice to have E3 access. [/salty]

Something I've been thinking about that's weird is the use of technology in the world. Most if not all of it seems Sheikah/Hylia inspired, with the use of the eye symbol and a voice who I'm 99.9% sure is Hylia/Zelda speaking to Link waking him up. So it's obviously beneficial to him, and with him having been asleep in a pod it's possible this stuff had a generally positive association with Hyrule before Ganon screwed everything up. But then you have the Guardians which appear to be of the same technological design and mold, but which are excessively powerful and persistent enemies to you. So what's the deal? Why are they hunting you? And what exactly are they even Guardians of? The ambiguity of these elements is just odd, and is making me that much more excited for the story.