The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features a vast open world map 12 times larger than its predecessor, which allows for exploration and adventure at the player’s pace. The game features verticality, allowing players to climb almost anything, including buildings, and gliders and updrafts can carry them great distances. The world is responsive to weather and the time of day, including environmental hazards such as extreme heat, cold, and poison. The game features shrines that offer a unique puzzle or combat challenge, and completing them rewards the player with a Spirit Orb that can be exchanged for health or stamina upgrades. Additionally, the game features four massive dungeon-like structures known as Divine Beasts, controlled by Ganon’s minions, and each one presents its own unique challenge.
Exploring the Vast World of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda franchise is known for its vast and imaginative worlds, and the latest installment, Breath of the Wild, is no exception. With a map size roughly 12 times larger than its predecessor, Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild offers a wealth of exploration and adventure.
The Open World
The most significant departure from previous Zelda titles is the concept of an open world. Players are free to explore Hyrule at their own pace, and the game rewards curiosity with hidden treasures and secrets. The world is also responsive to weather and time of day – rain can make surfaces slippery, and lightning can strike if you’re wielding metal weapons. Nights are dark and dangerous, with tougher enemies emerging and valuable resources like mushrooms and insects appearing on trees and rocks.
Verticality
Breath of the Wild adds a new dimension to exploration with its emphasis on verticality. You can climb almost anything in the game, from trees to cliffs to the sides of buildings. This allows for creative approaches to combat, stealth, and puzzle-solving. The game also features gliders and updrafts that let you soar high into the sky and glide great distances. With careful use of stamina, it’s even possible to cross entire regions of the map without touching the ground.
Environmental Hazards
One of the most challenging aspects of Breath of the Wild is the presence of environmental hazards. Extreme heat, cold, and poison can all chip away at your health unless you take the appropriate precautions. You’ll need to dress appropriately, consume food and elixirs, and seek shelter or warmth to survive. Even seemingly harmless locations like rivers can be dangerous if you underestimate their currents or the presence of enemies like electric Wizzrobes.
The Shrines
As you explore Hyrule, you’ll come across dozens of small structures known as shrines. Each shrine offers a unique puzzle or combat challenge, and completing it rewards you with a Spirit Orb. These orbs can be exchanged for health or stamina upgrades, making shrines valuable resources for any adventurer.
The Puzzle Shrines
Puzzle shrines are perhaps the most satisfying part of Breath of the Wild. Each one presents a distinct challenge, from timing-based platforming to physics-based puzzles. Some use the game’s runes – items that grant Link special abilities like creating ice blocks or manipulating magnetic objects – to great effect. Others require you to use your wits and observation skills to decipher clues and find hidden secrets. The sense of satisfaction upon completing a shrine is hard to replicate in any other game.
The Combat Shrines
Combat shrines, on the other hand, focus on testing your combat skills. Each one presents a series of increasingly difficult enemies culminating in a miniboss. These challenges can be tackled in a variety of ways – stealth, ranged attacks, picking off enemies one by one, or charging in headfirst. Completing a combat shrine rewards you with powerful weapons or shields, making them a great source of loot for those brave enough to take them on.
The Divine Beasts
Aside from shrines, Breath of the Wild also features four massive dungeon-like structures known as Divine Beasts. These ancient machines were built to combat the game’s primary antagonist, the calamitous Ganon, and each one is controlled by a different champion of Hyrule. These champions are deceased when the game starts, and the structures have fallen into the control of Ganon’s minions.
The Puzzles of the Divine Beasts
Each Divine Beast presents a unique challenge, with puzzles and obstacles that require a combination of your combat and puzzle-solving skills to overcome. For example, the elephant-shaped Divine Beast, Vah Ruta, can manipulate water levels and uses this ability to create waterfalls and move platforms. The bird-shaped Divine Beast, Vah Medoh, relies on gusts of wind and introduces a fantastic mechanic where you aim a cannon to shoot down enemies and targets while soaring through the air.
The Bosses of the Divine Beasts
Like shrines, each Divine Beast culminates with a boss fight. These battles are some of the game’s most memorable moments, with creative and intimidating foes that use the same abilities as their respective Divine Beasts. Beating a Divine Beast earns you a new ability that you can use in combat or exploration, making these structures a great way to progress through the game.
The World Beyond the Map
Even with its massive map, Breath of the Wild still manages to feel like a world with more to discover beyond the boundaries. From the Great Plateau where the game begins, you can see distant mountains, mysterious islands, and strange structures. While many of these are just scenery, some hold secrets that can only be discovered by venturing beyond the map’s limits.
The Korok Seeds
Korok seeds are a collectible hidden throughout the world that encourage exploration. Each seed is tucked away in a cunning hiding spot, and finding them all requires you to scour every nook and cranny. Additionally, some seeds are rewarded for completing side quests or finding special locations, so there’s always a reason to keep exploring.
The Memories
The game’s main story missions require you to recollect memories of Link’s past. These memories are scattered throughout Hyrule, and finding them not only progresses the story but also fleshes out the characters and backstory. Even after finding all the memories, the world can still surprise you with new interactions and revelations.
Conclusion
Breath of the Wild is a game that begs to be explored. With a vast open world, unique mechanics, and secrets hidden everywhere, there’s always something new to discover. Whether you’re a fan of puzzles, combat, or simply soaking in the atmosphere, this game has something for you. So grab your glider, strap on your climbing gear, and get ready to explore the vast world of Hyrule.