Breath of the Wild Game Overview

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The most recent Breath of the Wild game was released on Nintendo’s newest home gaming system: the Switch, and also on Nintendo’s previous console: Wii U.  The game was developed and published by Nintendo, and this is an action-adventure, open-world type of video game. It features a protagonist named Link who must complete quests and defeat enemies to progress throughout the story.

Bottom Line Up Front

Overall I found Breath of the Wild to be a great experience despite its issues with quests and dialogue. The variety of monsters, weapons, and places in Hyrule make it a fun place for players to explore while completing quests along the way across this vast world. If you enjoy action-adventure games that have the ability to pull the player in, then this game is for you.

Overview

Breath of the Wild Game Overview

In this game, Hyrule is a location visited frequently by Link, where he discovers new areas and characters, who add more layers to the storyline of Breath of the Wild. This open-world video game allows players to explore countless dangerous dungeons while gliding across fields with their trusty shield which has their own set of special powers.

The world in which Breath of the Wild takes place is vast and full of secrets to uncover. There are countless moments in the game when players are taken by surprise when they encounter random events that send them spiraling into new areas. This often leads to discovering new towns or enemies that Link will have to face.

The Beginning

Link, the protagonist in Breath of the Wild, wakes up to a strange voice who tells him that he must free himself. As soon as this happens, Link’s memories are erased and his mind goes blank. During this time, he is left with only his underwear to wear — which makes for some hilarious scenes throughout the game.

Link soon finds himself in a mysterious chamber with an odd-looking device, where he learns that Princess Zelda has been locked away by the evil Calamity Ganon, who is slowly growing stronger. This evil entity feeds off of the spirit of everyone in Hyrule and must be stopped before he can destroy all life.

Link’s Memories are Erased

In order to stop Calamity Ganon, Link must go on a journey and recover his memories. Throughout this quest, he’ll discover plenty of towns with their own set of problems that only Link can solve. The people in these areas will often provide him with new weapons or skills which will aid him on his journey.

As the game progresses, Link discovers more and more of the vast world of Hyrule. During his quest, he’ll come across countless monsters which will test all of his acquired skills.

A Dynamic World

Players must be on their toes throughout this game because there are plenty of random events that can happen at any moment. For example, one second you might be walking along with your shield, and the next you’ll find yourself tumbling off a cliff where you lose your weapon.

This Breath of the Wild game requires players to think on their feet because there is no hand-holding throughout the story. This makes for an entertaining experience as players will constantly come across frightening monsters or treacherous situations they must react to.

Quests

One of the most important aspects of this game are the quests, which are used to progress throughout the story. During these missions, players must use their acquired knowledge to defeat deadly enemies or solve challenges that will lead them to treasure or other rewards!

There are also side-quests players can complete in Breath of the Wild which allows them to take a break from the main storyline. These give players the opportunity to explore Hyrule even more while also giving them extra skills or items that can prove useful in later portions of the game.

Combat and Weapons

There are various weapons at Link’s disposal throughout this game, including swords, spears, axes, bows, clubs, and shields. Each one of these tools has its own special abilities and powers which make them useful for different situations. Weapons can be acquired by looting enemies, treasure chests found throughout the world or shops located in towns.

Link can also find plenty of different clothing throughout this game that provides him with special perks such as increased stealth or resistance to extreme temperatures. This allows players to choose the protection they feel is best for any given situation.

A Battle of Skills

Players will often find themselves facing off against powerful enemies known as Guardians which can be tricky to defeat. These foes have powerful lasers that players must dodge or else face a one-hit-kill scenario! To combat this, Link will need to use all of his acquired weapons, clothing and shields to their fullest potential.

Settings in Breath of the Wild

Since this is a series about traveling to distant lands, it seems only natural that there are plenty of different settings in Breath of the Wild. In fact, players won’t find any two areas in Hyrule that look exactly alike! The developers really outdid themselves with the design of this huge world, and players will be in awe as they come across one beautiful vista after another.

The game starts out in familiar territory, with players having to prove their worth by completing several shrine quests without any items or weapons. These areas are littered with powerful monsters that can crush Link if he’s not careful, but the reward of proving your power is worth all of the effort put into the challenges!

There are three different main dungeons in this game that will test Link’s skill and knowledge to its fullest. However, players must be wary because they might end up overpowered if they’re not careful (especially when it comes down to the final boss). The puzzles throughout these dungeons require a fair amount of thinking, but players who are tenacious enough will find themselves in awe of the final treasures they earn.

Hyrule is a vast land filled with mountains, fields, deserts, caves, forests and so much more! There are plenty of valuable materials all around Hyrule to help you protect yourself or put food in your belly. Oftentimes Link will need to climb up high to find the materials he needs or go into a dark cave filled with monsters just to grab some rocks.

These materials can be used to purchase items from shops located in towns, but players will also want to check out what enemies drop because some of them give rare resources and weapons! Hunting and gathering is essential for survival throughout this game (especially when it comes to making certain food or elixirs). The more items you find, the less you’ll need to purchase from stores.

This game also takes place in three different climates: cold mountains, hot deserts and lush forests. Each of these locations require specific clothing for Link if he wants to stay safe or make progress through various quests!

Graphics and Sound

The graphics in this game are simply sublime! The vast world, beautiful vista’s and adorable characters will have you stopping to take it all in. There are so many different little details that the developers added to Breath of the Wild that players will be looking for them everywhere they go!

When Link finds himself near a roaring fire, he will warm up and recover health. If he finds himself shivering in the cold, players can use certain items to warm him up (although it might take more than one since Link is still human).

Link can also find plenty of different clothing throughout this game that provides him with special perks such as increased stealth or resistance to extreme temperatures. This clothing can be purchased from shops, but most of it is dropped by enemies and found in chests!

The sounds in this game will also put players into a state of awe. The sound that the various weapons make as they collide with enemies and structures is unique and satisfying. There are even different sounds for how much damage you do to an enemy depending on where you hit them.

Link will also be able to communicate with animals in this game, and they can even help him out if he does something that pleases them! It’s amazing how much attention the developers put into the tiniest details of this game, making it feel more alive than any other Zelda title before it!

The vast array of items in this game is something that players will hardly be able to keep track of. There are weapons, bows and arrows, shields, tools and so much more! Each item has a specific use with different properties such as increased attack power or ability to shoot certain projectiles.

There are also tons of food items that Link can collect throughout the game to restore his health. Some of these items are quick, but others take time to cook before Link can consume them (and oftentimes they require cooking over a fire).

Puzzles and Dungeons

There are three dungeons in this game that players must complete, however there is one dungeon that appears halfway through the game that has its own separate map. Once you complete this dungeon, the game opens up to a whole new map where more dungeons await!

These dungeons are huge and can take hours to complete if players wish to find every last treasure. Dungeons give Link special items that will help him progress throughout the vast world of Breath of the Wild or open up even more areas to explore!

There are also many puzzles scattered throughout the game that Link can solve. Some of these puzzles may be in dungeons while others are located in the open world. It’s up to players to find them and figure out how they work!

Atmosphere and Immersion

Breath of the Wild creates a living, breathing world that feels more alive than any other Zelda game before it. The environment is lush and full of life while the characters are charming and relatable.

Link has a real personality in this game, which makes him feel more like a real person rather than a two-dimensional character. Not only does Link have different facial expressions based on what’s going on around him, but he also has a voice that will occasionally talk to the player!

Players have the option of choosing between English or Japanese voices, with subtitles available in 9 different languages. There are even several different language options for the user interface so players can see everything as they would if they were playing this game in their native language!

Boss Mode

After players complete the main story, they will unlock a new mode called “Boss Mode”, which allows them to face off against many of the bosses that they fought throughout the game. However, this mode is much harder than before and requires players to be at their best.

Players can set certain parameters for Boss Mode such as how much health Link starts off with, how quickly his health is drained by attacks and/or environmental hazards, or how many arrows Link can carry. It’s even possible to play Boss Mode while using the Hero’s Path feature that shows where you’ve traveled on the map!

Multiplayer Features

This is a single-player game, but there are some special Amiibo figures that can grant helpful items to Link. There’s also a network mode where up to four players can play cooperatively with each other throughout different portions of the game!

Gaming Consoles

Breath of the Wild was developed for the Wii U, but it can also be played on Nintendo Switch. Since it takes up so much space, you’re probably better off using an external hard drive to store all your save data!

FAQ

If you’re interested in learning more about Breath of the Wild, then these frequently asked questions may help.

Question: Is this Game Single-player Only?

Answer: Yes, it’s a single-player title that does not require an internet connection to play. If you have an internet connection then you can upload your data and download your friends’ data so you can see what they’re up to in the world of Breath of the Wild!

Question: Are the Amiibo Figures Only for this Game?

Answer: No, you can use your Link or Zelda Amiibo figure to help you in other Nintendo Switch titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!

Question: What’s the Download Size of Breath of the Wild?

Answer: The game is roughly 13GB. That doesn’t take up much space considering it’s an open-world game!

Question: What Language Options are Available?

Answer: Breath of the Wild has voice acting in Japanese or English with subtitles for 9 different languages. You can even change Link’s voice to sound younger if you want! This game also has several UI options, including one that shows all of your controls on the screen so you don’t have to pause and look at the menu if you want to do something quickly.

Question: Is there Multiplayer in this Game?

Answer: Yes, but it’s only for cooperative play. You can team up with other players as long as they’re on your friend list or using a special code that allows them to join your session. There are also Amiibo figures that act as another player to help you with certain quests.

Question: What is the DLC for Breath of the Wild?

Answer: There are three major pieces of downloadable content that were released over the course of 2017: Master Quest, The Champions’ Ballad, and the most recent pack called The Champion’s Pack. Each one adds new dungeons to the game, items for Link to use, new side quests, and other things like new outfits for Link.

Question: Is There a Special Edition of Breath of the Wild?

Answer: Yes! There were two versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild released on launch day: a regular version and a “Special Edition” that came with an art book and a CD with music from the game.

Question: What Happens When you Complete Breath of the Wild?

Answer: If you do everything that there is to do, then your save file will show that you’ve played for over 500 hours! You can keep playing or just start a new save file.
By completing the game, you also unlock Boss Mode, which is a much more difficult version of the game that gives Link half as much health, halves the damage he takes from enemies, reduces your inventory by half, and makes you start over with 2000 rupees.

Question: Is Breath of the Wild Being Released on any Other Console?

Answer: Yes! While this game was intended to be played on Nintendo Switch only, it can also be played on any PlayStation 4 or Xbox One by buying the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

Conclusion

The Breath of the Wild is an incredible adventure for anyone who loves open-world games! There are plenty of different monsters, quests and items to keep any player busy for hours on end. Even better, this game is compatible with the Wii U as well as the new Nintendo Switch!

Breath of the Wild is definitely one of the best Zelda games Nintendo has released, and I would place it near the top along with Ocarina of Time. The fast-paced gameplay, vast open world, difficult dungeons, and unpredictable events are just some of many reasons why you should play this game.

More related overviews:

Ocarina of Time Game Overview

Twilight Princess Game Overview

A Link to the Past Game Overview

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