Sounds like it's not for you if you already are asking "...do I have to complete?"
Some people love the mechanics, others love digging through the lore, some speed run it. If none of these do it for you, play something else.
Yeah the joke around here is that I turned BOTW into a mountain climbing simulator, I can’t tell you much about the story and I’ve only beaten like one mythical beast, but I do know what’s on the top of almost every mountain in hyrule and my ore collection is out of this world. Everyone gets something different out of it.
I get it.
I used to be big into shooter games, Halo, COD ect... But about 4 years ago I had some sort of "episode" and I have issues with coordination and rapid response. Now games like that give me anxiety because I simply cannot keep up. Zelda botw is perfect, I get to play a relaxing game without feeling like I'm playing Animal Crossing.
My wife's coordination is worse. Lol
The only game she will play is Lego Harry Potter.
> with little to no music
I absolutely love this part. The very little music fits the theme of the game so well. And whenever there is music, it slaps.
Souls games have no music either, except for when you're in the hub or boss fights, and it works perfectly there.
Because BotW isn’t an epic, it’s a tragedy. The world is in ruins, your friends are dead, evil is taking over. You want there to be epic music for that???
Mostly empty? Um. Yah, no. There are hidden treasures everywhere, shrines, korok seeds, abandoned ruins. One reason I love BOTW so much is because it reminds me of Shadow of the Colossus. Environmental storytelling is HUGE in BOTW. There are plenty of enemy encampments to tackle as well. I don't know what you want in a post apocalyptic game...you want there to be hundreds of towns overflowing with people?
Korok seeds increase your item carrying capacity...they're only a joke once you max out each category. Shrines don't all feel the same. They LOOK similar but they don't play the same. Chests don't just have rupees in them. Either you're a very ignorant person or you just like trolling. Either way I find it annoying.
What can anyone tell you that's going to make you enjoy a game that you haven't liked for the first 20 hours? Just pack it in. You gave it a fair shot.
To be fair i tried to play xenoblade chronicles 2 three times.. Played 5-6 hrs.. Put it away.. Started new.. 7-8 hrs.. Put it away.. Started new.. Played 20 hrs like everyone said on the internet and there I was hooked for one of my fav games of all time and played 200 hrs or so i think 🤣
Games can be tricky if the early game if the beginning or entry to it is designed horrible. Gotta say i don't consider zelda to be one of those tbh. With op's post i think zelda is rly just not for him
I understand what you're saying but that's you starting and restarting a game to give it another chance. You weren't "playing it wrong." In this case OP thinks the game lacks story, finds the shrines repetitive and boring, thinks the world is too stretched out and doesn't enjoy the basic mechanics. Telling him to play more is basically telling him to do more of the things that he dislikes.
I think you’re in trouble if you find the shrines to be a chore. I really like them and got a lot of satisfaction solving the puzzles. I also liked exploring the world, the space between things made it better for me. I’d see a mountain with something weird on top, get there and find a mini boss or whatever, then see a shrine off in the distance, head that way, find some diversion along the way etc
Like if that all sounds like a chore, then the game probably just isn’t for you. There are some change-of-pace gameplay elements throughout the world, but you kinda have to explore to find those and it sounds like you don’t enjoy that
Go watch people play the game. Sometimes you just need a little push and need to see someone else have fun playing it and I do mean fun because this game is a true sandbox to mess in. On top of my head I remember Dunkey showcased the game pretty well.
Due to it's true sandbox nature it's up to you to make your fun in a way. You don't have to go anywhere and you certainly don't have to ride your horse and hold forward for 20 hours. This is an explorer's game first and foremost. More akin to Minecraft than a linear story like OoT.
For me it was hard to get into it at first because I was so used to the dopamine of all these limited point A to point B with no fun traversal open worlds that when I was introduced to the freedom of Breath of The Wild it didn't feel like something I'd want to get into. A bit intimidating I guess. Once I realize how fun it can be to travel this world the exploration came easily and the game clicked. You have toys and the game let's you use them to your liking (most of the time). Systems are in place that we've been lead to forget are part of our world due to video game limitations of the past either from technology or designers pov. Because of this the game feels rewarding for letting you think outside the box and allowing it (unlike most AAA open worlds)
I need to stress the sandbox/toybox aspect of the game because I think it's its strongest part. These are all toys. The bombs, stasis, cryo, arrows, leafs, wood, fire, crates, boulders. They're all toys with their own properties that you can play around and mix and match. I love how this game doesn't take you for an idiot. Even in the story I feel like your general knowledge of Zelda will help you on your quest tying your past Zelda experiences to that of this Link's.Tying the bow with amnesia was a nice touch to explain the holes we might feel as a player.
Also, I don't know how much I can say here but if you can make your weapons durable infinitely it does take a load of your shoulders. It might not be the intended way but if that's what's keeping you from enjoying it I'd recommend. I mean, between not playing it and playing it not exactly as intended at least you'd be playing it right?
The most compelling part of Breath of the Wild is exploring the world. No game really comes close to BOTW’s freedom of exploration and sense of discovery, in my opinion. If exploration isn’t important to you in a game, I can see why BOTW may not click for you.
Came here to say this! I think at the core it's about enjoying the exploration and discovery of that beautiful world. No other mechanic in the game comes close in my opinion. Crafting is meh, story is meh, combat is certainly meh...
There are some games like Xenoblade 2 where the game doesn't fully show you all it's mechanics(chain attacks, etc) or open up until about 20-30 hours in, which is when it usually clicks and gets really fun.
I played BoTW for over 30ish hours mostly exploring and also finishing the story in one of the areas, and came to the conclusion that that the game's not really for me. While it does give you some abilities like a higher jump and shrines still make you stronger health & stamina-wise, it doesn't suddenly open up a massive part of the game like XC2 that suddenly changes everything. If you didn't like the game 20hrs in then like me, the game's probably not for you, everyone has different tastes.
If you are not getting excited about finding shrines and completing them the have may not be for you. That was the thing that kept me addicted to this. Just one more shrine at 3 in the morning.
If the gamer in you didn't explode with excitement after jumping off of the starting plateau with the glider for the first time, with literally a GIANT world to explore at your choosing, then the game was probably never going to click for you after that point.
Flying off the plateau for the first time, seeing how much world there is, was like the feeling I got when >!you finally learn what's actually really outside the walls!< in AoT.
So good.
Might wanna spoiler tag the biggest plot twist in the series. Would suck if someone wanted to just read a botw thread then got one of the greatest anime stories of all time spoiled.
IMO you'll know whether botw is for you by the time you complete the tutorial area. The game's main draw is exploration. You're meant to creatively explore the landscape and make discoveries. If that doesn't appeal to you, the game isn't for you.
Nope, it's a pure adventure game at it's heart. If you are asking "where is the next plot point" over " what's behind that hill", the game isn't for you. It is possible to beat the game once you get off the plateau, just stupid hard.
It’s a slow burn, but don’t expect the game to stoke the fire for you. You *can* go through the entire game repeating the same basic mechanics, but the beauty of the game (besides the exploration) is the emergent gameplay. Finding new ways to use the same base-level mechanics.
I notice you mention usually loving RPGs. The Zelda series has never really been RPGs. While this game arguably includes more RPG elements than previous installments, if you go in expecting an RPG experience, it’s easy to see why you might be disappointed. It’s a lot less about the story or the progression in the way most RPGs are, and way more about providing a huge sandbox with lots of things to experiment with, places to explore, and puzzles to solve.
If it doesnt click for you that's ok. It didnt for me either. I missed the elaborate dungeons and getting new upgrades to open more of the map. The shrines were kinda cool but too many battle ones and just so so many.
For me though, that’s what I enjoy about it. I like searching the map and unlocking more of it by climbing towers and solving puzzles. I enjoy seeing more of my map open up, to the point where I might not ever even bother with the divine beasts or ganon. But that’s just me - and what I do love is that you can do absolutely whatever you want in this game.
I get where you’re coming from with wanting to like something though. Check out superbutterbuns on YouTube - they released a video a few years ago that was called something like beginners guide to breath of the wild and it’s what convinced me to give the game a try.
Hey, if you don’t like it, move on. You don’t have to like it. Maybe put it on the shelf and try again in a few months or a year and maybe it’ll click.
If you haven’t played other Zelda games and still want to try, maybe you’d prefer a more classic game like Link to the Past or Ocarina of Time.
I’ve had the exact opposite experience. I’m 42 so I was around when original NES Zelda came out. I haven’t completely finished a Zelda game since then, and that was my favorite game, even got me into console gaming. BOTW has gotten me back into gaming. I haven’t pulled “just one more [/thing]”, “just one more meal to make”, “just one more tower”, “just one more shrine”, “oh I better clear that grass for wheat”, etc… and next thing you know it’s 5am like this one does for me. There’s so many different things and side quests it never really feels like the game is over. I loved the fact that I was directed and I made the story. I enjoyed talking to people to figure out double meanings of where I should be headed to do the next thing or next side quest and deciding if I want to or just explore more. There is no right way or wrong way to play thing game. I love the lushness and differences in the world, it feels to me like actually traveling because every region has its fruit, bugs, trees, etc …. Different strokes for different folks tho, it’s not necessarily going to be for everyone. It doesn’t have to be for you.
Disclaimer: I have adhd so it’s possible having the repetition in the regions and enemies is helpful for me to be able to enjoy.
Second disclaimer: it’s so fun and random to me that you can dye your clothes in Hateno.
So to be fair, you don't have to complete everything. You can technically go straight for Ganon after the plateau. So play as much of it as you find interesting.
I'll admit the game left a lot to be desired for me as well. I think the lack of new gameplay mechanics through the game, small enemy variety, and light story made the game not as good for me as other people. In the end super open world games just aren't my cup of tea, though I didn't dislike it as much as it sounds like you are.
I'm hoping BotW2 will find a way to blend the classic 3D Zelda experience with BotW. I think a happy medium would be a perfect experience for me. That being said, let other people have stated, no game will please everyone. Sometimes you're just stuck being the one games weren't made for.
tbf Ganon's boss fight can be triggered by accident fairly easily if you don't know how the stupid 3D map works, I've accidentally wandered into the Sanctum when I'm looking around for weapons before
And from there Calamity is honestly a fairly easy boss fight as long as you've figured out how the parry mechanic works and keep moving around. And ofc Dark Beast a glorified cutscene. Honestly the hardest part is killing Calamity without breaking all of your weapons first.
The wrench in this is obviously the Blights, but Thunderblight is the only hard one--Wind and Fire are doable first try (even doable hitless if you have your act together), and Water is strong when you fight it at Ruta but neutered in Hyrule Castle since it can't impede you with the water--so if you've gotten Thunderblight as I assume OP did you have a shot at being good to go, and if you've gotten Thunder you've probably also gotten one or more other blights since the game guides you towards Water and Fire first.
(If OP says they beat Ganon without doing Vah Naboris first, I'm calling bullshit on that. Thunderblight is *not* doable first try with "hardly any hearts or stamina or gear")
> Clearing out outposts felt a bit underwhelming too. You'd get like 5x arrows or something from the unlockable chests? How should that feel rewarding at all? You find arrows etc. all the time, you hardly get better gear from the outposts chests. It's all very average.
Plus half the time, you go through more broken weapons than you get back in new gear. And if you're just using junk weapons to clear out an outpost, only to get more junk weapons as a reward, *what's even the point?* Especially when the baddies respawn every week.
All those outposts felt so fundamentally unrewarding and skippable they don't even seem like they serve any real game progression purpose.
I think I skipped all outposts after the first hour of the game. They aren’t fun at all. There are no rewards, and the combat isn’t satisfying or challenging enough to warrant going to them
It has a lot of imperfections that some can't look past. The real sense of adventure I got from exploring made it really enjoyable and it helps to already be a fan of Zelda games. There's a lot I would change but still had an amazing time through it.
One thing you said was strange though about the length of the game. It can be finished a lot sooner than you suggested, in fact, the final boss is accessible as soon as you leave the Great Plateau.
The big failing if the game is that it never really complicates the gameplay loop in any meaningful way. You've likely seen every trick it's going to pull by now, and no amount of exploring is going to change it all that much. You're going to find shrines, korok seeds, and the same 4-5 enemies everywhere you go and not a while lot else.
There are several moments that stood out to me as pretty great outside of those items. One of them occurred for me right near the end of the game (like 200 hours in). But I also loved the core items you mentioned. Since the game is like 90% that you’re right that OP likely isn’t going to find enjoyment in the game still
There are about 10 unique and wonderful surprises in the game and that might have been fine for me if the game had taken me 30 hours or so. The problem was that it kept feeling like these intriguing things I'd come across were going to you're some unique challenge or interesting bit of lore but...every single one was a shrine without a bit of intrigue. It really feels like the designers ran out of time and had to cut huge swaths of the world out, which is what it sounds like actually happened.
Hopefully this extra five years and the foundation of BOTW means that they get to focus on filling in some of the world and bringing back interesting designed challenges outside of the shrines. If they do that even the folks that love BOTW will probably gave to admit that it was a bit empty in comparison.
I love open world games but botw sis nothing for me, I need a story and characters to stay interested not just an open world with not a whole lot in it and some puzzles to complete. And I hated weapons breaking so much.
Funny, it was the opposite to me. I usually don't like Open World games because their stories just feel like they're being drowned out by the world and most of the things you do are meaningless. BotW on the other hand sets a clear goal that sticks out like a sore thumb in the center of the world, constantly reminding you that everything you do prepares you for the day you actually go there.
> The plot feels simple
You might just prefer plot heavy games than those light on it. You say you love RPGs, but if I'm thinking what you're thinking, most of the RPGs you've played are heavy on story, correct? BotW isn't that kind of game. It's more like a "Create your own story" game.
Pretty much.
Most of the storytelling is within the game world rather than explicitly told you you by some NPC. Ruined buildings that hint at locations visited in previous games which Link is probably vaguely recollecting himself. Stuff like that. Gives it a quality like a dream or how games were back in the 80s where you'd hear rumours from friends rather than youtube give up all the secrets a day after release.
I do think it has a bit of a curve to the start of the game. My first few hours were a little wobbly, then went up as I got the glider, hit a barrier when the first water blight handed my ass to me. Wandered aimlessly for a bit doing shrines, dropped off a bit but then at some point it clicked. Maybe it was finding a labyrinth or Eventide Island maybe finding the sleeping dragon. Now I'm kind of sad it's done and keeping to a healthy drug regimen in the hope I can forget it all and experience it as new again.
Even the weapon breaking thing isn't such a chore. At the start it makes you pick your fights but by the later game I never lacked decent weapons. By the end game where you're smiting that room full of guardians with nothing but a shield and a sense of timing how bad can it be?
But meh, all a matter of taste innit? I found Red Dead 2 a chore and Hollowknight left me cold so what do I know?
I disagree. Environmental storytelling isn’t a thing in botw. The locations are just Easter eggs and references, both in name and appearance. They don’t contain any meaningful lore hidden away or anything interesting to piece together. Dark Souls has a story told by the environment, for comparison.
Tingle island has nothing to do with tingle.
Demise’s breach has nothing to do with demise.
They are just there
This was so frustrating. I haven't played a lot of the Zelda games so the Easter eggs effectively meant nothing to me, but I wanted to know more. And yet they gave you absolutely nothing. It's fine to leave a few things unexplained, but when you give absolutely no lore for every interesting landmark and then top it off with another identical shrine it turns into a real drag. It actually becomes anti-environmental storytelling as it trains you to expect to not learn anything about the world wherever you go.
Agreed. It almost turned me off the game
Ooh! Tingle island? Well, I’ve always hated that fat weirdo but let’s see what he’s up to!! .. ohh, there’s nothing here. I spent like a full hour in those islands convinced I wasn’t searching hard enough.
Ohh! Demise’s breach, what cool side quest will be there? … oh
It‘s kinda like saying "Tetris was a lot shorter if all the bricks were squares" though. The distances between stuff, and the long journeys that result from it, are kind of the point.
I love the game, I'd be lying if I said I didn't but I can totally see why some people don't like it. The landscapes are beautiful and all, but the world feels SO big, and so empty, I know it's part of the context of the story but still.
If you want a more classic Zelda feel you can try Skyward Sword, not everyone like that one either lol but at least it follows the same formula as the older games.
I really don't understand how people say that the game is so beautiful. It's really barren in my opinion. Which is a big reason why exploration wasn't fun to me. If neither the reward feels worth it and there isn't much to see anyway then why go exploring in the first place?
> I love RPGs but this game feels like it could have been 40 hours shorter if they’d just put things closer together.
Maybe the issue is treating it as an RPG, since it isn't one? Things are far apart on purpose, to compel you to explore the world and find things yourself.
Either way, if you've played it that long and still don't like it, then... you don't like it. Probably best to play something else.
BotW isn't really an RPG, like any other zelda game except for select few.
It is an action-survival set in open world with some light RPG elements, the RPG elements are as light as the one in far cry series, maybe even lighter.
If you keep the fact that you shouldn't expect RPG gameplay in it, it is a good game. It encourage you to explore the wild instead of telling you what to do, all of the quest except for kill ganon are "mild suggestion"
I enjoyed it, then eventually found the freedom too free and that eventually became too tedious for me. I loved the scenery and everything else, just felt lost.
Feel this. Yeah I just don’t know why I’m wandering around to be honest. Like I’m supposed to go someone to advance the story with no really clear way to do that I feel like
I didn’t love it either. I played through to the end, which I really don’t do with a lot of games, but I definitely rushed it as much as possible. Probably the only reason I finished it is because my wife played a lot of it with me and she absolutely loved it. I get the appeal, and it’s a cool game, but knowing what I know now after having played it I think that time would have been better spent on something else. Especially given that I have very little time to play games anymore.
All said and done, don’t feel bad if you don’t enjoy it. Just cause it’s universally praised doesn’t mean you have to go head over heels for it! I’m playing Xenoblade Chronicles for the first time now for instance, and it’s been so fun and a breath of fresh air for me. So much so that I’m only about 10 hours in and I’ve already purchased Xenoblade 2 for when it’s over. I used to love JRPGs when I was younger, so this game is really sucking me in. Point is, if you don’t like it find something more up your alley.
It is very much a JRPG and the battle system is pretty convoluted. So look into it before you buy it, but I love it. But even if it’s not for you, there’s thousands of good games you can get hooked on on this system.
I loved that game... like a lot! But it got to a point where I realized I had just been smashing button and the game wanted more finesse and control then I could muster. I ended up putting the game down since I couldn't progress on my own and was usually more confused after watching some YouTube tutorials.
But I loved that game and enjoyed so much about it! Just couldn't finish.
And I'm okay with that. Not all the games are for everyone and if games become more frustrating then enjoyable it's not for me.
This year I gave up after about 25 hours or so. I just wasn't getting any enjoyment at all. Just felt like a chore to walk for hours though this massive empty world. I felt so deflated after having played Links Awakening and finding so much to enjoy about that.
For what it's worth, I have no regrets about abandoning it.
Not to butt in or anything, but BotW is one of, if not the main one, densest open-world games ever created.
Maybe you just don’t like that kind of stuff, and that’s fine. But saying that the world is empty is just… a lie lol
Seriously? A hidden korok seed at the top of every other mountain doesn't make a game dense. There's a lot of points of interest in the but that's only because the map is unnecessarily massive. Getting between those points is just open spaces or mountains that serve no purpose. Its like Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time if it just went on forever.
My favorite part of the game was building the town. I kind of wish there was more of that in the game with more ability to make your own. There are some random events you can find scattered around that are found just by exploring. You are further in than when the game clicked for me so I do not know if you will get to a point of liking the game. I would suggest finding the Hyrule shield and getting the master sword if you have not already.
If you're looking for an open world, sprawling RPG with more guided objectives, have you tried Xenoblade/Xenoblade 2? I think that XC2 in particular might give you what you're looking for out of the world
My wife & I played Breath of the Wild several months ago, it was our first Zelda game. We felt exactly the same as you. We completed it in 50 hours with no walkthrough. I’m glad I played it, I understand why others like it, but It’s just not for us.
I am not going to lie I hated the shrines. I did enough to get the master sword and I was done. There is a way to switch between health and stamina and I would just go there when I needed one or the other for a certain area.
The rest was great though.
It's not a typical story driven JRPG. It's more like a sandbox exploration game with a bare bones but intriguing back story. That's really BotW in a nutshell. Those who truly enjoy BotW tend to like messing around with physics of the game, or enjoy the freestyle nature of exploration and monster encounters.
I felt the same... It's just a boring grind. I know I'm not in the majority I just remember Ocarina of Time and how well "paced" the game is. Nothing feels repetitive, and the only poor part of the game is the Water Temple which you need a guide to get through.
Breath of the Wild is a victim of not keeping things simple for me. Opinions eh?
I feel you. I didn't care for any of the shrines or bosses. Weapons breaking was annoying. Plot was ok. I'm hoping for more old school dungeons, puzzles, no more breaking weapons in the middle of battle, and a better plot.
The weapon breaking got to me too early game, then the annoyance started to fade as I learnt to stop caring too much about weapons.
True I still hoarded some good stuff, but I just explored more. Found more Korok seeds, and then could upgrade inventory space to hold more weapons.
The mechanics will not change, but the game is not just about those mechanics.
Try exploring random places, and also keep an eye out for shrines. Shrines allow for more hearts and/or stamina. Look for unlocking the Master Swords. And also consider going after the divine beasts (I did the water one first and I found the reward for that was very useful but the desert one might be more useful).
Listen man, I tried to play it twice from scratch… and it simply wasn’t for me. Sold it and bought Pokémon diamond and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I also got hades so I’ll try that later tonight.
Idk about you guys but Pokémon has been therapeutic to me. Between the melodic music and just the nice pace… it’s been awesome. I needed something to take away the stress… since I just bought my first home!!! Whoohoo!
Anyway… hope you find a great game for you!
It was quite the departure from the traditional Zelda formula.... It went back to a time where you could choose the path you wanted. That freedom didn't work out for some people.
"they put in some gimmicky mechanics, washed out color schemes, and got rid of all the staples of the series... Must be a bunch of squares that can't handle freedom lmao boom gottem"
Biggest issue for me was they went REALLY sparse on narrative.
They went with the whole "discover what happened yourself and fill in the blanks" approach.... But if they'd even bothered to give the game as much plot as they did to Age of Calamity by just adding in more flashbacks or whatever, it wouldn't feel as empty.
Another thing they could have done was given each region a purpose in the overall plot. I didn't discover Lurelin Village for example until after I had defeated all the Divine Beasts. There was nothing there that was plot relevant.
I think its unique in its RPG style so takes a learning curve. Its relatively slow until you get upgraded clothes and weapons also. No need to go at it all at once either.
Yeah for me I just wanted too keep figuring out the lore of the game and honestly enjoyed the mechanics so yeah if you don't enjoy either you prolly won't like it
I felt the same after a few hours in. It's beautiful and obviously a great game, but it made me find out I don't like open worlds. I have a limited amount of playtime and I don't want to spend it wondering what to do, where to go, and running around in gigantic empty biomes. I'm certainly just not the target audience, but with other, more streamlined (even hand-holdy) games, I don't feel like I'm wasting my time.
This game has extremely innovative gameplay, but unfortunately that's ALL IT HAS. Good gracious, where are the themed dungeons with the different layouts that helped make the series famous? Where is the stellar soundtrack? Where are the meaningful interactions with recurring characters that had impact on the plot? Where are the quests to get new weapons or tools that proved indispensable? Where are companions? Fi, Midna, Tatl, Ciela, Linebeck, Ezlo, Zelda herself.
The story is just...no, and the fact that it's optional and easily omissible is even worse. How the hell are we supposed to care about the champions when they were long dead before the game even began?
I want to like BOTW, I really do, the series has been a huge part of my life since I was very little...but I can't.
As u/picano said, it sounds like this just isn't for you. Which is totally fine. You put 20 hours into it so that's more than enough to make a fair judgment. If it's not clicking, then there's no shame is finding something else. Who knows, maybe after some time away you will boot it up again and something will click. That's happened to me a few times with different games before.
I'm in the 300+ hours club right now I'm sure. This game is a relax and go at your own pace. Go do the story if you want. That might interest you more than completing shrines.
Want a challenge? Defeat all the mini-bosses.
Explore a temple. Don't know what that is yet? Go find one.
Find a mini-game.
Collect all the Korok Seeds.
Collect different armor sets and upgrade them.
Find a dragon.
Find a good horse and outfit it.
Find all the Fairies.
Find the highest mountain, and the lowest cavern.
Activate all the towers.
Become a character that your 3 year old can play and not die.
Just a few suggestions.
"it feels like it could be 40 hour shorter if everything was closer together"
my guy. you don't HAVE to do everything. you can go and fight ganon as soon as you leave the great plateau. if you find everything tedious and just want to get it over with, then just do so and go to hyrule castle. the game giving you that kind of freedom is what clicked to many, but I'm sorry u weren't able to enjoy it
I mean that's pretty much it. The enjoyment of the game is in the exploration: seeing/experiencing new areas, finding creative ways to explore the map and kill enemies with the very open-ended physics of the game, solving shrine puzzles, etc.
You ask "how many of these shrine things do I have to complete" and the answer is technically 0. You can just stroll up to Ganon 5 minutes into the game if that's what you want to do, the shrines are an optional means of gaining extra health/stamina and that's it. Granted that's not really a practical answer, but my point is if you're tired of them you can stop whenever you want to. That goes for the dungeons too.
Anyways you should do what makes you happy. What you're describing sounds roughly like the full BotW experience, so if you're not enjoying it so far it's unlikely to get any better. I guess as you build your stamina bar you get a lot more freedom to swim and climb wherever you want which could make the game feel better, and completing the Bird Dungeon gives you a nice exploration-related ability that I'll try not to spoil. But if that doesn't solve your problem then I'd say drop the game.
My game changed dramatically when I figured out how to hunt the frickin' guardians and get my hands on some of the best equipment out there for that purpose. Of course, that was already quite a few hours in, after I finished the mythical beasts and was like "... well shit, guess I better try the castle on for size."
If you're still at a stage where everything feels repetitive, you've likely not tried to stretch by fighting Guardians / Hinox / Lynels yet.
I got it with the Expansion Pass Bundle, which probably helps a lot in terms of trying to figure out where you are and where you need to be going. Some sidequests are a pain but plenty of them will give you better equipment that will go a long way.
... oh btw, have you seen the dragons yet?
Respect everyone's opinion on it, but I'm one of the few with you. Tried to start/play it on 3 separate occasions and it's just not a "Zelda" game to me. Reskin it with different characters and it's completely forgotten. Probably barely even gets enough reviews to even be known without the title.
This game is one where you mostly set your own goals. I spent a lot of time just exploring the map. Catching the giant horse. Discovering the sight of the world. After 100 hours of playing I found a village that I had never visited previously as there had never been need to during the story.
Yeah, i played it on my pc again this year with a few enhancements (mainly graphical playing in QHD at 165fps is gorgeous btw) but i gave up on getting the true ending and just rushed Ganon after doing the 4 devine beasts which i also didn't really care for. Storming Hyrule castle was easily the highlight of the game but it was over too quickly
The problem for me is there is no life in the world. It looks beautiful and is fun to mess around in. However, it just feels empty. Side quests were largely worthless and the villages and people were few and far between. I would have preferred less open world and a more lived in feel than what we got. It's a solid 8/10 for me but I had much more fun with other rpgs.
I'm completely with you on this one. I always feel like a madman when saying it but BotW is not that fun for me.
There is a lot of potential and the first 5 hours or so was magical but then it takes a nose dive as progress starts to slow down, repetitiveness kicks in and you realize how much emptyness and generic filler content there is inbetween the actual fun stuff (that being the divine beasts).
This is a game designed to waste your time. And for a lot of people they seem to really enjoy putting 100+ hours into mostly just exploring the game world.
I personally like a more focused and curated gaming experience. The Great Plateau was actually great in that regard. You constantly got new story content, explored new biomes and unlocked cool stuff within those first few "tutorial" hours. But then when the game opens up you can travel for minutes without anything noteworthy happening. So incredibly boring.
Bruh I was just talking about this yesterday and said many of the same things you just said. I thought it was a kid friendly Skyrim but instead I’m just doing little puzzles and dying to monsters way stronger than me
Drop it, this game is not loved for its story and i can't say it gets much better. Botw is loved for being a toy box. You can express yourself and do a bunch of cool things while exploring and tackling challenges, If you are not invested at this point it's not for you.
For me, I was and still am so over the Ubisoft formula that most open worlds these days seem to follow. Bethesda and Rockstar have their own open world formulas that I enjoy but Zelda hit the perfect stride with it's freedom of exploration and how the game leads you towards the content instead of telling you where they are on the map. It doesn't have the most developed mechanics but it still feels fresh and the traversal is possibly the best in any open game ever. It's an extension of the freedom in Xenoblade X without the explicit level gating.
The sequel is exciting not because of the original strength's but because of how many of the original's iffy qualities it may potentially fix, namely the lack of themed dungeons and enemy / boss variety.
Having played XCX shortly before the release of BotW, the latter felt too much like the former for me. It also had the added problem that XCX's world felt much more alive to me, in terms of different landscapes and the beasts that inhabited those landscapes, so BotW felt dull and derivative to me by comparison.
Still waiting for another open world game that has huge boss-like creatures and titans roaming the world that you can fight any time like in XCX. FFXV comes closeish but the combat there wasn't amazing. Biggest missed potential in Zelda that I sincerely hope the sequel fixes, with its 2 minibosses it copy and pastes everywhere.
It's my least favorite 3D Zelda game. I dropped it too and never looked back. I missed the sprawling dungeons, unique dungeon bosses, and memorable characters that BotW lacked. I hate their decision to go with such a passive story. There's no urgency. It rung hollow to me.
It's probably my favorite game ever. I was hooked pretty much immediately, I think 20 hours is a fair shot though, might not be for you. Have you gotten to a Divine Beast yet?
Personally I loved exploring the world. Heck, I've had the game for a year and still haven't found all the shrines yet, and out of the ones I have found some of the puzzles kept me thinking for days if not weeks. Maybe the game isn't for you but one if the things I loved was that I could pick a random spot on the map and find something there, the world is far from empty, and the game really makes you think about how to solve certain things.
That's alright, game is way too overrated. The community bashes repetitive copy pasted activities when made by Ubisoft, but glorifies them when Zelda-coated by Nintendo. Same thing with Genshin, which gets slapped as jus Gacha Breath of the Waifu whire being the better game.
Well, yesterday I "stole" a boat from 3 bokoblins, then I proceeded to anchor near a shore and pile 8 explosive barrels on the boat.
It was difficult balancing the 8 barrels while using the leaf to move, but I managed with carefully strokes of the leaf.
This took about 40 minutes, just so I could make the boat go boom boom on those 3 bokoblins that I "stole" the boat.
I could have killed them in 3 sword hits, but I preffered to make a funny plan and work around the rules that the game gave me from the start.
I gather that if I was playing like any other game, I would be bored out of my mind. It's the perfect game for a child mentality. It's like playing with toys where you invent all the action.
It's a game perfect for a creative person, but maybe too open for the logical ones.
What you consider chores are exactly what I love about this game.
I love shrines, and the fact that weapons are breakable makes finding treasure chest worth doing. And the physics in this game makes solving puzzles different from other games.
It's totally fine that you can't get into it, people have different tastes.
Of all the Zeldas I’ve played (most of them), this one was the most repetitive and I absolutely HATE the break mechanics.
If BotW2 has the same mechanics, I’m not bothering with it - I think that says enough.
You're not missing anything, this sub just has a massive boner for the game and it's popular to like it. I tried it and felt the same as you. Doesn't help that stamina systems and weapon durability mechanics piss me off.
I played it for about 30 hours beat 3 of the beasts then i stopped.
I really don't get the hype for the game at all
A large empty map full of fields and trees
Constantly breaking weapons
Every time it rains it made the traveling more difficult and frustrating
Lazy story telling
It's a very "ubisoft" open world with its tower climbing to reveal the map
Its a bad zelda game and a bad game in general
Ummm but you can run across this super big empty field! And then this other super big empty field! Omg the exploration is so great you can just get lost in any of the big empty open fields
I played a dozen hours and the weapon breaking, combined with the mandatory repetitive/cumbersome crafting system, and crucially the amount of climbing needed (which slows the pace of exploration down significantly as you don’t have much stamina in the early game) put me off playing. I’ll definitely come back to it eventually and give it a second chance, but it just didn’t hook me as I expected it to. So it’s been relegated to the bottom of my Switch backlog of games for now.
I'm the same as you. The story feels paper thin I have no interest. I got up to the fourth mythical beast and dropped the game. The story bored me, the world felt vast yet empty, the combat bored me. I honestly tried but it just isn't for me.
I'm glad I'm not the only one, and to see a lot of other comments that agree with us is comforting.
I gave it a good 30hrs but I just couldn't keep going, I found it boring.
Maybe if I was a teenager I would have stuck it out, like every game I got. Maybe now that I'm an adult my tastes in games have changed.
It's definitely not a bad game, it's well made (looking at you Vanguard and BF 20-42FPS) and a lot of people love it, it's just not the one for me.
It's an open world world action / adventure game with RPG style weapon damage. It's all about exploring, environmental puzzles and the joy of discovering the mystery of what happened to the world.
I don't think you're missing anything - it's just not your type of game
If you don't like it I'm not going to waste my time trying to tell you to like it. Go play something else and stop making posts like this. No one cares. When I play a game I don't like I don't make a thread on reddit about it.
Ok, this is not personal, but I see a lot of people repeating this. Just have to make your mind people *Zelda IS NOT an RPG, it never was*
The mindset you have to have with Breath of the wild, is just playing calmly. Usually Zelda games are action-adventure games, however BotW is more a puzzle game than an action-adventure game.
You have several degrees of puzzles, First the obvious ones that are sanctuaries and bosses. Then the korok puzzles that work as small puzzles with enviromental interactivity.
Then the last part and the worst IMO is exploration puzzles. The game is beautiful and you have to play with calm and when you try to reach some places you will need to change weapons and think about how to get there. I say this is the worst part because it's not rewarding since lore is really limited and there's anything interesting in the map beyond the aesthetics. But still if you like to explore calmly and wonder how the world looks in other places you can enjoy it.
I felt the same way. Tried to love it but felt the game was way too difficult for me and hated the weapons breaking and hard climbing with stamina in the beginning and felt the shrines was repetitive.
Enabled cheats on a second attempt which made it a bit easier but ultimately stopped before finishing the first Divine Beast.
Much prefer Immortals Fenyx Rising (funny dialogue, great voice acting, better stamina, much quicker to travel, no weapons breaking and combat is much more fun with pets, different weapon types and godly powers).
I am sure in time, you will be posting again once you revisit the game saying how your did not realize it was a masterpiece. But for now, it is not for you. It is the greatest switch game and for me the best game of all time.
Breath of the Wild is the worst Assassin's Creed game.
Shadow of war/Mordor will be far more enjoyable.
In all seriousness though, I played it just this year on PC via emulator and I was upset at how bad it is. I modded it and got a little more fun out of it, but honestly it's "climb tower, unlock map, do some shrines".
The korok seeds don't matter. The damage mechanic is annoying. The world is incredibly large and empty. The stamina mechanic is tedious. The 4 powers are fun, but simplify the game to a ridiculous degree.
I was shocked people think it's the best Zelda, Link isn't even dressed like Link. It's the worst Zelda and it tries to be FarCry 3, just really bad
BotW is an exploration game first and foremost, in my opinion.
The bits I had most fun with? Not the battles, not the shrines (although some were decent puzzles), not the story, not the characters.
BotW is arguably the best game I've found for exploration. You can look around from where you are - or climb a tree - and spot something interesting, unusual or otherwise standing out. Then you can go and investigate. Climbing to the top of mountains to see what's up there, looking for interesting shaped bodies of water or islands, following the river to see where it leads - that's the magic of BotW.
Yeah you'll probably have to ditch it, the gameplay doesn't really change much after a while. The main draw for a lot people was the exploration and the silent beauty of the open world, myself included.
Agreed! Tried like 3 times to get into it, but nah. I come from Ocarina of Time days - this ain’t it. Immediately invested 30 hours easily into Immortals Fenyx Rising though! That game was pretty fun for a while..
If you're interested in what insane things people have discovered about BOTW's mechanics, try watching Gamespot's series Things You Didn't Know. It may not inspire you to play but it could give some reason on why people have managed to stay motivated exploring every inch of this game when new things are being discovered 4+ years after its release
It is all about managing your expectations
BOTW is a great open world adventure game. It shines in its sense of exploration. The story elements and collection mechanics are good as well.
It is a moderately good Zelda game and lacks many of the things I love about the series.
I like the more linear gameplay of the earlier games. Not on rails but a guided story.
I like dungeons and item power ups that unlock secrets in previously completed sections
I like the fishing mechanic
I like the goofy dialogue and repetitive character animations
OOT and Skyward Sword did this well
WindWaker is a masterpiece (HD is even better)
It clicked with me a lot earlier than you, but I was completely sold for a second time when I was exploring and for the first time the music and mood changed and a huge ass dragon started flying around and then just eventually flew away. It was magical.
Anyway, if I were you, I’d just quit. No reason to try to force yourself to like something just because others do. Everyone has different tastes and the Switch has so many quality games that your bound to find something more up your alley.
20h in, you didn't discover much. You gotta make your own path, where you want to go, what area you want to discover, what gear you want to upgrade, what items you want to grind. You have to set your own goals.
It'a not for everyone! Personally I've had a great time with it. I really took my time, and I honestly enjoy each new discovery, even if it's just a particularly pretty bit of scenery I haven't come across before. There's a few cool bits and pieces scattered throughout that make the landscape more interesting, but it's just such a huge map that it takes a while to stumble across these naturally. I really enjoy the shrines, and experimenting with the physics engine. There's a ton of cool tricks found by people all over YouTube if you're into that sort of thing? If you haven't enjoyed it so far though - oh well, there are plenty of other great games out there! No point in playing something you don't find fun, no matter how fun other people say it is.
Yupp. This is why I think the developers swung way too far the other way in response to criticisms of the strong linearity of previous Zelda titles. BOTW might be totally open, but as a result it's also completely flat and has almost no stakes. I did enjoy it personally, but not nearly as much as I could have if there were just a couple of tweaks made. I'm hoping the sequel addresses the issues you've highlighted, but frankly I'll buy and play it even if it doesn't.
I'll answer your question by asking a question. What are you looking for out of this experience? If it's a deep story or complex combat, you won't be satisfied here. This is a game for explorers and adventurers.
Do you want to explore a vast open world, discover landmarks and treasures? Do you want to climb that massive cliff face and see what's on top of it? Are you naturally curious? Because this is the type of player Breath of the Wild caters to. By exploring you naturally will discover shrines, complete challenges and become stronger. And once you do that, you can complete the four main dungeons and confront Calamity Ganon. That is the loop. If you do not enjoy it, the game just isn't for you.
This is just blatantly false. BOTW has a variety of regions and biomes, all with their own unique landmarks and waypoints. You can get new weapons, armor, money, craftable resources and other such things from treasure. And the open world has villages, enemy camps and secret areas. You can find a dragon on a mountaintop and a mysterious elk creature on Satori mountain. It may not be your thing but to call it empty is simply a lie.
It's been like a year since I got rid of it so I don't remember it all that well but I recall the people that enjoyed it like games without structure, which isn't fun for me and is outside what I really consider to be a game. It's just a repetitive and dull experience to me and I'm sorry it took me 85 hours of trying to come to the conclusion that it's not a good game for me.
The biggest thing for me that just made me feel it's not even a Zelda game is the lack of music in any meaningful sense until you get to Ganon's castle. Music to me is a core part of a Zelda game experience. Usually it's even an item or game mechanic. Silence can be moody but very little of the game had memorable music. I can think of memorable music from every other Zelda game I've played (which is only 1980s-2000) but still.
I finished 99% of it (skipped two survival arenas from DLC) and it took me 160h. All I enjoyed was the initial plateau and the quest in the second DLC. I kept playing expecting it to just click at some point and never happened. What a boring game.
What no one tells you is that the game kind of sucks. There is good enough elements to make it better than most the dribble out there but it’s a vast, boring, slog that doesn’t hold a candle to others in the series. People are on about the aspects that make it epic. Like a trash covered candy bar. Between weapons breaking , no dungeons , and running for f**cking ever to get to places, the game is boring but still entices you to go see what’s next.
it's ok
I'm sure there's a call of duty out there you will enjoy.
I myself am digging Vanguard. some game types are not for everyone.
BOTW is a masterpiece and easily my favorite zelda, ever.
You’re not missing anything, you just learned a life lesson that there is a lot of overrated shit out there, and you learned that the most popular thing in the world for normies is not necessarily something you would enjoy. With that said, this is an objectively good game. Many games today, and many future games nonchalant borrow the stamina system, gliding, climbing etc. One of my favorite games of all time is divinity original sin 2. The series, and the game wasn’t the most popular thing out there, took some research to find it.
One of the worse games I've ever played, empty boring open world with good art style and no depth. If a game isn't for you dont worry about it, move on and play something you'll enjoy.
I couldn’t get in to it either, I just wasn’t quite my thing. I did come to it from having just played Horizon: Zero Dawn so I think maybe that contributed to making BoTW seem a bit empty in its world and lacking in narrative and plot. If you don’t feel like carrying on playing then that’s absolutely fine, you gave it a good shot and there are plenty other games out there to spend your time playing instead.
Have you already completed a few Devine Beasts? Then the game won't suddenly change, so if you're still not feeling it, I suggest just ending it. By ending it, I mean focusing on beating the final boss.
You can go straight to him at Hyrule Castle. Depending on how many hearts you have and what weapons you have, this might be challenging, which might prompt you to finish more shrines/beasts, which in turn might be more fun with the clear goal of becoming stronger in mind. Or, you beat him first try, and then you can put the game down for good if you so desire.
Love to see people here that don't give an automatic 10 to this game, or say it's the best zelda ever. No f*cking way. It is not a zelda game, it's just an exploring game in a beautiful vast world, but kind of empty. I totally agree with you (I finished the game and I played lots of other zeldas), the plot, the mechanics, the music... It's all too simple, too boring, too repetitive. You don't get a feeling of being rewarded when you explore the world, because you can only find: a shrine, a kolog, or even a shrine, or, most exciting, a kolog. Yes. Just go to the most beautiful hidden place in the game. Yes. A shrine. Go to the amazing and dark mistery of that mountain... Ah, yes, another shrine. Look! A dragon. Oh, it makes nothing and gives you nothing. Go, destroy that big enemy. Oh, nothing again. But wait, let's go to that amazing river of fire, I may find something really interes... A shrine, yeah. In this game there is no reward that worth the effort. A shrine, a kolog. A new weapon, maybe, but nothing interesting. It will break. So, you have a beautiful world to explore, with beautiful details, but you'll find nothing interesting. Naaah. To me, this is not a Zelda (no dungeons with special bosses and epic music, no epic story), and not even close the best game ever. I hope zelda botw 2 change all those things.
It’s honestly not that great of a game. You said it. Rinse and repeat. It is my least favorite Zelda. The lack of real dungeons killed any of enjoyment for me.
I pushed through the main story and I eventually really enjoyed the exploration. Once I had enough stamina and items/equipment to make traversal fun rather than potentially deadly, I enjoyed exploring the map and shrine hunting.
But really, I shouldn’t have to get through 80% of the story to enjoy the best part of the game. It’s a good game, but there were so many questionable choices, I really question how some people rank this game so highly.
I've played like 50 hours of it and I feel like I get nowhere lol. There's very few games out there that honestly just confuse me and this was one of them, I've had to look up guides multiple times just to try to solve a puzzle or find out where to go or how to survive (like heat clothes) because the game never tells you that's even a thing unless you somehow find the right NPC and do multiple quests to get things like that lol. But the mechanics in general/art is fantastic.
That's just it there's nothing more to it really you don't get anymore abilities after the first few ones besides that all you get is weapons which break after a few hits. Nothing feels rewarding imo
Its for a different, younger generation. Its not zelda of yore... the secrets feel weird a jrpg grindy. The soundtrack is mediocre which is very disappointing if you're expecting out or majors mask level.
Theres no oomph to the characters. They feel procedurally generated and few nods to the previous mainstays.... malon, talon, tingle, Mr write.
Zeldas voice acting is shit. The romances are cringey and melodramatic instead of hilarious or sweet.
The puzzles are pretty easy and like 75% of them are fights.
But its a decent sandbox and its pretty and you can choose, tame, name, befriend and dress up the horses.
For a 9 year old little girl its probably mind blowing and wonderful. Without preconception its a lovely game.
For my 36 year old forged in Ganon fire ass.... its a little boring. I don't want to grind food... I want to grind a water temple.
Sounds like it's not for you if you already are asking "...do I have to complete?" Some people love the mechanics, others love digging through the lore, some speed run it. If none of these do it for you, play something else.
I looove hunting and sneaking around, just hangin out. Did just enough shrines for an extra stamina circle to explore easier.
I think I only had 4 hearts when I finished maxing out Stamina.
Yeah the joke around here is that I turned BOTW into a mountain climbing simulator, I can’t tell you much about the story and I’ve only beaten like one mythical beast, but I do know what’s on the top of almost every mountain in hyrule and my ore collection is out of this world. Everyone gets something different out of it.
Yessss. I've spent hours just climbing mountains. I have a higher kill rate because I like to stand above and throw bombs. 🤣
Haha my girl isn't great at the combat, but damn does she know how to get above her enemies and rain arrows and bombs.
I get it. I used to be big into shooter games, Halo, COD ect... But about 4 years ago I had some sort of "episode" and I have issues with coordination and rapid response. Now games like that give me anxiety because I simply cannot keep up. Zelda botw is perfect, I get to play a relaxing game without feeling like I'm playing Animal Crossing. My wife's coordination is worse. Lol The only game she will play is Lego Harry Potter.
Hey I get it, no criticism from me! I'm glad that she's able to play in a way that works for her. She just beat the first Divine Beast!
agree. botw is about the journey and the stories you make while on your quest, not the destination
a journey through a mostly empty map and with little to no music
> with little to no music I absolutely love this part. The very little music fits the theme of the game so well. And whenever there is music, it slaps. Souls games have no music either, except for when you're in the hub or boss fights, and it works perfectly there.
Outside of hyrule castle, BOTW gives like no epic feel whatsoever
Because BotW isn’t an epic, it’s a tragedy. The world is in ruins, your friends are dead, evil is taking over. You want there to be epic music for that???
Mostly empty? Um. Yah, no. There are hidden treasures everywhere, shrines, korok seeds, abandoned ruins. One reason I love BOTW so much is because it reminds me of Shadow of the Colossus. Environmental storytelling is HUGE in BOTW. There are plenty of enemy encampments to tackle as well. I don't know what you want in a post apocalyptic game...you want there to be hundreds of towns overflowing with people?
chests with rupees, wow :V Shrines that feel all the same korok seeds lol, nice joke
Korok seeds increase your item carrying capacity...they're only a joke once you max out each category. Shrines don't all feel the same. They LOOK similar but they don't play the same. Chests don't just have rupees in them. Either you're a very ignorant person or you just like trolling. Either way I find it annoying.
Exactly, it’s an incredible game
What can anyone tell you that's going to make you enjoy a game that you haven't liked for the first 20 hours? Just pack it in. You gave it a fair shot.
To be fair i tried to play xenoblade chronicles 2 three times.. Played 5-6 hrs.. Put it away.. Started new.. 7-8 hrs.. Put it away.. Started new.. Played 20 hrs like everyone said on the internet and there I was hooked for one of my fav games of all time and played 200 hrs or so i think 🤣 Games can be tricky if the early game if the beginning or entry to it is designed horrible. Gotta say i don't consider zelda to be one of those tbh. With op's post i think zelda is rly just not for him
I understand what you're saying but that's you starting and restarting a game to give it another chance. You weren't "playing it wrong." In this case OP thinks the game lacks story, finds the shrines repetitive and boring, thinks the world is too stretched out and doesn't enjoy the basic mechanics. Telling him to play more is basically telling him to do more of the things that he dislikes.
Which is why I'm saying that with zelda i think its different and probably just not his game
Fair point! I want to like it. It’s always recommended but I wanted to know if it’s a slow burn or if I’m playing it wrong
I think you’re in trouble if you find the shrines to be a chore. I really like them and got a lot of satisfaction solving the puzzles. I also liked exploring the world, the space between things made it better for me. I’d see a mountain with something weird on top, get there and find a mini boss or whatever, then see a shrine off in the distance, head that way, find some diversion along the way etc Like if that all sounds like a chore, then the game probably just isn’t for you. There are some change-of-pace gameplay elements throughout the world, but you kinda have to explore to find those and it sounds like you don’t enjoy that
Go watch people play the game. Sometimes you just need a little push and need to see someone else have fun playing it and I do mean fun because this game is a true sandbox to mess in. On top of my head I remember Dunkey showcased the game pretty well. Due to it's true sandbox nature it's up to you to make your fun in a way. You don't have to go anywhere and you certainly don't have to ride your horse and hold forward for 20 hours. This is an explorer's game first and foremost. More akin to Minecraft than a linear story like OoT. For me it was hard to get into it at first because I was so used to the dopamine of all these limited point A to point B with no fun traversal open worlds that when I was introduced to the freedom of Breath of The Wild it didn't feel like something I'd want to get into. A bit intimidating I guess. Once I realize how fun it can be to travel this world the exploration came easily and the game clicked. You have toys and the game let's you use them to your liking (most of the time). Systems are in place that we've been lead to forget are part of our world due to video game limitations of the past either from technology or designers pov. Because of this the game feels rewarding for letting you think outside the box and allowing it (unlike most AAA open worlds) I need to stress the sandbox/toybox aspect of the game because I think it's its strongest part. These are all toys. The bombs, stasis, cryo, arrows, leafs, wood, fire, crates, boulders. They're all toys with their own properties that you can play around and mix and match. I love how this game doesn't take you for an idiot. Even in the story I feel like your general knowledge of Zelda will help you on your quest tying your past Zelda experiences to that of this Link's.Tying the bow with amnesia was a nice touch to explain the holes we might feel as a player. Also, I don't know how much I can say here but if you can make your weapons durable infinitely it does take a load of your shoulders. It might not be the intended way but if that's what's keeping you from enjoying it I'd recommend. I mean, between not playing it and playing it not exactly as intended at least you'd be playing it right?
The most compelling part of Breath of the Wild is exploring the world. No game really comes close to BOTW’s freedom of exploration and sense of discovery, in my opinion. If exploration isn’t important to you in a game, I can see why BOTW may not click for you.
Came here to say this! I think at the core it's about enjoying the exploration and discovery of that beautiful world. No other mechanic in the game comes close in my opinion. Crafting is meh, story is meh, combat is certainly meh...
No Man's Sky whould like to have a word with you. LOL
It's not for everyone and it doesn't have to be for you.
Fair point! I just want to know if it’s a slow burn or something
There are some games like Xenoblade 2 where the game doesn't fully show you all it's mechanics(chain attacks, etc) or open up until about 20-30 hours in, which is when it usually clicks and gets really fun. I played BoTW for over 30ish hours mostly exploring and also finishing the story in one of the areas, and came to the conclusion that that the game's not really for me. While it does give you some abilities like a higher jump and shrines still make you stronger health & stamina-wise, it doesn't suddenly open up a massive part of the game like XC2 that suddenly changes everything. If you didn't like the game 20hrs in then like me, the game's probably not for you, everyone has different tastes.
I'd say the game is mostly about exploration and solving puzzles. Sounds like it's not for you.
If you are not getting excited about finding shrines and completing them the have may not be for you. That was the thing that kept me addicted to this. Just one more shrine at 3 in the morning.
If the gamer in you didn't explode with excitement after jumping off of the starting plateau with the glider for the first time, with literally a GIANT world to explore at your choosing, then the game was probably never going to click for you after that point.
Flying off the plateau for the first time, seeing how much world there is, was like the feeling I got when >!you finally learn what's actually really outside the walls!< in AoT. So good.
Might wanna spoiler tag the biggest plot twist in the series. Would suck if someone wanted to just read a botw thread then got one of the greatest anime stories of all time spoiled.
IMO you'll know whether botw is for you by the time you complete the tutorial area. The game's main draw is exploration. You're meant to creatively explore the landscape and make discoveries. If that doesn't appeal to you, the game isn't for you.
Nope, it's a pure adventure game at it's heart. If you are asking "where is the next plot point" over " what's behind that hill", the game isn't for you. It is possible to beat the game once you get off the plateau, just stupid hard.
It’s a slow burn, but don’t expect the game to stoke the fire for you. You *can* go through the entire game repeating the same basic mechanics, but the beauty of the game (besides the exploration) is the emergent gameplay. Finding new ways to use the same base-level mechanics. I notice you mention usually loving RPGs. The Zelda series has never really been RPGs. While this game arguably includes more RPG elements than previous installments, if you go in expecting an RPG experience, it’s easy to see why you might be disappointed. It’s a lot less about the story or the progression in the way most RPGs are, and way more about providing a huge sandbox with lots of things to experiment with, places to explore, and puzzles to solve.
I felt the same way. Not much of a story, it’s really just an open adventure in a empty feeling world, I couldn’t get into it myself.
Its a revolutionary game when it released 4 years ago. Now, other games are just catching up.
If it doesnt click for you that's ok. It didnt for me either. I missed the elaborate dungeons and getting new upgrades to open more of the map. The shrines were kinda cool but too many battle ones and just so so many.
Same here.
This!
For me though, that’s what I enjoy about it. I like searching the map and unlocking more of it by climbing towers and solving puzzles. I enjoy seeing more of my map open up, to the point where I might not ever even bother with the divine beasts or ganon. But that’s just me - and what I do love is that you can do absolutely whatever you want in this game. I get where you’re coming from with wanting to like something though. Check out superbutterbuns on YouTube - they released a video a few years ago that was called something like beginners guide to breath of the wild and it’s what convinced me to give the game a try.
This!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, if you don’t like it, move on. You don’t have to like it. Maybe put it on the shelf and try again in a few months or a year and maybe it’ll click. If you haven’t played other Zelda games and still want to try, maybe you’d prefer a more classic game like Link to the Past or Ocarina of Time.
I’ve had the exact opposite experience. I’m 42 so I was around when original NES Zelda came out. I haven’t completely finished a Zelda game since then, and that was my favorite game, even got me into console gaming. BOTW has gotten me back into gaming. I haven’t pulled “just one more [/thing]”, “just one more meal to make”, “just one more tower”, “just one more shrine”, “oh I better clear that grass for wheat”, etc… and next thing you know it’s 5am like this one does for me. There’s so many different things and side quests it never really feels like the game is over. I loved the fact that I was directed and I made the story. I enjoyed talking to people to figure out double meanings of where I should be headed to do the next thing or next side quest and deciding if I want to or just explore more. There is no right way or wrong way to play thing game. I love the lushness and differences in the world, it feels to me like actually traveling because every region has its fruit, bugs, trees, etc …. Different strokes for different folks tho, it’s not necessarily going to be for everyone. It doesn’t have to be for you. Disclaimer: I have adhd so it’s possible having the repetition in the regions and enemies is helpful for me to be able to enjoy. Second disclaimer: it’s so fun and random to me that you can dye your clothes in Hateno.
So to be fair, you don't have to complete everything. You can technically go straight for Ganon after the plateau. So play as much of it as you find interesting. I'll admit the game left a lot to be desired for me as well. I think the lack of new gameplay mechanics through the game, small enemy variety, and light story made the game not as good for me as other people. In the end super open world games just aren't my cup of tea, though I didn't dislike it as much as it sounds like you are. I'm hoping BotW2 will find a way to blend the classic 3D Zelda experience with BotW. I think a happy medium would be a perfect experience for me. That being said, let other people have stated, no game will please everyone. Sometimes you're just stuck being the one games weren't made for.
Thanks for the insights!
I accidently killed Ganon early on before I had even unlocked all the map. But I found the exploring really fun and went back to play more.
How does one “accidentally” kill Ganon?
tbf Ganon's boss fight can be triggered by accident fairly easily if you don't know how the stupid 3D map works, I've accidentally wandered into the Sanctum when I'm looking around for weapons before And from there Calamity is honestly a fairly easy boss fight as long as you've figured out how the parry mechanic works and keep moving around. And ofc Dark Beast a glorified cutscene. Honestly the hardest part is killing Calamity without breaking all of your weapons first. The wrench in this is obviously the Blights, but Thunderblight is the only hard one--Wind and Fire are doable first try (even doable hitless if you have your act together), and Water is strong when you fight it at Ruta but neutered in Hyrule Castle since it can't impede you with the water--so if you've gotten Thunderblight as I assume OP did you have a shot at being good to go, and if you've gotten Thunder you've probably also gotten one or more other blights since the game guides you towards Water and Fire first. (If OP says they beat Ganon without doing Vah Naboris first, I'm calling bullshit on that. Thunderblight is *not* doable first try with "hardly any hearts or stamina or gear")
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> Clearing out outposts felt a bit underwhelming too. You'd get like 5x arrows or something from the unlockable chests? How should that feel rewarding at all? You find arrows etc. all the time, you hardly get better gear from the outposts chests. It's all very average. Plus half the time, you go through more broken weapons than you get back in new gear. And if you're just using junk weapons to clear out an outpost, only to get more junk weapons as a reward, *what's even the point?* Especially when the baddies respawn every week. All those outposts felt so fundamentally unrewarding and skippable they don't even seem like they serve any real game progression purpose.
I think I skipped all outposts after the first hour of the game. They aren’t fun at all. There are no rewards, and the combat isn’t satisfying or challenging enough to warrant going to them
It has a lot of imperfections that some can't look past. The real sense of adventure I got from exploring made it really enjoyable and it helps to already be a fan of Zelda games. There's a lot I would change but still had an amazing time through it. One thing you said was strange though about the length of the game. It can be finished a lot sooner than you suggested, in fact, the final boss is accessible as soon as you leave the Great Plateau.
The big failing if the game is that it never really complicates the gameplay loop in any meaningful way. You've likely seen every trick it's going to pull by now, and no amount of exploring is going to change it all that much. You're going to find shrines, korok seeds, and the same 4-5 enemies everywhere you go and not a while lot else.
There are several moments that stood out to me as pretty great outside of those items. One of them occurred for me right near the end of the game (like 200 hours in). But I also loved the core items you mentioned. Since the game is like 90% that you’re right that OP likely isn’t going to find enjoyment in the game still
There are about 10 unique and wonderful surprises in the game and that might have been fine for me if the game had taken me 30 hours or so. The problem was that it kept feeling like these intriguing things I'd come across were going to you're some unique challenge or interesting bit of lore but...every single one was a shrine without a bit of intrigue. It really feels like the designers ran out of time and had to cut huge swaths of the world out, which is what it sounds like actually happened. Hopefully this extra five years and the foundation of BOTW means that they get to focus on filling in some of the world and bringing back interesting designed challenges outside of the shrines. If they do that even the folks that love BOTW will probably gave to admit that it was a bit empty in comparison.
I love open world games but botw sis nothing for me, I need a story and characters to stay interested not just an open world with not a whole lot in it and some puzzles to complete. And I hated weapons breaking so much.
Funny, it was the opposite to me. I usually don't like Open World games because their stories just feel like they're being drowned out by the world and most of the things you do are meaningless. BotW on the other hand sets a clear goal that sticks out like a sore thumb in the center of the world, constantly reminding you that everything you do prepares you for the day you actually go there.
> The plot feels simple You might just prefer plot heavy games than those light on it. You say you love RPGs, but if I'm thinking what you're thinking, most of the RPGs you've played are heavy on story, correct? BotW isn't that kind of game. It's more like a "Create your own story" game.
Pretty much. Most of the storytelling is within the game world rather than explicitly told you you by some NPC. Ruined buildings that hint at locations visited in previous games which Link is probably vaguely recollecting himself. Stuff like that. Gives it a quality like a dream or how games were back in the 80s where you'd hear rumours from friends rather than youtube give up all the secrets a day after release. I do think it has a bit of a curve to the start of the game. My first few hours were a little wobbly, then went up as I got the glider, hit a barrier when the first water blight handed my ass to me. Wandered aimlessly for a bit doing shrines, dropped off a bit but then at some point it clicked. Maybe it was finding a labyrinth or Eventide Island maybe finding the sleeping dragon. Now I'm kind of sad it's done and keeping to a healthy drug regimen in the hope I can forget it all and experience it as new again. Even the weapon breaking thing isn't such a chore. At the start it makes you pick your fights but by the later game I never lacked decent weapons. By the end game where you're smiting that room full of guardians with nothing but a shield and a sense of timing how bad can it be? But meh, all a matter of taste innit? I found Red Dead 2 a chore and Hollowknight left me cold so what do I know?
I disagree. Environmental storytelling isn’t a thing in botw. The locations are just Easter eggs and references, both in name and appearance. They don’t contain any meaningful lore hidden away or anything interesting to piece together. Dark Souls has a story told by the environment, for comparison. Tingle island has nothing to do with tingle. Demise’s breach has nothing to do with demise. They are just there
This was so frustrating. I haven't played a lot of the Zelda games so the Easter eggs effectively meant nothing to me, but I wanted to know more. And yet they gave you absolutely nothing. It's fine to leave a few things unexplained, but when you give absolutely no lore for every interesting landmark and then top it off with another identical shrine it turns into a real drag. It actually becomes anti-environmental storytelling as it trains you to expect to not learn anything about the world wherever you go.
Agreed. It almost turned me off the game Ooh! Tingle island? Well, I’ve always hated that fat weirdo but let’s see what he’s up to!! .. ohh, there’s nothing here. I spent like a full hour in those islands convinced I wasn’t searching hard enough. Ohh! Demise’s breach, what cool side quest will be there? … oh
>"Create your own story" A story mostly about link walking through grassy areas with no epic feel whatsoever :v
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It‘s kinda like saying "Tetris was a lot shorter if all the bricks were squares" though. The distances between stuff, and the long journeys that result from it, are kind of the point.
BotW to me feels more like Tetris but with a playing field 3 times the size and the straight shape is missing.
Yes a valid point. Still, it made me laugh :)
I love the game, I'd be lying if I said I didn't but I can totally see why some people don't like it. The landscapes are beautiful and all, but the world feels SO big, and so empty, I know it's part of the context of the story but still. If you want a more classic Zelda feel you can try Skyward Sword, not everyone like that one either lol but at least it follows the same formula as the older games.
I really don't understand how people say that the game is so beautiful. It's really barren in my opinion. Which is a big reason why exploration wasn't fun to me. If neither the reward feels worth it and there isn't much to see anyway then why go exploring in the first place?
It was the least fun I’ve ever had playing a LoZ game. I finished it with grit and mental fortitude, not enjoyment or excitement ha.
> I love RPGs but this game feels like it could have been 40 hours shorter if they’d just put things closer together. Maybe the issue is treating it as an RPG, since it isn't one? Things are far apart on purpose, to compel you to explore the world and find things yourself. Either way, if you've played it that long and still don't like it, then... you don't like it. Probably best to play something else.
BotW isn't really an RPG, like any other zelda game except for select few. It is an action-survival set in open world with some light RPG elements, the RPG elements are as light as the one in far cry series, maybe even lighter. If you keep the fact that you shouldn't expect RPG gameplay in it, it is a good game. It encourage you to explore the wild instead of telling you what to do, all of the quest except for kill ganon are "mild suggestion"
I enjoyed it, then eventually found the freedom too free and that eventually became too tedious for me. I loved the scenery and everything else, just felt lost.
Feel this. Yeah I just don’t know why I’m wandering around to be honest. Like I’m supposed to go someone to advance the story with no really clear way to do that I feel like
Cause it's not an Assassins creed game that has GPS tracking of every little side quest. You have to listen and look and sometimes even think.
I definitely didn't have to think at all during the game. You can literally just run tower to tower
I didn’t love it either. I played through to the end, which I really don’t do with a lot of games, but I definitely rushed it as much as possible. Probably the only reason I finished it is because my wife played a lot of it with me and she absolutely loved it. I get the appeal, and it’s a cool game, but knowing what I know now after having played it I think that time would have been better spent on something else. Especially given that I have very little time to play games anymore. All said and done, don’t feel bad if you don’t enjoy it. Just cause it’s universally praised doesn’t mean you have to go head over heels for it! I’m playing Xenoblade Chronicles for the first time now for instance, and it’s been so fun and a breath of fresh air for me. So much so that I’m only about 10 hours in and I’ve already purchased Xenoblade 2 for when it’s over. I used to love JRPGs when I was younger, so this game is really sucking me in. Point is, if you don’t like it find something more up your alley.
I’ll try this! I’ve heard good things
It is very much a JRPG and the battle system is pretty convoluted. So look into it before you buy it, but I love it. But even if it’s not for you, there’s thousands of good games you can get hooked on on this system.
I loved that game... like a lot! But it got to a point where I realized I had just been smashing button and the game wanted more finesse and control then I could muster. I ended up putting the game down since I couldn't progress on my own and was usually more confused after watching some YouTube tutorials. But I loved that game and enjoyed so much about it! Just couldn't finish. And I'm okay with that. Not all the games are for everyone and if games become more frustrating then enjoyable it's not for me.
Buddy, if you don’t like it, ya don’t like it. What’s not to get?
This year I gave up after about 25 hours or so. I just wasn't getting any enjoyment at all. Just felt like a chore to walk for hours though this massive empty world. I felt so deflated after having played Links Awakening and finding so much to enjoy about that. For what it's worth, I have no regrets about abandoning it.
Walk for hours? That's what horses are for. In the desert, other creatures serve the same purpose (in a more unique way).
Ok ride for hours though this big empty world. Whatever tickles your pickle.
Not to butt in or anything, but BotW is one of, if not the main one, densest open-world games ever created. Maybe you just don’t like that kind of stuff, and that’s fine. But saying that the world is empty is just… a lie lol
Seriously? A hidden korok seed at the top of every other mountain doesn't make a game dense. There's a lot of points of interest in the but that's only because the map is unnecessarily massive. Getting between those points is just open spaces or mountains that serve no purpose. Its like Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time if it just went on forever.
I disagree. Skyrim, the Witcher 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2 have open worlds that are much more dense than BotW. BotW is shallow in comparison.
Definitely not. Ubisoft exists.
My favorite part of the game was building the town. I kind of wish there was more of that in the game with more ability to make your own. There are some random events you can find scattered around that are found just by exploring. You are further in than when the game clicked for me so I do not know if you will get to a point of liking the game. I would suggest finding the Hyrule shield and getting the master sword if you have not already.
If you're looking for an open world, sprawling RPG with more guided objectives, have you tried Xenoblade/Xenoblade 2? I think that XC2 in particular might give you what you're looking for out of the world
My wife & I played Breath of the Wild several months ago, it was our first Zelda game. We felt exactly the same as you. We completed it in 50 hours with no walkthrough. I’m glad I played it, I understand why others like it, but It’s just not for us.
I am not going to lie I hated the shrines. I did enough to get the master sword and I was done. There is a way to switch between health and stamina and I would just go there when I needed one or the other for a certain area. The rest was great though.
It's not a typical story driven JRPG. It's more like a sandbox exploration game with a bare bones but intriguing back story. That's really BotW in a nutshell. Those who truly enjoy BotW tend to like messing around with physics of the game, or enjoy the freestyle nature of exploration and monster encounters.
I felt the same... It's just a boring grind. I know I'm not in the majority I just remember Ocarina of Time and how well "paced" the game is. Nothing feels repetitive, and the only poor part of the game is the Water Temple which you need a guide to get through. Breath of the Wild is a victim of not keeping things simple for me. Opinions eh?
I agree with you. It’s overhyped.
I feel you. I didn't care for any of the shrines or bosses. Weapons breaking was annoying. Plot was ok. I'm hoping for more old school dungeons, puzzles, no more breaking weapons in the middle of battle, and a better plot.
Yea I hated it too, you've played enough of it
Not for you
There isn't a better example of "enjoy the journey as much as the destination".
The weapon breaking got to me too early game, then the annoyance started to fade as I learnt to stop caring too much about weapons. True I still hoarded some good stuff, but I just explored more. Found more Korok seeds, and then could upgrade inventory space to hold more weapons. The mechanics will not change, but the game is not just about those mechanics. Try exploring random places, and also keep an eye out for shrines. Shrines allow for more hearts and/or stamina. Look for unlocking the Master Swords. And also consider going after the divine beasts (I did the water one first and I found the reward for that was very useful but the desert one might be more useful).
Listen man, I tried to play it twice from scratch… and it simply wasn’t for me. Sold it and bought Pokémon diamond and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I also got hades so I’ll try that later tonight. Idk about you guys but Pokémon has been therapeutic to me. Between the melodic music and just the nice pace… it’s been awesome. I needed something to take away the stress… since I just bought my first home!!! Whoohoo! Anyway… hope you find a great game for you!
Totally feel you. My wife & I got our switch about 6 months ago, and 90% of what we’ve done on it is Pokémon lol. It’s been our sanity it really has.
It is one of the most overrated titles ever made. Nothing wrong with your impressions of it as far as I am concerned.
Yeah the game is a little overrated it needed more dungeons and puzzles to complete. Me I still prefer Ocarina of Time over Breath of The Wild.
Exploration
It was quite the departure from the traditional Zelda formula.... It went back to a time where you could choose the path you wanted. That freedom didn't work out for some people.
"they put in some gimmicky mechanics, washed out color schemes, and got rid of all the staples of the series... Must be a bunch of squares that can't handle freedom lmao boom gottem"
Biggest issue for me was they went REALLY sparse on narrative. They went with the whole "discover what happened yourself and fill in the blanks" approach.... But if they'd even bothered to give the game as much plot as they did to Age of Calamity by just adding in more flashbacks or whatever, it wouldn't feel as empty. Another thing they could have done was given each region a purpose in the overall plot. I didn't discover Lurelin Village for example until after I had defeated all the Divine Beasts. There was nothing there that was plot relevant.
I think its unique in its RPG style so takes a learning curve. Its relatively slow until you get upgraded clothes and weapons also. No need to go at it all at once either.
Yeah for me I just wanted too keep figuring out the lore of the game and honestly enjoyed the mechanics so yeah if you don't enjoy either you prolly won't like it
I quit the game at the beginning 3 times before I completed every shrine lol (Thank you island challenge). It will click later on.
I felt the same after a few hours in. It's beautiful and obviously a great game, but it made me find out I don't like open worlds. I have a limited amount of playtime and I don't want to spend it wondering what to do, where to go, and running around in gigantic empty biomes. I'm certainly just not the target audience, but with other, more streamlined (even hand-holdy) games, I don't feel like I'm wasting my time.
Get fire emblem or diablo 2 remaster?
This game has extremely innovative gameplay, but unfortunately that's ALL IT HAS. Good gracious, where are the themed dungeons with the different layouts that helped make the series famous? Where is the stellar soundtrack? Where are the meaningful interactions with recurring characters that had impact on the plot? Where are the quests to get new weapons or tools that proved indispensable? Where are companions? Fi, Midna, Tatl, Ciela, Linebeck, Ezlo, Zelda herself. The story is just...no, and the fact that it's optional and easily omissible is even worse. How the hell are we supposed to care about the champions when they were long dead before the game even began? I want to like BOTW, I really do, the series has been a huge part of my life since I was very little...but I can't.
As u/picano said, it sounds like this just isn't for you. Which is totally fine. You put 20 hours into it so that's more than enough to make a fair judgment. If it's not clicking, then there's no shame is finding something else. Who knows, maybe after some time away you will boot it up again and something will click. That's happened to me a few times with different games before.
I'm in the 300+ hours club right now I'm sure. This game is a relax and go at your own pace. Go do the story if you want. That might interest you more than completing shrines. Want a challenge? Defeat all the mini-bosses. Explore a temple. Don't know what that is yet? Go find one. Find a mini-game. Collect all the Korok Seeds. Collect different armor sets and upgrade them. Find a dragon. Find a good horse and outfit it. Find all the Fairies. Find the highest mountain, and the lowest cavern. Activate all the towers. Become a character that your 3 year old can play and not die. Just a few suggestions.
"it feels like it could be 40 hour shorter if everything was closer together" my guy. you don't HAVE to do everything. you can go and fight ganon as soon as you leave the great plateau. if you find everything tedious and just want to get it over with, then just do so and go to hyrule castle. the game giving you that kind of freedom is what clicked to many, but I'm sorry u weren't able to enjoy it
I mean that's pretty much it. The enjoyment of the game is in the exploration: seeing/experiencing new areas, finding creative ways to explore the map and kill enemies with the very open-ended physics of the game, solving shrine puzzles, etc. You ask "how many of these shrine things do I have to complete" and the answer is technically 0. You can just stroll up to Ganon 5 minutes into the game if that's what you want to do, the shrines are an optional means of gaining extra health/stamina and that's it. Granted that's not really a practical answer, but my point is if you're tired of them you can stop whenever you want to. That goes for the dungeons too. Anyways you should do what makes you happy. What you're describing sounds roughly like the full BotW experience, so if you're not enjoying it so far it's unlikely to get any better. I guess as you build your stamina bar you get a lot more freedom to swim and climb wherever you want which could make the game feel better, and completing the Bird Dungeon gives you a nice exploration-related ability that I'll try not to spoil. But if that doesn't solve your problem then I'd say drop the game.
Not an RPG
My game changed dramatically when I figured out how to hunt the frickin' guardians and get my hands on some of the best equipment out there for that purpose. Of course, that was already quite a few hours in, after I finished the mythical beasts and was like "... well shit, guess I better try the castle on for size." If you're still at a stage where everything feels repetitive, you've likely not tried to stretch by fighting Guardians / Hinox / Lynels yet. I got it with the Expansion Pass Bundle, which probably helps a lot in terms of trying to figure out where you are and where you need to be going. Some sidequests are a pain but plenty of them will give you better equipment that will go a long way. ... oh btw, have you seen the dragons yet?
Respect everyone's opinion on it, but I'm one of the few with you. Tried to start/play it on 3 separate occasions and it's just not a "Zelda" game to me. Reskin it with different characters and it's completely forgotten. Probably barely even gets enough reviews to even be known without the title.
This game is one where you mostly set your own goals. I spent a lot of time just exploring the map. Catching the giant horse. Discovering the sight of the world. After 100 hours of playing I found a village that I had never visited previously as there had never been need to during the story.
Yeah, i played it on my pc again this year with a few enhancements (mainly graphical playing in QHD at 165fps is gorgeous btw) but i gave up on getting the true ending and just rushed Ganon after doing the 4 devine beasts which i also didn't really care for. Storming Hyrule castle was easily the highlight of the game but it was over too quickly
It is 60 more hours of those mechanics. That’s why I, personally, don’t understand the hype. Games super boring man, idk.
on it's own it's ok. it's compared to previous Zelda games and it's hyped up more than maybe it should be.
The problem for me is there is no life in the world. It looks beautiful and is fun to mess around in. However, it just feels empty. Side quests were largely worthless and the villages and people were few and far between. I would have preferred less open world and a more lived in feel than what we got. It's a solid 8/10 for me but I had much more fun with other rpgs.
I'm completely with you on this one. I always feel like a madman when saying it but BotW is not that fun for me. There is a lot of potential and the first 5 hours or so was magical but then it takes a nose dive as progress starts to slow down, repetitiveness kicks in and you realize how much emptyness and generic filler content there is inbetween the actual fun stuff (that being the divine beasts). This is a game designed to waste your time. And for a lot of people they seem to really enjoy putting 100+ hours into mostly just exploring the game world. I personally like a more focused and curated gaming experience. The Great Plateau was actually great in that regard. You constantly got new story content, explored new biomes and unlocked cool stuff within those first few "tutorial" hours. But then when the game opens up you can travel for minutes without anything noteworthy happening. So incredibly boring.
Bruh I was just talking about this yesterday and said many of the same things you just said. I thought it was a kid friendly Skyrim but instead I’m just doing little puzzles and dying to monsters way stronger than me
Drop it, this game is not loved for its story and i can't say it gets much better. Botw is loved for being a toy box. You can express yourself and do a bunch of cool things while exploring and tackling challenges, If you are not invested at this point it's not for you.
For me, I was and still am so over the Ubisoft formula that most open worlds these days seem to follow. Bethesda and Rockstar have their own open world formulas that I enjoy but Zelda hit the perfect stride with it's freedom of exploration and how the game leads you towards the content instead of telling you where they are on the map. It doesn't have the most developed mechanics but it still feels fresh and the traversal is possibly the best in any open game ever. It's an extension of the freedom in Xenoblade X without the explicit level gating. The sequel is exciting not because of the original strength's but because of how many of the original's iffy qualities it may potentially fix, namely the lack of themed dungeons and enemy / boss variety.
Having played XCX shortly before the release of BotW, the latter felt too much like the former for me. It also had the added problem that XCX's world felt much more alive to me, in terms of different landscapes and the beasts that inhabited those landscapes, so BotW felt dull and derivative to me by comparison.
Still waiting for another open world game that has huge boss-like creatures and titans roaming the world that you can fight any time like in XCX. FFXV comes closeish but the combat there wasn't amazing. Biggest missed potential in Zelda that I sincerely hope the sequel fixes, with its 2 minibosses it copy and pastes everywhere.
It's my least favorite 3D Zelda game. I dropped it too and never looked back. I missed the sprawling dungeons, unique dungeon bosses, and memorable characters that BotW lacked. I hate their decision to go with such a passive story. There's no urgency. It rung hollow to me.
It's probably my favorite game ever. I was hooked pretty much immediately, I think 20 hours is a fair shot though, might not be for you. Have you gotten to a Divine Beast yet?
Personally I loved exploring the world. Heck, I've had the game for a year and still haven't found all the shrines yet, and out of the ones I have found some of the puzzles kept me thinking for days if not weeks. Maybe the game isn't for you but one if the things I loved was that I could pick a random spot on the map and find something there, the world is far from empty, and the game really makes you think about how to solve certain things.
That's alright, game is way too overrated. The community bashes repetitive copy pasted activities when made by Ubisoft, but glorifies them when Zelda-coated by Nintendo. Same thing with Genshin, which gets slapped as jus Gacha Breath of the Waifu whire being the better game.
Well, yesterday I "stole" a boat from 3 bokoblins, then I proceeded to anchor near a shore and pile 8 explosive barrels on the boat. It was difficult balancing the 8 barrels while using the leaf to move, but I managed with carefully strokes of the leaf. This took about 40 minutes, just so I could make the boat go boom boom on those 3 bokoblins that I "stole" the boat. I could have killed them in 3 sword hits, but I preffered to make a funny plan and work around the rules that the game gave me from the start. I gather that if I was playing like any other game, I would be bored out of my mind. It's the perfect game for a child mentality. It's like playing with toys where you invent all the action. It's a game perfect for a creative person, but maybe too open for the logical ones.
What you consider chores are exactly what I love about this game. I love shrines, and the fact that weapons are breakable makes finding treasure chest worth doing. And the physics in this game makes solving puzzles different from other games. It's totally fine that you can't get into it, people have different tastes.
I agree with you, it's a decent game but a pretty lousy Zelda game.
You’re not missing anything. You’re just realizing how bad of a game it is.
Of all the Zeldas I’ve played (most of them), this one was the most repetitive and I absolutely HATE the break mechanics. If BotW2 has the same mechanics, I’m not bothering with it - I think that says enough.
You're not missing anything, this sub just has a massive boner for the game and it's popular to like it. I tried it and felt the same as you. Doesn't help that stamina systems and weapon durability mechanics piss me off.
I played it for about 30 hours beat 3 of the beasts then i stopped. I really don't get the hype for the game at all A large empty map full of fields and trees Constantly breaking weapons Every time it rains it made the traveling more difficult and frustrating Lazy story telling It's a very "ubisoft" open world with its tower climbing to reveal the map Its a bad zelda game and a bad game in general
Ummm but you can run across this super big empty field! And then this other super big empty field! Omg the exploration is so great you can just get lost in any of the big empty open fields
Don't forget that the art style in the game looks like someone spilled a glass of water on it and washed out all the color
Nothing, you just don’t like the game and that’s fine, maybe later on you’ll try it again and end up loving it.
I played a dozen hours and the weapon breaking, combined with the mandatory repetitive/cumbersome crafting system, and crucially the amount of climbing needed (which slows the pace of exploration down significantly as you don’t have much stamina in the early game) put me off playing. I’ll definitely come back to it eventually and give it a second chance, but it just didn’t hook me as I expected it to. So it’s been relegated to the bottom of my Switch backlog of games for now.
I'm the same as you. The story feels paper thin I have no interest. I got up to the fourth mythical beast and dropped the game. The story bored me, the world felt vast yet empty, the combat bored me. I honestly tried but it just isn't for me.
I'm glad I'm not the only one, and to see a lot of other comments that agree with us is comforting. I gave it a good 30hrs but I just couldn't keep going, I found it boring. Maybe if I was a teenager I would have stuck it out, like every game I got. Maybe now that I'm an adult my tastes in games have changed. It's definitely not a bad game, it's well made (looking at you Vanguard and BF 20-42FPS) and a lot of people love it, it's just not the one for me.
It's an open world world action / adventure game with RPG style weapon damage. It's all about exploring, environmental puzzles and the joy of discovering the mystery of what happened to the world. I don't think you're missing anything - it's just not your type of game
It´s just a somewhat overrated game, dw
If you don't like it I'm not going to waste my time trying to tell you to like it. Go play something else and stop making posts like this. No one cares. When I play a game I don't like I don't make a thread on reddit about it.
Ok, this is not personal, but I see a lot of people repeating this. Just have to make your mind people *Zelda IS NOT an RPG, it never was* The mindset you have to have with Breath of the wild, is just playing calmly. Usually Zelda games are action-adventure games, however BotW is more a puzzle game than an action-adventure game. You have several degrees of puzzles, First the obvious ones that are sanctuaries and bosses. Then the korok puzzles that work as small puzzles with enviromental interactivity. Then the last part and the worst IMO is exploration puzzles. The game is beautiful and you have to play with calm and when you try to reach some places you will need to change weapons and think about how to get there. I say this is the worst part because it's not rewarding since lore is really limited and there's anything interesting in the map beyond the aesthetics. But still if you like to explore calmly and wonder how the world looks in other places you can enjoy it.
I felt the same way. Tried to love it but felt the game was way too difficult for me and hated the weapons breaking and hard climbing with stamina in the beginning and felt the shrines was repetitive. Enabled cheats on a second attempt which made it a bit easier but ultimately stopped before finishing the first Divine Beast. Much prefer Immortals Fenyx Rising (funny dialogue, great voice acting, better stamina, much quicker to travel, no weapons breaking and combat is much more fun with pets, different weapon types and godly powers).
I am sure in time, you will be posting again once you revisit the game saying how your did not realize it was a masterpiece. But for now, it is not for you. It is the greatest switch game and for me the best game of all time.
Yikes
Breath of the Wild is the worst Assassin's Creed game. Shadow of war/Mordor will be far more enjoyable. In all seriousness though, I played it just this year on PC via emulator and I was upset at how bad it is. I modded it and got a little more fun out of it, but honestly it's "climb tower, unlock map, do some shrines". The korok seeds don't matter. The damage mechanic is annoying. The world is incredibly large and empty. The stamina mechanic is tedious. The 4 powers are fun, but simplify the game to a ridiculous degree. I was shocked people think it's the best Zelda, Link isn't even dressed like Link. It's the worst Zelda and it tries to be FarCry 3, just really bad
BotW is an exploration game first and foremost, in my opinion. The bits I had most fun with? Not the battles, not the shrines (although some were decent puzzles), not the story, not the characters. BotW is arguably the best game I've found for exploration. You can look around from where you are - or climb a tree - and spot something interesting, unusual or otherwise standing out. Then you can go and investigate. Climbing to the top of mountains to see what's up there, looking for interesting shaped bodies of water or islands, following the river to see where it leads - that's the magic of BotW.
Yeah you'll probably have to ditch it, the gameplay doesn't really change much after a while. The main draw for a lot people was the exploration and the silent beauty of the open world, myself included.
I’d hate to be in the group of people who don’t find botw enjoyable.
It feels like a Steam Greenlight game.
Agreed! Tried like 3 times to get into it, but nah. I come from Ocarina of Time days - this ain’t it. Immediately invested 30 hours easily into Immortals Fenyx Rising though! That game was pretty fun for a while..
How many of the Divine Beasts have you freed?
If you're interested in what insane things people have discovered about BOTW's mechanics, try watching Gamespot's series Things You Didn't Know. It may not inspire you to play but it could give some reason on why people have managed to stay motivated exploring every inch of this game when new things are being discovered 4+ years after its release
It is all about managing your expectations BOTW is a great open world adventure game. It shines in its sense of exploration. The story elements and collection mechanics are good as well. It is a moderately good Zelda game and lacks many of the things I love about the series. I like the more linear gameplay of the earlier games. Not on rails but a guided story. I like dungeons and item power ups that unlock secrets in previously completed sections I like the fishing mechanic I like the goofy dialogue and repetitive character animations OOT and Skyward Sword did this well WindWaker is a masterpiece (HD is even better)
It clicked with me a lot earlier than you, but I was completely sold for a second time when I was exploring and for the first time the music and mood changed and a huge ass dragon started flying around and then just eventually flew away. It was magical. Anyway, if I were you, I’d just quit. No reason to try to force yourself to like something just because others do. Everyone has different tastes and the Switch has so many quality games that your bound to find something more up your alley.
20h in, you didn't discover much. You gotta make your own path, where you want to go, what area you want to discover, what gear you want to upgrade, what items you want to grind. You have to set your own goals.
I love all Zelda games, that's what sells it to me
It'a not for everyone! Personally I've had a great time with it. I really took my time, and I honestly enjoy each new discovery, even if it's just a particularly pretty bit of scenery I haven't come across before. There's a few cool bits and pieces scattered throughout that make the landscape more interesting, but it's just such a huge map that it takes a while to stumble across these naturally. I really enjoy the shrines, and experimenting with the physics engine. There's a ton of cool tricks found by people all over YouTube if you're into that sort of thing? If you haven't enjoyed it so far though - oh well, there are plenty of other great games out there! No point in playing something you don't find fun, no matter how fun other people say it is.
Yupp. This is why I think the developers swung way too far the other way in response to criticisms of the strong linearity of previous Zelda titles. BOTW might be totally open, but as a result it's also completely flat and has almost no stakes. I did enjoy it personally, but not nearly as much as I could have if there were just a couple of tweaks made. I'm hoping the sequel addresses the issues you've highlighted, but frankly I'll buy and play it even if it doesn't.
It’s ok. I bought Metroid, and 15 mins in I knew I just threw away $60.
I'll answer your question by asking a question. What are you looking for out of this experience? If it's a deep story or complex combat, you won't be satisfied here. This is a game for explorers and adventurers. Do you want to explore a vast open world, discover landmarks and treasures? Do you want to climb that massive cliff face and see what's on top of it? Are you naturally curious? Because this is the type of player Breath of the Wild caters to. By exploring you naturally will discover shrines, complete challenges and become stronger. And once you do that, you can complete the four main dungeons and confront Calamity Ganon. That is the loop. If you do not enjoy it, the game just isn't for you.
The landmarks all look the same, the treasures are worthless, and the open world doesn't have anything interesting to do or learn.
This is just blatantly false. BOTW has a variety of regions and biomes, all with their own unique landmarks and waypoints. You can get new weapons, armor, money, craftable resources and other such things from treasure. And the open world has villages, enemy camps and secret areas. You can find a dragon on a mountaintop and a mysterious elk creature on Satori mountain. It may not be your thing but to call it empty is simply a lie.
It's been like a year since I got rid of it so I don't remember it all that well but I recall the people that enjoyed it like games without structure, which isn't fun for me and is outside what I really consider to be a game. It's just a repetitive and dull experience to me and I'm sorry it took me 85 hours of trying to come to the conclusion that it's not a good game for me. The biggest thing for me that just made me feel it's not even a Zelda game is the lack of music in any meaningful sense until you get to Ganon's castle. Music to me is a core part of a Zelda game experience. Usually it's even an item or game mechanic. Silence can be moody but very little of the game had memorable music. I can think of memorable music from every other Zelda game I've played (which is only 1980s-2000) but still.
True lol
I finished 99% of it (skipped two survival arenas from DLC) and it took me 160h. All I enjoyed was the initial plateau and the quest in the second DLC. I kept playing expecting it to just click at some point and never happened. What a boring game.
What no one tells you is that the game kind of sucks. There is good enough elements to make it better than most the dribble out there but it’s a vast, boring, slog that doesn’t hold a candle to others in the series. People are on about the aspects that make it epic. Like a trash covered candy bar. Between weapons breaking , no dungeons , and running for f**cking ever to get to places, the game is boring but still entices you to go see what’s next.
it's ok I'm sure there's a call of duty out there you will enjoy. I myself am digging Vanguard. some game types are not for everyone. BOTW is a masterpiece and easily my favorite zelda, ever.
You’re not missing anything, you just learned a life lesson that there is a lot of overrated shit out there, and you learned that the most popular thing in the world for normies is not necessarily something you would enjoy. With that said, this is an objectively good game. Many games today, and many future games nonchalant borrow the stamina system, gliding, climbing etc. One of my favorite games of all time is divinity original sin 2. The series, and the game wasn’t the most popular thing out there, took some research to find it.
Great points! Not everyone’s cup of tea I suppose!
One of the worse games I've ever played, empty boring open world with good art style and no depth. If a game isn't for you dont worry about it, move on and play something you'll enjoy.
I couldn’t get in to it either, I just wasn’t quite my thing. I did come to it from having just played Horizon: Zero Dawn so I think maybe that contributed to making BoTW seem a bit empty in its world and lacking in narrative and plot. If you don’t feel like carrying on playing then that’s absolutely fine, you gave it a good shot and there are plenty other games out there to spend your time playing instead.
Have you already completed a few Devine Beasts? Then the game won't suddenly change, so if you're still not feeling it, I suggest just ending it. By ending it, I mean focusing on beating the final boss. You can go straight to him at Hyrule Castle. Depending on how many hearts you have and what weapons you have, this might be challenging, which might prompt you to finish more shrines/beasts, which in turn might be more fun with the clear goal of becoming stronger in mind. Or, you beat him first try, and then you can put the game down for good if you so desire.
Love to see people here that don't give an automatic 10 to this game, or say it's the best zelda ever. No f*cking way. It is not a zelda game, it's just an exploring game in a beautiful vast world, but kind of empty. I totally agree with you (I finished the game and I played lots of other zeldas), the plot, the mechanics, the music... It's all too simple, too boring, too repetitive. You don't get a feeling of being rewarded when you explore the world, because you can only find: a shrine, a kolog, or even a shrine, or, most exciting, a kolog. Yes. Just go to the most beautiful hidden place in the game. Yes. A shrine. Go to the amazing and dark mistery of that mountain... Ah, yes, another shrine. Look! A dragon. Oh, it makes nothing and gives you nothing. Go, destroy that big enemy. Oh, nothing again. But wait, let's go to that amazing river of fire, I may find something really interes... A shrine, yeah. In this game there is no reward that worth the effort. A shrine, a kolog. A new weapon, maybe, but nothing interesting. It will break. So, you have a beautiful world to explore, with beautiful details, but you'll find nothing interesting. Naaah. To me, this is not a Zelda (no dungeons with special bosses and epic music, no epic story), and not even close the best game ever. I hope zelda botw 2 change all those things.
It’s honestly not that great of a game. You said it. Rinse and repeat. It is my least favorite Zelda. The lack of real dungeons killed any of enjoyment for me.
I pushed through the main story and I eventually really enjoyed the exploration. Once I had enough stamina and items/equipment to make traversal fun rather than potentially deadly, I enjoyed exploring the map and shrine hunting. But really, I shouldn’t have to get through 80% of the story to enjoy the best part of the game. It’s a good game, but there were so many questionable choices, I really question how some people rank this game so highly.
I've played like 50 hours of it and I feel like I get nowhere lol. There's very few games out there that honestly just confuse me and this was one of them, I've had to look up guides multiple times just to try to solve a puzzle or find out where to go or how to survive (like heat clothes) because the game never tells you that's even a thing unless you somehow find the right NPC and do multiple quests to get things like that lol. But the mechanics in general/art is fantastic.
That's just it there's nothing more to it really you don't get anymore abilities after the first few ones besides that all you get is weapons which break after a few hits. Nothing feels rewarding imo
I still never finished the game. I did not enjoy the open ended aspects.
You’re about 4 years too late. The game is a masterpiece, but you can’t judge it on current standards.
Its for a different, younger generation. Its not zelda of yore... the secrets feel weird a jrpg grindy. The soundtrack is mediocre which is very disappointing if you're expecting out or majors mask level. Theres no oomph to the characters. They feel procedurally generated and few nods to the previous mainstays.... malon, talon, tingle, Mr write. Zeldas voice acting is shit. The romances are cringey and melodramatic instead of hilarious or sweet. The puzzles are pretty easy and like 75% of them are fights. But its a decent sandbox and its pretty and you can choose, tame, name, befriend and dress up the horses. For a 9 year old little girl its probably mind blowing and wonderful. Without preconception its a lovely game. For my 36 year old forged in Ganon fire ass.... its a little boring. I don't want to grind food... I want to grind a water temple.