The legend of zelda: breath of the wild

It is very possible that you have seen a video or image of the new Zelda that is to come. And it is even more likely that, as I follow the information of the new Nintendo Switch, Breath of the Wild is the title that makes you consider buying the console. Next we will review all the available information of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: unknown for years

After a couple of years of very limited demonstrations, at E3 July 2016 Nintendo finally showed a demo of the new Zelda. Being the only thing they were taking to the show, and amid many more presentations from its competitors, Breath of the Wild caught the attention of the vast majority of the E3 public, including engaging the Sony president and winning the award for best game. from E3.

Until then called Zelda Wii U because it should be the first game in the series for the platform, in its presentation it was indicated that it would also be released for its successor NX, today confirmed Nintendo Switch. Delays caused by director Eiji Aonuma's lack of clarity, development complications, and the modest sales push for the Wii U ended up causing a two-year delay that puts the game on both platforms. Unlike other occasions, this delay has served to bring a very complete Zelda, which breaks with many canons of the saga and which luckily is also designed for the new Nintendo Switch.

Graphic aspects

Like all previous Zelda, Breath of the Wild has been developed on Nintendo. This seems obvious, but in other mythical sagas the Japanese company has commissioned the preparation of second companies. That's why this title also follows Nintendo's tendency to use less detailed textures, which helps the experience run more optimally on Wii U and Switch hardware.

We know that Breath of the Wild will play 720p on Wii U, while we still don't know details about the performance on Switch. There are several arguments to oppose when predicting the graphics experience on Switch. On the one hand, Nintendo hinted that the only difference in the title between the two consoles would be the graphic quality on Switch. This does not specify whether it will run in 1080p, whether it is an increase in fps or image enhancements such as Antialiasing filters. On the other hand, in the video presentation of the Switch we see a drop in frames in the portable mode compared to the game in the base. Since we do not know if the video was superimposed and it is months before the release of both games and consoles, we fear that we will not have more information at least until January.

As for the graphic style, Nintendo explains the differences when creating the world in the different desktop titles. They indicate that the modeling in Wind Waker follows a cartoon art, in hyperrealistic Twilight Princess and in impressionistic Skyward Sword. At BotW they have decided to return to the Wind Waker style maturing it. With this it will be easier to distinguish the objects in the surroundings in such a wide world, and the result looks great.

Open world

In many other desktop titles in the Zelda saga, Nintendo sought to create an open world like that of the other installments. This was shown in the betas of Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess and XX, but the final games contained closed maps. Since The Legend of Zelda is a highly exploration-based saga, these games became linear and predictable in that regard.

This time, both Wii U and Switch consoles are capable of running an attractive open world without showing poor performance. As Eiji Aonuma acknowledges, his great inspiration for Breath of the Wild is Skyrim.

Gameplay

In all the titles of the Zelda saga the items are the key to advance. While this is true for everyone, some completely block access to many areas until a certain object has been unlocked. Breath of the Wild still has items and abilities to move around the map, but these are received very early in the game, and Link is much better able to interact with the relief. This is so much so that, as they joked, we will be able to start the game and run naked towards the final boss. We are waiting for the video of the young Asian to get it.

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Enemies are no longer grouped together by “random loose on the entire map” and “bosses and deputy bosses in dungeon rooms” but groupings of enemies and bosses have been introduced at points on the open map.

The dungeons continue to exist but the "shrines" appear, dozens of mini-dungeons of which many are optional.

Other improvements: weapons, voice dubbing…

Weapons are no longer permanent items, but are spent and must be found, manufactured, and upgraded. Nor is life no longer filled with hearts but hunting and cooking.

Never before has a Zelda had voice dubbing, but despite being an added feature, Link will still not have it. Why? For years we have put it in our heads, and they believe that imposing it would take us out of the saga.

It is true that many elements are not new in the world of video games, but they are in a saga that was beginning to repeat too many cliches. From what we have seen so far, the implementation and innovation is giving a great result.

More to know

Despite having discovered a lot in gameplays, the biggest unknown is the narrative. Who is this Link who has awakened after 100 years of torpor? What chronology point is it and what happened at Hyrule? Is that waking voice the one of Zelda and, the mysterious old man, her father? Have the narrative lines been brought together or will the multiverse continue?

Much remains to be known, and we look forward to bringing it to you as soon as we can prove it. You can see the great effort of renovation by Nintendo, and we believe that the end result will be spectacular. How do you see Breath of the Wild in the Zelda saga? Do you think that going out on Wii U will also affect the reception of Nintendo Switch?