The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

tacoguy

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Everyone I've talked to has loved this game so far. I wasn't sure I wanted to pickup a new console, but I've heard reviewers claiming this is their favorite Zelda game.

I'm really liking it but i think more time needs to pass before anyone can claim it as the best Zelda. I do agree that this is a brilliant effort by nintendo. Going back to its roots and focusing more on exploration was the best decision they made. This Zelda game wont hold your hand at any point of the game and will actually make you think on how to go about everything in its world.
 

Nuggies

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I'm a little intimidated getting into it because I hear it's such a huge world and I don't have a lot of free time...and of course the main reason is I don't own either console.
 

GohanX

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I feel you, I don't have time for these games either, so it remains to be seen how long I will keep playing Zelda, but so far it is a fantastic game. I'm not even a big Zelda fan.
 

Yoshi

,
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More

TLDR:
But what's clear is that there are three performance tiers here - Wii U still plays well, but it is at the bottom of the pile. The docked Switch configuration follows, but playing untethered still offers the smoothest ride overall.
 
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GohanX

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Alright hackers, now's your time to figure out custom firmware to make a docked system run at the lower resolution while still using full CPU/GPU speed.
 

MtothaJ

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I am kind of torn here - on one hand seeing the new Zelda makes me want to get a Switch ASAP, on the other its 2017 and we are talking about a brand new system struggling to even hit a consistent 30 fps @ just 900p - WTF?!
Maybe they will do a Switch Pro (or 'New' Switch like with the New 3DS) at some point in the future to address the hardware shortcomings and there's always hope that games will become better optimized as programmers gain experience with the hardware, but I see serious flaws in this 'jack of all trades' console / handheld concept.
Question to the early adopters - how comfortable is the Switch when playing in handheld mode? One aspect is control placement and the other is dimensions / weight. Kind of worried about the latter as with the New 3DS XL I found that it was just a little too bulky / heavy for longer gaming sessions, and the Switch appears even bigger / heftier.
 

MattBlah

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Question to the early adopters - how comfortable is the Switch when playing in handheld mode? One aspect is control placement and the other is dimensions / weight. Kind of worried about the latter as with the New 3DS XL I found that it was just a little too bulky / heavy for longer gaming sessions, and the Switch appears even bigger / heftier.

I'd say it was comparable to playing on the Wii U controller. If you had no problem with that then you shouldnt have any problem with the switch. The Switch is more compact, and the screen seems a lot better, but weight and control wise I'd say they were very similar.
 

oliverclaude

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Alright hackers, now's your time to figure out custom firmware to make a docked system run at the lower resolution while still using full CPU/GPU speed.

That would be great and the best thing is... it's only a matter of time, otherwise just a formality.
 

Dr Shroom

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The docked perfomance dies at some really weird points too. There's a bunch of trees and foilage and a pond near the temple of time with not much else going, and the fps went down by at least 10.

I'd be fine with 720p @60 fps while docked tbh.
 
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Electric Grave

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I'm getting the WiiU version for now. I'll get the switch (system) later when it's easy to get.
 

tacoguy

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Just passed the game last night.

tl:dr- I know all the reviews have given it a lot of love, but this game deserves it.

I marathon the game all week long and did all the main story but there was so much left to explore that I am going to start it all over again. This time i'll play more in portable mode and try to do more side quests. They made the world so fun to explore i'm actually eager to play again, unlike some of the other later 3d zelda tittles that I hardly ever went back to. I don't usually like going back all that often but i know there's so much that i missed and that the world is just fun.
 

Tanooki

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I have to agree with you there and amazing finishing (ending at least) so fast.

The way it's setup is very anti-Zelda in a way, it's more in a way like the first version of Guild Wars in a way (once the expansions were all out.) You have this vast but concisely limited with far reaching outer walls to the world. There's a story and you must follow it, but when and how is greatly up to you. Anywhere you go some thing or dude has something they need help with or a little job or quest and you get paid, goodies, or something better for the work. You can go it in any direction and do whatever. Story, piss time, look for goodies, grab up supplies, trade goods, or other things to upgrade stuff. But it's not taken to an annoying level like Monster Hunter having to craft every single thing painfully and slowly. The game can be hit for an hour or six in a sitting, probably if you don't clock watch you'll blow more time than you realize but it won't feel as such. Running in and getting sword happy no longer applies unless you like to die, it's about screwing the enemy using the environment more than a blunt object. I can't think of a game where I use a glider and an unlimited set of bombs along with arrows more than a primary weapon(sword, etc.)

Zelda has not been my favorite since Majora's mistake that turd came out. Wind Waker reminded me of the SNES/GB(GBC) type games and I finished it happily, but that was the last 3D one I did finish as the rest were slow painful large empty dogs with problems. Their shitty style of open world in the 3DS release made me walk away from the franchise almost completely but I picked up BotW as mostly a lark to see what they did this time, and it ends up being the first Zelda in years I don't hate and makes me want to keep playing it actively and willingly.
 

tacoguy

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I loved Majora's Mask. My problems with 3d Zelda started from Windwaker. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fanboy of the franchise and like all the games but they all had some big flaw that knock them down a peg or two. With Windawaker, I wasn't a big fan of the sailing. It was a good idea, just not very well executed. Twilight Princess biggest problem for me was the over world. It was big but there wasn't much to do. Also the start of that game was just awful. And Skyward Sword had too much focus on story narrative and a sky section that was even more boring than the ocean in WW. I still had fun playing them but they aren't games I go back to all the time.

Breath of the Wild on the other hand is all about exploration. And it gives you this big fun open world with it's own set of physics to play with. From the start, if you are shown something, it's most likely something you can do. At the very beginning, you are introduced to many of the mechanics that you will be using all throughout the game like climbing, running, jumping, collecting a ton of items, cooking, combat, and your inventory. The great plateau acts as a really good tutorial without ever feeling like one.
 

lions3

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The reviews on this Zelda game almost make me wish I hadn't cancelled my Switch pre-order. But I think i'm just going to wait for a cheap WiiU to popup on Craigslist and play that way. Don't get me wrong the Switch looks cool. There's just not really any other games on the system yet to help justify the purchase.
 

tacoguy

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There's lots of cool smaller budget/indie games coming out for it like this Hot Line Miami looking game

But if you want bigger 3rd party triple A titles, I think we wont be seeing many of them till next year at earliest. We might still get some nice surprises at E3 but I don't think anything new Nintendo reveals will be available this year. Getting a Wii U now wouldn't be a bad idea if you can get a nice bundle on the cheap. Though I have a feeling they will port many of the Wii U's best games over to the Switch.

Back to Zelda, been playing it on portable mode after work for like an hour or two around the house and so far, i haven't felt my hands get cramped like they do on the 3DS. The controls for Zelda are a beast. Took me a while to get used to them and there was a learning curve to them. They aren't bad but can be overwhelming if you're not used to it. I'm not sure if this got brought up anywhere but the shiekah slate reminds me of a Wii U pad. I wouldn't be surprised if they optimized that item and game to work more with motion sensor controls before they decided to stick with more conventional controls.
 

Electric Grave

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The reviews on this Zelda game almost make me wish I hadn't cancelled my Switch pre-order. But I think i'm just going to wait for a cheap WiiU to popup on Craigslist and play that way. Don't get me wrong the Switch looks cool. There's just not really any other games on the system yet to help justify the purchase.

I agree, I'm getting a WiiU copy. Maybe later when the switch has more games for it...
 

ratson

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I read Nintendo is going to double production of the switch console. So won't be hard to find soon.
 

Tanooki

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Yup they're being ballsy or know something from their own reporting that isn't public. They were going to make enough units to sell 8M of them by the end of their next fiscal year (3/31/18) but doubled it to 16M instead.
 

thermaltreasure

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Finally completed this game today. First 3D Zelda I’ve finished and quite frankly one of the greatest games Nintendo has ever made. If the rest of their output on Switch is of this calibre (Mario, Metroid etc.) then we are in for an amazing few years.

A common complaint I see for this game is the lack of over world music but the sparseness really works in it’s favour. The OST is absolutely beautiful and the variation of classic Zelda themes make me want to go out and buy the CD. And I never buy game soundtracks.

There were times when I didn’t think I’d see the end of this game. It is absolutely gruelling but in a good way, kind of Ghibli-esque Dark Souls to put it crudely. No game is perfect but this game comes so close.


Cons:
No Fishing
Awful voice acting (particularly Zelda)
 

MattBlah

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I dropped off playing this. I was loving it but then just stopped. I think the open world is great, but it makes the story less gripping in my opinion. Ocarina I played until I was done, both on the N64 and 3DS releases, but this game feels looser and less engaging. Technically I agree it's the best in the series, but sometimes I like a more linear setting.
 

Gamefan

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I just started playing this last night. Plan on spending the weekend on it. Love it so far!
 

Zak

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I dropped off playing this. I was loving it but then just stopped. I think the open world is great, but it makes the story less gripping in my opinion. Ocarina I played until I was done, both on the N64 and 3DS releases, but this game feels looser and less engaging. Technically I agree it's the best in the series, but sometimes I like a more linear setting.

I know what you mean. I want the old style bigger dungeons back. I think Twilight Princess got it right. BOTW is a different experience though and I welcome this release with open arms.

If they could make a world of this scale with 10-15 proper dungeons, that would be amazing. The shrines are too short. They feel like treasure hunts/collectibles.
 

Karou

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wii u versio.

so by googln I find theres no gamepad " features " but can you play on the gamepad?

whats this about no dungeons...if its mostly tbat strolling around in the grass crap I see in vids:rolleyes:
 

Tanooki

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There are not real traditional classic style dungeons. You have a heap of shrines which are challenges that can take a few minutes or so, a few are a little longer but that's it. Dungeons have been replaced with an open world area of a dungeon basically.

Like when you're given the prompt for Zora's Domain, once you enter that sector in a way it's like opening the front door to a dungeon. The environment changes to its own space. Stuff there have specific abilities that can just murder your ass (electric death) in like one hit and the challenge of the dungeon is to navigate along for awhile, then get prompted to find that dungeons special item.

In the case of that it would be the shock arrows. You're directed which way to go basically, but you can approach it some ways to get there. Then once there you have your mini boss, in this case it's a big nasty Lynel you could suicideally take on, but realistically to beat the boss is to be ninja stealth and collect those arrows.

Getting the arrows and returning alive is like taking down the mini boss of a normal zelda dungeon and being rewarded with the ability to escape back to town as it unlocks the ability now to do that final stretch of the dungeon. In this case you head aways over to this big rampaging elephant and ride the back of a zora using those shock arrows to disable it. Once inside you get your usual Zelda dungeon puzzle which is navigating the interior to enable 4 switches, and once done it's the equal of the BIG KEY. You trigger the main bank inside there and that's the door to the dungeon boss which is the blight ganon of this region.

Game basically has 4 long run out dungeons, they're just within the confines of the outer overworld itself other than that last bit inside the mechanical beast, instead of being inside some large megalithic structure.
 

J-P

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I marathoned through everything in one weekend (and built the whole of Tarry town) and now all that's left are fetchquests or taking photos of every last thing. Maybe collecting all the various armours. I didn't think any part of the game was particularly challenging apart from maybe the end-game.

I got the Hyrulian shield just a few hours after beating the first major dungeon.

I do think it looks great, and I think it's an interesting step forward in many ways... but there's really not a lot to it. Beat shrines, get hearts / stamina... go fetch stuff for people.

As a result I haven't picked it up for weeks as I don't really care for goign to fetch stuff for ingame characters to be awarded with items. It just feels tedious / worklike. I don't really know if I will pick it back up.

I'm looking forward to the DLC and more dungeons though.

Maybe I'm just getting old.
 
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