Breath of the Wild: Sequel of Sequels

It's been nearly four years since the gaming community was finally able to experience one of the most highly anticipated releases in game history. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild brought a breath of fresh air to the iconic franchise by giving players the freedom of open world exploration and abandoning the strictly linear experience that plagued the many entries that preceded it. It was a welcome change from the small contained world of Skyward Sword with an overworld profoundly larger than any other and the ability to go anywhere the player wished once the first area was completed.

Giving players the ability to climb any structure or mountain that they wished, provided that they could keep from depleting the green stamina gauge, was a revolutionary concept for the Zelda series. Few things were more satisfying than struggling to reach the top of a peak and finding a new weapon or treasure chest, or at the very least being able to consume the breathtaking view of the beautifully crafted new version of Hyrule.

With the exception of the irritating occurences of the ill timed rain storms that would cause Links hands to slip, the freedom that climbing provided was the perfect ability to complement such a massive open world that was filled nearly every naturally occurring and sometimes fiery element from real world nature.

From icy tundras, barren deserts, scorching volcanos, mysterious forests, and saturated swamp lands, to vast plains, elevated mountain peaks, and tropical beaches, Breath of the Wild had it all. As if the gorgeous graphics weren't enough, each type of landscape brought its own challenge of survival that Link would have to find a way to counter. To top it all off, with the absence of finding hearts randomly, Link would have to consume food in order to replenish his life force. This was yet another departure from the traditions of the series that added such a fresh feel to the game.

And then there was the shrines... Scattered throughout the world were over a hundred shrines, that would test the player's ability in various ways. Many contained a puzzle that would often require the twisting of physics itself, where as many others would contain an enemy that would challenge the protaganist's strength. If one could pass the test, a reward would be given that was necessary to facilitate the increase of Link's defense and stamina. There was an unparalled sense of excitement that would fill the player each time a shrine could be spotted in the distance, when the game would sound an alert to the presence of one, or when an accordion played a distinct melody that foreshadowed the need to solve a riddle in order to find the shrine.

Considering that players are still discovering new aspects of the game four years later, there is no way that one article could possibly say all that there is to say about such a groundbreaking entry to one of the most time honored series' in gaming history. And considering that it was revealed that the game appears at the end of all of the complicated and once highly disputed Zelda timelines, it could be argued that it is the ultimate sequel, a sequel to all Zelda games. Speaking of sequels, the sequel to Breath of the Wild is arguably the most anticipated game that is currently in development. So hopefully within the next year or so, we will able to see whether or not Nintendo will able to outdo themselves with the new entry. I for one, cannot wait to find out.

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