After 150+ hours, it'd be silly of me to say I hated the game. But I think Nintendo really needs to spend some serious time on QoL improvements for the next game... because given the new mechanics, the issues with BotW's really showed their head here. Everything else? Distinctly an improvement in my opinion. Glad to see actual bosses this time too.
I appreciate the more linear structure to story telling here as it gave something more to chew on without sacrificing the actual freedom of the previous game. A lot of the core mechanics of the game take the base from BotW and then looked at all the various ways people broke BotW to make a game where breaking it feels like entirely the point. Shrines felt like they were more light hearted fun and temples felt like they embraced an open feeling while still retaining a pretty decent pacing. Some parts are better than others for sure, but I like what they're doing.
Also, anything that lets me build shitty Gmod cars is an instant win in my book. The hours and hours of childhood summer vacation I spent cobbling together some barely functional vehicle were replicated in almost the same child like glee and curiosity here. Let me build some houses for these burnt down villages next!!!
However, if you did not like the formula change of the previous game, I don't think TotK is going to win you over. Make no mistake, all the worst parts of BotW are still here, they didn't go anywhere (I actually always really liked the weapon durability mechanic though). While I think there's enough brand new stuff and improvements here to consider this a sequel, it's not really trying to find that much of a balance between that and older 3D Zelda. Like the leap from 2D to 3D, the series is transforming once again and like every major transformation, some just aren't going to like it.
And that's fine! But I'm still loving all of it.
I appreciate the more linear structure to story telling here as it gave something more to chew on without sacrificing the actual freedom of the previous game. A lot of the core mechanics of the game take the base from BotW and then looked at all the various ways people broke BotW to make a game where breaking it feels like entirely the point. Shrines felt like they were more light hearted fun and temples felt like they embraced an open feeling while still retaining a pretty decent pacing. Some parts are better than others for sure, but I like what they're doing.
Also, anything that lets me build shitty Gmod cars is an instant win in my book. The hours and hours of childhood summer vacation I spent cobbling together some barely functional vehicle were replicated in almost the same child like glee and curiosity here. Let me build some houses for these burnt down villages next!!!
However, if you did not like the formula change of the previous game, I don't think TotK is going to win you over. Make no mistake, all the worst parts of BotW are still here, they didn't go anywhere (I actually always really liked the weapon durability mechanic though). While I think there's enough brand new stuff and improvements here to consider this a sequel, it's not really trying to find that much of a balance between that and older 3D Zelda. Like the leap from 2D to 3D, the series is transforming once again and like every major transformation, some just aren't going to like it.
And that's fine! But I'm still loving all of it.