Less cynical this time. I think its flaws are still there. The disproportionate sexualization of the women, some really bad tropey scenes, the slow start mechanically and narratively with poor tutorials, yeah. That’s there. But beneath that? There’s one of the most fun battle systems and genuinely fantastic, existentially terrifying stories there. And a cast I love. Except Tora. This run did not sell me on Tora. But a better understanding from the top made this replay make the game click, and click a lot more. Morag Ladair you will always be famous.

I don’t rate games until I beat them usually. This is subject to change of course, but this has been magic. It doesn’t invalidate BotW. It improves upon it, but it also understands the creative value its predecessor held. It’s rewarding to see a fresh, changed Hyrule, and the extent to which it’s changed. The overworld holds, yet the approach one takes to it is so vastly different. The start is more linear to let you play with the new, complex mechanics, and this meant it took a while to hook me. However, once it did, I’ve been blown away. Shrines constantly wow me and the character work is stronger, voice direction is better, graphics and lighting are better, and the rewards for creativity are immense. Zonai devices are not really forced upon you, yet using them has made the game ever more fun for me. A love letter to all Zeldas which preceded it, and a refinement of what BotW introduced whilst allowing the original to stand on its own atmospherically and mechanically. Mwah. Maybe my rating will fall. We’ll see. Doubt it though!
EDIT: I BEAT IT. 6 STARS IF I COULD LMFAO ONE OF THE BEST GAMES I EVER PLAYED GRAAAAHHHHHHHHH