So, respect to Nintendo for trying to mix up the formula from the previous games. I get why this game is as popular and beloved as it is. That being said, I think this game is a chore to sit through and it's success bodes very poorly for the series going forward.
I don't like the open world focus. There's a ton of uninteresting time spent in the game going from one oversized zone to the other, with the assumption that collecting crafting materials and fighting random enemies makes up for the lack of focused environments outside of specific zones.
The crafting system in general is a total dud. It's something the player has to engage in, as the reduced importance on NPCs and focused environments means that you'll have to scrounge for health as you get beat up on having to haul Link's stamina-restricted (another major L) ass 10 miles between each point of interest.
The weapon durability system compounds this, and might be the biggest mark against the game. Like. I get it, BOTW has traded the charm and focus of even B-Tier Zelda games like Phantom Hourglass for resource management. There are meaningful choices that have to be made by the player. I just don't think that exchange is equal in any way, nor do I enjoy having to constantly use mickey mouse twigs to deal with a majority of the encounters.
The pacing is dreadfully slow, thematically the game feels like a dud compared to the previous games, replacing Link's arsenal of hookshots and puzzle solving tools with the rune system takes away the very tactile feeling of solving puzzles in the previous game, the music is a major step back in every regard, the switch version has performance issues and I could go on.
The 2010s were just terrible for gaming, dude.
I don't like the open world focus. There's a ton of uninteresting time spent in the game going from one oversized zone to the other, with the assumption that collecting crafting materials and fighting random enemies makes up for the lack of focused environments outside of specific zones.
The crafting system in general is a total dud. It's something the player has to engage in, as the reduced importance on NPCs and focused environments means that you'll have to scrounge for health as you get beat up on having to haul Link's stamina-restricted (another major L) ass 10 miles between each point of interest.
The weapon durability system compounds this, and might be the biggest mark against the game. Like. I get it, BOTW has traded the charm and focus of even B-Tier Zelda games like Phantom Hourglass for resource management. There are meaningful choices that have to be made by the player. I just don't think that exchange is equal in any way, nor do I enjoy having to constantly use mickey mouse twigs to deal with a majority of the encounters.
The pacing is dreadfully slow, thematically the game feels like a dud compared to the previous games, replacing Link's arsenal of hookshots and puzzle solving tools with the rune system takes away the very tactile feeling of solving puzzles in the previous game, the music is a major step back in every regard, the switch version has performance issues and I could go on.
The 2010s were just terrible for gaming, dude.