Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
That was anything but a breath of the wild.
Zelda II: Death Breath
The Thread of Zelda
- Thread starter Griffith
- Start date
Zelda II: Death Breath
Agreed, felt like that was the implied promise of it. I wouldn't mind if she was the one rescuing Link for once.
I'm not looking forward to Ganon being the main villain again, if that is him, I doubt it would be anyone else covered in those Gerudo symbols. This at least gives them the oppurtunity to iron out the kinks from the previous installment. A focus on more creative dungeons and a more balanced weapons system would be greatley appreciated.
I wouldn't say it's a foregone conclusion.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Yeah, like get rid of the Master Sword altogether and force you scavenge ALL the time! This was a feature as far as I'm concerned; fuck your set it and forget it or upgrades only weapons systems, you can get that in any other game. =)
And while I'd also like more dungeons or even a robust Underworld mirroring the surface (that may be too much to hope for), but I will say that between the 100+ Shrines, especially the big mazes and special ones, Devine Beasts, and Hyrule Castle it wasn't exactly lacking in dungeons, it just didn't match the... breadth of the wild above.
Well, It doesn't match the Ganon design from BotW, but they could always BS that (this was his original human form all along!). The shock of red hair, clean face, and evil black/red power emanating from him made me check out Demise's design, which is similarly nude save for a wrap around the waste and legs, but he didn't have all the jewelry, particularly the forehead jewel that's a trademark of you-know-who (maybe they were added at burial upon his de... nevermind =). It's hard to imagine it being someone besides Ganon without it being so closely related to Ganon as to not matter or be contrived, "It's really Ganon's brother Ganon!" Speaking of which, I checked and it did vaguely resemble Yuga, a Ganon doppelganger himself, from ALBW. My guess is it's actual human Ganon as opposed to the Calamity or Beast form, but something deepening his and "the Legend's" connection to Demise could be interesting. If you recall in Skyward Sword Demise was at the bottom of a giant crater that eventually became Hyrule when Skyloft fell into it. Now in this trailer we see Hyrule castle seemingly rising out of the ground, so perhaps this is the same location... Again, Occam's Razor suggests this is more likely some typical resurrection of Ganon shit.
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There are only a few things this trailer gives us background on: The setting (at least for the trailer) is deep underground Hyrule Castle, and we know from the history of this iteration that it has endured many assaults by Ganon. There's also a quick flash of a very Ganon-like silhouette (corpse) being overtaken by a sinister-looking hand -- the hand that looks like it has all those Sheikah designs on it. It looks like it's controlling/empowering the Ganon-like figure. So my guess is that whatever that hand is, it's reanimating some failed, past form of Ganon. But the hand is the one doing the work, which is why I don't think the main bad guy is going to be necessarily Ganon. Perhaps a rogue Sheikah. Afterall, from what I remember of BotW, the Shiekah's technology was eventually shunned by the people, and different splinters were created in the tribe. But sure, in all likelihood, given pretty much every other Zelda game, it could SECRETLY BE GANON ALL ALONG!
Story nonsense aside, my main hope is that they can blend what was lacking from BotW (full-scale dungeons) with the fantastic exploration of the overworld they already nailed.
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Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Yeah, if the game doesn't start with Ganon as the villain from the outset, like many before, it usually ends up with him as the villain. My initial interpretation of the hand holding the body was that it was sealing him, but then it could also be drawing off power... and then it grabs Link. So, we know the desiccated Ganon-like corpse being reanimated is bad, but that ethereal hand of light is the big question mark; is it a force for good, evil or a neutral, though perhaps still hazardous, power. The problem is the whole point could be unraveling that mystery, or it might never appear in the game again after this moment.
If they even added dungeons on the level of Twilight Princess I think people would be satisfied, but they seemingly spent almost all that capital on the overworld and the shrines and Devine Beast temples were like separate entities detached from that world. I say get rid of the shrines and put all that effort into naturally integrated dungeon locations within the world, even if that also means a little less focus and activity on the surface.
If they even added dungeons on the level of Twilight Princess I think people would be satisfied, but they seemingly spent almost all that capital on the overworld and the shrines and Devine Beast temples were like separate entities detached from that world. I say get rid of the shrines and put all that effort into naturally integrated dungeon locations within the world, even if that also means a little less focus and activity on the surface.
That was also my first impression. That being said, I've always wished Nintendo would go for a less simplistic story. Specifically I'd like if they made Ganon, one of the Triforce's chosen ones, into a tragic figure. The one that fell to the darkness by trying to destroy it alone, with Link and Zelda succeeding (and eventually redeeming him) through cooperation. That's make a great story I think, but... It's definitely not happening.
I wish it could be a majora-like sequel.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
That was also my first impression. That being said, I've always wished Nintendo would go for a less simplistic story. Specifically I'd like if they made Ganon, one of the Triforce's chosen ones, into a tragic figure. The one that fell to the darkness by trying to destroy it alone, with Link and Zelda succeeding (and eventually redeeming him) through cooperation. That's make a great story I think, but... It's definitely not happening.
Ganon as the original failed champion would be a great turn, and they could play off that theme and threaten a similar fate for Link here. But like you say, it's never that nuanced or complicated, save for one exception...
Material like this combined with the role and goal reversal of Ganon being the one that wants to use the Triforce to save/restore Hyrule is probably about as clever and subversive as Nintendo is going to get. Since then they've made him either a generic thug or like a malevolent force of nature (or both in TP). I think after WW the best portrayals have been OoT, where he wore pure villainy well, Zelda 3, mainly based on his backstory, deceptions and accomplishments, and BotW for just making him some abstract evil Satan/Sauron. In TP he was a better tease than reveal. In SS they didn't even bother to establish him, which is why I kind of wish they'd explore that further and better tie it to Ganon's mythology. If he can't be a complex character with complicated or even contradictory motivations, they can at least make him evil as hell, which is why I prefer the divine personification non-portrayel in BotW to the couple that directly precede it.
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Yeah my favorite versions are probably Zelda 3 and OoT, because they're simple, effective and don't feel out of place. I still think they should make more of an effort though. BotW's lackluster story did it a disservice.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Yeah, it would be nice if they went back in the direction from Zelda 3 to Wind Waker, because they've done so little with him since then my BotW approval basically comes down to, "Well, if you're not going to do the character right, don't make him a character at all." At least as some vague, primal existential threat he cast the appropriate shadow and was represented through his minions or sub-forms (like you were essentially fighting against him or his power the whole time, which very directly impacts the final fight). It was almost Souls-like; Ganon as monster of lore. Plus, I liked the human reaper design for him! It was only when they shoehorned in a big ceremonial pig fight at the very end that I was underwhelmed. Basically, he was impressive through his presence, he was nowhere and everywhere, and the act of fighting him in various ways and forms at least.
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Playable Zelda with mechanics different from Link is something I have wanted for a long time. BotW was built around breaking series conventions and letting us play as the titular character in the next game would continue that trend. I'm not going to get my hopes up over a short teaser, because she could just get whisked away until finale yet again, but the change with her hair makes me think that it was done to avoid clipping with weapons and outfits.
Agreed.
Yeah same here. And making him a disconnected final fight is starting to feel like a theme (started in TP) and honestly that's regrettable.
I don't think long hair would be much of a problem from that standpoint to be honest.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Lame and unfulfilling efforts considerimg what came before. I don't think they'll ever top OoT with the tower stairwell, the cheesy organ, the fight that ends with him spitting up blood (red too in my OG gold edition =), then the castle crumbling and him flying out like a pissed off Superman to transform into a Souls boss a decade before its time. I still can't believe how good the atmospheric lightning was for N64.
Yeah, it's an interesting thought but I think Link's hair is longer and plus many of the hats and outfits came with their own custom hair style (if she's playable some outfits may very well have long hair). I took the hair as a thematic symbol that Zelda is being more active and out in the field here, dressed for action, which would seem to indicate this will continue to be the case because she didn't need to have short just hair for that scene. She's also dressed very similarly to Link, obviously.
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Never say never, I think they could get it done if they only bothered to construct a thematically and narratively coherent ending. Just rehashing this human form + apostle form (yeah I went there
) progression with today's graphics would be miles better than the non sequitur shit they're pulling these days.Agreed, it's a way to subvert the image of the "delicate / weak princess" without going all the way into super-ninja Sheik style.
Well, regardless of how the story in this game plays out, I'm pretty excited to see what they do in terms of upgrades for gameplay, dungeons, etc. If this will be anything like what Majora's Mask was to OoT, I'd be happy with that. Seems like the overall world is staying the same; not sure if they stated that this was a direct sequel to BotW or not.
It literally says that text at the end of the video
Some info on the game's ideation from Aonuma: https://kotaku.com/breath-of-the-wild-is-getting-a-sequel-because-the-team-1835624233
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It literally says that text at the end of the video
Some info on the game's ideation from Aonuma: https://kotaku.com/breath-of-the-wild-is-getting-a-sequel-because-the-team-1835624233
Christ lol. Ignore what I wrote, I clearly have no clue what I'm saying
Thanks for the link Walter.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Yeah, I didn't bother with it myself. I figured if anything I'd save it for a possible replay of the whole game on Switch with it activated from the start.
Not sure I buy this (doesn't looks like the letters/characters really match =), but it's awesome speculation nonetheless:
'Breath of the Wild 2' Teaser Trailer Has a Secret Message About Ganondorf
It's written in a fictional language from the Zelda games.
Yeah, like get rid of the Master Sword altogether and force you scavenge ALL the time! This was a feature as far as I'm concerned; fuck your set it and forget it or upgrades only weapons systems, you can get that in any other game. =)
And while I'd also like more dungeons or even a robust Underworld mirroring the surface (that may be too much to hope for), but I will say that between the 100+ Shrines, especially the big mazes and special ones, Devine Beasts, and Hyrule Castle it wasn't exactly lacking in dungeons, it just didn't match the... breadth of the wild above.
Using reasoning skills to solve the puzzles in conventional or unconventional ways was a good way to create dungeon like enviroments without relying on key tools as roadblocks. Despite the many creative shrines in the game, there are many that feel like filler, like the dozen or so tests of strength. I also believe the Tower of the Gods aesthetic (I don't have a word for it, stonepunk? Ghiblipunk?) wares out pretty quickly, it was good for Wind Waker, Twilight and Skyward because the inclusion of advanced technology made those areas stand out, but when every area looks and feels like it, nothing feels that unique. I'd much rather they cut down on the shrines and invest time in creating areas like the Hyrule Castle ruins or large intricate dungeons that have more opportunity to present difficulty.
When Calamity Ganon was first introduced, as a serpentine mass of dark energy, I was excited to fight him in such a unique and bizarre form, but rehashing the Lion-Pig design from Twilight Princess and making him a slow clunky target practise pales in comparison to other final battles.
Back in October, we had guests over for dinner and a kid wanted to play games we had on our Switch. I was hoping he'd pick Contra so I could play a little but instead, he picked Breath of the Wild and began to play it for the next 2 hours. He'd want to sit next to my wife, so she could give him tips/ pointers as he progressed through the game. We hadn't touched it in months and didn't get too far because when we first played it, it was more about exploring and our approach was a bit directionless. Lack of time made it harder to continue back then. Anyway, dinner wraps up and a week later, my wife picks up the game and attempts to play it (our 3rd attempt). What's different this time - it's a more focused approach where we're speaking with people (not just 1 or 2 you'd meet at a village or a horse stable), trying different quests that would unlock (where's that goddamn giant horse goddamnit, still looking for it), getting to different shrines. She's doing the playing, I'm doing the observing/ helping in case something 'shiny' is missed being picked up, checking hearts during a battle, etc. It's pretty infectious and we've only clocked in 70ish hours so far. When she goes to bed, I play the game and explore. I love climbing those mountains and checking out spots we haven't been to. DK gave us a tip to get Heroes Path and it's helped my exploring tremendously because I feel like it helps with a more focused approach at exploring. Then again, revisiting older places with better weapons or gear makes things easier to get to/ accomplish like those places it's constantly raining to make it harder to climb. I'd love to start the game from scratch under my own handle but I don't want to leave the convenience of the leveled up stamina in my wife's present game 
. I also try not to engage in battles with bigger enemies while I explore, so it's open for my wife to discover when she does go there. In terms of progress, so far we have -
From where we are in the game, I think there's A WHOLE LOT MORE to gain/ accomplish in terms of weapons or quests. DK let us know that there were about 900 Korok seeds on the map and I can't imagine getting even a quarter of that ... ever. Goddamn.
I like shorter games - short as in games that aren't open world or more like old school games that have a definitive end that you can get to sooner than months of playing. I'd have to admit, this game surprised me and I'm loving it. Maybe it's because it's a dual effort and I'm playing it with someone, rather than just by myself that's making it enjoyable. I find it cute when my wife gets flustered or surprised or scared when she comes across different enemies and she finds it massively annoying when I try to get her to explore or check out that peak or go in an area she isn't thinking about. So it's been a fun game for us.
What we haven't really mastered is riding horses and using them in battle. We've got 2 of them but we haven't used them as much.
. I also try not to engage in battles with bigger enemies while I explore, so it's open for my wife to discover when she does go there. In terms of progress, so far we have -6 hearts
2 and a quarter circles of stamina
1 Guardian (the elephant one!)
Leveled up the Zora armor, Defense armor, Climbing armor to the 2nd level - those are the only armors we have so far. There was something we came across in the desert area that looked shiny/ LED like but we didn't have the cash for it back then and we eventually left that area cos my wife got bored haha)
32 Korok seeds at the moment - we had another 20something which we used up to upgrade our slots. I definitely want her to find the next fellow so we can get more slots because leaving weapons behind is painful
2 and a quarter circles of stamina
1 Guardian (the elephant one!)
Leveled up the Zora armor, Defense armor, Climbing armor to the 2nd level - those are the only armors we have so far. There was something we came across in the desert area that looked shiny/ LED like but we didn't have the cash for it back then and we eventually left that area cos my wife got bored haha)
32 Korok seeds at the moment - we had another 20something which we used up to upgrade our slots. I definitely want her to find the next fellow so we can get more slots because leaving weapons behind is painful
From where we are in the game, I think there's A WHOLE LOT MORE to gain/ accomplish in terms of weapons or quests. DK let us know that there were about 900 Korok seeds on the map and I can't imagine getting even a quarter of that ... ever. Goddamn.
I like shorter games - short as in games that aren't open world or more like old school games that have a definitive end that you can get to sooner than months of playing. I'd have to admit, this game surprised me and I'm loving it. Maybe it's because it's a dual effort and I'm playing it with someone, rather than just by myself that's making it enjoyable. I find it cute when my wife gets flustered or surprised or scared when she comes across different enemies and she finds it massively annoying when I try to get her to explore or check out that peak or go in an area she isn't thinking about. So it's been a fun game for us.
What we haven't really mastered is riding horses and using them in battle. We've got 2 of them but we haven't used them as much.