First Impressions - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U)

fantastic throwback to the original LoZ instruction booklet

This game is fun.  A lot of fun!  As someone who never got into big open world games like the Elder Scrolls series or Dark Souls, I feel like this is my turn.  Zelda is very much a sinkhole of time type of game, you just pick up and play.  Climb to the top of a mountain, maybe you find a shrine, maybe a quest.  Get directed to follow  a road to a town to get another stage in your quest, but get sidetracked along the way.  There are a lot of things in the game to keep you entertained.

Personally, I immediately chased after as many towers as I could find.  They're tall, so they're easy to see, and it's a fun challenge to see if I can reach them.  And opening up new areas on the map is a nice reward.  I've opened up so many places on my map, that I've got to take some time to go back through and actually look at these places.  The map design is really nice, you can follow a particular route, and totally miss a little valley with a cool little thing in it, that you'll find later, right under your nose the whole time.   I find the designs memorable,  no two lakes are the same, neither are any two mountains.  The game seems hand crafted, not procedurally generated.

click to expand.  this will give you an idea of just how big the game is.  BotW is the green square.  

The map of Breath of the Wild is enormous, but it isn't really daunting- it's inviting.  Hyrule is a blast to explore, and you can get places fast, even on foot. The visibility from the top of a mountain is often amazingly clear, and I'll mark something in the distance, and when I consult the map, it is twice as far away as I had thought.  But if I put my mind to it, I can usually make my way there.   

I read a review of the game somewhere, in which the reviewer commented that the game is very 'empty.'  That other games of this design have more creatures in them.  I suppose this might be the case, but I find that i enjoy the emptiness.  Very often, it's just me, exploring to my hearts content.  Enemies are often better off avoided than engaged with. 

An interesting comparison popped into my head, and I think I like it:  This game reminds me of Pilotwings.  In fact, if Nintendo ever makes another Pilotwings game, I hope they use the lessons learned in Breath of the Wild.  In Pilotwings 64, I always wanted to just explore the countryside.  My favorite way of getting around in Zelda is to climb a mountain, and then hang glide off of it.  It's a fairly safe way to travel, and you get a really good view.  Of course, this approach has gotten me into areas that were much to difficult for my current supply/skill level.  But that's how you learn.  

The story and dialogue are spare, and generally forgettable.  This is a game to play for the fun of playing it.  I think I'll go play now.  

-D

This comic best illustrates what the gameplay is like in BotW.  Not sure you can actually ride a bear...