djchameleon

You know what's strange though? On the Switch, there is the possibility to use touchscreen but I've only used it to navigate around the Home Screen. They just decided not to add it to the game when they could have.

I saw somewhere that there is a DLC 1 and DLC 2. The first one is coming out in august and the second one down the road in december/holiday season.

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Fame, fortune, power, titties. People say these are the most crucial things in life, but you can have a pocket full o' gold and it doesn't mean sh*t if you don't have someone to share that gold with. Seems simple. Yet it's an important lesson to learn. Even lone wolves run in packs sometimes.

Key

Part II: 6-10

6. Link's Personality



We've seen some shimmers of personality come out of Link through the existence of the games, but never before have I been so immersed in Link himself before. Not only do you have different dialogue options for when you're talking to someone, but you also have Link reacting to pretty much everything that happens in the world. And the reactions aren't the same for every thing that happens. If you're in a cold area, Link will start to shiver and wish for a blanket. If he's too hot, he'll get sweaty and run out of breath. When he's remembering something, his facial expression pretty much says it all. MINOR SPOILER ALERT BEGINS I think one of my favorite things about the additional personality to Link is the fact that you can customize his clothing to match what you believe he should look like. With the many types of different armor and styles, it really gives you the freedom to have Link look the way you want, and not just be stuck with the typical green tunic and brown pants. Adds variety which I think the series needed for quite some time. [MINOR SPOILER ALERT ENDS]

7. Difficulty



One of the many reasons I believe Breath of the Wild shines is because of the risks it takes and succeeds at them. Nintendo have had the reputation of making games too family friendly and easy, but good looking. With Breath of the Wild however, and maybe Twilight Princess as well, they ranked up the difficulty big time. I know I talk about this particular thing a lot, but it's because it's such a nice surprise when compared to the other games in the series. This is honestly something I was hoping for the game, that although it is humongous, I feared that Nintendo were going to make it too easy. But god damn, they definitely know how to make a difficult game. This will mesh well with the later point I'm going to make in this list about the degradable weapon system, which if you're interested in hearing my thoughts, continue forward. Yes, Breath of the Wild is pretty difficult, but the payoff has been worthwhile every single time I've been in a difficult situation. I've not once felt cheated or treated unfairly. Pretty much every death I've had has been my own ignorance and stupidity. And I'm a better man because of it.

8. Shrines



This is one of the things I really didn't know anything about when Breath of the Wild was being teased around. It's certainly not something I was expecting to like so much to the point of being addicting, but Nintendo once again showcased their ability to take risks, and have it pay off positively. Shrines are basically mini dungeons spread throughout the world that tests your skills in various areas of combat, mind games, and puzzles. If you were to basically take one or two big puzzles from each dungeon in the entire Zelda franchise, you'd basically have shrines. The payoff for doing shrines is always worth it too. Many times when I've completed a shrine, I learn about a new mechanic that my arsenal is capable of. They are worth doing because the award system gives you things that you need in order to make yourself more survivable and better at the game in the long run. If you've done shrines already in the game, you understand the importance of them. And plus, it's certainly a nice break from all the adventuring once in a while. If you feel like just completing puzzles for a little while, shrines are the perfect way to do it. Then once you're done, it's back to exploring!

9. Breakable Weaponry



I've seen people talk down about this new mechanic to the Zelda series, and I was on the fence about it when I started playing Breath of the Wild, but over time I've really come to enjoy this mechanic, a lot. I've found that having a breakable weapon system gives you the benefit of being able to try out different combat strategies, instead of just being stuck to the sword and board combat system. They accomplished this style of mechanic really well, especially with the simplified combat that the game offers. The two mix together well giving you the opportunities to try new ways of fighting with the many monsters throughout the world of Hyrule. Don't worry though, if you're worried about the monsters being too easy because of the simplified combat, well there are some really strong monsters in the world. Some of which you may even have to teleport away from and try again at another time. But again, that gives you the ability to plan out your attack, and try something new that you've never tried. It basically turns every encounter into an exciting one, instead of always wanting to run away from a group of monsters. It's even more rewarding when you consider how much loot they drop. The types of things they drop can either be new weapons, valuable items, or things you can cook with other things to help you rack up on elixers and food. It's always rewarding and it's always fun to try new things. Stealth is also a big factor in that.

10. Music



Last and certainly not least, the music in Breath of the Wild is absolutely amazing. There's been back and forth conversation discussing why the music is either good or bad, but in my own experience, I've come to really appreciate what the music brings to the game. You're not met with the typical Zelda themes that you'd be familiar with from playing the games. It brings a much more atmospheric and ambient selection of tracks that do a surprisingly well job at setting the scene for every single place you enter. You'll walk into several areas, and the music will change every time, and it gives you that self satisfaction of knowing that you just hiked an entire mountain, and then you're met with the over world music letting you know that you've made it back safely. The towns have their own music scores as well, and they are all fantastic. Once again it is much more ambient than what most Zelda fans are used to, but it really works well with this game, because the entire game is set up to be a world full of atmosphere and wonder. I think if Nintendo had gone the route they usually do with Zelda themes and remade a lot of the older tracks, I don't think the game would be as immersive as it is. You just have a calming selection of tracks in the background to guide you to the places you want to go. It's a surreal experience and Nintendo once again took that risk, and it paid off.

So there you have it, my top 10 favorite things from Breath of the Wild. I left out a lot of stuff because I talked in depth about the game in my previous review. But I still think I could add an additional 10 things or even 20 things, but I want to keep it at 10 just for the sake of you guys not being overloaded with Breath of the Wild stuff. There may be one or two more posts about Breath of the Wild, but other than that, I'll get back to normal reviews and talk about other stuff. Doesn't mean I'm going to stop playing though. I've still got several hundred hours to put into the game.

Key

There is something so magical and exciting when a company has been able to be fairly consistent at releasing great games under an owned property. In my very honest opinion, out of all the names Nintendo has ownership of, and this is including Mario and the like, I would say that The Legend of Zelda has easily been the most consistently good and most successful series that Nintendo has kept strong. With as many as 19 games in the main Zelda series alone, it's pretty easy to have a top 10, a top 5, and for some people (myself included) a top 3. So I'm going to finally compile my top 5 list that I believe are the best Zelda games, and my personal favorites of course. This will be in order from 1-5, 1 being my absolute favorite, and 5 being my least absolute favorite, if that makes sense. And since I've had a lot of great memories with the main game series, and some of the non main series games are pretty good as well. Keep in mind that if a game did get a HD remake, I'm going to stick to the HD remake as opposed to talking about both. Only makes sense to talk about the most recent and up to date of those particular games. But anyway, here's my top 5 Zelda games.


5. Twilight Princess



As far as I'm concerned, Twilight Princess is a fantastic title in the Zelda series. I've heard people knock this particular title and Skyward Sword more than other games, but Twilight Princess offers so much that makes it more a great game as opposed to be a bad one. First off, the graphics are really cool. I really enjoy the darker undertone they went with this one. With the story and the characters throughout, the setting certainly makes sense. I will say that I'm not a huge fan of having to use the old Wii controllers to play it, but I understand why they made it the way they did. Keeping up with the times and all that. It's nowhere near my favorite Zelda game of all time obviously, but I feel that since we are doing a top 5, it's only appropriate to mention it, even as my least favorite.


4. Majora's Mask



Both Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time are possibly two of the most impressive Nintendo 64 games ever made. That is saying something spectacular when you take into consideration the vast amount of amazing games the Nintendo 64 got. So as far as I'm concerned, this one and Ocarina of Time are practically interchangeable in this list, but of course I'll throw this here as I've had more fond memories of Ocarina of Time. But anyway, enough lollygagging, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is truly a remarkable game in every way imaginable. Back when Ocarina of Time was making itself be known, we as a human race were surprised to find that yet another Zelda game would be coming out for the Nintendo 64. And by god, this game has been the birth of so many unsettling occurrences and stories revolving around the Zelda franchise to this day. By no stretch of the imagination has any other game created such a dead and uneasy feeling throughout an entire play-through of a game. Right from the get-go, you're struck with what this game truly has to offer. It's dark story mixed with a gloomy theme throughout, and of course the evil moon in the sky, Majora's Mask is truly a one-of-a-kind, and although I haven't played the 3D remake, I have heard good things. This game is special, and should never be forgotten.

3. Ocarina of Time



It is now time for the big 3, and I have given these particular titles a lot of thought and consideration in regards to where they fall on this list. It's actually been several years of thinking, way back when I played through the original Wind Waker for the first time. These particular 3 titles are 3 that I would never get bored of, or tire from, or basically never say an ill word of. As far as I can tell, each of these titles would receive a 10/10 rating. Easily. Anyway, Ocarina of Time is perhaps known as the best game on the Nintendo 64, and I wholeheartedly agree. If you want to truly understand what it means to go on an adventure, you play Ocarina of Time. This game not only gives you perhaps one of the most well written editions of the Link and Zelda story, it also provides an experience above all else. With the most iconic musical soundtrack, all the way to the silly sounds that Link makes, this game has remained and will continue to be a game that everybody needs to play through at least once. I remember it was actually a few years ago that I went through this game all the way through, by myself, for the first time. The constant sense of progression and adventure that is showcased in this game is what setup the rest of the games to come after it. I mean sure, we had that sense of adventure in the older games, but for this game to not only go the 3D route on the Nintendo 64, and provide what we all wanted from the game (at the time) it's truly remarkable that Nintendo pulled it off. Who was to know that at the time of this game being released, we would have still been playing amazing Zelda games, even today. If you've never played a Zelda game, or have never played this one, this is a must play. Even through an emulator.


2. Wind Waker (HD)



It's really funny that if you were to ask people what one of their all time favorite Zelda games would be, a lot of them would mention Wind Waker. But back in the Gamecube days when the original game was released, I was among a small group of the community that were saying the game was great. When people first played through the original, I was hearing constant criticism for the childish and cartoonish graphic style on top of how it was just a tedious game. Now, and especially when the HD remake was released, everybody jumped on the hype train. And good. Wind Waker may not seem like much to a lot of people, but back when I played it for the first time, it was one of the few times in my life where I always wanted to go back and just feel that sense of adventure when you're riding your boat on the water. The last time I had ever felt that was when I originally played through Ocarina of Time, and it had been a while since I felt adventure, at least until Wind Waker was released. I thoroughly enjoyed my very first play through of this game, and it still stands the test of time today. I've played through the HD remake, and so the reason I mention that here instead of going to deep into the original is because the HD remake takes everything that could have been considered a fault in the original, and fixes it. I really felt so much more immersed in the HD remake than I did with the original, and seeing as I loved the original, I found that to be incredibly impressive. A feat that I don't think any other franchise has been able to do. Usually remakes suck, but Nintendo take their remakes as seriously as they do with their main games. And it truly shows.


1. Breath of the Wild



And now, we are at my number one all time favorite Zelda game, and perhaps my all time favorite video game ever. If you didn't see this coming, you obviously have not been paying attention. To spare going another paragraphs upon paragraphs about this game, I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. But yes, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has reached the point of being my personal all time favorite Zelda game ever released, and perhaps my favorite game of all time. I steered clear of the hype for a little while when this game was being teased, but quickly cling'd onto it when it was getting closer to completion, and my god it was worth it. I've been playing with no guides or anything, and it's paying off every time I turn the game on. In a world of a lot of open world games and games in general, it's truly remarkable to see this game do so well. Nintendo have been known as the "laughing stock" company of gaming, but that is no more. They have proven time and time again, and again once more with this title, that they are not a force to be reckoned with. We all know their hardware can suck sometimes, but when it comes to making games, and their attention to detail, Nintendo are the best. And will continue to be the best as far as I'm concerned. Another company is going to have to try really hard in order to surpass this amazing game.

Key

One of the common complaints people seem to have about Breath of the Wild is the soundtrack. Some people have said that it's too simple, too minimalistic, doesn't fit Zelda. I on the other hand absolutely love the entire soundtrack that comes alongside Breath of the Wild. Sure, it is much simpler and less "in your face" like other Zelda games are, but the soundtrack does the perfect job of surrounding you with music that allows you to get immersed into the world. I mean, a fair and understandable assessment that some people have had with the soundtrack is that the typical song styles that you'd think you'd hear by going to certain places you know won't actually happen. Songs like Gerudo Valley or the Song of Time, etc etc. However, I still feel that the world needed a less in your face approach. It wouldn't feel as alone or desolate without the minimal sounds going on in the background. Some have said that the soundtrack is very atmospheric. In the sense that it really sets the tone for every area. I certainly agree with that statement as well. I've found myself running in Hyrule Field, or going into towns, and quickly being able to get comfortable with the new tone that it sets. The music has a lot to do with that because it makes you feel as if you're truly in a place of its own, and not just a town you stumbled upon, etc etc.

I would like to point out a few tracks that really stand out from the rest. And keep in mind that again these are just my personal favorites. I'm sure there are people that would say "oh just post the whole soundtrack". And while that could potentially makes things easier, there are just certain tracks that stand out, and ones I thoroughly enjoyed and looked up on Youtube to hear more of. So here they are:



This is without a doubt my favorite track in the entire soundtrack. If you've played Breath of the Wild, you don't need me to tell you why this song is so good. If you haven't. Well, just know that the song goes really well with the environment around you. When you get to this part, you'll quickly realize it.



My obvious next choice has to go to the theme of Hyrule Castle. This song is so well done that there's a sense of nostalgia and loneliness the entire time. It's very memorable from the first note to the last, even though the game is entirely new. Fantastically done, and super beautiful.

I couldn't find a video for it, but there's a track that plays while you're riding on the back of your horse, and it's so well done. If you've heard it, you know exactly which one I'm talking about.

Key

As a side note: I'm nearing the completion of the main quest for Breath of the Wild so there will be one more post about the game, and perhaps another to give my final thoughts. I'm nowhere near close to being done playing the game, as I have no idea what is going to happen next.

This particular post is going to focus on something that I don't think I've touched on before, and it's just a coincidence that it does relate to Breath of the Wild in a way. So let's talk about...


Part 1

I honestly don't remember a time before a few years ago that I started getting really excited about video game trailers. Anybody who's anybody knows that the first thing you want to see when a video game title is released are the trailers. There's something so truly captivating and beautiful about them, especially with the bigger titles over the past few years. Even some not so well games have some really badass trailers that I feel are worth sharing. So, let's start with the obvious one and work our way down, shall we?



Of course, who would I be if I didn't mention one of the best trailers for a video game I have ever seen, mixed with of course being my favorite game of all time. I can't lie though, I come from a bit of bias, as I always feel Nintendo have been spot on every single time they release a video game trailer. This trailer though really does a fantastic job at not only setting the atmosphere for the game, but giving you an idea of the lore behind it. It's done fairly subtle, but it still does a fantastic job and just giving you that sneak peak of what to expect out of the game. And having played through most of it, it does its job very well. Even after playing the game for as long as I have, this trailer still gets me excited.



Perhaps my second most favorite video game trailer would easily have to go to the Fallout 4 trailer. It brings in everything we love about the Fallout games before it, and meshes it altogether into a beautifully made trailer that will surely get you ready for a new world. Even if the main game was a bit of a disappointment, the trailer still holds high esteem to this day.



Even if I don't own an Xbox One or that particular version of Rocket League for that matter, I have to give props to Psyonix for making such an amazing trailer for their console version. I'll admit, I haven't really been playing a lot of Rocket League, but the game is still dear to my heart, and the trailer is amazing.

Akai

Talking of the N64, if only rares original team got back together for a Conker sequel -.-

Tristan_Geoff

If only

A Banjo successor is in the works though

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djchameleon

I know I mentioned this to you in plug but a top 5 without A Link to the Past seems like a tragedy.

Maybe that's only me though and because it was the first Zelda game I played. After that I went back to play the original ones on NES and I hated those two games and didn't really get too far in either of them.

The banjo successor is a spiritual one I guess but I had no idea it was coming out in a few weeks. They crowd funded for it and was able to meet their initial goal of 175,000 pounds in 40 minutes with a million pound goal within 21 hours.

Here is the trailer for it.

__________________

Fame, fortune, power, titties. People say these are the most crucial things in life, but you can have a pocket full o' gold and it doesn't mean sh*t if you don't have someone to share that gold with. Seems simple. Yet it's an important lesson to learn. Even lone wolves run in packs sometimes.

Key

Believe me, if I were to do a top 10 (and I considered it), A Link To The Past would be on there. But my experience with the games in my top 5 surpass my experiences with the other games. I know some people may find it crazy that I have Wind Waker so high, but I played through that game twice, once on the GameCube version and the HD remake for the Wii U, and both times I was blown away by it.

debaserr

Didn't they just make some crappy Banjo cart maker game or something?

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