The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the greatest video games of all time, showing just how good an open-world game can be when it escapes the trappings of most other titles in the genre. The organic manner in which the systems of this game work in harmony makes everything from exploration to combat feel absolutely brilliant in every way.
With Tears of the Kingdom coming out sooner rather than later, many people wouldn't mind booting up this game and getting reacquainted with the mechanics once again. However, given how replayable and engaging this game is, most gamers wouldn't be faulted for completing an entirely new playthrough as well! Here are some of the best reasons why Breath of the Wild still feels fresh today.
8 Incredible Open-World Design
A huge problem players have with most run-of-the-mill open worlds is the reliance they have on objective markers and the minimap. Many important landmarks and objects are simply not all that apparent at first glance, and players will have to rely on the game to highlight notable points for them in some form or the other.
It's amazing to see just how brilliantly Breath of the Wild circumvents this problem. The open-world design is truly one of a kind, with players simply looking at landmarks in the distance to figure out where to go. It's an intuitive yet brilliant way to guide players towards interesting landmarks while not getting bored with exploring inconsequential segments of the world.
7 A Fun Physics System
Physics and gaming have become quite a lucrative partnership, with studios like Valve showing just how fun and organic video game systems can be with the addition of a realistic physics system. It seems that Nintendo took this lesson to heart and ensured that the physics in Breath of the Wild are as natural and entertaining as they come.
The game uses physics in everything possible in the game. Exploration, combat, and puzzles feel pretty intuitive since the game encourages and incentivizes players to use the momentum of objects to get through all three sections, making it downright mandatory in certain instances.
6 The Possibilities Opened Up With Runes
The core systems of Breath of the Wild are already pretty solid as is, but it's the Runes that bring out a ton of innovation here, Statis, Cryonis, Remote Bombs, and Magnesis are all a ton of fun to use and ensure that players will be anything but bored while tinkering with the game's Runes.
All these Runes can be used in exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving to great effect, adding a ton of depth to the many verticals of Breath of the Wild's gameplay. Fans can't wait to see the new and improved Runes that will come in Tears of the Kingdom.
5 A Great Modding Community
While modding Breath of the Wild can be challenging, that doesn't mean it's impossible. A bit of research is all it takes for players to unlock 60 FPS, change the main character, add more unique encounters, and change the textures in the game, among a host of other tweaks!
Given how amazing Breath of the Wild is, it's only a given that this game has a dedicated and brilliant modding community. It may be a bit of work, but players who mod Breath of the Wild will have more than enough reasons to replay the game for what would be the umpteenth time.
4 Playing On The Switch OLED
The Switch OLED was a much-needed upgrade, allowing players to experience games with crisper visuals. Given that the biggest selling point of the Switch is its portability, it's easy to see why a better screen would be optimal for the majority of games on the Switch.
While a hardware upgrade is also required, players who get a Switch OLED will love to see how Breath of the Wild looks in portable mode. The game's graphics do a great job of working around the Switch's limited hardware, with its cel-shaded art style contributing to a timeless look.
3 A Playthrough In Master Mode
Master Mode is a new difficulty added by Breath of the Wild's DLC, adding restrictions to game saves and enhancing the difficulty of the game in many ways. Some of the many new things added in this mode include floating platforms held up by Sky Octorocks and new golden enemies that are some of the toughest foes in the entire game.
Master Mode can be quite tough to play through, but seasoned players of Breath of the Wild will love the added urgency brought about by this mode. It's easily one of the best reasons to replay the game for players who opted for a normal difficulty mode when choosing to play the game for the first time.
2 The Nonlinear Approach Of The Game
The main goal of Breath of the Wild is to unlock the powers of the four Divine Beasts and save Hyrule by defeating Calamity Ganon. There are four Divine Beasts across the map, and players can tackle these mechanical animals in any order they wish.
So, players who chose one particular route while rescuing these Beasts can opt for a completely different route later on. It's a simple yet great way to switch up the flow of the game and force players to tackle certain tougher Divine Beasts early on.
1 No Restrictions To Fight The Final Boss
There aren't many games that allow players to encounter the final boss from the get-go, but Breath of the Wild isn't like most games. Ganon is the final boss of this game as always... and possibly the first boss as well if players choose to leg it to Hyrule Castle the very moment they get the glider!
This can actively encourage players to start up a challenge run and test their skills as they make their way to Hyrule Castle and battle this monstrous form of Ganon. It can be a downright impossible task... but doable for players whose skills in Breath of the Wild are truly incredible.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis available for Nintendo Switch.