2017 was a big year for gaming, with a number of flops, but also a number of smash hits. The biggest hit of the year, however, is undoubtedly Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. The game has scooped almost every game of the year award around the world, being loudly praised for its incredibly detailed open world, impressively designed mechanics, and exceptional story telling.
But, Zelda: BOTW is not the only game to feature such elements. In fact, many modern games have the exact same factors. So what is it about Zelda BOTW that has made it such an incredible success, with so many fans globally?
Let’s take a closer look.
Clever Graphics Decisions
One very notable thing about Zelda BOTW is that it looks lovely. Or at least, it looks lovely from a distance. Having been released on the Wii U, and Nintendo Switch, both very underpowered consoles, BOTW is, in fact, significantly less graphically advanced than the majority of other modern games.
This may surprise some, given that the game does still look good, but there is no question about the games enormous technical limitations. The trick is, however, that the game was specifically designed to use a cartoonish aesthetic, hiding the fact that realism could not be achieved. Plus, much of the resources of the release system was given to making the world extremely large, featuring immense vistas. So, a game that is cartoonish in design is still sprawling and impressive. A clever bit of game development wizardry.
A World With Rules
Many have sung high praise for the world in BOTW, well beyond its visual design. Why? Simply because the game had consistent rules. That is to say; deserts are hot, snow is cold, metal is conductive, and flammable items burn.
These basic rules persist through the game world, and are worked into the playable aspects of the game in many ways. And yes, the ways in which they are implemented are genius. Some puzzles using electricity, for example, can be solved simply by using a metal sword to complete a circuit. It’s all as well put together as Australian betting sites are, only with a few more elements and enhancements.
Incredible Scale
From small beginnings, BOTW opens up sharply, constantly introducing more impressive spectacles. From giant mechanical birds to soaring, majestic dragons, the game constantly impresses players with new, spectacular things to gawk at.
And most incredible of all; these spectacles are not just for show. The player will be able to interact with them in important and meaningful ways. Very few games manage to combine the spectacle with the actual gameplay and the fact that this one does is a real bonus.
Immersive Story
With all this already going for it, BOTW still manages to tell an interesting, lore rich story. The player can unfold more details about the world, and the tragedies that overcame it in the past, the deeper they dig.
And, of course, the love between Link and Zelda is as touching as it ever was. So few modern games manage a convincing love story in amongst stories of courage and daring. Well done BOTW.
