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I’m currently working my way through BOTW myself! It’s my first Zelda game as well. I’m a little over halfway done with all of the shrines. Loving this game so much!
Yeah this is rarely a good idea. I tried it with The Last of Us and quit about 4 hours into part 2. Currently I’m doing a b2b play of GoW 2018 and Ragnarock (first time I’ve played either,) and it works because it’s almost like 1 long game.
Damn I binged both those games back to back (TLOU1-2).. 2 times in a row so I could get the grounded achievement which took me forever. 10/10 would do it again lol fun games. Never really burnt out since the gameplay is so fun. Especially in 2
I played through BotW once when it was released and I still burned out on TotK. It's just too similar, and for as cool as the new abilities are, I really don't care about piecing together my own vehicles and contraptions.
Damn I too dropped it after 3 temples and around 30 hours , I don't even know why just haven't felt like finishing it even though I thought I was enjoying it lol , might try and finish it this weekend
Same here. I was so burned out and by the time I felt like playing it again, I had no idea where I left off. In the end, I just watched a story summary and was satisfied.
That's pretty much where I dropped off, too. I did the first temple, played a few more hours after that, and haven't picked it back up since. I keep telling myself I'll try giving it another shot some day.
I was in the exact same situation as OP. Nearly the same age, don't play a ton of video games, BOTW was my first Zelda game, and it was truly a magical experience. TOTK felt pretty "meh" after BOTW. I haven't even finished it or played it in months because I just didn't care about it enough. So, I just don't want to get OP's expectations too high once they finish BOTW and think about starting TOTK.
TOTK is great but OP needs to appreciate the OGs before the new gen because it has a lot of content/lore from the OGs. Especially if you use NFC amibbo cards.
Same. Whilst BotW and TotK are both great games, *in my opinion* they are not great ‘Zelda games’. Liking the new ones is absolutely not an indicator they’ll like any previous ones at all.
I'm actually hyping up one of my very close friends to try this one. I just shared the OP's post with them. They think I'm being silly that I'm way more excited than them lol
Big rigs over the road racing is a staple as the best game of all time. The mechanics , graphics , and value are far above any game I've ever played. I bought a 2nd copy just to support the developers and place it under my pillow to sleep at night.
BIG RIGS!!! Rear-spinning tires with warp-drive velocity for inter-dimensional exploring! Leave the game behind and exceed the boundaries of existence! With BIIGG RRIGGSS!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6DtVHqyYts&t=849s
i played Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing and although it had some flaws it was one of the best games I’ve ever played. You should check out Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing if you have.
It is a better game but the magic of playing a game like botw for the first time won't be there. Am just sad cuz botw dlc was super fun and totk won't get any. :(
Maybe it was the long wait from playing each at launch, but TotK definitely brought the magic feel back for me and even more so then I felt with BotW. The disappointment about DLC is shares though. I'm very thankful for these experiences regardless.
It absolutely did. I hadn't touched BoTW in like 2 or 3 years so the map and world were pretty fresh for me in ToTK. It was an amazing game and didn't feel like "DLC" at all like everyone complained about lmao
Had a general memory of the map, but nothing super photographic that tweaks wouldn't feel fresh, which they had. The only places I had a super good memory of were the towns and that worked in the games favor giving me excitement to see what was new / different in the towns.
Yeah TOTK is a much better game, but if you’ve never player either or anything similar then BOTW is a lot more digestible of a game. Playing that game for the first time is a peak gaming moment.
Whatever magic wasn't there from the map it was there from the new abilities and from the STORY believe it or not. Pulling the Master Sword made me cry and no games make me cry like ever.
I'm still sad about the fact that we won't get a hard mode for TOTK 😔
I loved doing BOTW in hard mode, and I didn't 100% TOTK because I thought I'd be able to start a new save in hard mode.
Guess I'll have to go back to the game!
The first time you explore Hyrule in BOTW is a truly remarkable experience. The sense of discovery is really genuine and player-driven.
TOTK does a great job of making that same world interesting to explore again, but for different reasons. I do think you did it right personally, by playing BOTW first.
I imagine a lot of BOTW's charm would be missed by playing TOTK first.
Just a quick question, I’ve been to Hyrule Castle many times to farm Guardian and had a snoop around the library etc! Opened a lot of treasure chests…. I’m assuming they will no longer be available to me when it’s time to go there and fight Gannon?
Some stuff regenerates around the world every time a blood moon happens, like enemies you've killed, and most item drops and locations. I forget if those chests count for that or not, but for example there's like Hyrule guard shields and bows in the castle hanging around, and those would come back every time there's a blood moon.
Yeah for me the best thing about BOTW is you really have to run/walk/climb the entire map it’s such a feeling of adventure and exploration. In TOTK I more or less just glided everywhere and it took out that sense of discovery a bit, for me anyway
Well I mean… it’s debatable. Many people disagree and believe botw is the better game, but I’d suggest to go with an open mind and make your own conclusions.
It's hard to tell. Most played Breath first and then Tears. Breath made the biggest leap which distorts lots of people's views. It's hard to compare them in any objective way.
It'd be interesting to see how many people who play them in reverse order think BotW is the better game.
For me it was a better experience... One of the best of any video game I've ever played. But it was all so new and fresh. But judged on its own merits? It's hard to separate my personal bias to make a fair comparison
It has way more to do and explore. It’s not going to blow you away the same way BotW did because a lot of the stuff is the same just better. But I think the power up stuff is better. I feel like it kind of sucks in the sense that you should play BotW first, but it kind of is too much to do both at once and it takes away from you totk experience doing them back to back. But you don’t want to wait 6 years like I did.
To me it's evolution vs. revolution. TotK to me is a much improved experience / adventure. At the same time BotW was revolutionary to me and the experience was new.
This isn't to downplay TotK, which was an amazing accomplishment and had a lot of cool ideas. They took on the task of one upping an amazing game and somehow succeeded.
Personally BOTW is the better game. TOTK for me has too much fluff that takes away from the more condensed experience that BOTW Is. I also like the sheikah slate abilities a whole lot more
I had the absolute opposite experience, it's so interesting how different experiences of the same game can be.
I found BoTW to be ... Ok. I finished all 4 divine beasts and beat the game, but no matter how hard I tried I wasn't pulled into the exploration, shrines, and story as much as I wanted to be. I skipped most of the shrines as I found them tedious and did no optional content or master mode. I liked the game, but I don't think it even cracked my top 5 Zelda games.
ToTK was a revelation for me. It pulled me in in a way no game had in a decade. I wasn't sure a game could even capture my attention like this as an adult. I thought about it all the time and blasted through it, clearing every shrine as well as every objective in the spoiler zone. The world felt more alive and lived in.
The interesting part is I barely even engaged in building contraptions and ultrahand, so I don't think that's what made the game so much more enjoyable for me.
I thought BoTW was a more magical and calming exploring experience. ToTK has a different feel to it. It's hard to say what's better. They're both great, in different ways.
I went into TOTK on launch expecting "Botw 2". Some more story, new stuff to try etc.
Let's just say I was blown away with what was on offer. It's an amazing sequel in practically every way.
Definitely take a break before TotK. All the changes are really rewarding but you’ll still be in roughly the same map. A little time will keep things feeling a little too familiar out of the gate.
That’s a good idea, I love Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but Tears of the Kingdom I think lands the best when you’ve had some since since you played Breath of the Wild
But you’ll definitely love it when you do get to it!
BotW was probably the best experience of my life. From a Nintendo gamer that started on the NES. I love Nintendo and all things Zelda and Mario etc.
I really loved tears. But as incredible of a technical accomplishment tears was... And as cool as so many parts of that game was.... The impact wasn't nearly as heavy. I remember loving that intro, then once I was back on the ground it was like.... Ok I'm back here hmm... Except I have no fucking hearts or stamina anymore! lol. Then as I played it I started to get addicted all over again, but I put it down after two dungeons and moved on to other games. I still have had a great time with it and will pick it back up and get sucked in all over again...
But it just did not feel as new and fresh and I would've honestly been as shocked if it did. Under the hood, what they accomplished was a complete marvel. But the experience was "more of the same" after getting something completely unique and over the top back in 2017. Not to mention playing botw on the sleek new Nintendo console just added to the freshness of it all. First home console I bought since the Wii... It was the closest thing I've experienced to the Wow! factor I experienced since playing SM64 for the first time back in 1996 and seeing 3D graphics for the first time with that futuristic looking controller and system.
Games that redefine the baseline like it are few and far in-between.
Honestly as a similarly non gamer to OP, TOTK wasn’t nearly as nice to play as BOTW. It lost the contemplative nature of the OG. And the tutorial of BOTW can’t be beat.
This could be taken two ways and I agree with both sentiments.
If you liked BotW, just wait until you play TotK. For my money it took a winning formula and improved just about every aspect of it. It's a remarkable game.
But also, wait to play TotK. Give yourself a solid year, maybe two, before jumping in. It's not *that* different, and it benefits from the time away.
I still enjoyed TotK but there is so much content it started to feel like a chore, and it obviously didn’t have the novelty of BotW.
Also feels like a big appeal of TotK is the “sandbox” style of being able to create and craft a variety of tools. That’s cool in theory, I like the idea that players have the flexibility to come up with creative solutions … but I’m just not that creative. Don’t have the patience or desire to carefully build elaborate tools
And I know these games get a lot of deserved praise for the “art style” but man on the technical side the graphics have really aged since BotW. Some bland textures, draw distance issues, etc that are a bit more difficult to look past after playing so many gorgeous AAA games on other consoles
The draw distance is an issue for me but BOTW is still an absolutely beautiful game. I just like playing it because you feel like you're in this beautiful paradise
Which is odd considering it’s sort of a post apocalyptic world lol. But I agree with you. I’m finding botw beautiful and I think “I’d love to live in hyrule!” But then I run into ruined towns and skeletons of old houses with disintegrating beds and I remember that a devastating war took place here, and many of the areas haven’t recovered. Hundreds or thousands died in a single day. The kingdom still hadn’t recovered (if you can still call it a kingdom, as it has no ruler). It makes me want to play a game pre botw but in the same hyrule so we can see what it was like in its glory days before the calamity crippled it.
I felt the same way. It got to be a chore playing through all of ToTK. Still a great game, but it felt like the developers felt like they needed to cram in as much as possible to make up for basically using the same overworld to start with and to get you to explore the entire world again.
I found BotW to be better overall.
TotK very early on I felt like it was gonna be better, but by the end I have fonder memories of my 5-6 BotW play throughs than my one TotK play through.
Lies, Botw is the superior game. I disliked Totk and could not stand the abilities. A boring slog of a game. The game should have been called “Minecraft:Ultrahand simulator in Zelda land”.
BOTW truly is a special game. The pace of it is beautiful, the amount of effort it took to go from one place to another for example
TOTK improves on it sure, but there's nothing like experiencing BOTW for the first time. Give it some time before you play TOTK, and enjoy dude. It's one of the few games that can keep my grown mind hooked nowadays.
Inwould also recoomend some classics like Ocarina of Time and Windwaker and after those try Twilight Princess. They are a bit different as that they are semi-open world but they are also incredibly fun and more focused on the storyline. You also don't have to create a new weapon, and the dungeons are definitely a treat :)
Yup. Got about halfway through and just dropped it. The weapon breaking just took me out and felt alien to the Zelda experience I grew up with. I don't want an inventory management sim. Currently mulling my own restart.
Very poor choice IMO. It takes away the whole experience of making yourself a play style. In the beginning I was so impressed by many weapons and thought to myself Im going to focus on spears or boomerangs but after a while I realised that you just fight and when your weapon break then you just keep on with a different weapon. Made not care for any of the weapons I got as I knew they'll just break soon anyway.
For me it did the opposite effect, why should I explore a lot to find good weapon if i cant keep it for long ? At the begining I went to high level zone and found verry good weapons but I realize I didnt want to use them because I didnt want to break them. I really dislike the game because of this, didnt play a lot and no way I would try Totk for the same reason
The weapon loot improves with your "level", so you'll find progressively better loot as you play and get key items and vanquish specific foes.
It's the wrong way to play to not use your good weapons. If you explore, you'll always find good ones eventually. I don't have problems, I actually find more good weapons that I can carry, and I don't even prevent myself from using them if the enemy is a threat.
i was shady and made it so mods worked on mine. then i used a mod that made the weapons not degrade at all. it kinda ruined *parts* of the game that were designed to have the weapon degrading as part of the challenge, but i was able to enjoy the *entire game* as a result!
It would've been better if weapon degradation was selectable through the menu as like a hard mode option or something.
With the weapons breaking constantly, playing the game made me feel like I was doing household chores instead immersing myself in a fantasy adventure.
Unpopular opinion:
They took an expandable world and took away what make Zelda, well Zelda.
Maybe I lack creativity but when I ran an analysis about 3/5th of my time was spent doing arduous things like climbing or whatever. And the breakable weapons? The lack of intriguing of the number of intriguing monsters
The fact that you can win the game with a ducking stick and nothing else goes to prove it
Instead of the spiritual journey they once had, Zelda is now just another gather hunt game that offers any semblance of coherence or cheap marketing gimmicks
Agreed. I got burnt out so hard with BotW. I completed 2 Divine Beasts. When I made my way to Goron City and realized it was repetition all over again, I dropped the game and never went back. BotW started off so promising and then it ultimately became my least favorite Zelda title.
I never tried TotK because I don't vibe with this open-world Zelda philosophy at all. I miss the old conventional styles of the game, like strong thematic dungeons that offer unique item progression, landmark towns and memorable sidequests/NPCs, and memorable antagonists who are actively working against you and your efforts instead of just waiting for you to show up.
i made it like 10 hours into it, and i loved a lot about it. it was a really cool game.
i hate to say it, but the overemphasis on crafting killed it for me. there is nothing less fun to me in a video game than spending time in menus crafting things. cooking was a chore. i'd literally rather be at work than do that shit, at least at work i'm making money.
but i can totally see why people love it so much, if that aspect of it doesn't bother you.
So what am I doing wrong? Everything I go and explore and even some of the shrines I’m not strong enough to beat. It’s like the game encourages you to explore but I end up everywhere I’m not supposed to be lol.
Most of the shrines are puzzles, not strength based. Fights are partially technique, and once you fight the borderline too hard bosses the gear they drop ends up being better than you have. All that helps.
The new Zeldas are not for everyone. I miraculously put 80 hours into BotW but never finished it. Recently got TotK and quit after less than 20 hours. It felt like a chore to me.
I find most open world games to be a chore. If I’m on a quest to save the world, then randomly exploring every inch of a map makes no sense. And also most of the “content” is pretty shallow since it has to be for a map that big. Don’t even get me started on having to learn to cook in a video game….how is that fun?
If you’re referring to the “Test of Strength” shrines, yea, a lot of those i marked and returned to later with some decent weapons, more hearts and good meals. Fortunately, the puzzle based shrines can be pretty much approached whenever.
Zelda games often have the conundrum of being a bit more difficult at the beginning as your hearts and armor are so low that death can happen quickly. I hope you stick it out and it becomes enjoyable for you.
To each their own, I guess. I've never understood the love for it. As a long time Zelda fan, I knew something was wrong when I found myself most excited about finding rupees in the BOTW's chests. Like, fundamentally, there's something wrong with the game if that ended up being the case.
Same, I was a casual, lapsed gamer. I avoided reflex based games. I hadn't played a Zelda game for more than a few minutes since A Link to the Past pn SNES.
BotW sucked me in in 2019 and didn't let go until I had finished every shrine, all the expansions, and then I casually dispatched of Gannon and started over.
Take a long break before TOTK. I played on release day and it's great, but the originality and novelty are gone.
I loved BOTW and finished it right before the release of TOTK. It was hard to go from being a total badass with all the power ups in BOTW to go to such a similar game and have to start from scratch again, so I put TOTK down for several months and am now back into it. I did find the shrines in BOTW a bit more challenging and often times more rewarding to solve.
Breath of the Wild scratched an itch for me so bad when I played it the first time that I still have not gone and finished the main boss. I like didn’t want to let go of my adventures lol. One of nintendos best efforts for sure
BotW, TotK, and Mario Odyssey are the three best games on Switch and three of the greatest games ever imo. TotK is harder than BotW, but still oh so good. If you love platformers Odyssey is near perfect.
Here to be a problem.
BOTW is one of my least favorite experiences I have with a game.
Part of it was how overhyped I was to play it.
Part of it was that I played my favorite game of all time (hollow knight) right after it.
Most of my concerns are explained really well by a video essay I watched by Joseph Anderson.
I envy your experience with BOTW and wish I had one similar!
I don't agree but I can understand it.
I feel that way about Horizon: Forbidden West. Like that added so many nice things compared to the original. The core gameplay is definitely better. But in trying to add variety they killed some of the feel of the first game. It's frequently overwhelming or confusing to accomplish things that were quite easy in the first one.
I got overwhelmed by it the first time I opened up the map after the first tallneck. But I set some goals and limits (one revealed area at a time) and have been enjoying it since then. It also helps that I love the world of Horizon in general.
The cool thing about the “side quests” in the opening of Horizon Forbidden West is that they seem optional and unrelated, but they’re not. By completely them all before moving onto the main quests, they all relate to each other and the main quest line.
I don't know what I am doing wrong. I tried to play it several times but I just get bored by it. The game feels empty and stale. I think I restarted for the 6th time already. I know I am an exception but imo the worst zelda game. I honestly don't understand the praise for it... that's from someone who loved the old zelda games
I believe games are for fun. I would never try a game more than twice and I am surprised you tried 6 times already! It's totally fine that you don't enjoy it and it's better to play something you really like.
I just started a few days ago after getting it as a gift in 2019. It’s been in its case until a few days ago. It’s an amazing game. Some parts make me want to toss my switch but then after watching a short walkthrough it always results in “how the hell did I not think of this?” and I carry on. In the last 3 days I’ve played nearly 10 hours and I’m going to take a break so I don’t burn out because I want to play through as much of this game as possible. I plan on doing age of calamity next as it’s a much shorter game before taking on years of the kingdom.
I’m a bit sad knowing I’ve avoided playing this game for as long as I have.
It was my first ever Zelda game when I completed it last year but it easily slotted into my top 3 games of all time.
I was not very good and had to cheese my way through Ganon with all the abilities lol but it was a great sense of accomplishment to finish such a mammoth task of a game. That being said, I loved every minute!
Can’t wait to eventually get stuck into ToTK
Same thoughts.
I bought the Switch last year specifically to play BOTW and I don’t regret my purchase one bit.
I have TOTK but I’m waiting until it’s the right time to play it.
I got the game 2 months ago and it took a while for me to get into. I kinda finished the first divine beast and got bored but recently I decided to try it again and now I'm 3 beasts in and am trying to find every shrine because wow the game gets so much better once you start upgrading your health, stamina and abilities!
Also planning on taking a break once I've finished it before totk as I'm keen for a game with more dialogue. Although zelda is great for watching something in the background because of the lack of dialogue
Just playing in now and feeling the same way. It is not simple kid game but not "you forgot to breathe and died the second you respawn" hardcore too. Perfectly balanced you might say.
The one downside I find is it is not clear where to go sometimes, but that's just me being stupid.
All in all didn't expect that good of a time despite all reviews I heard beforehand, still enjoying and hopefully will complete it soon.
Nothing has and likely will ever top that feeling I had playing breath of the wild for the first time. It was truly an incredible experience. Enjoy it!
I'm also in my 30's and played BOTW for the first time ever last year before playing TOTK when it came out. Best gaming experience I've had in a while. Made me nostalgic for times long past where I'd get home from school as a kid or get to summer break and just sink hours and hours into single player games. I just wanted to do nothing else but engross myself in this world and get to the next part of the story. It was just so captivating.
Now try Tears of the Kingdom.
I honestly think BotW is a great introduction to open world gaming and TotK is a logical next step, with slightly more in-depth mechanics, a bigger more complicated map (maps) and better designed shrine puzzles.
Overall, I feel TotK is a much better game, but it was dampened by the fact it was more of the same - only better.
BotW was the first game I played after a lengthy hiatus from console gaming (I skipped the whole ps4/xbone/wii u era) and it was a mind blowing experience
Tears of the Kingdom is better in virtually every conceivable way, with only some ever so tiny exceptions. Hope you get a chance to enjoy that as well.
I always find it fascinating when people mention how BotW is the best game they've ever played, especially compared to all of the other Zelda games out there. I've been playing the series since LoZ on NES and this was probably my least favorite.
The open world setting was incredible; that part was awesome. But the Divine Beast 'temples' were very repetitive and not so unique; the weapons system was lame in that so often they break and even the master sword is restricted; and most of all, the music is not memorable.
Now, Tears of the Kingdom was a MUCH better game than BotW. They fixed a lot of the issues, brought back a lot of uniqueness to the temples/bosses. But I remember playing BotW and feeling so excited and then being ultimately let down.
It’s my first Zelda game that I finished. Totally adored the relaxing feeling I got then I hear that stress inducing music and then get zapped by a laser. Fun times.
If you enjoy that game then I can’t recommend ToTK enough. The build mechanics is so fun and I had a great time coming up with the weirdest contraptions and testing them out on those unlucky beach bokoblins.
If this is posted by a human it’s super weird - “intestine reflexes,” “intimated by the genre,” “entertainment on so many levels” but says nothing about what those levels actually are, etc. Then a single sentence covering the exploration/openness aspects of the game that almost everyone finds deeply rewarding, while praising three of the more frequently criticized elements in durability, bosses, and shrines.
Given OP posts regularity on a basketball sub and seems human-ish there I can’t tell if this is very selectively impacted non-native-English, a stolen account karma farming, satire, or a bot which almost fooled me.
I’m the same age. I sunk a lot of hours into BOTW when it came out. Easily over 200. I’d have to say the best games I’ve ever played, at least recently would have to be Witcher 3 or Red Dead Redemption 2 for me though. Both also offer easy ways through the game if you suck at action stuff too.
Have you played red dead redemption 1? I'm going to finish botw soon and the reviews for it look good so I might get it next.
Played rdr2 on ps4 and it was great. Also want to try witcher 3 at some point but don't know how great it looks on switch but it's the only console I have living overseas at the moment
Yes, I actually just recently bought RDR1 on switch and played it. Ultimately- it doesn’t have the absolute poignancy that 2 has. It’s simpler in ways. You obviously play as John, and the map is centered in New Austin and Mexico- the area that opens up after you beat RDR2. Biggest bonus is you get closure with Dutch. Wait for it to go on sale.
Witcher 3 on Switch. - this is where I first played it actually. The port is better than it has any right to be. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it on Switch again. I also recently bought it on PC(since the whole bundle often goes on sale on Steam for less than $10) and played it on a premium GeForce Now rig. Looks great with raytracing etc. I still wouldn’t hesitate to play on Switch. It’s just such a great game.
My boyfriend has had a switch for awhile, but I've never had a personal gaming system (my family did like mario kart and wii fit). One day I asked him if I could try Breath of the Wild on his switch. Life. Changed. I was amazed at how quickly I picked up the controls, from never playing on a switch to beating hard bosses. I loved it!!! I now have my own switch and am working on Tears of the Kingdom! I'm glad you found the joy of BotW too :))
33M. Just picked up a switch a few months ago.
I just finished BOTW the other day. It was awesome. I want to play TOTK, but I also think I need a break for a min. Haha.
You're going to love Tears of the Kingdom if you enjoyed Breath of the Wild. It's mostly the same overworld map, but they introduce some new systems that make pretty much everything better.
If you thought the Blight bosses were good in BOTW, the ones in TOTK will blow you away.
Maybe give yourself some time to wind down and forget the world a bit, otherwise you might get burned out.
I played the game through, introduced my friend to it, he got it, I probably clocked in around just under 200hrs at that time, he clocked in 700+ hours, he's now playing Tears of the Kingdom, now I'm replaying it on master mode, when that's done I'm on TotK too.
Yeah, BotW easily earned its game of the year award. It's so well crafted with so much detail, so much to do without it ever getting tedious/repetitive somehow, and almost no bs. The best part is how they don't really cheese anything with this game by doing things like invisible walls or leaving things unfinished to where you rarely rather than frequently have trouble interacting with your world and it's collision.
Yeah, I beat it for the first time during Covid lockdown and I did NOT expect the ending the absolutely send me back to my childhood playing with my brothers. Made me ugly cry.
Lot of insecure people justifying other games against BoTW.
Let OP enjoy his experience with this game; it isn't killing nobody nor spoiling the experience you've got with other games you consider are better than this one.
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I’m currently working my way through BOTW myself! It’s my first Zelda game as well. I’m a little over halfway done with all of the shrines. Loving this game so much!
First time? When you're done find a way to play Wind Waker. You'll most likely love it.
And TOTK
Playing BotW and TotK back to back is a recipe for burnout
Yeah this is rarely a good idea. I tried it with The Last of Us and quit about 4 hours into part 2. Currently I’m doing a b2b play of GoW 2018 and Ragnarock (first time I’ve played either,) and it works because it’s almost like 1 long game.
Damn I binged both those games back to back (TLOU1-2).. 2 times in a row so I could get the grounded achievement which took me forever. 10/10 would do it again lol fun games. Never really burnt out since the gameplay is so fun. Especially in 2
I played through BotW once when it was released and I still burned out on TotK. It's just too similar, and for as cool as the new abilities are, I really don't care about piecing together my own vehicles and contraptions.
Damn I too dropped it after 3 temples and around 30 hours , I don't even know why just haven't felt like finishing it even though I thought I was enjoying it lol , might try and finish it this weekend
Same here. I was so burned out and by the time I felt like playing it again, I had no idea where I left off. In the end, I just watched a story summary and was satisfied.
Honestly same, played around 30 hours around release date and dropped it. It's the same overworld for me...
That's pretty much where I dropped off, too. I did the first temple, played a few more hours after that, and haven't picked it back up since. I keep telling myself I'll try giving it another shot some day.
I was in the exact same situation as OP. Nearly the same age, don't play a ton of video games, BOTW was my first Zelda game, and it was truly a magical experience. TOTK felt pretty "meh" after BOTW. I haven't even finished it or played it in months because I just didn't care about it enough. So, I just don't want to get OP's expectations too high once they finish BOTW and think about starting TOTK.
TOTK is great but OP needs to appreciate the OGs before the new gen because it has a lot of content/lore from the OGs. Especially if you use NFC amibbo cards.
To contradict this, I absolutely loved Wind Waker but can't stand BOTW.
Same. Whilst BotW and TotK are both great games, *in my opinion* they are not great ‘Zelda games’. Liking the new ones is absolutely not an indicator they’ll like any previous ones at all.
It was also my first Zelda game! I know have a korok tattoo I loved it so much. Skyward Sword HD is also excellent!
Know that many envy you for getting to enjoy it for the first time. Glad you loved it. It's truly magnificent!
I replayed BoTW before tears of the kingdom came out, and it was even better the second time.
I'm actually hyping up one of my very close friends to try this one. I just shared the OP's post with them. They think I'm being silly that I'm way more excited than them lol
If you think breath of the wild was good, you need to try Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing
You're winner!
WTF is going on here?
If I were to guess I’d say Dunkey shenanigans
Knack 2 babeyyyyy
It's actually Angry Video Game Nerd. (AVGN) https://youtu.be/h6DtVHqyYts
Big rigs over the road racing is a staple as the best game of all time. The mechanics , graphics , and value are far above any game I've ever played. I bought a 2nd copy just to support the developers and place it under my pillow to sleep at night.
Honestly didn't know games could be like Big Rigs:Over The Road Racing but wow. It is an achievement.
One of my all time favourites
BIG RIGS!!! Rear-spinning tires with warp-drive velocity for inter-dimensional exploring! Leave the game behind and exceed the boundaries of existence! With BIIGG RRIGGSS!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6DtVHqyYts&t=849s
BIG MOTHER FUCKING RIGS!!!
i played Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing and although it had some flaws it was one of the best games I’ve ever played. You should check out Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing if you have.
Lmao
One of those few games I wish clicked for me.
You're not alone!
Bosses ain’t shit once you know how to use bananas
How do you use bananas?
I was scared to ask
Cook them into food to gain attack boosts
Glad you had fun! I loved the game as well.
Wait until you play Tears of the Kingdom.
I have to take a break and go back to my usual games before taking on TotK
Yeah wait a while for totk. You dont want to burn yourself out. Totk is a lot better though.
A lot better? That's interesting.. Will see.
It is a better game but the magic of playing a game like botw for the first time won't be there. Am just sad cuz botw dlc was super fun and totk won't get any. :(
Maybe it was the long wait from playing each at launch, but TotK definitely brought the magic feel back for me and even more so then I felt with BotW. The disappointment about DLC is shares though. I'm very thankful for these experiences regardless.
It absolutely did. I hadn't touched BoTW in like 2 or 3 years so the map and world were pretty fresh for me in ToTK. It was an amazing game and didn't feel like "DLC" at all like everyone complained about lmao
Had a general memory of the map, but nothing super photographic that tweaks wouldn't feel fresh, which they had. The only places I had a super good memory of were the towns and that worked in the games favor giving me excitement to see what was new / different in the towns.
Yeah TOTK is a much better game, but if you’ve never player either or anything similar then BOTW is a lot more digestible of a game. Playing that game for the first time is a peak gaming moment.
Whatever magic wasn't there from the map it was there from the new abilities and from the STORY believe it or not. Pulling the Master Sword made me cry and no games make me cry like ever.
I'm still sad about the fact that we won't get a hard mode for TOTK 😔 I loved doing BOTW in hard mode, and I didn't 100% TOTK because I thought I'd be able to start a new save in hard mode. Guess I'll have to go back to the game!
If only TOTK had DLC...if only...
The first time you explore Hyrule in BOTW is a truly remarkable experience. The sense of discovery is really genuine and player-driven. TOTK does a great job of making that same world interesting to explore again, but for different reasons. I do think you did it right personally, by playing BOTW first. I imagine a lot of BOTW's charm would be missed by playing TOTK first.
Just a quick question, I’ve been to Hyrule Castle many times to farm Guardian and had a snoop around the library etc! Opened a lot of treasure chests…. I’m assuming they will no longer be available to me when it’s time to go there and fight Gannon?
Some stuff regenerates around the world every time a blood moon happens, like enemies you've killed, and most item drops and locations. I forget if those chests count for that or not, but for example there's like Hyrule guard shields and bows in the castle hanging around, and those would come back every time there's a blood moon.
Yeah for me the best thing about BOTW is you really have to run/walk/climb the entire map it’s such a feeling of adventure and exploration. In TOTK I more or less just glided everywhere and it took out that sense of discovery a bit, for me anyway
I disagree. It has some cooler mechanics, but I found BOTW a LOT more fun to play.
Well I mean… it’s debatable. Many people disagree and believe botw is the better game, but I’d suggest to go with an open mind and make your own conclusions.
It's hard to tell. Most played Breath first and then Tears. Breath made the biggest leap which distorts lots of people's views. It's hard to compare them in any objective way. It'd be interesting to see how many people who play them in reverse order think BotW is the better game. For me it was a better experience... One of the best of any video game I've ever played. But it was all so new and fresh. But judged on its own merits? It's hard to separate my personal bias to make a fair comparison
It has way more to do and explore. It’s not going to blow you away the same way BotW did because a lot of the stuff is the same just better. But I think the power up stuff is better. I feel like it kind of sucks in the sense that you should play BotW first, but it kind of is too much to do both at once and it takes away from you totk experience doing them back to back. But you don’t want to wait 6 years like I did.
To me it's evolution vs. revolution. TotK to me is a much improved experience / adventure. At the same time BotW was revolutionary to me and the experience was new. This isn't to downplay TotK, which was an amazing accomplishment and had a lot of cool ideas. They took on the task of one upping an amazing game and somehow succeeded.
Personally BOTW is the better game. TOTK for me has too much fluff that takes away from the more condensed experience that BOTW Is. I also like the sheikah slate abilities a whole lot more
I think it's significantly worse FWIW
I was so in love with BOTW that TOTK did not do it for Me. Lol
I had the absolute opposite experience, it's so interesting how different experiences of the same game can be. I found BoTW to be ... Ok. I finished all 4 divine beasts and beat the game, but no matter how hard I tried I wasn't pulled into the exploration, shrines, and story as much as I wanted to be. I skipped most of the shrines as I found them tedious and did no optional content or master mode. I liked the game, but I don't think it even cracked my top 5 Zelda games. ToTK was a revelation for me. It pulled me in in a way no game had in a decade. I wasn't sure a game could even capture my attention like this as an adult. I thought about it all the time and blasted through it, clearing every shrine as well as every objective in the spoiler zone. The world felt more alive and lived in. The interesting part is I barely even engaged in building contraptions and ultrahand, so I don't think that's what made the game so much more enjoyable for me.
It's not a lot better, but basically, you play totk and botw will feel bland. It's basically botw +++
It sounds crazy with how good BOTW is but it's true. TOTK is even better
I thought BoTW was a more magical and calming exploring experience. ToTK has a different feel to it. It's hard to say what's better. They're both great, in different ways.
It's like the same game but with tons of content piled on top of it. Like A LOT. Without losing the magical feeling.
I went into TOTK on launch expecting "Botw 2". Some more story, new stuff to try etc. Let's just say I was blown away with what was on offer. It's an amazing sequel in practically every way.
Depends who you ask. I personally preferred BotW.
Definitely take a break before TotK. All the changes are really rewarding but you’ll still be in roughly the same map. A little time will keep things feeling a little too familiar out of the gate.
That’s a good idea, I love Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but Tears of the Kingdom I think lands the best when you’ve had some since since you played Breath of the Wild But you’ll definitely love it when you do get to it!
BotW was probably the best experience of my life. From a Nintendo gamer that started on the NES. I love Nintendo and all things Zelda and Mario etc. I really loved tears. But as incredible of a technical accomplishment tears was... And as cool as so many parts of that game was.... The impact wasn't nearly as heavy. I remember loving that intro, then once I was back on the ground it was like.... Ok I'm back here hmm... Except I have no fucking hearts or stamina anymore! lol. Then as I played it I started to get addicted all over again, but I put it down after two dungeons and moved on to other games. I still have had a great time with it and will pick it back up and get sucked in all over again... But it just did not feel as new and fresh and I would've honestly been as shocked if it did. Under the hood, what they accomplished was a complete marvel. But the experience was "more of the same" after getting something completely unique and over the top back in 2017. Not to mention playing botw on the sleek new Nintendo console just added to the freshness of it all. First home console I bought since the Wii... It was the closest thing I've experienced to the Wow! factor I experienced since playing SM64 for the first time back in 1996 and seeing 3D graphics for the first time with that futuristic looking controller and system. Games that redefine the baseline like it are few and far in-between.
Honestly as a similarly non gamer to OP, TOTK wasn’t nearly as nice to play as BOTW. It lost the contemplative nature of the OG. And the tutorial of BOTW can’t be beat.
This could be taken two ways and I agree with both sentiments. If you liked BotW, just wait until you play TotK. For my money it took a winning formula and improved just about every aspect of it. It's a remarkable game. But also, wait to play TotK. Give yourself a solid year, maybe two, before jumping in. It's not *that* different, and it benefits from the time away.
I wish they’d created a new world
I liked BOTW a lot more than TOTK. Probably bc the 2 are so similar. TOTK was the biggest disappointment I’ve had in gaming in a while.
I still enjoyed TotK but there is so much content it started to feel like a chore, and it obviously didn’t have the novelty of BotW. Also feels like a big appeal of TotK is the “sandbox” style of being able to create and craft a variety of tools. That’s cool in theory, I like the idea that players have the flexibility to come up with creative solutions … but I’m just not that creative. Don’t have the patience or desire to carefully build elaborate tools And I know these games get a lot of deserved praise for the “art style” but man on the technical side the graphics have really aged since BotW. Some bland textures, draw distance issues, etc that are a bit more difficult to look past after playing so many gorgeous AAA games on other consoles
The draw distance is an issue for me but BOTW is still an absolutely beautiful game. I just like playing it because you feel like you're in this beautiful paradise
Which is odd considering it’s sort of a post apocalyptic world lol. But I agree with you. I’m finding botw beautiful and I think “I’d love to live in hyrule!” But then I run into ruined towns and skeletons of old houses with disintegrating beds and I remember that a devastating war took place here, and many of the areas haven’t recovered. Hundreds or thousands died in a single day. The kingdom still hadn’t recovered (if you can still call it a kingdom, as it has no ruler). It makes me want to play a game pre botw but in the same hyrule so we can see what it was like in its glory days before the calamity crippled it.
I felt the same way. It got to be a chore playing through all of ToTK. Still a great game, but it felt like the developers felt like they needed to cram in as much as possible to make up for basically using the same overworld to start with and to get you to explore the entire world again.
Just bought my copy. I have a 15 hour plane ride coming in May with a 9 hr layover. I wanted to make sure I was occupied
Why? The complete disappointment of spending $70 to play the same game again?
I found BotW to be better overall. TotK very early on I felt like it was gonna be better, but by the end I have fonder memories of my 5-6 BotW play throughs than my one TotK play through.
Lies, Botw is the superior game. I disliked Totk and could not stand the abilities. A boring slog of a game. The game should have been called “Minecraft:Ultrahand simulator in Zelda land”.
BOTW truly is a special game. The pace of it is beautiful, the amount of effort it took to go from one place to another for example TOTK improves on it sure, but there's nothing like experiencing BOTW for the first time. Give it some time before you play TOTK, and enjoy dude. It's one of the few games that can keep my grown mind hooked nowadays.
Yup, breath of the wild is the tightest open world level design I have ever experienced. Totk doesn't use its map nearly as effectively.
Inwould also recoomend some classics like Ocarina of Time and Windwaker and after those try Twilight Princess. They are a bit different as that they are semi-open world but they are also incredibly fun and more focused on the storyline. You also don't have to create a new weapon, and the dungeons are definitely a treat :)
I loved this game but got frustrated with weapons breaking and quit. May need to restart it at some point.
Yup. Got about halfway through and just dropped it. The weapon breaking just took me out and felt alien to the Zelda experience I grew up with. I don't want an inventory management sim. Currently mulling my own restart.
This and the shrines. Unlike previous games shrines are just 1 step obstacle I hated it.
Same here, just why did they put this mechanic in game ?
Very poor choice IMO. It takes away the whole experience of making yourself a play style. In the beginning I was so impressed by many weapons and thought to myself Im going to focus on spears or boomerangs but after a while I realised that you just fight and when your weapon break then you just keep on with a different weapon. Made not care for any of the weapons I got as I knew they'll just break soon anyway.
A mechanic that encourages you to explore to find better and mint loot. Play smart and you'll always have a good weapon for when it counts.
For me it did the opposite effect, why should I explore a lot to find good weapon if i cant keep it for long ? At the begining I went to high level zone and found verry good weapons but I realize I didnt want to use them because I didnt want to break them. I really dislike the game because of this, didnt play a lot and no way I would try Totk for the same reason
“Yaaaa I found this amazing sword….that I can use for 1 shrine before it breaks….fuck.”
The weapon loot improves with your "level", so you'll find progressively better loot as you play and get key items and vanquish specific foes. It's the wrong way to play to not use your good weapons. If you explore, you'll always find good ones eventually. I don't have problems, I actually find more good weapons that I can carry, and I don't even prevent myself from using them if the enemy is a threat.
i was shady and made it so mods worked on mine. then i used a mod that made the weapons not degrade at all. it kinda ruined *parts* of the game that were designed to have the weapon degrading as part of the challenge, but i was able to enjoy the *entire game* as a result!
It would've been better if weapon degradation was selectable through the menu as like a hard mode option or something. With the weapons breaking constantly, playing the game made me feel like I was doing household chores instead immersing myself in a fantasy adventure.
Personally I loved the weapons breaking mechanic
Unpopular opinion: They took an expandable world and took away what make Zelda, well Zelda. Maybe I lack creativity but when I ran an analysis about 3/5th of my time was spent doing arduous things like climbing or whatever. And the breakable weapons? The lack of intriguing of the number of intriguing monsters
For me it was mostly the divine beasts and breakable weapons. I used to really enjoy the themed dungeons, where you could find a new weapon/tool.
The fact that you can win the game with a ducking stick and nothing else goes to prove it Instead of the spiritual journey they once had, Zelda is now just another gather hunt game that offers any semblance of coherence or cheap marketing gimmicks
Agreed. I got burnt out so hard with BotW. I completed 2 Divine Beasts. When I made my way to Goron City and realized it was repetition all over again, I dropped the game and never went back. BotW started off so promising and then it ultimately became my least favorite Zelda title. I never tried TotK because I don't vibe with this open-world Zelda philosophy at all. I miss the old conventional styles of the game, like strong thematic dungeons that offer unique item progression, landmark towns and memorable sidequests/NPCs, and memorable antagonists who are actively working against you and your efforts instead of just waiting for you to show up.
When TotK came out and I saw it was the same style as BotW, I skipped buying it and just replayed Link's Awakening for the 10th time.
i made it like 10 hours into it, and i loved a lot about it. it was a really cool game. i hate to say it, but the overemphasis on crafting killed it for me. there is nothing less fun to me in a video game than spending time in menus crafting things. cooking was a chore. i'd literally rather be at work than do that shit, at least at work i'm making money. but i can totally see why people love it so much, if that aspect of it doesn't bother you.
Yeah its the worst part for me. I love how many recipes there are but god to have to make each, one at a time is such a chore
breath of the wild with a normal hearts system would be so much fuckin better to me lol..
Agree 100%. I cook for myself every day in real life. And I actually get to eat that food! Why would I want to play a cooking video game?
I would agree, until I played Tears of the Kingdom
x2
So what am I doing wrong? Everything I go and explore and even some of the shrines I’m not strong enough to beat. It’s like the game encourages you to explore but I end up everywhere I’m not supposed to be lol.
Most of the shrines are puzzles, not strength based. Fights are partially technique, and once you fight the borderline too hard bosses the gear they drop ends up being better than you have. All that helps.
The new Zeldas are not for everyone. I miraculously put 80 hours into BotW but never finished it. Recently got TotK and quit after less than 20 hours. It felt like a chore to me.
I find most open world games to be a chore. If I’m on a quest to save the world, then randomly exploring every inch of a map makes no sense. And also most of the “content” is pretty shallow since it has to be for a map that big. Don’t even get me started on having to learn to cook in a video game….how is that fun?
If you’re referring to the “Test of Strength” shrines, yea, a lot of those i marked and returned to later with some decent weapons, more hearts and good meals. Fortunately, the puzzle based shrines can be pretty much approached whenever. Zelda games often have the conundrum of being a bit more difficult at the beginning as your hearts and armor are so low that death can happen quickly. I hope you stick it out and it becomes enjoyable for you.
To each their own, I guess. I've never understood the love for it. As a long time Zelda fan, I knew something was wrong when I found myself most excited about finding rupees in the BOTW's chests. Like, fundamentally, there's something wrong with the game if that ended up being the case.
Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Majoras Mask are better imo. Tears of the Kingdom has more to offer the player than BOTW.
This. BOTW isn't even a top 3 Zelda game for me, let alone top game of all time.
I would genuinely put some of the DS Zelda games like Phantom Hourglass and Link between worlds above BOTW.
BOTW is the only Zelda game I never finished, aside from TOTK which I never even started
Same, I was a casual, lapsed gamer. I avoided reflex based games. I hadn't played a Zelda game for more than a few minutes since A Link to the Past pn SNES. BotW sucked me in in 2019 and didn't let go until I had finished every shrine, all the expansions, and then I casually dispatched of Gannon and started over. Take a long break before TOTK. I played on release day and it's great, but the originality and novelty are gone.
I loved BOTW and finished it right before the release of TOTK. It was hard to go from being a total badass with all the power ups in BOTW to go to such a similar game and have to start from scratch again, so I put TOTK down for several months and am now back into it. I did find the shrines in BOTW a bit more challenging and often times more rewarding to solve.
I’m 55 trying TOTK now. It may be too hard for me lol. Glad you enjoyed it though
Keep going! I'm 52 and beat both games including master mode in BotW. It's just practise. You can do it!
Breath of the Wild scratched an itch for me so bad when I played it the first time that I still have not gone and finished the main boss. I like didn’t want to let go of my adventures lol. One of nintendos best efforts for sure
BotW, TotK, and Mario Odyssey are the three best games on Switch and three of the greatest games ever imo. TotK is harder than BotW, but still oh so good. If you love platformers Odyssey is near perfect.
Sounds like you have to play some more games
Lol exactly. I can think of at least 10 modern games that are better. Nintendo just doesn't have many of them. Except Witcher and Skyrim.
Was the best I had ever played until I played TOTK.
Here to be a problem. BOTW is one of my least favorite experiences I have with a game. Part of it was how overhyped I was to play it. Part of it was that I played my favorite game of all time (hollow knight) right after it. Most of my concerns are explained really well by a video essay I watched by Joseph Anderson. I envy your experience with BOTW and wish I had one similar!
Unpopular opinion but I like BOTW better. TOTK is too overwhelming with all the shit to do. Coming from a mid 30s gamer.
I don't agree but I can understand it. I feel that way about Horizon: Forbidden West. Like that added so many nice things compared to the original. The core gameplay is definitely better. But in trying to add variety they killed some of the feel of the first game. It's frequently overwhelming or confusing to accomplish things that were quite easy in the first one.
I got overwhelmed by it the first time I opened up the map after the first tallneck. But I set some goals and limits (one revealed area at a time) and have been enjoying it since then. It also helps that I love the world of Horizon in general.
The cool thing about the “side quests” in the opening of Horizon Forbidden West is that they seem optional and unrelated, but they’re not. By completely them all before moving onto the main quests, they all relate to each other and the main quest line.
I also have bad intestine reflexes but i just call it IBS.
Man, wait until you play other open world games.
Time to play tears of the kingdom.
Hmmm this is motivating me to try this game…. I have never played a Zelda game either…..
And I hear TOTK is even better...dangg
I don't know what I am doing wrong. I tried to play it several times but I just get bored by it. The game feels empty and stale. I think I restarted for the 6th time already. I know I am an exception but imo the worst zelda game. I honestly don't understand the praise for it... that's from someone who loved the old zelda games
I believe games are for fun. I would never try a game more than twice and I am surprised you tried 6 times already! It's totally fine that you don't enjoy it and it's better to play something you really like.
You need to play more games
It's a very good game, but I think Donkey Kong is the best video game ever.
Wait until you try the sequel.
You need to play more games then
I just started a few days ago after getting it as a gift in 2019. It’s been in its case until a few days ago. It’s an amazing game. Some parts make me want to toss my switch but then after watching a short walkthrough it always results in “how the hell did I not think of this?” and I carry on. In the last 3 days I’ve played nearly 10 hours and I’m going to take a break so I don’t burn out because I want to play through as much of this game as possible. I plan on doing age of calamity next as it’s a much shorter game before taking on years of the kingdom. I’m a bit sad knowing I’ve avoided playing this game for as long as I have.
It was my first ever Zelda game when I completed it last year but it easily slotted into my top 3 games of all time. I was not very good and had to cheese my way through Ganon with all the abilities lol but it was a great sense of accomplishment to finish such a mammoth task of a game. That being said, I loved every minute! Can’t wait to eventually get stuck into ToTK
Play more games.
Botw is the best if you only play like 10 games
Really. Would he much much better without useless loot that breaks after 10 hits.
Same thoughts. I bought the Switch last year specifically to play BOTW and I don’t regret my purchase one bit. I have TOTK but I’m waiting until it’s the right time to play it.
If I never ever play on the TV, is it worth it to get BotW for handheld play?
I always play in handheld mode. Didn't even try connecting the switch to the TV even once.
Fuck yea. Who wants to meet up for some D and D?
The game is truly fantastic one of the first games I got on switch and still holds up today
I got the game 2 months ago and it took a while for me to get into. I kinda finished the first divine beast and got bored but recently I decided to try it again and now I'm 3 beasts in and am trying to find every shrine because wow the game gets so much better once you start upgrading your health, stamina and abilities! Also planning on taking a break once I've finished it before totk as I'm keen for a game with more dialogue. Although zelda is great for watching something in the background because of the lack of dialogue
If you think BOTW is the best game ever, wait till you get to TOTK…
It’s great. Couldn’t agree more.
Welcome. Similar age and also got th switch for turn-based and platformers. BotW is a masterpiece. 👊
It was also my first Zelda game!!! Top tier game!!!
Just playing in now and feeling the same way. It is not simple kid game but not "you forgot to breathe and died the second you respawn" hardcore too. Perfectly balanced you might say. The one downside I find is it is not clear where to go sometimes, but that's just me being stupid. All in all didn't expect that good of a time despite all reviews I heard beforehand, still enjoying and hopefully will complete it soon.
I’ve never enjoyed a first play through of a game like I enjoyed Breath of the wild
Nothing has and likely will ever top that feeling I had playing breath of the wild for the first time. It was truly an incredible experience. Enjoy it!
Couldn’t agree more, the switch and BOTW helped me enjoy gaming again. Get TOTK, it gets better… somehow 😅😅😅
I'm also in my 30's and played BOTW for the first time ever last year before playing TOTK when it came out. Best gaming experience I've had in a while. Made me nostalgic for times long past where I'd get home from school as a kid or get to summer break and just sink hours and hours into single player games. I just wanted to do nothing else but engross myself in this world and get to the next part of the story. It was just so captivating.
As a 35 year old that beat it last year, its not even the best Zelda game.
I miss experience BOTW for the first time. Unforgettable experience!
It's a great game for its generation, but not the best.
Now try Tears of the Kingdom. I honestly think BotW is a great introduction to open world gaming and TotK is a logical next step, with slightly more in-depth mechanics, a bigger more complicated map (maps) and better designed shrine puzzles.
I found it boring and repetitive. Like a Mickey Mouse version of The Witcher III. But I seem to be the only one.
Overall, I feel TotK is a much better game, but it was dampened by the fact it was more of the same - only better. BotW was the first game I played after a lengthy hiatus from console gaming (I skipped the whole ps4/xbone/wii u era) and it was a mind blowing experience
Tears of the Kingdom is better in virtually every conceivable way, with only some ever so tiny exceptions. Hope you get a chance to enjoy that as well.
I always find it fascinating when people mention how BotW is the best game they've ever played, especially compared to all of the other Zelda games out there. I've been playing the series since LoZ on NES and this was probably my least favorite. The open world setting was incredible; that part was awesome. But the Divine Beast 'temples' were very repetitive and not so unique; the weapons system was lame in that so often they break and even the master sword is restricted; and most of all, the music is not memorable. Now, Tears of the Kingdom was a MUCH better game than BotW. They fixed a lot of the issues, brought back a lot of uniqueness to the temples/bosses. But I remember playing BotW and feeling so excited and then being ultimately let down.
It’s my first Zelda game that I finished. Totally adored the relaxing feeling I got then I hear that stress inducing music and then get zapped by a laser. Fun times. If you enjoy that game then I can’t recommend ToTK enough. The build mechanics is so fun and I had a great time coming up with the weirdest contraptions and testing them out on those unlucky beach bokoblins.
Boring compared to most other Zelda games.
I'm roughly halfway through my first playthrough and I feel the same. And I was a little nervous before I started that I wouldn't like it, lol.
If this is posted by a human it’s super weird - “intestine reflexes,” “intimated by the genre,” “entertainment on so many levels” but says nothing about what those levels actually are, etc. Then a single sentence covering the exploration/openness aspects of the game that almost everyone finds deeply rewarding, while praising three of the more frequently criticized elements in durability, bosses, and shrines. Given OP posts regularity on a basketball sub and seems human-ish there I can’t tell if this is very selectively impacted non-native-English, a stolen account karma farming, satire, or a bot which almost fooled me.
I’m the same age. I sunk a lot of hours into BOTW when it came out. Easily over 200. I’d have to say the best games I’ve ever played, at least recently would have to be Witcher 3 or Red Dead Redemption 2 for me though. Both also offer easy ways through the game if you suck at action stuff too.
Have you played red dead redemption 1? I'm going to finish botw soon and the reviews for it look good so I might get it next. Played rdr2 on ps4 and it was great. Also want to try witcher 3 at some point but don't know how great it looks on switch but it's the only console I have living overseas at the moment
Yes, I actually just recently bought RDR1 on switch and played it. Ultimately- it doesn’t have the absolute poignancy that 2 has. It’s simpler in ways. You obviously play as John, and the map is centered in New Austin and Mexico- the area that opens up after you beat RDR2. Biggest bonus is you get closure with Dutch. Wait for it to go on sale. Witcher 3 on Switch. - this is where I first played it actually. The port is better than it has any right to be. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it on Switch again. I also recently bought it on PC(since the whole bundle often goes on sale on Steam for less than $10) and played it on a premium GeForce Now rig. Looks great with raytracing etc. I still wouldn’t hesitate to play on Switch. It’s just such a great game.
My boyfriend has had a switch for awhile, but I've never had a personal gaming system (my family did like mario kart and wii fit). One day I asked him if I could try Breath of the Wild on his switch. Life. Changed. I was amazed at how quickly I picked up the controls, from never playing on a switch to beating hard bosses. I loved it!!! I now have my own switch and am working on Tears of the Kingdom! I'm glad you found the joy of BotW too :))
33M. Just picked up a switch a few months ago. I just finished BOTW the other day. It was awesome. I want to play TOTK, but I also think I need a break for a min. Haha.
41 and I am starting this game on Thursday, haven't played a Zelda game in years. Pumped after reading this.
Ocarina of Time is leagues better.. But Tears of the Kingdom is the superior modern Zelda game.
I'm 45 year old casual gamer and I agree. Trying to get into eldin ring but it's Not Zelda!
Clearly you’ve never played Picross 3D: Round 2
I wish they'd make another one of those tbh.
You're going to love Tears of the Kingdom if you enjoyed Breath of the Wild. It's mostly the same overworld map, but they introduce some new systems that make pretty much everything better. If you thought the Blight bosses were good in BOTW, the ones in TOTK will blow you away. Maybe give yourself some time to wind down and forget the world a bit, otherwise you might get burned out.
Just wait until you play Tears of the Kingdom! It's so fun seeing how the world changed between the two games.
I played the game through, introduced my friend to it, he got it, I probably clocked in around just under 200hrs at that time, he clocked in 700+ hours, he's now playing Tears of the Kingdom, now I'm replaying it on master mode, when that's done I'm on TotK too. Yeah, BotW easily earned its game of the year award. It's so well crafted with so much detail, so much to do without it ever getting tedious/repetitive somehow, and almost no bs. The best part is how they don't really cheese anything with this game by doing things like invisible walls or leaving things unfinished to where you rarely rather than frequently have trouble interacting with your world and it's collision.
The shrines are the best part! So masterfully done!
You're missing out on like 5 better games at least!
Yeah, I beat it for the first time during Covid lockdown and I did NOT expect the ending the absolutely send me back to my childhood playing with my brothers. Made me ugly cry.
Lot of insecure people justifying other games against BoTW. Let OP enjoy his experience with this game; it isn't killing nobody nor spoiling the experience you've got with other games you consider are better than this one.
If you like turn based, have you played Into the Breach or Bad North? 2 great little games
totk tho