Topic: Nintendo Switch --OT--

@themcnoisy Yeah if you don't like it you'll always get a decent trade in price for it anyway. Hope you find the time to play it. For me I don't really think about it much while I'm not playing it, but then when I fire it up I get sucked in for hours.

I think what drew me to BOTW is that I loathe previous 3D Zelda games.

So tske thst with whst it is. This may not be a Zelda game for Zelds fans.

Everybody's not going to like the same games.

TLOU Remastered was among the worst gaming experiences I've had this gen, and Bloodborne, while decent, is pretty much the embodiment of an overrated game to me. Heck, I found Fez to be incredibly boring.

Doesn't mean they're bad games. Just means I didn't dig them for whatever reason. Plenty of people have played those games and would call them some of the greatest games ever made.

Same logic applies to BotW. You might love it, or its particular design choices might be antithetical to what you think makes a game good.

For me? I absolutely adore Breath of the Wild. I think the seamless fusion of survival gameplay, complex physics, expert geographical design, subtle yet constantly present progression systems, unique sound design that merges environmental noises and situational music into one elegant soundscape, a colorful art style, fun and challenging combat, wonderfully versatile exploration mechanics (via climbing and gliding) and classic Nintendo charm makes it, not only the best open world game I've ever played, but also a compelling evolution of the genre. In a genre of games ruled by checklists, quests haphazardly strewn everywhere, and boring (gameplay-wise) environments, BotW constantly delights and engages my curiosity. Moreover, it's a game first, and whereas other devs use open worlds to stick bits of narrative everywhere and bore me to tears with talking heads, BotW is constantly looking to keep me IN the gameplay. Exploring, fighting, upgrading, surviving.

Some people lose their minds over their equipment breaking. It doesn't personally bother me, as the game is keen on throwing good equipment the player's way, and even if, in one area, I lose a better weapon then I gain, it almost always evens out over time. Meanwhile, the system encourages experimentation, engagement with the game's mechanics beyond just swinging a weapon/dodging, and improvisation in the heat of battle.

You're either going to like what the game has to offer or you're not. Certainly, if you go in expecting it to be different than what it is, you're likely to be disappointed. The same is true with pretty much any game.

@YummyHappyPills @Ralizah Thanks for the Mario tips. I'll try them later.

With Breath of the Wild I have to say I was not overly enamoured with it at first. I'm an enormous Zelda fan because of what makes Zelda "Zelda". There's comfort in that. At the time, I was emotionally not doing very good for various reasons and I suppose needed that familiarity? Because BOTW is so different to the others it was seriously jarring. I went in wanting dungeons and cool items and a story and structure and because it was lacking in that I was disappointed. It was only when I started thinking about the game on its own merits and basically had to push my expectations of what a Zelda game should be out of my mind that I began to enjoy it - and I actually really enjoyed it. With open world games I always have this mentality of basically checking things off the map like a to-do list. With BOTW I was doing that and felt a bit overwhelmed so I started just exploring and taking in more of the world and the experience as I went along. Eventide Island was where it started clicking much more for me.

It still has issues. I agree with @Kidfried that the world is too big. Akala region (did I spell that right) felt a bit pointless. And the weapon breaking is a massive annoyance. I enjoy the game more avoiding the majority of enemies because I don't want to break particularly good weapons. Not if all I get is an opal. I do still wish it had proper dungeons and a more meaningful narrative. The next game has definite scope for improvement.

My biggest problem with Breath of the Wild was that I just didn't get that sense of progression like I do in other games like it.

In Assassin's Creed Origins for example each enemy I kill, area I discover, task I complete gives me XP which in turn levels me up. When I level up, I can get new skills, take on stronger foes etc. Breath of the Wild did not feel that way to me. I completed a few shrines I really didn't get anything that wowed me from them. Because I didn't get XP.from eneimes I didn't feel the need to fight them. And then of course the weapon breaking system was just annoying. Even if I got a weapon I liked I knew that I better not get attached because it will break after a few uses either that or just never use it.

In the end the game just felt dated to me as an open world game this is something I would expect during the PS2 era not nowadays especially when you have open world games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, Witcher 3 and Assassin's Creed Origins. I feel that it just got the high scores because it was Zelda but I wonder would it have done so good sale wise and review wise if it was a new I.P.? Especially with games like Witcher 3 other there?

@Tasuki Well see that's just it, you're not happy with an open world game unless you're getting drip fed XP as an easily quantifiable reward for your time spent in the game. To an extent its the same issue I have with people complaining about Destiny, they want rewards for playing but the reward should be the playing of the game..

..of course Destiny has other problems too, which BOTW doesn't suffer from.

Weapon durability is one of the least important issues to me.

I'm with @Tasuki, the game lacks any sort of progression. It's the way the game is designed, you can do everything in any order, and you can go anywhere, but that also meant they had to do away with any sort of progression, apart from the extra lives and stamina you collect. But they only make the game easier, not harder. And whilst they do introduce more difficult enemies (re-colours of weaker enemies), there's no incentive to fight and lose your weapons, because the reward is often inferior to the items/weapons needed to defeat the enemies in the first place. No point in losing your big sword, if the reward is three flimsy wooden clubs.

The same applies to the shrines, while some contain genuinely good puzzles, too many were repeat combat shrines or were so easy I'd hardly call them a puzzle. And because you can do them in any order, there's no room to build on them and make them progressively harder and/or more complex.

I think the world is too big as well, at least in terms of what it offers. The enemy variety is a joke, and 80% of the enemies are the same Bokoblin, Lizalfos and Moblin. Enemies aren't bound by geography either, apart from elemental varieties. There are no unique snow or forest enemies for example. I'm sat here wondering where the Deku Baba, Wolfos and Like-Likes are.

And there's no fishing. No fishing. Like.. what!? If you create a big-arse world, better give me the opportunity to catch some fish and waste my time! No, but seriously, it would've added something to do in the already sparse overworld.

@kyleforrester87 Not it's not that at all, I like to see my characters grow and such and Breath of the Wild just doesn't have that. It's like what @Octane said you can go everywhere. Part of my enjoyment is ok I can't go here yet cause I am not strong enough but after learning some more skills, earning new weapons now I can. Sometimes it's like a whole new world is open up to me.

Maybe it's cause of background in Dungeon and Dragons or the years I have spent on WoW or maybe it's just me.

Speaking of BotW, I've just completed my first Divine Beast!

As for Mipha's Protection (or whatever it's called), does it mean I'm essentially immortal, or is it a one save per battle type deal?

@RR529 It has a lengthy recharge.

Ah, okay. Now I wonder if the game prioritizes Mipha's Protection or faries?

@RR529 Miphas Protection

So, other than the one near Kakariko Village, where are the other Great Fairies?

I could really use another armor upgrade or two, as the latest enemies & bosses are really pounding me. I used up almost my entire food supply beating Thunderblight Ganon, as it's attacks were dealing 6-7 hearts of damage, and I only had 10 at the time.

@RR529 Far out in the Desert area, near the Tabintha Tower, and in the Akala Region

Anyone expecting XX to be localised can drop those dreams right now XD

Does make ya wonder why media outlets asked Capcom why World wasnt on Switch...but they why they dont localise the game already on Switch?

Like surely we can get an answer to that right?

Anyhow, Im mentally preparing myself for Hyrule Warriors. This thing is a little Musuo machine

@YummyHappyPills Have they said if Hyrule Warriors will have the new levels from the 3DS one or just the characters, like the Wii U? I wasn't clear from the trailer.

@mookysam All DLC from both. All characters from both.

All Adventure maps from both.

Fairies from 3DS.

Team comp from the 3DS version I believe.

Only thing I'm not sure on is if it has the 3DS Wind Waker story stuff. I assume it will

@YummyHappyPills Thanks for the info. The Wind Waker story is what I'm most interested in so will wait and see.

Hyrule Warriors was my first musuo and I really enjoyed the Dragon Quest Heroes games, but as I've never played a Fire Emblem game I'm not sure how much I would get out of Fire Emblem Warriors. Worth playing for a non-Fire Emblem fan?

@mookysam No idea. Only Musuo I played was Hyrule.

I have no interest in anything FE after all

@mookysam One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 is a great Musuo game. My favourite out of them all. I would say thats the best followed bu Gundam warriors 3. I didnt enjoy DQ heroes at all though.