#completing the hyrule compendium isn’t really useful

[lulu2992]

I’ve been playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for a week now and, so far (unsurprisingly), it’s been mostly enjoyable and entertaining!

There’s just one thing I think feels a bit discouraging if you’ve played Breath of the Wild…

According to my Switch, I spent at least 315 hours in that game 100% completing everything that could be 100% completed (map, pieces of armor and their upgrades, Hyrule Compendium, etc.)… and now it kind of feels like I have to do that all over again. Of course, the games aren’t identical; although the world is (almost) the same, there are many new places, items, enemies, and mechanics. A lot of things changed so you don’t literally have to redo everything you’ve already done, and it makes sense that all players had to start from the same point. Still, I wish more of my progression had carried over. Especially the Hyrule Compendium :’)

But, as I said, Tears of the Kingdom has been a nice and fun experience so far, and I’m only getting started; I’m excited to (re)discover everything it has to offer! And at least, they gave me all my horses back ♥️

[embyrinitalics]

Calamiversary: Flashbacks

Under the cut are a few unused flashbacks/dream sequences. I was actually really attached to some of these, and for a while I considered making an entire fic based on these two, but with Calamitous taking as long as it has my ambitions for that have fizzled out.

Anyways, I’m posting them in the order they appear in the google doc, but these are so old I can’t remember what was supposed to go where. 😂 Some of the scenes end midsentence, or have editing notes in them still, or don’t make sense because the surrounding scene never happened. Don’t think too hard about it. 😬

There’s about 3k words here, so. Hit that “keep reading” tag with caution!

Enjoy!

  Nightshade

He caught her looking, his expression amused and affronted at once.

“What are you documenting so studiously?”

“Nightshade,” she informed him coolly, and then angled the interface on him more obviously. “And something else, beautiful and strange.”

He loosed a breath, something caught between a laugh and a sigh, and tossed the stones back into the underbrush. “Are you playing with my feelings, Majesty?”

“Certainly not,” she breathed, admiring him in the viewscreen for another self-indulgent half-second before turning it on back on the flora. “I have a compendium to complete. I hardly have time for games.”

“Don’t tease me,” he murmured, folding his arms. “It isn’t easy being in love with a queen and a goddess.”

Her mouth twisted gently, swiping through the interface again and tapping more useless details into the entry. She muttered, “I’m not a goddess.”

He joined her in the grass, rocking back onto his elbow and tipping the interface back with one finger so she would meet his eyes, glimmering softly with the beginnings of a wry smile. “Who said I was talking about you?”

She smiled in earnest, letting the interface drop, forgotten, into her lap. “I wasn’t aware you were well acquainted with any other queens.”

He scoffed dismissively. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“I’m sure,” she allowed, reaching to pick grass out of his hair and smoothing the wind-tousled bangs it had tangled in afterwards. She was grateful for the levity—grateful to him, for supporting her even when it meant denying himself.

So grateful...

And she still hadn’t untangled her fingers from his hair, from the soft edge of his hairline and his temple, the smooth line of his brow. He had gone quiet, eyes half closing and diverting, while he let her. He watched her palm for another second, two, and then closed a hand, gently, but firmly, over her wrist.

She swallowed, her hand hanging idly between them and the spell broken. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not stopping you for my sake,” he frowned. “It’s agony not having you, but I’m stupid enough to take what I can get.”

She sighed. “I can have you reassigned. No one would question it—”

“No, we’ve been over this,” he growled, running a hand tersely through his hair. “As long as I wield the Sword, my place is with you. And I can handle it.” Then he hesitated, expression shuttering, and he amended, “Unless you’ve changed your mind, and no longer wish it.”

Her hands were in the grass, eyes fixed on them, and her heart was throbbing in her throat. She couldn’t quite swallow it down.

She whispered, “No.”

  A Meeting

“Link,” she breathed, startled, their eyes meeting for a charged half-second.

He bent his head curiously in a rigid sort of bow, as though he was leaning away from the discomfort of their meeting.

“My lady.”

She waited, paralyzed, for him to move, or speak, or even look her in the eye again. But then, the ball was in her court.

It was always in her court.

But she was unprepared, and unarmored, and teetering dangerously at the precipice of a vulnerability she could not afford. And so, exercising her royal privilege as unmagnanimously as she likely ever had, she fled.

He caught her elbow as she made to pass him, sending a warm jolt up her arm. A rebuke danced wildly on the tip of her tongue, and she might even have used it had there been another soul anywhere within earshot of them. But the hallway was abandoned, and they were alone. His eyes were still fixed on the place she had been, the practiced stoicism in them, the practiced numbness in them, simmering with the frustration that he was harboring beneath.

“I won’t have this conversation with you now,” she reprimanded him quietly. “Not here.”

His gaze slid back to hers, burning, threatening to buckle with impatience or something far more desperate, and she wanted to flinch away from its intensity and luxuriate in it at once.

“When, Zelda?”

She took a meaningful step away, freeing her arm, and coolly arched a slender brow even as her heart sputtered at the cavalier way he used her given name in public.

“When we’re somewhere less conspicuous.”

She expected him to submit, tucking his tail begrudgingly between his legs and allowing himself to be put off yet again, but his eyes narrowed.

“Don’t scold me like I’m some child,” he scoffed.

  The Wilds

The carriage jostled down the path, headed for the milky spires that had been bobbing in and out of view for the last few hours. Her visit to the new reservoir in Lanayru had been successful, and pleasant enough as these sorts of things went, but there had also been a lot of pomp and formality surrounding the whole affair that left her craving some solitude and a good night’s rest in her own bed.

Both of which would happily get her out from under the stormy gaze of her Knight Protector.

Shielded by the walls of her carriage, she let herself grimace and sink a little lower in her seat. They hadn’t had an opportunity to talk in several days, what, with all the preparation for the journey and the constant company of the delegation. And she may have been avoiding him. Just a little.

And he seemed to have begun to notice, if the way his gaze burned into her any time she was careless enough to graze it was any indication.

The carriage jostled again violently as they rode over another pothole. And this time, the whole thing lurched to a stop beneath her as the axle snapped. She sighed, readying a gentle smile as the footman swung the door open.

“Hit a spot of trouble?”

“I’m afraid so, my lady,” he grumbled, offering her his hand.

“Please tell me you can fix it,” she said, brow puckered, letting him help her out and onto the road and trying very hard not to groan. She was not looking forward to walking the rest of the way.

“I doubt it very much, ma’am. But we’re nearly there. You could continue on horseback.”

She willed herself expressionless. The only horses saddled for riding were those of her escorts, which meant—

“I’ll take her.”

She didn’t need to guess who had spoken, or turn to picture the smug look on his face. She plastered an insincere smile over her mouth as his horse’s hooves beat an easy amble behind her for the footman’s sake—it wouldn’t do for him to see her furious or crestfallen or abjectly miserable over something as routine as a ride back to the castle from the man who was largely responsible for such things.

“Very well,” she said demurely, unable to conjure a decent excuse, and turned.

And there he was, perched atop his chestnut mare with an expression arguably more schooled than her own. She took his hand, hiding the warm jolt that ran up her arm, and let him lift her over the pommel, bidding the rest of the entourage farewell as he urged his horse forward and over the ridge.

When they had cleared the crest of the hill and taken the bend for a fair distance, he slowed them to a walk, letting the reins go slack and dipping his head to inhale the warm safflina in her hair.

“Link,” she mumbled, shrugging him off half-heartedly, but he wasn’t so easily deterred.

“We’re in the middle of the Wilds. No one is going to see. Just let me have this.”

Maybe it was the reasonableness of his argument, or maybe it was the note of heartache in his voice, so imperceptible only she would have ever noticed, but either way she let herself be coerced. They rode in silence a while, and she finally relaxed when he didn’t press her for more than that, letting herself lean a little into his chest. His hands rested idly on her waist, fingers curled loosely in the reins.

He said, “I missed you.”

She could feel his eyes looking cautiously for hers, but she pretended not to notice.

“You were with me every day.”

“No. I stared at the back of your head every day. That hardly qualifies.”

“I was busy.”

“You were avoiding me.”

She met his eyes then, ready to object, and quickly remembered why she had made every attempt not to. They looked right through her, melting her defenses and reducing her will to jelly. She sighed.

“I was avoiding you,” she agreed, settling against his chest again resignedly.

“I didn’t blame you,” he murmured, warm breath and lips moving softly against the lobe of her perfectly tapered ear, and her heart throbbed treacherously. “I knew why. It was just frustrating, not being able to talk to you about it."

Her eyes fell shut, stinging with remorse. She whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Don’t do that. It was as much mine as it was yours.”

“I don’t regret it,” he said, quiet adamance coloring his voice, “not for a moment. Even if it means consequences for me.”

In spite of herself she smiled, warmed to the bone by his sweet assurance. “Even if you’re stripped of rank? Even if you’re whipped?”

“They can’t whip the memory of you out of me,” and then he leaned closer, his warm breath feathering her ear again, “Zelda.”

Not Princess, or My Lady, or Highness, or the plethora of other titles he was obligated to use in the presence of others. Merely Zelda. Because out in the Wilds of Hyrule they were alone, and a stolen kiss didn’t seem such a terrible secret. Even if it was forbidden. Even if she had made it abundantly clear to him that it could never happen again, no matter how sweet and perfect and wonderful it had been.

She sank back into him, letting the steady beat of their gait and of his heart lull her into a rare peace.

  Realization

When I woke there was moss against my cheek, the cool dew of early morning clinging to my lips and eyelashes. The vision from the night before danced in breaths and lights as I blinked myself lucid, like the ghosts of a dozen sunset fireflies. I wanted to chase them, down, down into a dream, into an illusion, and wrap myself in it like a blanket. And then, like a wish fulfilled, soft lips alighted on mine, encouraging me awake.

“Good morning,” he murmured, pulling me closer by the hand splayed over the small of my back, and that didn’t strike me as odd in the slightest.

I snagged fingers in the collar of his shirt and buried my face in his neck, breathing him in as I grudgingly left the dream behind, as I spiraled towards his warmth. He smelled like the forest, and nights spent in the wilds, and it was so good it made my eyes tremble shut.

“It can’t be morning,” I whispered, sighing, and he pulled me into his lap, humming in agreement, and pressed his lips to my pulse point.

The wind rippled across the plains, across the wilds, tangling in my hair and twisting it sideways, and neither of us paid any mind. It was too rare that we found ourselves like this, lost in each other and lingering in that quiet stretch of peace between sleep and waking to the world.

“I need to get you back,” he said, but even as he did wrapped his arms around my waist in silent, subconscious objection. “You’ll be missed.”

“Then let me be missed.”

His lips on my neck angled higher, gently coaxing me down, and just as they obligingly found that delicate spot behind my ear, he whispered apologetically, “We can’t.”

I resisted the urge to scowl, resting my forehead on his. He was right, of course. But that didn’t mean I had to like it. My eyes eased open in time to watch the sunrise over his shoulder.

Another dawn. I knew there couldn’t be many left before the Calamity finally stirred from its long slumber, restless, feverish, hungry and ready to devour the world…

And then I realized how little of this made any sense—how incredibly blue his eyes were, how the voice I had been using wasn’t even mine—and the jarring disconnect between who I was and where I was broke the illusion apart.

  The Blade of Evil’s Bane

She opened her eyes as she felt a weight being lifted off her back.

And then she watched as Revali drove the Master Sword through Link’s middle to the hilt. (chapter break, then she freaks out, catches him, and his eyes start to roll back)

“Don’t you die on me,” she shouted through furious tears, pressing her fingers to his forehead. “Don’t you die!”

And then light filled her from the inside out as she bridged their minds, glaring across the world like a sun rising from within.

He sat across from her at her writing desk, still blurry from the haze of her tears, but she could hear the sardonic smile on his voice.

“Is that an order, Princess?”

She wanted to berate him, wanted to scream and fight tooth and nail against his apathy, but she couldn’t find her voice—not without loosing everything else that was threatening to spill out. She stood and crossed the room to nowhere, trying to shield herself from his ridicule. He sighed, following slowly.

He turned her around gingerly and took her face in his hands, studying her carefully while he thumbed her tears away.

“Why do you cry over me?” he murmured. “By rights I should have been dead thousands of years ago—even if I had defeated Ganon. This era will go on without me. I’m nothing.”

She took a sharp, stinging breath, and whispered, “Not to me.”

His lip quirked up in spite of himself, a familiar, roguish half-smile alighting on his face that made her heart stammer. “Never cry over your soldiers, Princess,” he scolded her gently. “They’re only too happy to die to protect you.”

“Don’t give up,” she warbled, a fresh rush of tears spilling out of her eyes, down her cheeks, over his thumbs still cupping her face. “Please don’t. Not like this.”

“Hyrule will go on. So will you.”

“I heard what you said to Urbosa,” she accused him, reaching for something, anything, that would make him hold on for just a moment longer. “You were wrong. I’m not confused. Not anymore.”

That gave him pause. His eyes searched her, gradually shedding the armor that they had always worn, piece by heavy piece, revealing the tired, consuming sadness beneath.

“Don’t cry over me, Princess,” he murmured, drifting closer. The bridge of his nose brushed softly against hers as he angled her face higher, poised to lance through her walls even as his own crumbled. “It pains me more than you know.”

He took her lips in his own, deepening the kiss obediently when she parted for him, and a sound lifted out of her. She wanted to lose herself in him, dive headlong into sating oblivion and never surface. But she found the will to pull away.

“Then don’t do this,” she urged, breathless, against his mouth.

He lingered, warm breath ghosting heavy on her lips. His voice was quiet, husky, desire tempered by regret. “Overcoming the Blade of Evil’s Bane is not so easily done.”

“I can save you,” she whispered, stepping closer, stripping away the needless space between them. “Never doubt that.”

“I have never doubted you,” he said, so tenderly her heart squeezed. “I’ve always known you were capable of so much more than you ever dreamed. But this—”

“I won’t let you go. I’ll order you back from the grave if I have to.”

He sighed at that, a defeated, hollow sound, and her lips parted gently in surprise. “I’m just so tired.”

And then he gasped, like a drowning man drawing breath after so many minutes, and the dream bled out into light.

She blinked away sunbursts and the blindness that followed, stumbling haphazardly back to reality. Link was in her arms; the hole through his stomach was gone.

 Ruins

The sunlight dimmed into night, luminous stone embedded in the sculptures lighting the darkness like softened stars. The ruins grew into an atrium, looming over the gathered order of monks and their commander. Her knight stood as far away as he dared, near the entrance, should there be a disturbance. It was nearly as far away as he had had the will to station himself in weeks.

“The final sensor towers have been erected, and Naboris is nearly ready to be deployed,” a monk was saying, the tattoos under his eyes catching starlight as he spoke. “Her pilot is in the final phases of training.”

The proclamation didn’t garner the reaction anyone was hoping for; the Queen merely nodded, lips pursed. Another monk shifted, as though weighing the wisdom of disturbing the silence that had settled uncomfortably over the assembly, before he decided to be bold.

“I had an idea for another Beast. Nothing so large or so complicated as the others. Something for Hylia’s Chosen—”

“No,” the Queen murmured. “There isn’t time.”

His teeth met with a click. He sent a sidelong glance to her knight, standing with his back against one of the pillars flanking the entrance, but he shook his head in subtle warning, and that put pain to it. He seemed less and less inclined to voice dissent recently, and everyone suspected they knew why.

“Then we’ll redouble our efforts with the Divine Beasts we have,” he offered instead, wearing a reassuring smile. “We won’t fail you, Your Highness.”

She nodded again, smiling tightly. They were dismissed, and her knight drifted closer, moving towards her as the others filed away. She was still sitting on the ground; he offered her his hand, and she met his eyes. She took it, lifting to her feet, and didn’t let go, squeezing softly.

She whispered, eyes depthless in their uncertainty, “But will we fail them?”

[doggodysk-blog]

I seriously underrated The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

**Some minor spoilers contained in this review**

I won’t beat around the bush, BOTW isn’t just the best game I’ve played this year, it’s the best game I’ve played in a long, long time. Maybe ever. This is coming from someone who was skeptical of an open-world Zelda game, as Ocarina of Time was my favorite Zelda game before this, I really enjoyed the traditional dungeon and progression.

I don’t say “potentially the best game I’ve ever played” lightly. I went into this game critically, looking for things it didn’t do well. And, of course, there are some things it doesn’t do quite as well as others. However, overall, the game is a true masterpiece and a testament to everything Nintendo’s creative minds are capable of. I truly think that nearly everything implemented in this game is implemented nearly perfectly.

The Not So Good

This is all I can think of for negatives. While this seems like a long list, a lot of critical thinking about the game went into this, and, for the most part, these are all very minor. I cannot stress this enough, these negatives DO NOT even come close to detracting from the overall experience of the game. I am only listing these to try to be as objective and honest as I can, as I believe calling it a “perfect” game would be disingenuous.

Graphics and Art

The game can drop in FPS pretty significantly, particularly when there are a lot of particles or in large fights.

Some character models aren’t very visually appealing. Compared to the beauty of the world, character models are somewhat lackluster, particularly their faces.

Enemies

Enemy difficulty can be a little low. The first time or two, Major Tests of Strength or Hinoxes or Lynels were tricky. However, after those times, I never really struggled to fight them and win. I’m sure my thoughts on this will change once I start my Master playthrough.

There isn’t an enormous amount of enemy variations.

Puzzles

Some puzzles can be a bit finicky, especially motion control puzzles. Usually it’s not too bad and just requires a few tries, but it can be bothersome at times.

While they were fun and well designed, the Divine Beasts really didn’t take much time to get through compared to the rest of the game. I would have liked to see them take a tad bit longer.

Considering how there is no way (that I know of) to locate Korok Seed puzzles via the map/Shiekah Locator, it can be somewhat tedious to expand your inventory. Perhaps it would be better if you needed an extra seed every two upgrades instead of one, or implement a way to find the seeds.

*Further reading has shown that this problem is solved by one of the DLC’s which I have not read yet.

Weapons and Items

While the weapon durability system is a lot better than I expected it to be, and I actually think the system as a whole adds to the game, I think weapons should all have a bit more durability.

Special arrows are a bit expensive, and hard to find from chests and enemy bases. I would like to see them show up in chests a bit more often, especially considering the amount of basic swords and bows I find. This affected me more than it may affect other people, because I have been going for a stealth-archer style character.

Mechanics and Systems

Link is weirdly bad at swimming, considering how good he is at climbing. There have been times where I was feet from shore and drowned. This can be pretty frustrating.

The Shrine locator is a bit noisy.

In some areas, it rains just a tad bit too much.

Personal Complaints

This is a personal preference and not objective nor does it really detract from the game, but I don’t like the fact that there is voice acting. I prefer Zelda games to only have the unintelligible noise when you interact with someone and background music.

This is a complaint of mine personally but also a testament to the scope of the game: there’s a bit too much to do. I’m a completionist and really like to complete games I play 100%, especially if they are games I really enjoy. There is just so much. The most tedious is the astounding 700 Korok seeds. I plan on completing everything but the Korok seeds, but the fact that there are so many of them is a bit annoying to me as a completionist.

The Good

As I’ve already said, this game is astounding. One could write a book about how incredible the game design of BoTW is. It’s simultaneously intricate yet simple, easy yet with an infinite skill ceiling. This game will be studied by developers for years to come.

The World of BoTW

The world is gorgeous, and huge. Everywhere I go, I am struck by the beauty and the atmosphere. Every ridge I climb up, I come across a beautiful landscape view. I personally don’t enjoy exploring open-world games that much in general, but BOTW has completely changed that. Everywhere I explore is fun and exciting.

Continuing off of the last point in the last paragraph, the world is dense. I’m very rarely bored while roaming through the world. Whether it’s needing to go quickly so that my Fire Resistance Potion doesn’t wear off, needing to stealthily navigate a field to avoid Guardians, coming across a large Bokoblin camp, seeing old chests hidden in lakes, finding interesting NPC’s and doing missions for them, or simply coming across shrines and towers, there is always something to do.

The world is fully open, but you’re never lost. In a lot of open-world games, I find myself going in a direction where I shouldn’t be and either be turned back because I shouldn’t go that way or getting lost. In BoTW, they deter exploration into later areas by putting you up against enemies that are difficult. You could push your way through, but it will be challenging, and you are usually naturally and intuitively led on a path of enemies that of an appropriate difficulty. Before going into the game, I felt I would feel overloaded with options, but I usually am able to intuitively do what seems right to me. This fully open-world also makes the game excellent for speed running, as you are only limited by how good you are.

The Beauty in the Details

The Towns and Villages are all thought out with incredible amounts of detail. They each have distinct cultures and histories that are reflected through the architecture, lifestyle, and personalities of the NPC’s. Whether it’s a laid-back beach village or a prosperous, modern town that was mostly unaffected by the Calamity, each town and village is fun and engaging to explore.

Speaking of NPC’s, they’re very well-written. Even basic NPC’s in towns and on paths all have personality quirks that make them entertaining to talk to. BoTW has perhaps the most well-written NPC’s in any game I’ve played. Every one has a witty anecdote or hints at a treasure or shrine.

The world is full of small bits of history that paint a large picture of the history of the world of Hyrule. Each book you read or slate you find tells a story, and when you put them together, you get a fully fleshed out history of not just Hyrule, but each area and each Village.

Puzzles and Quests

The quests are abundant and fun. There are few “filler” quests that I have come across, almost all of them are either genuinely fun or very short. My favorite of these quests are Shrine quests, which offer puzzles in the forms of riddles. These are very creative and often times quite tricky to decipher.

The puzzle system is well-thought and a refreshing shift from traditional puzzles. The tutorial section does a good job of introducing the basic concepts of the Sheikah Slate’s abilities as well as showing that puzzles often have more to them than meets the eye. The player quickly learns that most puzzles have a relatively basic main path following a certain theme, and side paths which offer secret rewards for taking the themes learned from the main puzzle, and making them more complex.

Mechanics and Systems

The stealth system is, surprisingly, extremely well done. I went into the game knowing stealth was a possibility, but thinking it wouldn’t be a fully-fleshed system. Regardless of that, I knew I wanted to attempt a stealth playthrough, and wow. After honing my skills for the first few hours of the game, such as landing headshots, target selection, and use of my environment, I could easily clear most camps without being detected with some thought. As someone who loves stealth games, I really appreciate this system.

Outside of perhaps Dark Souls, the sword fighting system is the best of any game I’ve played. It does an excellent job of being interactive, rewarding good timing, giving you options, and allowing for personal skill progression. At first, I was slightly concerned that the controls weren’t very intuitive and that I would struggle to implement it in fights, however, with just minutes of practice, I was able to get a solid grasp of it. The sword combat system is an excellent example of “Easy to Learn, Hard to Master.”

The physics and weather systems make the world feel alive. I haven’t played a game that has put this much attention to science details. The biology of the animals matches their terrain. Things that you think should work, work. If you have a metal weapon out in a thunderstorm, you’ll get struck by lightning. Hot air will rise, so if you set something on fire, you are able to use that to your advantage. Rain makes things slippery, but usually not impassable (if you have enough stamina).

Additional Aspects

There are a lot of fun things to do on the side of the game, such as experimenting with cooking and potions, or filling out your Hyrule Compendium. There is always something to keep you from getting bored.

I’m a sucker for games with multiple playstyles, and the armor system in the game does that very well. For instance, I played mostly with the stealth armor, but you could also use armor that helps you climb better, swim faster, or be protected from certain elements. Another thing the armor system does very well is give you collecting options. You can buy pieces of armor from stores around the land, or you can earn them from various missions.

While the game doesn’t require exploration, it encourages it in a very natural way. If you want to upgrade your health or stamina, or want to get more inventory, or want better food and potions, or want more powerful weapons, then you’ll have to explore. None of these are required to finish the game whatsoever, but are accessible and fun to look for. I believe that the natural and flawless way that they encourage you to explore the beautiful open world they have created is the pinnacle of all of the excellent game design that BoTW exhibits, and future open-world games will look to BoTW for inspiration for how to create their own worlds.

Summary

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the best thing the gaming community has scene in quite some time. It marks a positive shift not only for the Legend of Zelda franchise, but for open-world games as a whole. Despite its few minor flaws, this game is a masterpiece from the largest of scales down to the tiniest of details.

[hopenobodyeverfindsthis]

I’ve loved Breath of the Wild so much. Zelda is best girl. Link is my fave nature photographer/chef. (Give Link the fish husband he deserves.) They both deserve a happy ending, so here’s my version. May or may not be slightly canon divergent.

Being the hero of legend has never suited Link.

Or, well, maybe it has. He took on the duty stoically, never complaining or bowing to cowardice and fear. Through sheer grit, he managed to bring Hyrule back from the brink, even if it took a second chance for him to succeed.

But while he understood the importance of his role, it’s not the life he would have chosen. Zelda has always known this, even when her own jealousy and bitterness clouded her judgment of his character.

Under his strong and unflappable exterior, Link had only ever been a soft and sensitive young man, far more fascinated by the fawns grazing in an open field and the gentle glow of an evening sunset than he’d ever been by perilous adventures. Perhaps he’d been a little reckless, a little too curious for his own good, but he’d never asked for such a heavy responsibility.

Which is why she can’t say she’s surprised by his answer when she asks him if he has any idea what he wants to do now.

They’re sitting together in a grassy field, taking in the final warm rays of mid afternoon sun. Link’s loyal white mare grazes beside them. Hyrule is at peace for the first time in more than a century, and all they have is time.

Link takes a moment to ponder her question, a flush rising up his neck, before quietly admitting that he does.

Zelda’s eyes widen, curious for details. Link still prefers to speak as little as possible, but it only takes a bit of prodding from her to learn that he has accumulated a long list of aspirations on his adventures. He wants to complete the Hyrule Compendium, try out the many fishing spots he’d marked on his map, adopt a dog, beat the Gerudos at sand surfing, share his cooking expertise with the Zora children, make a fancy bridal for his horse, maybe even buy his own house.

But even the innocent excitement on his face isn’t enough to explain the flush high in his cheeks or the unmistakable sparkle in his eyes.

Zelda bites her lip.

“There wouldn’t happen to be anyone out there waiting for you?”

The way Link glances away and tugs shyly on his ponytail is answer enough.

Zelda’s smile softens. It would be a lie to say she didn’t want Link here with her, but she couldn’t keep him caged at her side either. 

She reaches out, placing her hand over Link’s. He glances up at her, eyebrows pinched together curiously.

“I’m happy for you. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. For this land. For everyone.”

Link blinks at her, his eyes misty, before stuttering out that of course this doesn’t mean he plans on going anywhere now. He will stay with her as long as she needs him. These are all just silly little goals. Nothing that means abandoning his duty.

And Zelda knows it’s true. Her poor, selfless hero. He’d die by her side if she asked it of him, without a second thought.

He already has.

But she only shakes her head, letting out a soft laugh. She may never be free of her birthright, but Link has surely fulfilled his.

“Go. I’ll be fine here. Hyrule is safe. If I need you, I know you’ll never be too far away.”

Link opens his mouth to protest, but Zelda quiets him, craning her neck to place a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Just promise me you won’t forget to write,” she whispers, lips tilting up into a smile.

Months pass by in a rush. Zelda is left preoccupied with rebuilding her kingdom, a task far greater than any one person could possibly manage. She’s almost too busy to miss Link.

Almost. 

Ruling a kingdom can be rather lonely, especially when all your friends and family have long since passed.

Yet, she’s not really alone. Link keeps his promise, loyal and dependable as he’s ever been. His letters arrive every week without question.

They’re usually short, just a few lines of anything interesting he has found in his travels, but Zelda treasures them with all her heart.

While at first his letters arrive from all over Hyrule, it isn’t long before she notices his travels becoming more and more limited. Increasingly, all of his stories are of the antics he’s experienced in the Zora Domain. Nor does it take her long to notice how one character sticks out more than all the others:

Sidon, Mipha’s younger brother. Zelda had met him once, when he was still a young little guppy running circles around Mipha’s ankles. Though she never asks, it is no stretch to imagine he’s the ‘someone’ Link had grown so flustered over, with how fondly he writes of him.

From how Link describes him, he sounds nothing like his deceased older sister. But Link seems drawn to him all the same, just as he had been to the Zora Princess. Zelda learned long ago not to distrust Link’s judgement.

Link invites her to visit the Zora’s Domain many times, but it’s nearly a full year before she can find time to fit in such a long excursion.

She sets off with perhaps a little more hop in her step than usual. The journey to Zora’s domain is long and arduous, but she’s no stranger to travel, and it’s nice to take a break, see the world again for a change.

The sun is bright overhead when the sweeping towers of Zora’s Domain begin to appear in the distance. Zelda smiles to herself and pats her stallion’s neck, urging him on.

She leaves her guard at the city entrance, nodding to the Zora soldiers as she walks by. A small pack of curious Zora children stare at her in awe from a distance, too nervous to come greet her. She smiles at them and offers a friendly wave, which causes them to giggle shyly and scurry away.

A statue of Mipha stands in the center of the courtyard, dutifully watching over everyone there. Zelda pauses to stare up at the likeness of her old friend. 

Mipha had been kind and selfless, never uttering a word of complaint in all the time Zelda had known her.

She had loved Link. Zelda could never have been blind enough to miss that. Whether Link had returned those feelings, she could never be sure. Her knight was much less forward with his emotions back then. Now, it matters not.

With a sigh, she places a hand on the base Mipha’s statue, tilting her head up to stare at her friend’s gentle face. She misses the champions, misses the world that died a hundred years ago with them. Sometimes surviving can be incredibly lonely.

A high-pitched wave of laughter breaks her from her reverie. She whips around, face softening instantly when she spots Link on the level above her. He’s laughing loudly, hanging from the shoulders of a Zora more than twice his size. The Zora holds what appears to be a squirming frog in his hands, staring down at it in wonder.

Link leans over the Zora’s shoulders, holding the Sheikah Slate in front of him in an attempt to get a good picture, only for the crafty frog to wiggle free at the last second.

Zelda laughs aloud at that, feeling a surge of fondness well up in her chest. Link looks so at ease here, more carefree than she’s ever seen him. It makes some of the pressure on her own shoulders fall away as well.

Link must have heard her laughter, because he glances down in her direction, mouth half open. She barely has time to lift her arm in greeting before he’s leaping from the stairs, gliding toward her with a wide grin on his face.

Zelda shrieks in a way that is quite undignified for a monarch as Link tackles her into a warm embrace. She returns it desperately, feeling her eyes welling with tears. She’s missed him, more than she can admit.

“It’s so good to see you, old friend,” she whispers, digging her hands into his shirt. He sweeps her off her feet to spin her around, the broad grin on his face echoing her sentiment.

“Greetings!” A loud voice booms, right as Link sets Zelda gently back on her feet.

The Zora whom Link had been hanging off moments before is already hovering over her, smiling excitedly.

“You must be Queen Zelda! I am Prince Sidon! It is wonderful to finally meet you! Link has told me so much about you, and of course, I have grown up learning of the heroic and beautiful princess of Hyrule. I am so excited to get to know you more! Welcome to Zora’s Domain!”

Zelda blinks up at the large Zora, a little taken off guard by how forward he is when compared to his generally quiet and timid older sister.

Still, she returns his enthusiasm with a warm smile. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Sidon. I’ve heard much about you, as well,” she says, not without sneaking Link a knowing glance.

Link flushes, but Sidon only beams.

“You have? Only good things, I hope.”

Zelda crosses her arms, tilting her head to the side playfully. “Well, Mipha did tell me you were a rebellious child. You once dyed her scales blue in her sleep.”

Sidon blinks at her, before throwing his head back with laughter.

“I can’t deny that,” he admits. “Though I’m afraid my duties have taken up much of the time I used to have for pranking my family members.”

Link snorts and Sidon spares him a mischievous smile.

“Mostly.”

There’s a story there, but Zelda finds herself more intrigued by the way Link and Sidon are looking at each other. It makes her chest feel warm.

“But where are my manners?” Sidon says suddenly, throwing his hands up. “My father is eager to meet with you! We will take you there, if that’s okay.”

He takes Link’s hand, seemingly without thinking anything of it. It’s Link who turns around and beckons her to follow, expression a bit sheepish.

Zelda only offers a knowing grin.

“Lead the way.”

[botwriter]

Rewritten, Chapter 17: Locked Mementos

Read this on Fanfiction.net or Ao3

Link had to backtrack somewhat to get to Hateno, and by the time he arrived, he had completed a couple more shrines and a Sheikah tower along the way. He'd also had his first run-in with a member of the Yiga Clan. Link knew something was wrong as soon as he saw his face; not a face, just a mask, with an upside-down Sheikah eye painted on. It couldn't have been more obvious that the person was not only Sheikah, but actually against them, and after trying to recruit Link into their ranks, the man drew a sword and demanded he die. Yeah, not so much.

A man with a farming hoe met Link at the gates of Hateno, holding it up threateningly, but Link responded with a friendly smile. Immediately, he stood down.

"A traveler?" he asked, and Link tilted his head from atop Horse.

"I guess," he responded, and then "Yes, a traveler," as soon as he saw the man's confused look.

"I can show ya around, if you like," the villager replied, but Link shook his head and pushed his horse to trot on further.

"That's okay, I'll find my way around," he responded with a grateful smile. "Thank you, though."

The town was more spread out than Kakariko, sitting atop a hillside. It was humid, too, and Link wondered how close the ocean was now that he could feel it in the air. The weather was a little less predictable, with the sun disappearing and re-appearing behind clouds several times within the hour, rain passing over and leaving again within the course of twenty minutes. Kids were running through town and giggling, and there also seemed to be some sort of a dye shop, but he wasn't interested in armor right now. He passed the inn, and then ended up going uphill with his horse. There was some sort of structure at the top, and eventually it was clear that it was the last one he had to go to.

Some sort of stove was sitting outside, and Link glanced at the floor; it looked just like the circle on the Sheikah towers. Taking this as an indication that he was in the right place, the knight pushed open the doors, surprised to see a dusty room, a young girl, and a man standing at the back.

"Uh - am I in the right place?" he asked, addressing the girl first, who was standing on a stool at the table. Her big brown eyes looked at him through red-rimmed glasses, mostly with disinterest.

"This is the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab," she greeted him, "do you have some business with the director?"

"Er, yeah, please."

"The director is in the back," she replied quickly, averting her gaze to study her nails. "Terribly busy, that one. Try and keep it brief."

Link glanced up to the man, who was standing near bookshelves in the back of the room, and tentatively approached him.

"Excuse me," Link greeted him, and he turned, adjusting his glasses as he studied Link.

"Hello! I imagine you've never seen so many books in one place. Incredible, isn't it? We've gathered all of Hyrule's known literature on ancient civilizations here. As for the actual number of books, well…" the Sheikah trailed off, suddenly looking at Link with more intrigue. "wait, is that- is that thing on your waist… is that a Sheikah… yes! There's no doubt about it, that's a Sheikah slate, isn't it?" he exclaimed suddenly, staring at the stone rectangle before looking back up at Link. "I've never actually seen one in person!"

There's more than one? Link wondered briefly, but wasn't given any time to mull over his thoughts.

"If you could just show me the runes on it, I'd be most appreciative."

Link obliged, pulling the slate off his waist and opening up the page with all the runes. The man nodded quietly to himself.

"Strange… it doesn't seem like you have the basic runes. I don't understand why they're missing. There must be some reason. Ah! Where are my manners? I completely forgot to introduce myself. My name is Symin. You are… Link, right?"

"You… know me?" Link asked, ready to feel disappointed in himself again.

"Lady Impa caught me up to speed," Symin explained, and Link let out a sigh of relief. "We were told a young man with a Sheikah Slate would appear, and to do all we could to help him. He will be the hope that awakens from the Slumber of Restoration - his name is Link.

"Oh!" he suddenly remembered, turning to face the girl at the table, "Ms. Director! This is the real Sheikah Slate!"

"Director?" Link asked, looking in surprise back at the girl.

"Oh, yes. Ms. Purah is the leading authority on ancient Hyrule culture."

"Check it!" Purah exclaimed, jumping on her stool and striking a pose.

"I'm honored to be her assistant - I have the utmost respect for Ms. Purah and the work she does," Symin said with a smile, still looking at the director as he spoke. "You should talk to her yourself."

I already tried to, Link grumbled to himself, turning to go back to Purah. The girl was already giggling. How did someone so young become Hyrule's foremost figure in ancient culture and research?

"Surprised?" she asked him with a knowing grin, "the director is me! Snappity snap! Aaaanyway Linky, do you remember any dreams from your slumber of restoration? You don't look like you've changed in a hundred years, but something must have happened in all that time!"

Link winced. So this was someone he had known.

"Linky?" she asked, cocking her head, "What's the matter? What's with that look? You do still remember me, right?"

"I'm sorry, no," he replied, his voice quiet.

"Really? Well, I'm so shocked I don't know if I'll ever be able to recover… even though a hundred years ago, I took you to the shrine of resurrection after Calamity Ganon fatally wounded you? Even though I was the one who put you safely into the slumber of restoration? Despite all that, you still don't remember me?"

This girl? This little girl, a hundred years prior, had been the one to take him there from when he fell in battle? How was that possible? At the same time, she would have no reason to lie; he owed her his life.

Without a moment to lose, she pulled out a notebook and jotted down a few quick notes, muttering under her breath as she did so: "as expected… after 100 years in slumber of restoration, subject has lost all memories...noted!"

"Aren't you a child?" Link blurted out suddenly, and Purah pouted in response.

"How very rude! Although I suppose… it's a rather logical conclusion to come to. The truth is, I look this way due to a failed experiment. Well, I say 'failed,' but in some ways it was a success. I documented everything in my diary upstairs. But it's quite embarrassing, so I insist you refrain from reading it," she added quickly, giving him a determined stare, hands on her hips. Even on the stool, she was still quite a bit shorter than him.

"Anyways," she digressed, "here you are, one hundred years later! Here to defeat Calamity Ganon, who is growing stronger with every moment! And to rescue your - our - beloved Princess Zelda! That is, if you've got the courage to try. So I, Purah, will restore the basic runes on your slate in order to aid you. What do you say to that?"

The whole spiel was surprisingly motivating. Link smiled in spite of himself.

"Yes, please," he said with a grateful smile, feeling himself relax.

"I knew you'd say that!" she giggled, but then fell serious. "First, I need you to run an errand for me. You know the unlit furnace on the wall of this lab? Could you please bring the blue flame from the ancient furnace in town, and use it to light ours? Then our Guidance Stone will work and I can restore your runes."

Link agreed, though he was a bit disappointed that he still had work to do before he could see what further uses the Sheikah Slate had. Purah pointed out a torch in the room for him, and he set to work, though it took him the better part of the afternoon. Rain in Hateno was painfully common, and the knight spent a good hour or so over the course of his work just sitting under trees, waiting for it to pass. He found it good weather to think in, at least, and the time passed quickly as he wondered how Purah had gotten him to the shrine of resurrection on her own… or had she had help? What did she look like a hundred years ago?

When he finally lit the furnace out front of the Hateno tech lab, panting from having to fight an array of bokoblins during the last stretch, he was surprised to see the blue circle out front of the lab light up. He would be able to travel there instantly. As he walked back into the lab, setting the torch down on the floor, he slumped into the chair across from Purah.

"Thanks, Linky! The guidance stone is setting up now - this is pure science! Go ahead and put your Sheikah Slate on the stone and it will restore it for you!"

With a grunt, Link pulled himself to his feet and placed the slate carefully into the guidance stone.

Starting repair, the pedestal spoke, and the rune above it began glowing with information that then dripped down into the sheikah slate. When Link took another look at the slate now, he noticed a new rune - the Camera - and photos began to fill his album, twelve of them in total, from all sorts of different places that Link didn't recognize.

"Alright! Camera, Hyrule Compendium, album… looks good! And you already have some photos stored on here. You were the Princess' appointed knight, so there's a strong possibility you accompanied her to all of these places," Purah said excitedly, taking a look through the pictures before handing the slate back to him.

"The lost memory thing doesn't help your case much, but these pictures might be the missing piece to help you restore your memory. You should try and find them," Purah said with a smile, resting her hands on her hips. "I would check in with Impa, though. She knows more about Princess Zelda than I do."

Pictures? Link looked at the album in confusion. How had it captured these images in perfect likeness? They weren't sketches; it was like he was right there staring at them, but he had no time to ask questions. He was sure he'd still be confused even if he got an explanation. After saying goodbye to Purah and Symin, Link left the lab as the sun was setting. He left his horse in Hateno, and teleported to the shrine in Kakariko instead, sailing down to Impa's house. If the pictures could help him regain his memory, he wanted to find them as soon as possible. Of course, he had to find these twelve places, and get the four Divine Beasts… it was a lot of work, but all he could do was move forward at as fast a pace as possible.

When he arrived, he opened the doors carefully and approached Impa at her pillows. Paya shot him an embarrassed smile as he passed.

"Huh… I heard Purah was giving you the runaround, but here you are," Impa said mischievously, "Now then… let me see the slate."

He handed it over carefully, and Impa hummed as she looked at the twelve photos.

"Yes, this is without a doubt the Camera that Princess Zelda used one hundred years ago," Impa reaffirmed. "It is possible that if you visit the places in these photographs, you will recover some or all of your memories. Please Link, come back once you have visited at least one of these locations, and we will talk further. There is something I wish to give to you."

"Thank you," he said quietly to Impa, who cast him a reassuring smile from under the rim of her hat.

"Link… you can do this," she said suddenly, before he had reached the door. He paused, one hand pressed against the wood, and paused. "You've done it before."

He felt like he was about to choke up, so he said nothing and replied with simply a stoic nod, before heading down the steps into the village. A strange looking man was painting near the Hylia statue, shooting ink all over his canvas, so Link approached him, curious at what he was painting. It was Impa's house.

"A traveler?" the man asked him, feeling Link's gaze from behind him.

"Yes," Link replied simply.

"Well met! Pikango," and with that, the painter turned, wiping his hand and offering it to Link. Taken aback, but happy about the sudden hospitality, Link shook his hand with a smile.

"I've been all over, but I'm still trying to find new places to paint."

"Have you, uh… seen this place?" Link asked him, choosing one of the pictures to show the painter. Pikango looked at it curiously for a moment, eyebrows raised.

"My, aren't you an excellent sketch artist," he mused, and Link didn't bother to correct him. Explaining the camera would be too difficult. He still didn't really understand it.

"Yes, that's the East Gate at Mount Lanayru," he nodded. "It’s east, not far from here."

"Thank you!" Link replied, waving as he broke into a run out of the village. If there was even a small chance of recovering some of his memories, it would be worth it; he was tired of meeting people and not recognizing them, tired of living in a body that hardly felt like his own. It was all too unfamiliar, and he had guilt for people and things he had completely forgotten. Altogether it was wrong. There had to be a way to bring it back.

The road to Lanayru was massive and in ruins; Bokoblins and Moblins fired arrows at him as he went, and he took them out in kind. Despite not remembering who he was, he had clearly not forgotten how to fight, and found that his arrows nearly always met their mark. He felt like he entered a bit of a trance when he fought; it felt right, fighting for Hyrule, the kingdom that was waiting on just… him. It felt right, but at the moment, it also felt lonely.

The gate was even bigger than the picture made it seem, lit by the moonlight and paving the way to Mt. Lanayru. The knight slowed as he walked, and pulled out the Sheikah Slate, taking a look at the picture. It was exactly where he was now. Just when Link was expecting nothing to happen, it suddenly came to him - what happened where he stood a hundred years prior.

It was him and a girl he assumed had to be Zelda; he remembered her face now, clear as day, and felt his heart jump at the thought of her green eyes. What feelings did he have for her? It was tough to pinpoint, but there was something bugging him about it. There were four other individuals in his memories, and he knew them by name immediately; Revali, Mipha, Urbosa, Daruk. They were the Champions, he knew that much, but nothing beyond that. This is where they had been; Zelda tried to find unlock her sealing abilities at the Spring of Wisdom, but had no success, and then Ganon returned. He took over Hyrule Castle, feeding malice into the bodies of the Guardians and taking over the kingdom. Zelda desperately wanted to be on the battlefield with them… and that was it.

"No..." he complained, rubbing his forehead. I need more. Why had he fallen in battle? The Champions had had confidence in him - all but Revali, it appeared - but it was driving him crazy not knowing what had happened to him. At least know, he knew, it was real. Part of him had wondered whether this had all just been one big dream, or if he'd been told the truth at all, but this was validation. It was all true. He had been there, a hundred years ago. He was the Hero.

Returning to Impa was all he could do now. It was dawn again by the time he arrived in Kakariko, and Link was exhausted from staying up traveling all night, bloodied from monsters, and for the first time in a long time, desperate for a drink of ale his father used to have. He never liked it when he was younger; sure it was nice and cold on a hot day, but other than that what taste did it really offer? But now, more tired than he had ever been, he understood. Maybe my reward for beating Ganon, he thought with a weak smile, dragging his heels back into Kakariko village and up the steps to Impa's house.

"Oh my Goddess, Master Link, you- you need rest!" Paya fretted, fussing over him as he pushed past the doors into Impa's house. "Please, your clothes are a mess, you have leaves all in your hair and an arrow… stuck in your shoulder…" she trailed off, covering her mouth with her hands. Link lifted his eyebrows in surprise, glancing over his right shoulder, and then his left. Sure enough there was an arrow stuck there. It hurt a little, but he had clearly not noticed in the moment.

"Huh," he said with vague interest, but didn't bother to pull it out. It would hurt more then. He gave one smile to Paya before seating himself in front of Impa, letting out a long sigh as he did so.

"You found a memory?" Impa asked, and Link nodded wordlessly.

"Good. Then I will give you this."

From behind her stack of pillows, Impa pulled out a blue tunic, and Link recognized it immediately. He had been wearing it the day Ganon returned. He lifted it carefully to his face and smelled it; clean, but a familiar scent (if a little stale) from a century prior. Plus, it was soft. Maybe not as warm as the doublet he'd been wearing, but he could use something a little lighter for running around in, anyways.

"I have been keeping it safe for you, at request of the Princess. It was specially made for you when you became a Champion, so treat it with care. And Link - you look a mess. Let Paya clean you up and get some rest and food before you leave. I would suggest… Zora's domain. It is the closest Divine Beast from here, and in the best climate."

Link glanced to the side to see Paya waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. Reluctantly, he agreed, and with the tunic in hand he headed up the steps behind her. Rather than being consumed by nerves as she had been before, the Sheikah waited patiently for him to take his doublet off before ripping the arrow out of his shoulder. He grimaced but said nothing besides a quick "thanks," and she treated the few wounds he had, scrubbed his torso down with soap and a rough sponge, and then pointed at the bed.

"It's eight in the morning," he complained, but the girl met his stare with stubborn brown eyes and he finally sunk under the covers, surprised to feel her tucking him in tight afterwards, from his shoulders down to his feet. The blankets sat up to his nose, and he stared past the edge of the covers at the ceiling for a while, listening to the sounds of Kakariko Village waking up for the day. It turned out to be pretty good ambiance, because the knight passed out before long into a comfortable and much-needed sleep.

[hyroole]

(There are definite 100% spoilers in this) I wanted to write a review of sorts of BOTW. I might forget some things, but here are my pros and cons of the game:

PROS: -the graphics, of course. The game is beautiful. I love that at certain angles there’s rainbow light spots from the sun, I also like how nothing was just ‘placed’, every tree and every object looks good. The style is very realistic, yet very Zelda. I really can’t praise the graphics enough. -exploration. The map is HUGE. Every time I have to go somewhere, I forget how long it really takes to run from one spot to another. You also always find something new or interesting along the way. Exploring is one of every Zelda fan’s favorite things to do, I think, and this game really gives you the ability to explore every single area. -side quests. There’s so many fun ones that are interesting and unique to Zelda and quests that also have great/funny/interesting dialogue to read. I personally loved getting Link's house and helping build Tarrey Town, I’m always a sucker for building things like towns from the ground up (why I love Animal Crossing and games like Harvest Moon/Rune Factory). There are also a lot of other interesting side quests that help give the game much needed life. -the music. I especially love the opening theme. It sounds so unique to Zelda games, but also EXACTLY like something that belongs in a Zelda game. (I do also miss the more charming music, like when you’re in a house, you all know the song). The music when a dragon is near is also a favorite. The Blood Moon song and when a guardian is attacking you are also great, anxiety-inducing songs. The only problem is, I wish there was more music. I like when it’s quiet while roaming a field or forest, but sometimes I wish music was playing. -towns. Hateno Village is huge and very nice to look at. There are 8 (I think?) towns to explore, which to me, is great. I was so surprised and excited when I stumbled upon Lurelin Village right when I thought I had seen the last village in the game. -the puzzles. Finding the Korok seeds is fun and an added bonus in the game. I think the shrines are really fun, and really annoying at times. I love how detailed and sometimes difficult each one is. (Although, I get sick of the same color scheme and design in each one. It really makes me miss the themed temples in past games, will continue in cons). -the characters. I think this time around we really get some good characters with interesting and fleshed out stories. Zelda and her dad, for example, are very interesting, and if you haven’t already, I would highly recommend finding and reading each of their diaries after finding all of the memories. Zelda herself, this time around, is definitely a fan favorite. She's very likable and interesting, it's a shame about that voice though (lmao, will continue). I’m also pretty happy that there are some non-white appearing side characters (besides the Gerudo of course). The only problem with the characters, which I’ll write about in the cons, is there’s not many we “get to know” and the ones we roughly get to know, we get no emotional attachment to. -collecting. Being able to cook is really fun and makes the game feel more modern, as I think it was meant to. I believe this game is the most “present” of the games, and it is also a land that is in ruins, so it would make sense that there’s a lack of random ruppes and hearts hidden in the grass, which leads us to have to cook for survival. Also collecting every type of weapon and shield and armor is fun. I also like having to collect the pictures for the Hyrule compendium, it’s not as good as the pictograph sculptures in Wind Waker, but it’s still cool, especially since you can pay to have a nicer picture in your compendium. -the physics engine. I use that term “loosely” because I barely know what it means (I’m not someone who knows a lot of terms like that lmao). But based on my understanding, it’s amazing. You can truly do so much in the game. You can test out how high the vertical limit is in the game by placing balloons on a rock and floating into the sky. You can travel by log if you want. It’s way too much fun trying to find what you CAN’T do. -the connections to past games. Discovering that Lon Lon ranch was destroyed years ago was completely heartbreaking. Recognizing the Temple of Time and realizing it’s in ruins was as well. When the master sword lights up in the final memory and makes that familiar sound, it was really just exciting. It made the world of Zelda feel more real and alive. I wish there was more lore to go along with it (will continue in cons).

CONS: -the story is lacking. It begins so interestingly and so full of potential, but then it falls short. There aren’t enough “temples”, there isn’t enough lore, and the memories don’t really coincide with actually experiencing things for yourself. It’s hard to get to “know” and like the characters when you’re only “secondhand” meeting them and experiencing their personality and story. I love the open world aspect, but it just doesn’t feel like Zelda without more of a story. -weapons. The variety of weapons is very cool and I like discovering new ones and collecting them all, but them being able to break so easily is annoying. I think the concept of them wearing down and you having to collect more is interesting, but they should be more durable. It feels like just as soon as you begin to get a feel for a certain (rare, probably) weapon, it breaks. I will say, however, I’m glad the Master Sword can’t actually break, that would be a disaster. (I wish I could say the same for the Hylian Shield). I also think the lack of “key weapons” makes this game feel a little more desolate and less like Zelda. I’m not saying they’re necessary, but I do miss items like the hookshot or the iron boots and so on. They’re really iconic Zelda aspects. -I have to say it, the sexualization of Zelda. This isn’t a HUGE issue, but it’s something that is bothering me, and hopefully some others. Zelda is 16, and then 17. In what way was it necessary for them to “define”/“emphasize” Zelda’s butt so much to the point where I can’t watch a video without everyone in the comments saying “that ass”? It’s blatant and really gross and unnecessary, especially because they clearly have her bending over, etc. -200 points for that, Nintendo. We all see it. -the voice acting. There were some characters’ voices I liked, and some I HATED. In my opinion, Zelda’s voice is all wrong. It’s way too grating and posh, I never pictured her sounding like that, it really ruined every single memory for me. The other voices were simply OK. They could have been better. -the final boss. So…. was it just me or was the greatly feared, the disastrous, the evil, Calamity Ganon incredibly easy to beat? I didn’t die a single time, I wasn’t even close, and I’m a Zelda player who dies CONSTANTLY and over stupid things. But the final boss was easier than one of the temple bosses? -the “temples”. I was really disappointed when I found out there were only four and they were essentially all the same with the same boss. What happened to all the variety and the themed temples with a matching themed boss? It gets really boring after four temples when they all look exactly the same and have essentially the same boss. It was a little hard to get the motivation to beat ANOTHER temple that looked and felt the same. Couldn’t they have made each Divine Beast a different color scheme or used the elements of each one just a little more? This con is forgivable because of how big and varying in environments the world is and how much you can explore, however. -the lore. This goes along with the story con, as well as the connections to past games in pros. BOTW is missing some essential Zelda parts, one of which is lore. This game is really an epic, or I guess it would be if it had more lore. There’s not much connecting us to Ganon, other than the fact that we have to help Zelda and the champions defeat him/it. He doesn’t even have a human form, a voice, or any dialogue. I would have AT LEAST liked to learn why or how he exists the way he does in the first place. There is also little information about those past game connections I praised earlier. They’re just THERE, which makes me feel sad, but I am happy to at least feel something, which is hard in this game with the lack of an emotional connection to pretty much anything.

There’s probably more, but I can’t think of them right now. Remember, these are just my opinions. If you want to make your own lists, go ahead (even tag me tbh), thanks for reading! (If you did).