Support NeoGAF

[Hot5pur]

I think this game is largely riding on nostalgia and is way overhyped.
Most things about it are rather simple. It innovates in terms of environment interaction and puzzle solving, but that's about it.
The combat is awful and repetitive, and the weapon breaking is immersion breaking and a bad game design choice.
The story is forgettable and those giant beast dungeons get repetitive, and the bosses are about as creative as my left nut.
It still has its good parts, but it's no where near a 9 or 10, I'd hardly even give it an 8. I got very bored with it, maybe a 7.
Not even a little excited for the sequel from what I saw, seems they've double down on their BS.
Overly negative this morning, I know haha, but hope others enjoy the sequel.

 

[L*][*N*K]

 

[GymWolf]

It's a good game with a ot lof flaws that weight much more in titles not called zelda it's all i'm gonna say.

For how good the trailer of tiktok was in term of epicness, they still have to show if the game has better\deep combat, interesting story, more meaningful loot, better paced progression, less copy past contents, more enemy\boss variety\quality, actual quality dungeons, etc.

They showed a lot of cool things, but only by playing the title we are gonna know if they fixed the flaws of the previous game.

 

[Vyse]

With all of the latest media for Tears of the Kingdom, especially the final trailer, I started mulling over my dislike for BoTW.

I’ve bought the game twice, and tried I think now 6 times to get into it. The best I did was beat the first giga chad beast and get to the second one before dropping it.

There’s numerous reasons you’ve all probably heard here in the past so I’ll spare you. Generally my play sessions span around 15-25 minutes at most before putting it down.

Well with the hype for the sequel I wanted to give it a final whirl but this time via cemu. To experience the game in 4K, 60 fps locked, and tons of visual upgrades to boot.

The verdict? I can’t put it down now. The barrier of the crap controls is gone. The barrier of 720P blurry turd, gone. The barely 30FPS junk gameplay barrier ? Gone. Non stop pop in ? Gone.

I feel like for the first time I can just focus on the game for what it is and get lost in it without being pulled out repeatedly due to the issues above. Yes I still am not a big fan of the underground mini puzzle temples, or the lack of sweeping music as I travel the world, but I’m finally seeing the magic. I could see the flock of birds over head on a cloudy day as I approach a new horse stealthy instead of wrestling the game. I can appreciate tossing a bomb into a group of enemies with explosive barrels nearby and it causing a field grass fire. I rode a rock that had momentum across a River off a hill and glided to my destination faster.

It goes without saying, but this game desperately deserves a better Nintendo console to be on to lock the fps to 60 and 1440p at least for the next one they put out.

If anyone else is getting caught in the ToTK hype but dismissed BoTW, I highly recommend trying it on cemu. Took me 5 minutes to get it going.

My story exactly. Made a thread on this a few weeks back. Only game I have been playing. Up to the final Ganon boss right now. Love it and so glad you gave it a shot too! Really excited for the new game.

 

[Vyse]

You can also add that to half-counter the breaking system, you can pull the Master Sword... IF you get 13 full hearts in total before that.

The slog was getting slogger at this moment...

There is a way to get to sword early and I’m fighting all the time. Never had a loss for weapons and breaking system added some strategy to combat. Also think it forced me to think about big fights instead of just jumping in sword swinging all of the time.

 

[EverydayBeast]

I played it via the Wii Wii so the "Sheikah Slate" itself is set up through the Wii U gamepad bit it shouldn't be judged off of that and it sets the tone for changing out weapons or "Slates" in the game. Breath of the wild is service to Zelda lore and long time fans.

 

[Trilobit]

Ive bought the game twice, and tried I think now 6 times to get into it. The best I did was beat the first giga chad beast and get to the second one before dropping it.

I actually don't understand that. I've started watching plenty of shows with great reviews that just didn't appeal to me so I stopped watching them. I don't waste my time with media that I don't enjoy, even if it's loved.

Many of the things people complain about in this thread are things I too noticed. The pop-ins, lack of enemy variety and so forth, but they didn't make it a chore to play. The discovery of the map, the overall gameplay, the subtle story, the characters, the music, the atmosphere and the feel of the game made me lose so many hours in it. It sucked me in and was one of the best gaming experiences I'd had in quite some time. It would have been even better with more powerful hardware, but still a 9/10 for me.

The one thing that really bothered me was the small towns. I started with the desert city, which was filled to the brim with stuff to do, so I expected every town to have that. My disappointment was especially big with the bird people whose town was just a high house. Other than that it was a magical game.

 

[iHaunter]

BOTW on switch is 900p though...

Don't see what that has to do with anything I posted. It's also 720P off the dock.

 

[Arsic]

I actually don't understand that. I've started watching plenty of shows with great reviews that just didn't appeal to me so I stopped watching them. I don't waste my time with media that I don't enjoy, even if it's loved.

Many of the things people complain about in this thread are things I too noticed. The pop-ins, lack of enemy variety and so forth, but they didn't make it a chore to play. The discovery of the map, the overall gameplay, the subtle story, the characters, the music, the atmosphere and the feel of the game made me lose so many hours in it. It sucked me in and was one of the best gaming experiences I'd had in quite some time. It would have been even better with more powerful hardware, but still a 9/10 for me.

The one thing that really bothered me was the small towns. I started with the desert city, which was filled to the brim with stuff to do, so I expected every town to have that. My disappointment was especially big with the bird people whose town was just a high house. Other than that it was a magical game.

I’ve found for me often critical games for me to get into them is right timing for that game.

When God of War 2018 hit I tried to get into it a couple times as well then a year and change ago I fired it up on PC and got hooked because I was in the mood for an big sprawling game .

Even elden ring I put down after the first week and didn’t come back to it until 6+ months later. Then I was in the mood to tackle this open world.

The same here is going on where the timing is right for this type of game and the things that would take me out of enjoying it are no longer there as barriers for immersion.

 

[nightmare-slain]

So you need pretty graphics to enjoy a game?

BOTW is not about the visuals. I could play it on PC if I wanted. I have actually played it on PC but I loved the GAMEPLAY so much that I couldn't put it down and ended up just continuing with it on my Switch. Yes it's lower quality but it doesn't affect the gameplay.

Shame you won't be able to play TOTK on PC unless of course you plan on using your 2017 Switch to dump the game onto PC. You did dump BOTW from your WiiU right? Or did you illegal download it and are telling others to do so as well?

 

[Kappa]

Best open world game ever made

 

[Danjin44]

So you need pretty graphics to enjoy a game?

I can't never ever understand people like that, I just cant.

 

[Arsic]

I can't never ever understand people like that, I just cant.

My issues with the game were taking away from enjoying the gameplay and immersion. If it didn’t affect you, then great, you’re enjoying the game too and so am I. I just needed a little extra to get past the hurdles holding me back.

For me the biggest thing was the sub 30fps. I can’t do it. It’s why I would only play for 20 minute bursts.

 

[Danjin44]

My issues with the game were taking away from enjoying the gameplay and immersion. If it didn’t affect you, then great, you’re enjoying the game too and so am I. I just needed a little extra to get past the hurdles holding me back.

For me the biggest thing was the sub 30fps. I can’t do it. It’s why I would only play for 20 minute bursts.

For me tech imperfection never gonna stop me from enjoying the game, heck I platinum Drakengard 3 and that game was technical mess.

 

[Lethal01]

Yep, the games artstyle is gorgeous and it's great to not have it held back by blurry visuals and 30fps. Probably my favourite looking game after 2000


I'll enjoy ToTK on whatever I can play it on, but I'll enjoy it more if I can play at a higher resolution and actually be able to see the characters faces without zooming in.
I did also use a mod to turn off the flurry rush since I do definitely think it's OP and makes combat repetitive and slow if you utilize it..

What exactly are you referring to by "crappy controls" though? Joycon?

 

[Lethal01]

For me tech imperfection never gonna stop me from enjoying the game, heck I platinum Drakengard 3 and that game was technical mess.

I can love a game even if my screen has a huge crack spread over it and my controller keeps getting stuck for a sec,
but how much I love it just makes me want to play without those negatives even more since it would obviously be better.

Low res and framerate are like playing a game with a cracked screen covered in dust. It's just worse, doesn't mean you can't learn to ignore it.

 

[Danjin44]

I can love a game even if my screen has a huge crack spread over it and my controller keeps getting stuck for a sec,
but how much I love it just makes me want to play without those negatives even more since it would obviously be better.

Low res and framerate are like playing a game with a cracked screen covered in dust. It's just worse, doesn't mean you can't learn to ignore it.

Some games will have technical imperfections, when Shadow of the Colossus first came out on PS2, it had FPS issues on the system and Bloodborne had frame pacing issues on PS4 but that didn’t stopped me enjoying those game.

Do I wish it had less technical problems? sure but downright skip a game because of it? absolutely fucking not!

 

[Soodanim]

So you need pretty graphics to enjoy a game?

BOTW is not about the visuals. I could play it on PC if I wanted. I have actually played it on PC but I loved the GAMEPLAY so much that I couldn't put it down and ended up just continuing with it on my Switch. Yes it's lower quality but it doesn't affect the gameplay.

Shame you won't be able to play TOTK on PC unless of course you plan on using your 2017 Switch to dump the game onto PC. You did dump BOTW from your WiiU right? Or did you illegal download it and are telling others to do so as well?

Putting your antagonism aside, is it really a surprise that people have different opinions about what's an acceptable minimum when it comes to image quality? If anyone on this earth says they wouldn't want 1080p60 over what we got on the consoles themselves, they're lying. All you actually said was "Unlike yourself OP, I found the gameplay good enough to put up with the visuals."

I disagree that visuals don't affect gameplay, because framerate absolutely does change the enjoyment of a game for plenty of people.

 

[FromDuskTillGameOver]

People who couldn't play this masterpiece because of 720p/30FPS, don't deserve it in the first place

 

[Oberstein]

The innovations brought to the open world genre are real, and even 6 years later, Botw is still surprising to play on many aspects.

Horizon can have the best textures in the world of grass or rock, it's already forgotten.

 

[Arsic]

Yep, the games artstyle is gorgeous and it's great to not have it held back by blurry visuals and 30fps. Probably my favourite looking game after 2000


I'll enjoy ToTK on whatever I can play it on, but I'll enjoy it more if I can play at a higher resolution and actually be able to see the characters faces without zooming in.
I did also use a mod to turn off the flurry rush since I do definitely think it's OP and makes combat repetitive and slow if you utilize it..

What exactly are you referring to by "crappy controls" though? Joycon?

Yep. Joy con. I was always fighting to shoot arrows was my biggest thing. Probably just a me issue.

 

[Danjin44]

Horizon can have the best textures in the world of grass or rock, it's already forgotten.

There is good reason why Horizon got overshadowed by both BotW and Elden Ring, high tech graphics only can get you so far and Guerrilla Games heavily relies on it.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

BotW to me is the best proof yet that graphics don’t matter, and gameplay trumps all. Forever and always.

And honestly, the graphics are fine for what the game is trying to do. I enjoyed it at least as much as OP enjoyed it, on OG Switch. Without any emulating or graphics mods.

When gameplay is that good, I will forever be convinced that in the end, graphics really do not matter all that much.

 

[mykedo0909]

Most impact full game for me ever, it was a joy. And TotK will be as well

 

[Arsic]

People who couldn't play this masterpiece because of 720p/30FPS, don't deserve it in the first place

Ah gate keeping fun away from others by your own metrics.

Sorry to break it to you but I’m enjoying it now in 4k and 144fps, and I don’t care if you think I “deserve” it lol.

 

[Lethal01]

Yep. Joy con. I was always fighting to shoot arrows was my biggest thing. Probably just a me issue.

The joycon thumbsticks are pretty small and bad for aiming, I love them for motion aiming since they are detached and light. Imo Gyro is better than than any games controller aiming.

I do wish there were a version of the joycon that were just bigger though.

 

[BryceNobody]

Glad you’re enjoying it but none of those issues ever remotely bothered me. In fact, I just completed a replay last week (also prepping before TotK) and didn’t think twice about pop-in, 720p, etc.

If technical shortcomings ruin the experience for you, maybe it’s just the hardware — not the game.

 

[FromDuskTillGameOver]

Ah gate keeping fun away from others by your own metrics.

I have such power?

Dude i get that with a game like crysis or cp2077, but flipping Zelda BotW?

Its like; "i cant watch "The Godfather" unless its in 4k"

 

[IbizaPocholo]

In anticipation for Tears of the Kingdom, Brad looks back at every bit of Breath of the Wild and how it changed Zelda from the ground up.

The speaker is a big fan of The Legend of Zelda and talks about his experience playing the game since he was young. He mentions that the series lost its sense of freedom and exploration in later games, and how he was excited when he saw the 2014 video discussing a new Zelda game that would challenge conventions and bring back that feeling of freedom. The 2017 trailer for Breath of the Wild sold the game and concept hard, and the game was released on March 3rd, 2017 for the Wii U.